DANIEL AND REVELATION-PART 1

May 11, 2021 Eddie Leave a comment

“When all this comes true—and it surely will—then they will know that a prophet has been among them.”

Ezekiel 33:33

AUTHOR NOTE: THE KEY THAT UNLOCKS REVELATION STARTS IN DANIEL. TO OPEN THE BOOK OF REVELATION WITHOUT READING DANIEL PUTS THE READER AT A DISADVANTAGE. THIS IS WHY WE START IN THE GREAT BOOK WRITTEN CENTURIES BEFORE THE BOOK OF REVELATION

PLEASE READ DANIEL 2 BEFORE PROCEDDING.

Have you ever had a dream you could not remember? Did you feel that the dream was very important, but you just could not remember it?

This is exactly what happened to an ancient king. His name was King Nebuchadnezzar. In his second year as king he “had dreams” which troubled him so much that he could not sleep. His story is found in Daniel 2.

The Fakers

He needed help in remembering his dream so he sent for the people who claimed to know about dreams and spiritual matters:

Then the king gave the command to call the magicians, the astrologers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king. And the king said to them, “I have had a dream, and my spirit is anxious to know the dream.”

Daniel 2: 2-3

These wise men tried to impress the king so they spoke in his language “Aramaic” and made a simple request,

“Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation.”

Daniel 2:4

Here is the first sign, these guys were fakes. If they were so knowledgeable of matters of the spirit, etc., why did they not know ahead of time that the king did not remember the dream? They were not even good listeners because the king was anxious to “know the dream.” This meant he couldn’t remember the dream!

They were anxious to give an interpretation and get back to whatever they were doing, but they did not realize that the true God of heaven would soon separate the true prophets from the false prophets.

These men had something new thrown at them. The king had never before asked them to tell him the dream. Usually, he would tell them a dream and they would interpret. Interpretation is easy. You can make it up so it sounds plausible. But reading the mind of someone else is something altogether different. Only God has that ability.

So these fakers were in a pickle! The king made a threat that he intended to execute. Wow! That dream must have really impressed him!

“My decision is firm: if you do not make known the dream to me, and its interpretation, you shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made an ash heap. However, if you tell the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts, rewards, and great honor. Therefore tell me the dream and its interpretation.”

Daniel 2:5-6

They couldn’t believe what they were hearing so they requested again that the king would tell them the dream,

“Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will give its interpretation.”

Daniel 2:7

But the king was wise to their tricks and he said,

“I know for certain that you would gain time, because you see that my decision is firm: if you do not make known the dream to me, there is only one decree for you! For you have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the time has changed. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can give me its interpretation.”

Daniel 2:8-9

Yes. They were stalling. The fakers then informed the king that his request was not fair. But, unwittingly they said a couple of things that were true:

“There is not a man on earth who can tell the king’s matter; therefore no king, lord, or ruler has ever asked such things of any magician, astrologer, or Chaldean.”

Verse 10

Truth #1-There IS no man “on earth” who can help the king. Only the Omnipotent God of heaven has answers about the future.

“…there is no other who can tell it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.”

Verse 11

Truth #2 -The “gods” do not dwell with flesh. Why? Because they are not real. They are not alive. They are dumb idols, but the Creator Himself would one day become flesh and dwell among flesh. In fact, He would come in the flesh:

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:14

None of this mattered to the king. He was extremely angry. He was furious and made a decree to have all the wise men killed. In the king’s mind, he knew they were all fake, they would attempt to deceive him and therefore they were useless to him.

For this reason the king was angry and very furious, and gave the command to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. So the decree went out, and they began killing the wise men;

Verse 12-13

In today’s world, there are many who claim to know more than they really do and surprisingly there are many who know the true God who are given wisdom by Him. They are confident and humble in their knowledge and wisdom. Daniel was such a man.

True Prophets

Daniel asked the king for more time, which was obviously granted even though the fakers wanted time too, but I think the king had heard of the God of Daniel and gave them extra time expecting they would deliver.

Daniel went back to his three friends and they had a prayer session and sought God.

“Then Daniel went to his house, and made the decision known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, that they might seek mercies from the God of heaven concerning this secret, so that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. So Daniel blessed the God of heaven.”

Verse 17-19

These four men, asked for mercies regarding the secret. The secret was revealed to Daniel. His first action? “Bless the God of heaven.” May we never be in such a haste that we fail to stop to thank our Creator for His mercies. There is a blessing for us when we take time to thank God.

Daniel’s prayer of blessing to the God of heaven is below. In his blessing, he describes God’s abilities.

“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
For wisdom and might are His.
And He changes the times and the seasons;
He removes kings and raises up kings;
He gives wisdom to the wise
And knowledge to those who have understanding.
He reveals deep and secret things;
He knows what is in the darkness,
And light dwells with Him.

“I thank You and praise You,
O God of my fathers;
You have given me wisdom and might,
And have now made known to me what we asked of You,
For You have made known to us the king’s demand.”

Verses 20-23

Notice the things Daniel confirms about God:

1.) Wisdom belongs to God

2.) He changes “times” and “seasons”

3.) He sets up kings and removes kings

4.) He gives wisdom to the wise (Notice who gets the wisdom. It is the wise! Who gets the knowledge? Those who have understanding!)

5.) He reveals secret things (This fits with our opening verse from Amos 3:17-He reveals His secrets to His servants the prophets.)

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The Prophets Work

Next, Daniel intercedes for the wise men, even the fakers! He could have just saved himself and his three friends, but the character trait of the person who knows the true God of heaven is to save life, not destroy it, even if the “wise men” are fakers.

Therefore Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wisemen of Babylon. He went and said thus to him: “Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon; take me before the king, and I will tell the king the interpretation.”

Verse 24

Daniel is taken in before king Nebuchadnezzar. The king asks,

“Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen, and its interpretation?”

Verse 26

Before Daniel answers the king, he demonstrates, with power, the comparison between the fakers and the true God in heaven.

“The secret which the king has demanded, the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, and the soothsayers cannot declare to the king. But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days.”

Verse 27

Daniel has a mini-sermon before he starts to reveal to the king what he wants to know. The mini-sermon is this: There is a God in heaven (He is real). He reveals secrets or things that man on earth would not know. These secrets are given to man through God’s servants the prophets. It is not only for the prophets benefit, but also it is for the benefit of the ones who are hearing the message from God through His prophets.

I can image the king on the edge of his seat. He can sense through Daniel’s confidence that what he is about to hear is the truth and there is no guile (falsehood or fakery) from the mouth of this prophet of God. It is one man (Daniel) and his God (Jehovah) in comparison to the many astrologers, magicians, and soothsayers.

Truth does not come through the majority. It comes from the God of heaven and His prophets. It has always been a testimony to the power of God, that one with God is stronger than the majority.

Daniel begins to explain the dream:

Your dream, and the visions of your head upon your bed, were these: As for you, O king, thoughts came to your mind while on your bed, about what would come to pass after this; and He who reveals secrets has made known to you what will be. But as for me, this secret has not been revealed to me because I have more wisdom than anyone living, but for our sakes who make known the interpretation to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your heart.

