Old Testament Witnesses

     The first tim we see the word "witness" appear in the Bible, is in Genesis.

     When Abraham entered the land God had promised to him, King Abimelech of Gerar took Sarah away from Abraham, intending to make her his wife.  But overnight, God appeared to Abimelech in a dream and rebuked him for this. 

     In response to God's warning, Abimelech gathered sheep, oxen, servants, and a thousand pieces of silver, and gave them to Abraham and restored Sarah to him.  Then Abimelech invited Abraham to dwell wherever he wanted to in the land.

     Some years later, Abimelech approached Abraham and wanted to make a covenant, or in modern terms, a non-agression treaty. 

     Abraham agreed to this covenant.

     However, there was a matter that Abraham wanted to clear up.

     Abraham had dug a well, and some of Abimelech's servants had violently taken it away.  As a condition of coming into covenant with Abraham, he wanted the well returned, and he insisted on a witness: 

"And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech; and both of them made a covenant.  And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.

 

 And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs which you have set by themselves?

 

And he said, For these seven ewe lambs shall you take of my hand, that they may be a witness unto me, that I have digged thsi well."--Gen. 21:27-30. 

     These seven little lambs did not attempt to witness for Abraham in the sense Christians seek to witness for Christ today.  They did not go to all of Abimelech's servants and preach the story of Abraham to them.  They did not seek to convert other sheep to belief in Abraham.

     Their very existence was a witness (or proof) that the well belonged to Abraham.

     The second time the word "witness" appear in the Scriptures is again in Genesis, two generations after Abraham.  In this instance, the word was used in association with Jacob.

     Jacob had lived in the lad of Laban for years, married two of his daughters, worked for him, and God prospered everything he did.  Eventually, relations with his father-in-law Laban, and Laban's sons became strained.  Jacob moved out in the middle of the night, taking his wives and all his possessions with him.

     Laban pursued him.

     God rebuked Laban in a dream, shortly before he caught up with Jacob.  Eventually, tempers cooled and they decided to make peace with each other.

     And they provided a witness: 

     "Now therefore come you, and let us make a covenant, I and you;

 

and let it be for a witness between me and you.

 

     And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar.

 

     And Jacob said unto his bretheren, Gather stones; and they took stones, and made a heap:  and they did eat there upon the heap.  .....Jacob called it Galeed (translation--the heap of witness).

 

     And Laban said, "This heap is a witness between me and you this day...

 

     The Lord watch between me and you, when we are absent one from another...

 

     This heap be witness, and this pillar be witness, that I will not pass over this heap to you, and that you shall not pass over this heap and this pillar unto me, for harm."--Gen. 31:44-48, 51,52.

     The stone pillar and the heap of stones did not roll around and try to witness for Jacob and Laban by telling all the nearby stones about the covenant between the two.

     They did not try to convert other stones into believing in Jacob and Laban.

     The presence of any heap of stones arranged with a pillar was not a natrual occurrance.  Anyone seeing them would automatically know that men had piled them up for a reason.  Their existence served as a witness (or proof) to all that saw them that there had been a covenant made between Jacob and Laban.

     The stones did not try to witness.

     Their existence was a witness.

     In one instance, sheep existed as a witness or proof of ownership.  On another occasion, a pile of rocks served as a witness or proof of an agreement.  In the Bible, exisistence of a witness--living or inanimate--served as proof of the reality of a matter.

      Another example of the ancient concept of being a witness is shown in the lives of the Patriarchs.

     Have you ever thought about how God demonstrated the reality of His existence in early Bible Tiems?

     There were no written Scriptures prior to Moses. 

     Even though God performed miracles, these were few and geographically widespread.  But since God desired for man to know Him, He revealed Himself to the world by what some call "the Patriarchial Witness."  In other words, people knew that God existed because His presence in the lives of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph was obvious to all who observed them. 

     The reality of God was demonstrated to the world through their lives in several ways.

     For one thing, the Patriarchs always triumphed over their enemies.  They also always ended up with the best end of any deal.  Additionally, they lived long in the earth while others died young.  Miracles also took place when they prayed, as in the case of God healing the barren women in Abimelech's kingdom in response to Abraham's prayer: 

"So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children."--Gen. 20:17. 

     God's presence was so ovbious in Abraham's life, that Abimelech said: 

"God is with you in all that you do."--Gen. 21:22. 

     The blessing of God went from generation to generation, from Abraham's life into his son Isaac's life.  The blessing operated regardless of the negative circumstances occurring among the surrounding peoples.  For instance, even though the whole land was suffering a drought, and other people suffered lack and hunger, Isaac sowed seed in the midst of the drought and received back a hundred-fold return while others sowed nothing and reaped nothing: 

"Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year a hundredfold:  and the Lord blessed him.  And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great:  For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants:  and the Philistines envied him."--Gen 26:12-14. 

     Isaac was so blessed, that the Philistines were envious of his wealth! 

