In Chapter 11, it begins with a great multitude being gathered around the temple, where they are talking about 'this Jesus Christ' of whom the sign had been given concerning his death. During this conversation, they suddenly hear, as if from the heavens, a voice of which they cannot understand. It's not a loud voice nor a harsh voice, but a 'small voice which did pierce them that did hear it, to their very soul, and did 'cause their hearts to burn'.
I've never felt that. Have you?? Yes, I have been stirred at times, to the words shared by our prophets during General conference, or even during a song - it pierces me to my soul. But is that same as these people felt?
The voice came a second time and the people still not understand that which was being said. Then the third time they did hear the voice, 'they did open their ears to hear it' and looked upward to heaven. The third time, they finally understood what was being said, and in verse 7, the Father introduces his Son, 'Behold My Beloved Son...hear ye him'.
This is where the first lesson for me is taught.
The Father spoke 3 times, trying to get the attention of the people. And not until the third time, did they finally 'open their ears to hear it', and understood what the Father was saying. Typical of me to be one that doesn't hear until the 3rd or even 4th time. Are you the same? How many of us do not hear the words of the prophets, our Bishop, our Stake President and other priesthood leaders. Our ears are not open, so we do not FEEL the piercing of their message. The piercing does NOT come until we have prepared ourselves to HEAR and OBEY the message - THEN we feel the piercing in our hearts and soul. THAT is when we make the changes asked of us.
The heavens open and the Savior descends down to stand in the midst of the multitude. All eyes are on him and all mouths are silenced. They don't speak a word, mainly because they are not quite sure who he is - maybe an angel? The Savior sees they do not know who he is - so in versus 10 and 11, he introduces himself as Jesus Christ, the light of the world, explains garden of Gethsemane and suffered the will of the Father in all things.
As soon as Jesus finishes his introduction, the multitude immediately fell to the earth as they remember that it had been prophesied that Christ would show himself unto them after his resurrection. And now, He was here. Prophesy was fulfilled. THEY were the people he promised to visit. And now he was here.
This is where the second lesson for me is taught.
Have we not received a similar prophecy in our latter days? Will he not, again, return and 'show himself' to his people of the world? Do I believe what I have been told, or do I , as many of them did, no longer believe the promises and prophecy made of his return? It has been a long time that the Second coming has been prophesied of? Generations and centuries have passed and he has still not returned. We are told 'the time is near' What does near mean? In my lifetime? The lifetime of my children? Grandchildren?
The fact is, it doesn't matter when. It only matters that it WILL happen. That is what we are promised. It WILL happen, and he WILL return. And I'm to continue my path of obedience, trusting the prophecy, that even if not in my lifetime, he WILL return and my obedience to his plan and commandments is all that will save me at that time. The covenants and promises I have made to Him are still required, whether I'm here when he returns or not.
These next versus are where my desire to' be there in the moment' come into play. The Savior turns to the multitude and invites them 'to arise and come forward' so they can thrust their hands into his side and feel the prints of the nails in his hands and his feet.
What??!! They are invited to TOUCH the Savior - to have physical contact with a resurrected being who was their Savior. How many people do you think were there? Thousands -? Maybe more? And yet, the next verse says that the multitude went forth and did exactly as he had invited them to do. ONE BY ONE, they thrust their hands into his side; touched his feet and hands, all the way down to the very last person in line.
This is where the third lesson for me is taught.
Why?? Why did the Savior invite those thousands in the multitude to come forward and TOUCH him? And not just touch him, but touch the wounds caused from his crucifixion?? The hands, his feet and his side - all injuries made from the act of the Crucifixion.
They became witnesses of who he was. The Savior wanted them to KNOW who he was. No longer faith, no longer just a prophecy, but a fulfillment of prophecy and the promise made from the Father of us all. They were now witnesses that He was indeed the God of Israel, God of the whole earth and the one who had been prophesied of by the prophets. They had a personal witness. And they once again 'fell to the earth'.
Will I EVER be invited to have a similar experience with the Savior?? Most likely, not in this life. In fact, I'm a 100% sure it will NEVER happen in my lifetime. Does this relieve me of the Saviors desire for me to have a 'personal witness' of who he is?? Can I only have this witness by personal physical experience? No. I can still ask for and receive a witness that the Savior is EXACTLY who he says he is. But I have to live by faith. The need for faith has not been removed from MYwitness experience. I have to believe that his nail prints in his hands and his feet, and the gash in his side, were for me. I can't touch them. I can't see them. But I can know they were for me. But all by faith.
I have my personal witness.
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