Verse 28-30

The dream is for the benefit of both the prophet (who makes known the interpretation) and the one who is receiving the interpretation so that the thoughts of the heart may be revealed. Notice the phrase:

“for OUR sakes…”

What a wise and powerful Creator! Daniel is telling the king that God’s revealing of the dream and God’s secrets are for both the speaker and the hearer!

When I read Bible prophecy, it has a strange effect of letting me know where my heart stands with God. The effect can be fearful or it can be comforting. All people have the invitation to move from fearful (lost) to comforting (saved from the penalty of sin i.e., eternal death)

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Daniel tells they king the topic of the dream. It is about

“….what will be in the latter days.”

“The term “latter days” is simple to understand in the context of the dream. Since this dream will be about the “latter days” of the kingdom of Babylon and its kings we can use it in that context. But, it is also about the end of all kingdoms as well. So the “latter days” can also refer to the end of time and this earth as we know it.

The Dream Revealed

To the amazement of the King, Daniel begins to recount the dream for him. As he talks, the king starts to remember and cold chills run throughout his body:

“You, O king, were watching; and behold, a great image! This great image, whose splendor was excellent, stood before you; and its form was awesome. This image’s head was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs[ of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay.[ You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.”

“This is the dream.”

Verses 31-36

An artist’s idea of the image the king saw:

The king must have been amazed as he recalled each detail. Before the king could say anything, Daniel began the interpretation. We will let Daniel interpret for us. Then we will look back at history to see if it was true. Finally, we will look into the future using the foundation of the interpretation.

Here is how Daniel interpreted the king’s dream as God showed it to him:

“Now we will tell the interpretation of it before the king. You, O king, are a king of kings. For the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, strength, and glory; and wherever the children of men dwell, or the beasts of the field and the birds of the heaven, He has given them into your hand, and has made you ruler over them all—you are this head of gold.”

Verses 36-38

So what does the head of Gold represent? Daniel said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “you are this head of gold.”

Nebuchadnezzar and the kingdom of Babylon are represented in both time and space as the “head of gold.” Could there be any other interpretation with something so plainly spoken?

The King must have been proud as he thought, even if just for a moment, that he was the top and the most valuable metal in the image. But, he was soon to be disappointed. Daniel continues with the interpretation of the great image,

The Interpretation

But after you shall arise another kingdom inferior to yours; then another, a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth.

Verse 39

As great and wonderful as was King Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylon, it would fall to another. Not just another, but an inferior kingdom. Just as silver is of less value and strength as gold, the next kingdom was to be inferior.

The Second Kingdom

Does the Bible tell us who this next kingdom was to be? Yes! The story can be found in Daniel 5. It is an interesting story about Belshazzar (The son of Nebuchadnezzar and the then current king of Babylon) The king and his subjects were having a feast with debauchery, and disrespect for things God had made holy. During the drunken sacrilegious feast, a man’s finger appears and writes a message on the wall.

This supernatural act made the king’s “countenance” change. Like his father Nebuchadnezzar, he was troubled as to what it meant so he called for the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. Remember them? They are the fakers. Just as they could not see Nebuchadnezzar’ s dream. They were unable to read the writing and make an interpretation. Sound familiar?

Fortunately for the king, the queen remembered Daniel. She told the king,

There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the Spirit of the Holy God. And in the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him; and King Nebuchadnezzar your father—your father the king—made him chief of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans,and soothsayers. Inasmuch as an excellent spirit, knowledge, understanding, interpreting dreams, solving riddles, and explaining enigmas were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar, now let Daniel be called, and he will give the interpretation.”

Daniel 5:11-12

Daniel’s interpretation confirms what he had told King Nebuchadnezzar with the image of God falling to an inferior kingdom,

And this is the inscription that was written:

MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.

This is the interpretation of each word. MENE: God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it; TEKEL: You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting; PERES: Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.

Daniel 5:26-28

The king was slain and Babylon fell to the dual kingdom of the Medes and Persians led by Cyrus and Darius.

That very night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, was slain. And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.

Daniel 5: 30-31

The Medes and the Persians were represented by the arms and shoulders of silver. (Two arms-two kingdoms)

It is interesting and shows the foreknowledge of God as to how Babylon fell and the way the enemy was able to get into the walled city.

Also, before Cyrus was born, God called him by name as the conqueror of Babylon

Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut…

Isaiah 45:1

So how were Cyrus and Darius able to get into the walled city of Babylon?

*They dried up the river Euphrates (a familiar prophetic term in Revelation! )! This diverted the river that ran under the walls and through the city. Along the river within the city was another set of walls with gates. The citizens were protected should someone swim in under the outer walls. The enemy swimmers would then need to get through the second set of gates. But on the night of Babylon’s fall, the gates had been left open due to drunken feast! So the Medes and Persians were able to walk under the walls and up the banks through the leaved gates and into the city!

God is so amazing! He knows the end from the beginning!

* See pages 265, 266 of Volume 1 of the book The Great Events by Famous Historians in the chapter on “Conquests by Cyrus The Great B.C. 538,” by George Grote. — University Edition, copyrighted 1905, by The National Alumni.
See also The Golden Age, as of June 7, 1922. page 572.

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Third Kingdom

But, there was to arise yet a third kingdom represented by the belly and thigh of brass.

“And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.”

Verse 39

The deciding point in the fall of the Persians
was
reached on the field of Arbela, B.C. 331, in which the Grecians, were entirely victorious; and Alexander
became absolute lord of the Persian empire.

More could be said on this third kingdom, but let’s move on. We will talk more about each kingdom as we study the prophecies that provide more detail.

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The Fourth Kingdom

The events really pick up when the powerful fourth kingdom comes on the scene,

And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron, inasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will break in pieces and crush all the others.

Verse 40

History tells us that this fourth power of legs of iron is none other than the “iron monarchy” of Rome. Rome became the world power after it crushed the third kingdom of Greece.

Rome was in power during the life of Christ on earth and continued on for hundreds of years afterward.

4th Kingdom-Forever Division

But the prophecy does not stop there, there was to be a time when this iron would mix with clay (partly strong and partly weak substances)

It is interesting that Rome eventually was divided into 10 divisions by the invading nomadic tribes. These divisions became the modern day countries of Europe. Three of these 10 divisions were eventually annihilated so that there was only 7, but even those events are part of the prophecy were will study later in Daniel and Revelation. Those divisions of Rome are as follows:

10 Toes or Divisions of Rome

Heruli

Ostrogoths

Vandals

Franks

Visigoths

Burgundians

Lombards

Anglo Saxons

Alamanni

Seuvi

Daniel continues on and informs the king of something that stands to this day. These divisions of Rome would attempt to unite, but as iron does not mix with clay, they would never unite:

Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay. And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile. As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay.

Verses 41-43

This 4th kingdom would be divided and would never reunite. Throughout recent history, there have been attempts to reunite the old divisions of Europe, but it has always failed and it always will because the God of Heaven has spoken. Those who have tried were:

Charlamagne, 8th Century;

Charles V l6th Century;

Louis XIV l5th Century;

Napoleon, l9th Century;

Kaiser Wilhelm and Hitler, 20th Century.

All of these men invested enormous
resources and countless lives in their efforts to unite Europe, but each one failed. Even today the leaders
of Europe are trying to unite as one, but God says this will never happen!