     Even King Abimelech--the same one that had years ago made a covenant with Isaac's father Abraham--showed up and entered into a covenant with Isaac.

     Why?

     Look at Abimelech's explanation: 

"...We saw certainly that the Lord was with you...you are now the blessed of the Lord."--Gen. 26:28,29. 

     Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph were witnesses unto God.

     I wish you to note here that they did not go from place to place, tribe to tribe, trying to pressure others into believing in the One True God with whom they walked.  They simply lived with Him in front of everyone else and let others make their own choice as to what god they would follow.

Other Examples of Witnesses

     The Old Testament Scriptures give us many other examples of witnesses whose mere existence demonstrated the reality of God.

     In all of these instances, the existence of these people and objects served as proof of God's reality.  It is strange therefore that none of these witnesses "witnessed" in the manner we call on fellow Christians to do today.  None of these sought to convert unbelievers to the Jewish faith, yet all were identified in the Scriptures as "witnesses."

New Testament Witnesses

     Crossing over into the New Testament the only person we find specifically identified as a witness in the four Gospels is John the Baptist.  (John 1:7,8,15).

     The Scriptures declare John to be a witness, but we do not see him "witnessing."  He did not go from door-to-door, attempting to thrust his beliefs off on strangers.

     He ministered mostly out in the wilderness.

     To even hear him, individuals usually had to go some distance out into the wilds.  Once there, he didn't greet you with a warm cup of coffee, a pastry, give you a 10-minute sermonette,  and pronounce blessings upon you as you returned to your homes.

     No.

     John preached repentence.

     If people sincerely repented, John would baptize them.

     If they didn't, he wouldn't.

     And he told all who came that "he which baptizes with the Holy Ghost," would soon come on the scene.

     None of the Old Testament witnesses fit our idea of witnessing, and neither does John the Baptist.

     Could it be that we actually don't have a clue what Jesus meant when He said, "ye shall be witnesses unto Me?"

     I believe so.

 Christ's Idea of Witnessing

     If we are to be witnesses to the reality of Jesus Christ to a lost world, how are we to go about it?

     Giving our testimony of what Jesus Christ has done in our lives is certanly a legitimate method.  However, Jesus tells us that there is a witness greater than the testimony of man: 

"But I have greater witness than that of John:  for the works which the Father has given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father has sent me."--John 5:36. 

     What are these "works" Jesus is speaking about?

     Miracles, signs, and wonders.  The miracles that Christ performed were an even greater witness than the testimonies of men.  Now note what Christ said later in the same Gospel of John: 

"...He that believes on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father."--John 14:12. 

     Jesus said believers would be able to do these "works" and "greater works."

     Why?  How?

     "Because I go unto my Father." 

     At the throne of God, Christ poured out the Holy Spirit to empower believers to do signs, wonders, and miracles.  Does Jesus truly expect to use all Christians, not only in sharing our testimony, but also in being a witness unto him by working signs, wonders, and miracles?

     Absolutely.

     In the Great commission, Christ even listed some of these miraculous signs: 

     "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the workd, and preach the gospel to every creature.  He that believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believes not shall be damned.

 

     And these signs shall follow them that believe;

 

     In my name shall they cast out devils;

 

     they shall speak with new tongues;

 

     They shall take up serpents;

 

     and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them;

 

     they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

 

     ...So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.

 

      And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following.  Amen."--Mark 16:15-20.

     We have only partially obeyed Christ's command in the Great Commission.

     We have gone into all the world and preached the Gospel to every creature.  But that is only the first half of the Great Commission.  The other half is that Christ "sat on the right hand of God," from whence He poured out the baptism in the Holy Spirit, empowering the Early Church to work miracles. 

We Christians of today are to receive this same outpouring,

 

this same baptism,

 

and this same empowerment. 

     The natural result will be these miraculous signs listed in Mark 16:17-18 will acoompnay our ministry, bearing witness to the reality of Jesus Christ.

     Through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit:

     We are to cast devils out of the demon possessed.

     We are to speak in other tongues.

     We are to take up serpents.

     No, this doesn't mean we are to conduct "snake-handling services."  A serpent first appears in Genesis as a creature that Satan indwelt in order to deceive, tempt, and to promote false doctrine to Adam and eve.  There are many such evil situations and tools present in the world today that Satan uses to decieve, and to lead people away from faith in Christ.  We are to "take up" these "serpents" in prayer, and release our faith for the deception to be exposed so that people can see clearly to receive faith in Christ.

     An additional sign is that if, as we are serving Jesus Christ, we somehow accidentally drink something deadly we are to expect to make a full recovery.

     And the final sign in this list is that we are to pray for the sick, laying our hands on them in the name of Jesus, and expect that our prayers will be answered with a manifestation of God's healing power.

     Some Christians discount the second half of the Great Commission because in some of the oldest manuscripts, the last several verses of Mark Chapter 16 are missing.  they therefore turn to Matthew's comments on the Great Commission, an dstate that Matthew makes no mention of signs, wonders, or miracles. 

