The Cross at Ffald-y-Brenin, ‘miraculously’ provided and located as directed by the Lord.

[First published 2016]

Reflections upon the events of Jesus’ betrayal and execution whilst we were on a Quiet Day’s ‘Appointment in Jerusalem’, added to my ongoing meditation upon His personal prayer made, not in the garden of Gethsemane, but earlier in the upper room at the close of their Passover meal (John 17). That ‘celebratory remembrance’ proved to be more than a ground-breaking event. It was truly a heaven-breaking-in pivotal time in human history in which Jesus offered up Himself as the Paschal Lamb, not only for His first disciples but also for everyone who would ever believe in Him – eg. you and me! AND enable everyone to come into the full freedom of salvation from their sins and satan’s consequential authority over their lives – should they so choose.

So my thoughts meandered around Jesus’ praying to Father that He’d “manifested Your Name” and for His disciples to see the glory He had with Him before the Beginning, as in my footnote to the prophetic word on Preparation for Enlargement.

The modern concept of ‘name’ fails to convey the depth of meaning and significance as understood in biblical times. I recalled Hebrew and Semitic studies scholar Dr Michael S Heiser’s (bio) referring at Exodus 23:20-23 to the Angel of the LORD as having what’s noted from Gideon’s encounter with Him (Judges 6:11-26); that is,

‘Yahweh’s “Name” in him…which gives a glimpse of the Hebrew Bible’s ‘Name Theology’ in which reference to “the Name” actually refers to Yahweh Himself…Thus, ‘Yahweh indicates He is in the Angel…yet in other passages, Yahweh and the Angel can be simultaneously – but separately – present [Old Testament Godhead Language].

That’s remarkably similar to the principle of quantum entanglement (see On Engaging Time) – yet is in the Bible!  Jesus goes on to say that the divine “Name” represents His Presence, which is also God’s ‘Essence’.

So over silent lunch, my mind in ‘neutral’, an insight suddenly occurred and I noted it afterwards as an equation in my Bible’s rear fly-leaf.:

‘GOD’s NAME = HIS GLORY = EVERYTHING ABOUT HIM (KNOWN & UNKNOWN)’

Also, the last part is equivalent to:

‘NOT YET KNOWN  BUT BEING REVEALED IN AND ACROSS (ie. A +) TIME’

Now please note: in my mind I was going to write “in and throughout” but actually found myself writing “across”, which doesn’t make as much sense when considering the full continuity of time – BUT this change directly relates it to the Crucifixion.

From my earliest days of being ‘born again’ I’d heard about the Cross being pivotal in, and thus central to, human history. Now, however, I understood it’s existed throughout history from the very Beginning, and connected into the ‘mystery’ of ‘Fathers Own Objective’ that Apostle Paul revealed to the Ephesians, as noted in my intro to God’s Eternal Purpose.

I imagined the Cross’ horizontal beam s-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g…r-i- g-h-t…a-c-r-o-s-s…t-i-m-e.

Next, I scribbled a cloud shape with arrows poking out of it to represent different epochs and wrote within its curvy outline, ‘Cloud of Unknowing’ (as in the title of the medieval book of contemplative Christian mysticism on the being and nature of God – see Wikipedia).

THEN right after jotting those notes and awaiting the first session after lunch, this famous Welsh hymn was played and I was transfixed by the chorus line,

“He can never be forgotten throughout heaven’s eternal days.”

Now, as I blog and search on Hebrew name theology I find a very informative article on ‘Ha Shem’ at Hebrew4Christians, to which is added this postscript:

‘The point of all this is to demonstrate that the “Name of the LORD” is none other than Yeshua (or Jesus). Yeshua = YHVH…The idea of “Name” means more than mere phonetics; it has to do with the deeds, acts, power, reputation and glory of God. Those who do not honor the Son do not honor the Father who sent Him (John 5:23). Denigrating Yeshua by even hinting that He is less than God Almighty is to desecrate the Name of God…’ (Divine Names Theology?)

The deep wisdom of that article is worthy of contemplative reflection. Yet it also speaks to me of another aspect of the Lord’s name relating directly to the Crucifixion, about which I mused this time last year and which is republished next… ie. tomorrow, Good Friday.