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Our Day-The Soon Coming Eternal Kingdom

Daniel ends the interpretation of the dream with a dramatic ending!

You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

Verse 34, 35

Jesus is the Rock that was cut out without hands.

For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.

I Corinthians 10:4

Daniel takes the king and the reader of this chapter to a time when God would set up his kingdom that would never end:

And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.

Verse 44

My Friends, we are living in the “days of these kings.” The old divisions of Rome!

When Jesus returns the earth is melted and no trace of anything left on this earth will be found. Then He will make a new heaven and a new earth.

About 500 years before Jesus came to this earth the first time as a lamb to pay for the sins of a planet in rebellion, we see a prophecy concerning his second coming when he comes to “break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms.” It will stand forever!

And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Matthew 24:30

When Jesus returns the earth passes away.

Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

Matthew 24:35

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

II Peter 3:10

And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”

Mark 4: 62

When God destroys the earth, he creates a new heaven and a new earth that will last forever:

“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth;
And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind.

Isaiah 65:17

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Daniel tells the king,

“The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure.”

Verse 45

After hearing Daniels recalling of the king’s forgotten dream and the interpretation, there wells up in the heart of this heathen king both fear and joy!

Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, prostrate before Daniel

Verse 46

This is what each of us should do as we see that God is in control of the history of planet earth and of our own lives. He knows the exact number of hairs on your head. He is all-powerful but most important, He loves each one of us so much as to send His son to pay for the sin we have committed.

His law, that can never be changed, shows we are sinners and deserve to die for eternity, but God makes a substitutionary sacrifice (atonement) for us so that we might live and enjoy the greatest gift he could have given us: Life to the uttermost!

The king understood that there is a God in Heaven who reveals secrets

The king answered Daniel, and said, “Truly your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you could reveal this secret.”

Verse 47

I hope you have been blessed by this study. Next, we will look at a vision given to Daniel that repeats this dream but expands it. He will receive other visions that will demonstrate that God knows the end from the beginning.

A Week Before The Resurrection

HE IS ALIVE! NOW I UNDERSTAND LIKE NEVER BEFORE!

April 10, 2021 Eddie Leave a comment

The Day That Changed History

It was like I had been reading the scripture the way I wanted it to read instead of letting it talk to me!

The following is based on Luke 24

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“Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. And they remembered his words, And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.” Luke 24: 1-9

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It was early in the morning and the sky was getting brighter as we walked the dusty road speaking in low tones. My new friend Cleopas talked in pain about the things that had transpired over the last few days. So many things! All very bad!

The disappointment started with the arrest of Jesus in the Garden east of the city. During the night and into the early morning of the Preparation Day (Friday) the soldiers and mob began to move him between the governor and religious leadership. Then they beat him to a pulp. Eventually they crucified him on a Roman cross on the hill outside of Jerusalem later in the afternoon of the Preparation Day. I watched as he hung his head and took his last breath. I think I saw Peter off in the distance. He appeared to be on his knees with his face in his hands. His disappointment must be very great! We all loved the gentle Jesus and will miss him. He certainly went about doing good. I just don’t understand these series of events. Cleophas and I both repetitively ask, Why?

I will certainly be labeled as a fanatic believer by my brothers, the Sadducees. The religious leaders have declared Jesus a blasphemer and made sure He was no longer a factor in our religion. They have won and put an innocent precious soul to death. Not just death, but the cruel and tortuous death on a Roman cross. Why were they so determine to do away with Him?

There had been an earthquake and the sun refused to let go of its light. Darkness took over the land like a thick wet smothering blanket. Everything seemed out of place. It was frightening. The large curtain in the temple had been ripped from top to bottom by some unseen hands. There were even reports of people, considered saints, coming out of their graves and appearing to many in the city! (Matthew 27: 51-53)

My personal disappointment because made me weak. I have a lot to lose. I believed everything He said and was amazed at His great miracles and works of kindness. We thought him to be the Messiah prophesied by many of the prophets hundreds of years ago. He was going to set up his kingdom and deliver the Jews from the iron rule of Rome. He was the coming king upon which I hung all my hopes. But, it seemed like he did not want the office of king. I had left everything to follow him and learn his teachings, but all this seemed to come to nothing on that Friday afternoon when He died.

Now only doubt, sadness, and breath-taking disappointment draped themselves on Cleopas and me. My head is spinning with confusion. I want an explanation, but the reality of possible deception by this Nazarene was creeping into my thoughts and it made me feel sick and foolish. On top of everything else, the body of Jesus is missing! The women said He was alive, confirmed by a couple of other disciples, but I know better. It is just wishful thinking on their part. No one could have survived the beating, the nails, the loss of blood, and finally the sharp sword in the side. I saw it and refuse to believe anything but what my eyes can confirm. There was no mistaking… the vision of so much blood and the pale appearance of death was real and convincing.

We are on our way to Emmaus to start over; a walk of about 8 miles. It will take me the usual 3 1/2 hours or so to walk…maybe longer today because of our conversation and a heavy heart. This dusty walk will give us plenty of time to try to put all the pieces together….to try to understand and make sense of everything and to decide what to do with the rest of our lives. My clothes are now those of the common person. I have removed my garments worn by the other Sadducees. My self-identification is stuck between tradition and my disappointment.

All of a sudden, and unexpected, a stranger walks up from behind and joins us. He scared us a little then he asks,

“Why are you so sad and what are you discussing?”

I find these two questions odd in the light of the excitement and well-known events of the weekend. Slightly agitated and amazed Cleopas speaks before I can open my mouth and he answers the question with a question. He throws in some sarcasm for good measure.

“Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem that does not know the things which happened there this last few days?”

I am even more amazed when the stranger asks,

“What things?”

In disbelief, we began to explain to the stranger the events of the last few days. Reviewing everything does not help my mental and spiritual pain. We rush through what we saw as a courtesy to the stranger.

“These things concern Jesus of Nazareth who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people . The chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him. But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this today is the third day since these things happened. Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us. Then they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive. And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see.” Luke 24: 19-24

Then the stranger calls Cleopas and me “foolish ones” and that we are “slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken” This is certainly not so! I have always believed the prophets. I have come from a family who believes in the Tanakh (Old Testament) and I have read it often. The prophets said, that the Messiah would come and deliver Israel from its enemies.

But the stranger began to recite the writings of Moses (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy) and all the Prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Micah, Malachi, etc) of the Tanakh and explain things I had missed before.

The stranger clearly points out passages that were references to Jesus. For the next 3 hours, I am amazed at the knowledge and clarity of the stranger’s words. As I listened to him recite our ancient books, I begin to see that it was necessary for Jesus to die for the sins of the world, but that He would be raised up the third day! How had I missed that? Why had we not believed Jesus when he said it was necessary for him to die and that he would rise again?

It was like I had been reading the scripture the way I wanted it to read instead of letting it talk to me! Indeed, we felt foolish but encouraged by the words of the stranger. My heart burned within me! I wanted to hear more! This was all exciting and new to me! Hope was starting to spring up in my heart! What if Jesus really was alive again?