     That is only half true.

     Read Matthew's words with me: 

     "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

 

     Go you therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Hoy Ghost:

 

     Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:  and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world."--Matt. 28:18-20. 

     They were to go throughout the entire world, leading people to Christ, baptizing new convertsin water, and teaching all believers to observe--to do exactly--everything Jesus commanded the Apostles to do.  The key word here is "commanded."  What did Jesus command the Apostles to do?

     Read with me one of the commands Jesus gave the original 12 disciples when he appoointed them to be Apostles: 

     "...These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying

 

...as you go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

 

Heal the sick,

 

cleanse the lepers,

 

raise the dead,

 

cast ouot devils:

 

freely you have received, freely give."--Matt. 10:5,7,8. 

     Matthew reports that when Jesus called and appointed the original twelve Apostles, he commanded them to heal.

     Healing the sick was not optional.

     Healing the sick was not a helpful suggestion.

     Healing was a command.

     Matthew and Mark agreed that the Great Commission was not to consist of salvation sermons and baptismal services alone.  Both declared that there was to be a supernatural element to the fulfilling of the Great Commission, involving various signs and wonders.  

     The Apostles and Early Church took Christ's command seriously.  They expected to obtain miraculous results, and they did: 

"And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following."--Mark 16:20. 

     Sadly, we have not taken Christ's command seriously. 

     We have not fully obeyed the Great Commission.

     We have gone, without allowing Jesus Christ to first baptize us in the Holy Spirit.  We have unknowingly ignored Jesus Christ in his role as "he which baptizes with the Holy Ghost."

     Indeed, the modern teaching of the Baptism has been so muddied that many do not even realize that there is a Baptism of power available to every believer.

     The Lord has worked with the Modern Church to a certain extent.  Some results have been attained.  Never-the-less, the signs God promised have not accompanied the preaching of most churches and minsters.

     The plain fact of the matter is that we have settled for being testifiers about Christ, rather than being witnesses unto Christ as he commanded us to be.

     A testifier:

• Tells what he has experienced with Christ.

• Talks, preaches, weeps, and shouts.

• Thinks up gimmicks.

• Tries to convince skeptics with Scriptures and enticing words of men's wisdom. 

     A witness:

• Demonstrates that God still gives miraculous answers to prayer.

• Shows that the sufferings of Christ really took place, and the stripes laid on the back of our Lord still  bring healing in answer to faith in God's Word.

• That Jesus Christ has been given the name which is above every name, and that every devil must bow to that name.

     The Apostle Paul was not a testifier.

     He was a witness unto Jesus Christ.

     To the Corinthians he wrote: 

     "And I, bretheren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.

 

     ...And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

 

     That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God."--I Cor. 2:1-5. 

     To the Thessalonians Paul wrote: 

"For our gospel came not unto you in word only,

 

but also in power,

 

 and in the Holy Ghost,

 

and in much assurance..."--I Thes. 1:5

     We have come mostly "in word only."

     The Early Church did not.

     We have come "with enticing words of man's wisdom."

     The Apostles did not.

     They evangelized the known world in a little more than a generation.

     We have not.

     Modern Patriarchial Witness

     Christ's baptizing the believer in the Holy Spirit actually empowers us to walk with God as did the Patriarchs of old.

     The world knew there was One True God because He accompanied Abraham.

     In like manner, the Lord desires to reveal Himself to this unbelieving world by His Presence flowing through us to others.  He wants the entire world to know that He is the God that created them, that He loves them, and His Son bled and died for their sins.

     Through Calvary God has issued an open invitation:  

     Whosoever will may come!

     All are invited to come into God's Kindgom through faith in Christ, enjoy His presence and power in this life, and then when this life is over, all believers can go be with Him.

     Because we believers are His beloved, His prized possession, His jewels, His sons and daughters, He wants to accompany us like He accompanied Abraham, I saac, Jacob, and Joseph.

     He wants to cause us to overcome every obstacle, triumph over every enemy, and to end up with the best end of any deal.  He desires that we prosper, be in health, and live long on the Earth.  Additionally, God wants the blessing of His Presence in our lives to be so strong that it flows out from us to meet the needs of a hurting humanity with signs, wonders, and miracles.

The Heavenly Father's Goal is Nothing Short Of:

     His Presence accompanying us.

     His anointing upon us.

     His love motivating us.

     His character reproduced within us.

     And His miracles flowing through us to others.

     In every way, God is to be so evident in our lives that the whole world envies us, and even kings come and bow down before us and exclaim like King Abimelech of Old, 

"God is with you in all that you do." 

     Then we reply, 

     "Let me introduce you to Him through His only begotten Son." 

Copyright 2007  Mel C. Montgomery  All rights reserved.  Material may be copied and shared with others if done so without charge, in entirety, and if attribution is given.