From Matthew 14:22-27 we can see that after Jesus multiplied the five loaves and two fish, He told His disciples to go to the other side of the lake, while He went alone to a mountain. And he went there to speak with the Heavenly Father.
In the fourth watch of the night, Jesus then appeared to His disciples walking on the water, so that they were frightened and thought they saw a ghost. When Jesus noticed this, He told His disciples not to be afraid.
Matthew 14:22-27:
22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd.
23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake.
26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. ‘It’s a ghost,’ they said, and cried out in fear.
27 But Jesus immediately said to them: ‘Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.’
22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd.
23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake.
26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. ‘It’s a ghost,’ they said, and cried out in fear.
27 But Jesus immediately said to them: ‘Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.’
Jesus on the Mountain and the New Beginning of Time
Because God the Father is Spirit (cf. John 4:24a) and the beginning of time corresponds to the top of a mountain, it can be said that Jesus brought forth a new phase of time according to the will of the Father. This new phase of time was accompanied by a greater spiritual quality and a greater measure of blessing.
The reason for this is that, according to the biblical Hebrew view, the beginning of the new biblical year in God’s cycle of blessing is called ‘Rosh ha-Shanah’, which means ‘top/head of the year’.
It was therefore no coincidence that a multiplication of bread took place before Jesus went up the mountain. Strikingly, there were twelve baskets of bread left over and He instructed His twelve disciples to get into the boat and cross the lake to the other shore, indicating a transition (cf. Matthew 14:20-23).
Matthew 14:20-23:
20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.
21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.
22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd.
23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, …
20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.
21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.
22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd.
23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, …
This number of the ‘double twelve’ can be seen as an indication of the quality of each biblical month within the biblical year. The LORD longs for us to taste His goodness and kindness within each biblical month in Christ Jesus, as the living bread (cf. Psalm 34:8).
Psalm 34:8:
8 Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
8 Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
The result of ‘tasting the times’ through the truth of God’s Word, which is Christ Jesus, is that we discern the will and plan of the Heavenly Father in the time at hand as we reach out to what lies ahead.
This is similar to the actions of the twelve disciples who, during the time of the headwind, set their oars into the water, namely their future, in mutual coordination in order to bring it into their present and bring a visitation of God into their time by doing so (cf. Matthew 14:24 i.c.w. Mark 6:48).
Matthew 14:24:
…, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
…, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
Mark 6:48:
48 He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, …
48 He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, …
The God-appointed Moment of Visitation
It is the moment set by God in our time in which the LORD wants to let His eternal plan flow into our temporary time. In this context, it is inevitable that the Lord will appear in a new facet in a challenging phase that requires us to respond to His presence in faith like Peter. It was Peter who decided to enter into conversation with Christ Jesus in the new facet he did not know, which meant that he left his surroundings represented by the boat and entered into the presence of the Son of God (cf. Matthew 14:28-29).
Matthew 14:28-29:
28 ‘Lord, if it’s you,’ Peter replied, ‘tell me to come to you on the water.’
29 ‘Come,’ he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came towards Jesus.
28 ‘Lord, if it’s you,’ Peter replied, ‘tell me to come to you on the water.’
29 ‘Come,’ he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came towards Jesus.
Since Jesus Christ, is the perfect expression of God’s love and God’s love casts out all fear, it is crucial for us as believers in Christ to draw near to Him, even if His visitation seems unusual to us or even scary at the time (cf. John 3:16 i.c.w. James 4:8a; 1 John 4:18).
John 3:16:
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
James 4:8a:
8a Come near to God and he will come near to you. …
8a Come near to God and he will come near to you. …
1 John 4:18:
18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
This appearance includes, among other things, the call to walk in the supernatural realm, which presupposes life in the Spirit (cf. Galatians 5:16 i.c.w. Colossians 3:1-4).
Galatians 5:16a:
16a So I say, live by the Spirit, …
16a So I say, live by the Spirit, …
Colossians 3:1-4:
1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
The Prophet Elijah and God’s Call to Come Out
The prophet Elijah was also called by God to step out of his realm of loneliness and fear in order to go to Mount Horeb (cf. 1 Kings 19:7-10).
1 Kings 19:7-10:
7 The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.”
8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.
9 There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
10 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”
7 The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.”
8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.
9 There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
10 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”
During Elijah’s stay on the mountain, two areas of the prophet are addressed, which in this context are his spirit and his soul. The realm of the soul can be compared with Elijah’s stay in the cave and the realm of the spirit with Elijah’s stay on the mountain.
This is revealed by God’s question to Elijah when he was in the cave of the mountain, and God was asking him what he was doing in this place (cf. 1 Kings 19:9).
1 Kings 19:9:
9 There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
9 There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
Elijah’s answer reveals that he responded from his soul to the question of God, who is Spirit, and made a false statement to God. He was telling Him that he alone remained as a prophet. However, there were another seven thousand prophets whom the LORD preserved together with Elijah at the time of king Ahab (cf. 1 Kings 19:18 i.c.w. Romans 11:4).
1 Kings 19:18:
‘… 18 Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel – all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.’
‘… 18 Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel – all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.’