As we near the village, the day is in its final hours. it is getting darker. I don’t want the stranger to go and I look for excuses for him to stay the night so we can hear more. Thankfully, He agrees to have supper with us.

As He breaks the bread, I recognize those hands and the manner in which he breaks it! I finally look across the table into his eyes about the same time as Cleopas.

It is Jesus!

As soon as we recognize him, he disappears! We had been talking to Jesus the whole time and we didn’t recognize him!

With intense excitement and joy, Cleopas and I jump up and run the 8 miles back to Jerusalem in the dark! We must tell the others who were behind closed doors…those who share our confusion and disappointment. When we arrive, we find them huddled in a group in fear and disappointment. Out of breath, we begin to tell them what had happened over the last several hours. As we are telling them, Jesus appears in the room!

Everyone jumps back. They think they are seeing a spirit, but Jesus tells them it is Him and that He is not a spirit. To prove it, He invites them to touch Him and He asks for something to eat. They give Him some fish and some honeycomb. After everyone settles down and the scales of their eyes begin to fall away, Jesus repeats the same type of study Cleopas and I heard on the road to Emmaus. This time, He uses the entire Tanakh including the Psalms to explain how He is found all through scripture. All the disciples begin to understand that He had to die, but that He would rise on the third day. How could we have been so slow to understand? It was right there!

Then He said to us,

“These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you. that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me. And He opened our understanding that we might comprehend the Scriptures.”

Now I understand! He is alive! It is right there in the scripture that He must teach us, die for us, and then rise up for us! He is all about us. We now must be all about Him!

The only disciple not with us is Thomas. The disappointment of the cross was too much for him. We have not seen him since Friday. It will be 8 days before Thomas shows up…

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Next, we will take a look at Jesus through the eyes of one who is a well-known doubter (Thomas) and attempt to understand why the resurrection of Jesus is an absolute cornerstone of the Christian faith. In fact, without it, Paul says we are most pitiful of all men (1 Corinthians 15: 12-19). But, after we see through the eyes of Thomas we will exclaim as he did:

“My Lord and My God.” John 20:28

A Week Before The Resurrection

DAY 6 AND 7-THE WEEK BEFORE THE RESURRECTION-DISCOURAGEMENT

April 5, 2021 Eddie Leave a comment

“For dogs have surrounded Me;
The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me.
They pierced My hands and My feet” Psalm 22:16

This all happened between the 6th and 9th hour (12:00 PM and 3:00 PM) on a Friday before the Sabbath began.

Based on Matthew 27:32-66, Mark 15: 21-47, Luke 23: 27-56, John 19:17-42

As a member of the religious class and a Sadducee, I am allowed to be within feet of the crucifixion. The mother of Jesus, her sister (also named Mary), and the wife of Clopas (a third Mary) (also known at Salome) are restricted as to how near to Jesus they could stand. With them are the only two male disciples (James and John) that had not run away.

As the crowd and the three scheduled for crucifixion stumble to the place where they will die a horrible death, the soldiers began to move people back and proceeded to methodically lay the two criminals on the cross and lift them up for all to see. Then they came to Jesus. Putting him last is designed to make him suffer the thought a little longer and that he will follow a similar fate. It is like watching your family killed before it happens to you.

The soldiers are very rough. They strip off the seamless tunic and his other outer garments. The executioners had been careful to avoid damage to even one thread of the tunic because it is a very nice garment. Later, the soldiers would gamble for its ownership. Jesus is striped down to nothing but a small cloth around his mid-section. They want to disgrace him and cause great suffering. He is shoved violently onto the wooden cross. His weakness prohibits his arms from catching Him or breaking his fall. So He falls down with a thud right on top of the cross face down in the dust. His face is so marred and scratched! He was already bruised and swollen from the merciless beatings. The crown of thorns is so deeply embedded in His skin! They have become part of His head!

The soldiers rudely and cruelly flip Jesus over quickly. They are surprised when Jesus does not fight them nor curse. Each of them pause as Jesus stretches out his hands and places his palms up at the exact spot where they will nail them to the rough wooden cross! The nail bag tingled with the sound of cold iron as one of the soldiers reaches in to take out the first long spike. He pricks his finger on the sharp tip of one of them and curses as he pulls out the first spike. He feels only a microscopic amount of pain that Jesus must be feeling. Next, the soldier places the nail in the fleshy center of his palm. This palm has done nothing but brings healing and blessing to so many people! The soldier draws back the heavy wooden mallet and swings hard to the large nail head. It is driven through the skin, dodging bone and piercing muscle before entering the wood to cut the lovely hands of Jesus used only to bless, heal, and soothe.

The routine is repeated on the other hand. I hear Jesus praying for these men by their names! The look at him in wonder and amazement! But, they shake it off and bring his feet together. An especially long spike is driven through both feet and on to the small platform, which will bear most of the weight of Jesus’ body.

Jesus moans, but does not let out any cry for mercy. The soldiers pick it up from the top part of the cross, where Jesus head rests, and walk it into the hole. it quickly falls to its final resting place with a thud. As it hits bottom, cries from the crowd can be heard. It was as if each person felt the ripping pain.

The women weep and bow their heads! They are then allowed to move closer. They ignore me and look up into the bleeding face of Jesus! How long can He last? What will become of Him, His family, and His followers? At this point no one knows.

The soldiers begin to drink and gamble. It is not long before the alcohol kicks in and Jesus seamless tunic is thrown into the dirt for the prize of casting lots. The other garments are made into four parts before the gambling begins. They are like dogs! So are the religious leaders who are consumed by the spirit of hatred for Jesus. They curse Him and tempt Him.

” “He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”

The religious leaders are still angry over the fact that Pilate had placed a sign over Jesus’ head in the three languages: Greek, Latin, and Hebrew:

THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Even the robbers are reviling him! Finally, one of them has a change of heart and rebukes the other robber,

“Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”

I think I actually saw Jesus smile when the thief said this! It was the only encouraging words He has heard all day. Jesus turns, the best He can, and looks at the repentant man who wants to be remembered. Jesus confirms his request. Jesus looks at him and says,

“I say to you today, you will be with Me in Paradise.”

While there seemed no hope, Jesus was promising him on this day of pain and grief that he would be with Jesus in Paradise when He comes into His kingdom. That is the day, when He comes, the thief will experience the gift of eternal life.

There are no more encouraging words for the remainder of the day. Many people walked by and wagged their heads repeating the words of the priests,

“If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself.”

The wind begins to pick up and the sky starts to turn dark. Jesus appears to be fading. He is suspended between heaven and earth with no comfort from anyone. It seems the mental anguish of loneliness and the sin of us all is hurting him more than the nails. He is suffering greatly as the sun refuses to shine and the clouds gather as if they planned to attack everyone around the hill. There is a low rumble as the earth begins to shake lightly as first.

Then Jesus cries out for the first time. He says in Hebrew,

“Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?”

The Jews think he was calling for Elijah. But this made no sense. Why would he call for Elijah if He is the Son of God. Would He not call for his heavenly Father? Then, in a pitiful cry he yells out,

“My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”

The soldiers put a sponge on the top of a stick soaked in a mind-numbing liquid to bring some relief, but after He tasted it (He is expecting water), he spits it out and denies it.

