Vision examples Flashcards
Peter’s vision. Acts 10. NT
- On their journey, 6th hour, Peter went to the house to pray.
- He was hungry, but before his meal was ready, he fell into a trance.
- He saw heaven thrown open and something like a big sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained every possible sort of animal and bird, walking, crawling or flying ones.
- Voice said, ‘Now, Peter, Kill + eat’.
- Peter answered ‘Certainly not, Lord, I have never eaten anything profane or unclear.’
- Voice said, ‘What God has made clean, you have no right to call profane” – Repeated 3 times.
- Peter was in a ‘trance’ – awake but in trance?
- Not a dream, imaginative vision?
- Rather, the presence of the Lord so comes upon him that he is in a profound state of concentration. He is partially or completely oblivious to external sensations but fully alert to subjective influences as God communicates with him visually and audibly
Post resurrection appearances (John 20: 19-29) NT
- Jesus came and stood in the disciples midst and said to the ‘Peace be with you” + they rejoiced and received the holy spirit.
- Thomas, called Didymus, one of the 12, was not with them when Jesus came He did not believe them – “unless I see the mark of the nails in his hand and put my finger to the nail marks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe”
- Week later, Jesus appeared. And Jesus told him to believe.
- Thomas said “my Lord and my God.
- Jesus: “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed?”
- Clear indication of physical presence
The Annunciation. Luke 1:26-38 NT
- 6th month, angel Gabriel send by God to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, named Mary.
• He said to her ‘Rejoice, so highly favoured! The Lord is with you’.
• She as disturbed and didn’t know what these words meant.
• He then said, ‘Mary, do not be afraid, you have one God’s favour. Listen ‘You are to concive and bear a son of the Most High…’
• Mary said, ‘How? Since I am a virgin?’
• ‘The holy spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. The child will be holy called the Son Of God.
• Revelation
• Not a dream, but doesn’t dound just like imaginsation – more of a physical presence?
Joseph dream (Matt 1: 18-25) NT
Joseph decided to divorce Mary. But then an angel appears and says not to be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she conceived what is in her by the holy spirit’. When Joseph woke he did what the angel told him what to do.
• In a dream… and the annunciation was not.
• Different type of revelation.
MARIAN APPARITIONS IN THE 20TH CENTURY
Fatima (Portugal 1917) (Group)
3 young children witnessed seeing the virgin mary appear on May 13th, 1917, + then on the 13th of each month until the final apparitions on October 13th. A ‘great miracle’ accompanied this, where the sun was observed to move etc.
The message from the vision was of the importance of conversion, prayer and faith.
MARIAN APPARITIONS IN THE 20TH CENTURY
AKITA (Japan 1973-81) (Private)
Sister Agnes Sasgawa, a nun in the covent near Akita, witnessed light emanating from the Chapels tabernacle, and a voice communicating messages about faith etc.
A status exuded tears 101 times over the 8 year period. Sister Agnes continued to have private revelations during this time. These events were recognized to be of supernatural origin by the local bishop.
MARIAN APPARITIONS IN THE 20TH CENTURY
MEDJUGORJE (Bosnia (1981-present) (Group)
6 young people had, and continue to have, visions of the Virgin Mary. Messages to both them and the world have been given, focusing on conversion, faith, fasting, prayer with the heart + peace. Many conversions, healings and signs have accompanied the apparitions. Today, messages are still given to the world on the 25th of each month. E.g. www.medjugorjie.org.uk
MARIAN APPARITIONS IN THE 20TH CENTURY
GARABANDAL (Spain 1961-65) (Group)
4 girls had over 2,000 visions of the Virgin Mary, accompanied by many miracles and signs. The message was given to them for others was the importance of believing in God, penance, prayer + leading a good life.
MARIAN APPARITIONS IN THE 20TH CENTURY
ZEITOUN (Cairo, Egypt 1968-70) (Group)
An apparition of Mary was seen above an Orthodox Coptic Church in Zeitoun. This occurred many times over a 2 year period, witnessed by 1,000. No words were communicated, but ‘incense smelling smoke’ was witnessed.
MARIAN APPARITIONS IN THE 20TH CENTURY
BETANIA (Venezuela 1976-1980’s) (Group)
The principle visionary, Maria Bianchini, first had private revelations consisting of visions and messages from the Virgin Mary in 1976, who announced herself as the ‘Reconciler of Nations’. In 1983, the apparitions became public, witnessed by large crowds, but no words were communicated.
St Teresa Of Avila
An angel holding a long spear with something like fire on the end. This seemed to pierce her heart several times and when it was withdraw it left her ‘completely afire with great love for God.’
Guru Nanak (Individual vision)
Places: Guru Nanak’s vision of God’s court in which he was escorted into God’s presence and commanded to drink a cup of nectar.
Ezekiel’s (Old Test) (Individual vision)
Fantastic creatures/figures: For example, Ezekiel’s visions of four living creatures (Ezekiel 1:5-14) - each had a face of a man, and on the right side had the face of a lion, and on the left of the face of an ox; each also had the face of an eagle.