Romans 11:4:
4 And what was God’s answer to him? ‘I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.’
4 And what was God’s answer to him? ‘I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.’
To bring Elijah back into the spirit realm as a prophet, God called him -his spirit- to come out of the cave (Note: soul) and step onto the mountain (Note: spirit) to see God’s power and be prepared to recognize His visitation (cf. 1 Kings 19:10-12a).
1 Kings 19:10-12a:
10 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”
11 The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.
12a After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. …
10 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”
11 The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.
12a After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. …
The Still, Gentle Whisper of God
When the LORD came in the presence of a still, gentle whisper, Elijah also decided in his soul to leave the place of the ‘soulish’ (Note: cave) and step to the entrance of the cave. As a result, Elijah covered his face or his five prophetic senses in terms of sight, taste, smell, hearing, feeling with the power of his prophetic mandate, represented by his mantle, so that these were activated in the will of God together with the divine presence in order to carry out God’s commission for the future (cf. 1 Kings 19:12b.13a.15-16).
1 Kings 19:12b.13a.15-16:
… 12b And after the fire came a gentle whisper.
13a When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. …
15 The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. 16 Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet.
… 12b And after the fire came a gentle whisper.
13a When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. …
15 The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. 16 Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet.
This means that sometimes our soul gets in the way of the spirit and blocks it because we have a wrong view of things at the particular moment of God’s visitation, so God intervenes to bring us into the right spiritual balance, which means that our soul is completely submitted to the spirit. Only then in this way we are able to drive fear out of our sphere.
The Power of God and Five Events
The revelation of the power of God carries herein five different levels or events. These five events can also be transferred to us as saints. When we get into circumstances in life that are tough and challenging to us and our soul is shaken by emotional perception, it is wise to be aware of God’s five steps as well as His power and presence.
These five steps are made up as follows:
- the divine call to step out,
- the supernatural manifestation of a great strong wind that tore the mountains apart,
- an earthquake,
- a fire,
- a gentle breeze.
In this context, it is essential to realize that we must dwell in the revelatory truth of the Word of God, which is representative of Elijah’s stay on the mountain in the cave. We need to unite ourselves with the revelatory truth of God for this time to follow His call and find ourselves stepping out of the zone of intimidation and laziness due to fear.
The goal is that we ultimately stand under an open heaven and experience the very presence of God carrying the direction for our future.
The goal is that we ultimately stand under an open heaven and experience the very presence of God carrying the direction for our future.
In the prophetic context, the five different events that Elijah experienced on the mountain point to the following things.
- God’s call to step out of the cave and stand on the mountain => God’s call to move out of the zone of fear and self-protection by the power of the revelatory truth in order to see the heavens open and to feel God’s presence (cf. Matthew 5:14),
- a great, strong wind that tore the mountains apart => a high-ranking angelic movement that carries the Word of God and its revelatory truth for this time to destroy false doctrine and tyrannical rule (cf. Hebrews 1:7a; e.g. Michael, Gabriel; cf. Daniel 9:21; Daniel 10:21),
- an earthquake => awakening as well as making visible the inheritance of God in the region (cf. Matthew 27:51-53; Matthew 28:2),
- a fire => supernatural and passionate servant hood that reveals the greatness of God (cf. Hebrews 1:7b i.c.w. Matthew 23:11),
- a soft breeze => the presence of God that carries the direction of the future (cf. John 3:8; John 16:13-15).
These five events point out that it should be important for every individual saint to dwell in the revelatory truth of the Word of God and to respond to His Word. As a result, the Lord shows His power to encourage us to come closer to Him and His presence. The purpose of this is that we will witness how the Lord by His power pulls down false doctrine and tyrannical dominion to pave the way for His promise and servant hood.
As an effect, this approach gives us knowledge about what it means to stand in Jesus’ side or in Him as our entrance (Note: entrance of the cave/cleft in the rock => birthplace of the new wine skin; cf. John 10:9; John 19:34).
John 10:9:
9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.
9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.
John 19:34:
34 Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water [Note: the sign of a birth].
34 Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water [Note: the sign of a birth].
Herein we learn to us our God-given anointing in our relationships to maintain the directive truth of the Spirit, which is connected with the directed dominion of God.
The Center of the Word of God
The Hebrew word used for ‘cave’, into which Elijah went, is the word ‘mĕ‛ārāh’, which is derived from the root word ‘`ārar’ and means ‘expose, grind, tear down’. (Note: part excerpt from the Elberfelder Study Bible on the Hebrew word ‘mĕ‛ārāh – cave’ and its root word ‘`ārar’ with the word key number 4708, 6334*)
This explanation helps us to understand that Elijah was in the center of the Word of God, formed by God to lay down his own view and receive God’s instruction from the mouth of the Son of God for the future (cf. Hebrews 4:12-13 i.c.w. Revelation 1:16).
Hebrews 4:12-13:
12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
Revelation 1:16:
16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.
16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.
Therefore, learning from the way Elijah acted towards challenging circumstances, we too should always humbly react and respond to God’s command (Note: strategies) in tough seasons in order to secure our future and the next generation. At no time should we be afraid, but at all times show new courage and trust in our great God.
Amen and Amen.
In His Wisdom,
Daniel Glimm