The rumble is now louder. We are having a major earthquake. The wind is turning into a massive storm. Jesus cries out something else to the heavens loudly and then he drops his head and dies.

Word has come up from the religious leaders to break the legs of those on the cross to hurry the appointment with death. The Sabbath is about to begin and they don’t want the bodies on the cross. They will need to take them down to avoid defiling its hours. What hypocrisy!

The thieves legs are immediately slammed with a heavy large mallet. Within seconds they die because they can not lift up on their legs to get a breath. So they smoother from their own weight.

When they come to Jesus, one of the soldiers draws back the mallet, but the other says, “Wait! He is already dead!” But, to be sure, one of them brings out a sword and pushes it into the side of Jesus. Out of His side flows water and blood all over the soldier. He stands transfixed and bewildered. He seems to be melting in the liquid that is spilled on him. He bows his head and cries out loud for mercy!

Then I remember! The scripture says that His bones would not be broken and that He would be pierced. Thank God for the prophecies of the Tanakh! They do speak of Jesus!

“Not one of His bones shall be broken.” And again another Scripture says, “They shall look on Him whom they pierced.”

Psalms 34:20, Zechariah 12:10

Now the storm rises even more and the earthquake hits us hard and violently. Many are knocked to the ground. Later, I will hear from the fearful religious leaders that the massive curtain between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place in the temple has been perfectly torn in half from top to bottom. It is if some unknown powerful hand ripped the curtain, which separated priest and sinner from the presence of God. This room (The Most Holy Place) was visited only once a year on the day of Atonement and only by a high priest. Now, everyone could look into this sacred spot! The Spirit of God has departed!

As I watch all this events, a centurion cries out what I am thinking and feeling in my heart,

“Truly this was the Son of God.”

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I race back into Jerusalem, with a choking mixture of emotion (disgust, fear, anger, and a tinge of hope). The city is in an uproar and commotion! Fear is etched on the faces of the people as if they are waiting for judgment and eternal death. The sacrificial animals have all escaped and fled. There are cracks in the rock pavements and the buildings. It is like God is angry. Many of the people begin to pray for mercy thinking they will be destroyed like Sodom.

The most incredible thing I saw were the people who had died and buried walking the streets talking of the love of God and His son Jesus. These people were known for their righteousness and closeness to God. Many of the priests who only hours before had been cursing Jesus were now falling to their knees screaming for forgiveness and mercy.

I have never seen anything like this! I manage to find the disciples who had found each other. They are in a small room gathered in the same fear, I saw in the faces of the people on the streets. They are terrified of many things including the same fate as Jesus. What will we do? Our leader has died! They have killed the Son of God!

When things settled down, I was drawn back to Jesus on the cross. Later as the beginning of the Sabbath drew near, a man named Joseph takes down the body of Jesus from the cross. I help him and feel the lifeless cold body of Jesus as we pry out the nails from the wood and flesh and slowly lower His body by a rope. Pilate has been given him permission to bury Jesus in a tomb owned by Joseph and his family.

We are accompanied by soldiers who will guard the tomb. The unconverted and cold religious leaders know that Jesus promised to rise on the third day. It is ironic, but Jesus followers have forgotten this or simply refuse to believe it is possible. I feel the same as they do.

As we wrap the body of Jesus in a clean cloth, the women observe the body and decide to rest according to the Sabbath. Anyway, they are tired and it is now dark. They will return when it is light in the morning on the 1st day of the week to prepare his body with burial spices.

Image result for images of the Jesus being let down from cross

That night and the entire next day (Sabbath), there is nothing to report. All his disciples, including myself, quietly talk about Jesus. They try to bring comfort to each other despite knowing they will never see Him again. Thomas is not with us. He is so disappointed and discouraged that He goes to his own home to rest and think. He has always been the doubting type and all this seems to confirm his skepticism. He is likely to never be the same.

As I rest my head for the night on the 7th day, I determine to rise early on the first day of the week to travel to Emmaus with one of the other disciples called Cleopas. But, before I go, I will change my clothes. The robe I have always worn as a Sadducee no longer seems appropriate for me. I will change into something clean and simple. I no longer desire to be a “religious leader.”

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A Week Before The Resurrection

A Night to Remember Forever…

April 3, 2021 Eddie Leave a comment

“And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled…Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death. Matthew 26: 57, 59

Based on Matthew 26, Mark 14, Luke 22, John 18, and Isaiah 53:7

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Yesterday as the sun was setting on the Mount of Olives, Jesus came and looked directly at me saying in the hearing of the disciples:

“As you know, the Passover is two days away—and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”

Over the last few days, I have known Him to be truthful and wise, so I am left speechless and blurt out words before I can think,

“Jesus, I will follow you. What can I do to help you?”

His smile and the gentle look in His eyes responded in a small unspoken voice telling me to be strong and trust.

My heart was beating wildly as I asked Him, “Help me,” I felt, with hard certainty things were about to change for Him, His followers, and me.

We spent the evening at the house of Simon the Leper. I watched as a woman anointed Jesus by lightly pouring expensive perfume on His head. She performs the ritual quietly like a woman preparing Him for burial. The disciples, much like the religious leaders would do, complain that “the money could have been used to feed the poor,” but Jesus told them,

“Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me.The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

This is why I have come to love Jesus. He cares for people and defends them especially if they are doing something for the kingdom of God.

When everyone leaves Simon’s house, I part company with Jesus and His disciples as they go to an unknown spot for supper. I feel that I am an intruder, so I go away to give them time alone with each other.

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Day 5

It is late on the 5th day of the week. But as the sun sets, it becomes the 6th day aka the Preparation day. You Gentiles refer to it as Friday.

The temple is busy and loud. Every religious leader in the city of Jerusalem is here talking with passion in small groups. Just as I enter, Caiaphas raises his voice to bring order to the meeting. It doesn’t take long for me to understand why everyone is present. They are devising a plan to take Jesus by force and kill Him!

He has done only good for the people. He has healed them all! I have listened closely to His words and his teaching. I am convinced He is all He claims to be! He is our Messiah!

Everything that comes from the mouth of Jesus has both the ring of truth and the support of scripture. His words cut to my heart and I am slain by them. My sins rise up before me. I desire relief from the guilt and the agony of restlessness. Yesterday, as I had a short conversation with Him directly, I felt the burdens of my life lifted. He had forgiven me and told me to walk in a life as a servant. It is taking some time for me to become accustomed to this new feeling of freedom.

Now I want to work for Him in spreading the message of the Kingdom of God. It is so strange that earlier in the week, all I could think about was making money off the people during the Passover. Now, it is of no consequence to me. I only want to serve Jesus in some capacity. I hope to talk with Him again tonight. It is my understanding He will be in the garden later.

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Before I can say a word at the meeting, the Scribes and Pharisees along with the chief priests come up with a couple of dubious witnesses who claim Jesus will destroy the temple. I am terribly surprised to see one of Jesus’ disciples at this meeting as well. I think they call him Judas. In a flash, the mob assembles and heads out to the garden where Judas claims Jesus regularly spends time in prayer.

Why is Judas doing this? What is his reasoning? Does He not know what these insane men will do to Jesus? This is a mystery to me, but I follow to see if I will have the opportunity to influence these men back to their senses. It seems as though an evil power has entered their emotions for there is no intelligence at work only pure evil that seems to come from Satan himself!

When we arrive at the garden, Judas walks up to Jesus to give him the kiss he promised the religious leaders in order to identify Jesus. Much like a line-up in a criminal case where the accused is selected from among others. But, Jesus appeals to Judas with these words:

“Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”

Jesus’ words are with kindness, pity, and understanding. It is as if Jesus is giving Judas a chance to repent. Jesus’ words cause Judas to back up and stare at Him for a moment. Judas has an expression of deep thought and decision. I think Judas, at that moment, realized he had made a devastating mistake, and sadly, chose to run away sobbing hysterically. His opportunity for confession and repentance had gone as fast as he left the scene.

About that same time, Peter drew his sword and swung wildly at the closest person near him which turned out to be the servant of the high priest. The servant tried to duck. Otherwise, Peter would have taken off his head! Instead, he nicked an ear and sliced it off! What a grisly scene!

But, Jesus slowly knelt down picked up the ear and placed it back on the servant”s head! What kind of man is this, that He has power over life and healing? This should have stopped the mob, but they were under the influence of their evil leader. Just before they take him, a bright light comes from Jesus and they fall back. When the light diminishes, they are like blind men and Jesus says,

“Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs?When I was with you daily in the temple, you did not try to seize Me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.”

By the evidence of the scene, Jesus could have escaped, but he was willingly giving himself to “the power of darkness.”

As the mob takes Him to the high priest’s house, I can see Peter in the distance following us. He seems afraid, but curious at the same time.

The rest of the night goes fast. It is as if they are in a hurry to find the right authority to support their murderous scheme. First, we are the house of the high priest. It was here where I see Peter with a small group outside. He is talking to someone and then I hear him swearing. Very clearly and loudly he says,

“I do NOT know the man!”

As soon as he says this, a rooster in the distance crows welcoming the rising of the early morning sun on the day of preparation. This immediately catches the attention of Peter. He rises up from the warmth of the fire and begins to tremble as Jesus turns his head from inside the house and looks with compassion at Peter. Peter begins to weep hysterically as did Judas and he runs away too. I could see in Peter’s face the agony of failure and remorse resting upon weary shoulders. I would learn later, the Lord had told Peter he would deny Him three times! Peter’s passion for Jesus was overtaken by fear at that moment and he was ashamed, no doubt. I am not sure what will become of him and the disciples. This does not look good for the kingdom of which Jesus spoke. But, then I remember His words…He will be crucified!

The sun is taking its time casting its light on the dreadful scenes before my eyes.

The high priest said to him,

“I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”

Jesus responds,

“You have said so,”Jesus replied.“But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy.What do you think?”

“He is worthy of death,” they answered.

Those who were retaining Jesus began to beat Him and spit in his face! They even blindfold Him and mock his ability to prophesy.

They shout at Him,

“Prophesy to us, Messiah. Who hit you?”

It was a disgusting sight! I no longer want any part of this or these men!

The charge of blasphemy is added to the threat to the destruction of the Temple. But, I see in Jesus truth and royalty that is a deep contrast to the evil of these men in their fancy robes. Like animals, they only want to kill him. Although Jesus is beaten and bloodied, He stands erect and seems to be the only person who is in control. I detect that He is permitting this to happen for some reason. At this point, I just don’t understand the evil that is in this room and the non-action of Jesus to allow them to do this to Him! Then the words of the prophet come back to me:

He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.

Isaiah 53:7

We next go to Pontius Pilate. Here they try to claim that Jesus teaches to ignore the payment of taxes to Caesar. But, instead, he asks Jesus,

“Are you the King of the Jews?”

Without hesitation, Jesus responds,

“It is as you say.”

Pilate can find no fault in Jesus and because Jesus is a Galilean, he sends Him to Herod who has the proper jurisdiction. Pilate is such a mouse and weak ruler. He could have let Jesus go, but he desires the popularity of the people.

It is here where Herod underestimates the working of evil. He figures there will be pity on Jesus if He is flogged and if he gives the people the option to release a known criminal. But, the crowd calls for the crucifixion of Jesus. It is as though the evil one himself is walking and talking to the crowd encouraging them to have no mercy on the Son of God!

The sun is far in the sky now. I am tired and overwhelmed by what I am seeing and hearing. Has the world gone mad?

I have been up all night and the day is just starting. What happens next is unbelievable, but it must be told.

A Week Before The Resurrection

DAY 3 AND 4 OF THE WEEK BEFORE THE RESURRECTION

March 31, 2021 Eddie Leave a comment

No one Could Answer Jesus

“And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore.” Matthew 22:46

Based on Matthew 22: 41-46, Mark 12: 28-34, Matthew 9:13, 1, Samuel 15:22, Deuteronomy 6: 4-6, Hosea 6:6, Psalm 110:1

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DAY 3

Today, is the third day since Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey!

He continues to occupy the temple and teach to the Rabble. The religious leaders, including the chief priests, are close by to listen intently to His words so they might trap Him. Every word is examined so they will have an excuse to eject Him from the temple, and even kill Him!

The Passover is near and I am exhausted! These last few days of activity has created a dramatic change of heart for me. It started off with His entry into Jerusalem. Then He threw out the money changers and took over the Temple area.

Then, my brother Sadducees, the Pharisees, and the chief priests have called me and the others into many meetings to discuss and plan on how to condemn Him. The results have been much less than expected. In fact, many are simply embarrassed and angered by Him. But, the people love Him and this creates a particular problem in dealing with Jesus.

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When Jesus began to teach at the temple, it has been almost non-stop. After His parable of the owner of the vineyard, the religious leaders have become like crazy animals pursuing their prey. They will not stop until He is gone and life can return to normal! Can you believe that? As far as I can tell, the man has done nothing wrong, but challenge their authority and their pompous religion. I have never seen them so determined to hurt Jesus or anyone for that matter. It is as if their very lives depend on destroying Him.

As I have listened to the teachings of Jesus, I feel that He knows their plans, their intentions, and their hearts, but despite the danger to himself it does not seem to matter. He is in control despite what they want to think. Strangely, I am affected by this man…I can feel a change coming over me, so I continue to listen to Him even though my assignment is to trap Him with His own words.

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The self-righteous Pharisees got wind that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees. So, they got together and chose a young lawyer from among them who is an expert at scripture and skilled at debate. I saw everything. The lawyer with a condescending air about him asked Jesus this question:

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment of the law?”

Jesus then quoted the book of the law known as Deuteronomy,

“‘The most important one, ‘is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

The young lawyer knew these passages well, but then Jesus said something very insightful. As it rolled off his lips, it brought a moment of pause to the lawyer:

“On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

Brilliant! All the law can be lined up under these two commandments! The first 4 under the first commandment to love the Lord and the last 6 under the second commandment to love your neighbor as yourself. They are not new commandments, but a summary of each table of God’s will for mankind. A person who lives under those two commandments will naturally follow in the letter of the law of all 10 commandments.

As I understand Him, a person who loves his neighbor as himself will not steal or lie to him. He would especially not kill him or take his wife in adultery. He showed the connection between the spirit of the law (love) and the letter of the law (loving obedience).

To follow in the spirit of the law, you will naturally obey the letter of the law. Try telling your wife that you believe in the spirit of the law, but not the letter when it comes to adultery. Do you think she will expect obedience to the letter if you really love her? Of course! To ignore the letter or specific command his to deny the spirit of the law!

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Then the young lawyer was impressed and he said,

“Well said, teacher, You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

As I listen to the exchange between Jesus and the young lawyer, I am reminded of the prophet Hosea when He wrote:

For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.

Samuel also said in the Tanakh,

…to obey is better than sacrifice,

Some time ago, one of the priests told me Jesus said,

“But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Jesus seems to be separating the religious works of animal sacrifice from the merciful works towards each other. His mission is for those who recognize their sin as opposed to those who indulge in their own self-made righteousness. He is saying the two great principles of love and mercy towards God and our neighbor outweigh all the sacrifices and religious acts any man or woman could do!

Jesus then compliments the young lawyer and says,

“You are not far from the kingdom of God.”

My mind is flooded with thoughts as I think back on the history of our people. Our story as recorded in the Tanakh is one of disobedience and failure to love God and those around them. Had they done so, things would be different.

All the prophets taught the absolute necessity of loving God first so they could love their neighbors. But the people often turned their back on the spirit and letter of the law and chased after the popular false gods of the heathen. All this made sense and seemed to silence the bright lawyer. He stalled and became quite as he contemplated the simple but profound truth of Jesus’ answer.

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But, Jesus did not let him relax for long because He asked him a question:

“What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?”

The lawyer knew the scripture well and responded exactly as scripture revealed the Messiah or Christ. He said very quickly,

“The Son of David.”

Expecting this response, Jesus then asks him a very deep question that required the young man to think deep thoughts rather than a programmed memorized answer:

“How then does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying:

‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool”’?

Then Jesus goes right to the heart of the question:

“If David then calls him “Lord,” how is He his son?”

What a tough question! How can David call his offspring son and then call Him Lord? All of this is in the context of the coming Messiah. The answer is really quite simple. The Messiah would come through David’s line. The Messiah, Christ the Lord, would sit at the right hand of the Father until the Messiah would be born into the world as the Son of God or Lord!

This question and its implications silenced the lawyer and the other Pharisees did not dare to ask Him any more questions. They knew that the Christ would come from the line of David, but to admit that the Christ would be Lord was tough for them to accept. Jesus seemed to be saying that He is Lord! This would eventually be a reason for his demise. Himself being a man makes himself God. This is blasphemy according to our law. But I was beginning to understand more about Jesus as He taught. I was not ready to buy the false prophet argument any longer. Never had a man spoke and taught like this!

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For the next two days, Jesus taught on many topics and performed many more healings. His actions spoke of urgency and deep feelings.

He talked about the hypocrisy of the religious leaders, particularly the Scribes and Pharisees. I saw him weep over Jerusalem like a mother would over her dying children. He described his desire to protect Jerusalem like a mother hen with her little chicks. I was with the disciples when Jesus told them about the coming destruction of the temple and the end of the world. He compared the tribulation and destruction of Jerusalem with the tribulation at the end of time. He then talked about a second coming and that no one would know when it would happen…not even himself or the angels.

Jesus talked about the faithful servant and the evil servant. The evil servant went back to his evil ways because the coming of the Lord seemed to be delayed.

Then he began to teach with more parables. He talked about the wise and foolish virgins. The foolish did not prepare for a long wait. Then there was the story about the talents and then one who was wicked and lazy and buried his talent. So profound! All in the context of the 2nd coming of Christ!

Indeed I am exhausted because I have listened carefully to the words of Jesus all week and I am convinced He is the long-awaited Messiah. I want to tell Him this, but my position in community prevents me from publicly acknowledging Him. So I am caught between my respected life as a Sadducee and a new follower of this man they call Jesus.

More tomorrow. For now, I have been called to the palace of the high priest by the other religious leaders and elders. This seems like an important meeting so I will go. No doubt the meeting is about Jesus. I wish they could just slow down and consider what they are doing.

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DAY 4

THE TEACHER-HYPOCRISY, PARABLES, AND WARNINGS

Hypocrisy

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.

Matthew 23: 1-3

Parables

“And with many such parables, He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it. But without a parable, He did not speak to them. And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples.”

Mark 4:33, 34

Day 4

The following is based on Matthew 23-25, Micah 4:2, Luke 21

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Last night, in our “Jesus meeting,” the religious leaders determined that the only way to rid the city of Jesus was to hire false witnesses. As I reported to them, we are unable to catch Him in his words, so they have resorted to developing a plan to lie and make up false reports about what He has said, so as to present Him as a threat to the nation and the people in Jerusalem. They can see how the people love Him, so it is going to be tricky arresting Him and eliminating His influence from the minds of the people.

My constituents do not know that I am becoming a secret follower and I desire to save Jesus from His fate. My inside position as a trusted Sadducee is valuable to Jesus and His disciples. I want to warn Him and I will as I have the opportunity to talk with Him alone.

Last evening before I retired, I read the following from Micah in the book of prophets,

Many nations will come and say,

“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
    to the temple of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways,
    so that we may walk in his paths.”
The law will go out from Zion,
    the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

I am watching the fulfillment of this before my very eyes! Jesus speaks with authority, but it is mixed with pitiful emotion for everyone, even the Scribes and the Pharisees.

Today we are just a few days before the Passover and it seems Jesus’ intensity in teaching has accelerated….as if He knows His time is short.

He started the day talking directly to the people and His disciples about the hypocrisy of the religious leaders and ended by instructing His own disciples in a private meeting…of sorts. Of course, there were some of the religious leaders on the fringes of the crowd looking for an opportunity to catch Him in His words.

“The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.”

“Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others.

He is being exact. It is as if He has observed them from their youth. They are like this! Sadly, so am I. I feel conviction moving inside me as I listen to His words. He shows my true heart and it hurts. But, somehow, I feel hope also. He just wants me to hear and respond to Him as an acknowledged sinner.

He advises us to call no man teacher or instructor. He is the only instructor. Then He talked of being humble and putting others ahead of yourself. A hard thing for me to understand or to do for I have been taught differently.

The greatest among you will be your servant. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

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He then began to use the phrase:

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!

I counted 7 times he used it! Those teachers of the law and Pharisees who were there heard it, well most of them. Their faces turned red as if Jesus was revealing their minds to the crowd. It surprised and astonished them and several left His presence, but some stayed to hear more. I watched the faces of the religious leaders as they heard these 7 warnings. Many were angry, but some seemed to be melting under the truth of His words and judgment.

As he continued, He spoke directly to the haters….those who were determined to do away with Him. He read their mind and left the most intense words for the last:

“You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?”

With this judgment came some light of mercy, for He said,

Therefore I am sending you prophets and sages (wise men) and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town…Truly I tell you, all this will come on this generation.

Jesus is now prophesying, but despite the fact He knows their future actions, He sends more prophets, teachers, and wise men to appeal to them, knowing they will treat them badly

In the most pitiful way, and with tears in his eyes, Jesus ends His talk with them. Jesus reveals his love for them, despite their terrible sins. In His voice, I hear the disappointment and a mixture of mercy and judgment…He knows He is going away and they won’t see him again.

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”

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Jesus leaves the temple with His disciples. I follow from a distance. Suddenly, Jesus looks back directly at me. Those eyes penetrate my soul and I am compelled forward to follow. I want to hear more and to be with Him.

We seem to be headed towards the Mount of Olives. The disciples are stunned by Jesus’ remark,

“your house is left to you desolate”

In response, they bring to His attention the grandeur and beauty of the temple and all the buildings. The sun is setting and the temple is glowing. His next words stop me and the disciples in our tracks. Our mouths open to speak, but we can’t say anything,

“Do you see all these things?” Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

The image in my mind of a flattened Jerusalem seems impossible! What strange event would cause this? Who or what could do this?

After our short walk from the city to the Mount of Olives, the disciples finally speak and ask Jesus,

“Tell us, when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

Since I am a new follower of Jesus, there is much I don’t know. What do they mean by His “coming?” He is already here! What is the “end of the age?” Despite my limited understanding, Jesus begins to teach me things I had never heard in all my years as a “religious teacher.” I draw close, forgetting my position in the community as a religious leader. At this point, I feel like a little child who is learning how to speak.

“Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.”

This seems easy to understand. He is going away and while He is away, many people are going to be deceived by false Messiahs! Then there will be plenty of wars! Not very good news, but it is followed by comforting words. We are not to be troubled as we see these wars happening.

There will be plenty of unrest among the nations as they take up arms against each other. Perhaps because of these wars, people will be starving and conditions will lead to diseases and plagues! But even then, there will be more sorrow to come.

Then He turns to tell the disciples of their fate after Jesus leaves to wherever He is going.

Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

Things do not look good for His followers. They will be killed and hated by everyone! I can understand the thought, “many will be offended” because it seems people are so sensitive about their traditions and their personal lives. It is all about themselves and not the people around them. So if Jesus comes with words that warn of judgment, they will not hear His words of mercy and redemption. Indeed, it seems that people can not think any higher than themselves.

Despite all this trouble, they will be successful in giving the “gospel of the kingdom” to the entire world. That is a lot of people to cover. The end He spoke of earlier will come after everyone has the opportunity to hear and respond!

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Next, He talked of a warning especially for them and those who are living in Jerusalem

“…But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her. For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people. And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.“

(See Author’s note on the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD at the end of this writing.)

As I hear the urgency in His voice and His desire for me to understand, I believe Him and desire to warn others.

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I learn more as Jesus continues to speak. I feel fortunate to be hearing His words.

“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

This is what I understand…Right after the tribulation, He speaks of, He will return. He is returning on the clouds from heaven, that is where He is going for a time…heaven!

And when He comes, it is going to be magnificent and glorious! Even the sun, moon, and stars will be affected! There will be the loud sound of a trumpet and the work of the angels will be seen as they gather His people from everywhere under the son! But for some, they will mourn as they see Jesus coming in the clouds!

He really makes it clear! He goes on to use another parable of the fig tree. When the leaves begin to come forth, we know that summer is near…Same way when Jesus comes…There are signs we know that His coming is near.

“Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors!

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As I hear more, His coming is made more clear. He uses more comparisons from the Tanakh to explain His coming. He compares what happened to those who did not go into the ark with His second coming. Those that did not go in the boat drowned or were “destroyed.”

^“And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.”

In Noah’s day, the people are going about their normal routines. Then it begins to rain lightly at first, then a downpour! Soon the water begins to rise and the water under the earth breaks to the surface. But, it continued to rain for 40 days! Those who were left alive were only 8 souls. A small number in comparison!

Then He uses another story from the Tanakh. The story of Lot!

“Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.”

Both stories are similar: There are people caught up with the normal routines of life, but lose it when they are caught unaware. Their opportunity to get in the boat or out of the city came and went. Then, sadly, they were destroyed. One group by water, the other by fire. Those who were left were only a few people in comparison.

These two stories tie in with Jesus’ second coming and His warning to get out of Jerusalem when the armies surround the city and finally destroy it. It seems there will be many so caught up in their earthly life, that the warning and signs are ignored. The end result is eternal destruction.

But, Jesus takes the warnings one step further. He provides a warning to His servants that forget who they are and the times they are living.

“…Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.”

Good for them but, not good for those who do the opposite!

But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Even though this group was God’s servants at one time, they move to the same class of those in Noah’s day and Lot’s day who ignored the Lord and were destroyed. They did not endure to the end and were put in the category of hypocrites.

This is where we started. Hypocrisy is a dangerous place to be according to Jesus. This time with Jesus has been good. I’ve had learned and unlearned many things.

As I stand to leave, he begins with more parables, but then He stops and looks at me. He calls for me by name. I didn’t know He knew my name! This will be my opportunity to warn Him! As I walk over to Him, He walks towards me and a new chapter opens up in my life.

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Extra Material:

The Destruction of Jerusalem

In 70 AD, the Roman armies guided by Titus surrounded Jerusalem. The lives of those who remembered and obeyed the words of Jesus were spared. The followers of Christ who would later be called Christians left the city and soon it was attacked and leveled.

Below is a small portion of Chapter 1 from a book called “The Great Controversy” which describes the circumstances of the city’s demise. The scope of horror and ruin are hard to imagine. This event forever changed the culture of the Jewish people. If you want to read the entire Chapter, click here.

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Chapter 1-The Destruction of Jerusalem

“If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side.They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.” Luke 19:42-44.

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“The hour of hope and pardon was fast passing; the cup of God’s long-deferred wrath was almost full. The cloud that had been gathering through ages of apostasy and rebellion, now black with woe, was about to burst upon a guilty people; and He who alone could save them from their impending fate had been slighted, abused, rejected, and was soon to be crucified. When Christ should hang upon the cross of Calvary, Israel’s day as a nation favored and blessed of God would be ended. The loss of even one soul is a calamity infinitely outweighing the gains and treasures of a world; but as Christ looked upon Jerusalem, the doom of a whole city, a whole nation, was before Him–that city, that nation, which had once been the chosen of God, His peculiar treasure.”

“Prophets had wept over the apostasy of Israel and the terrible desolations by which their sins were visited. Jeremiah wished that his eyes were a fountain of tears, that he might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of his people, for the Lord’s flock that was carried away captive. Jeremiah 9:1; 13:17. What, then, was the grief of Him whose prophetic glance took in, not years, but ages! He beheld the destroying angel with sword uplifted against the city which had so long been Jehovah’s dwelling place. From the ridge of Olivet, the very spot afterward occupied by Titus and his army, He looked across the valley upon the sacred courts and porticoes, and with tear-dimmed eyes, He saw, in awful perspective, the walls surrounded by alien hosts. He heard the tread of armies marshaling for war. He heard the voice of mothers and children crying for bread in the besieged city. He saw her holy and beautiful house, her palaces and towers, given to the flames, and where once they stood, only a heap of smoldering ruins.”

A Week Before The Resurrection

DAY 1 AND 2-THE WEEK BEFORE THE RESURRECTION

March 26, 2021 Eddie Leave a comment

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your King is coming to you;
He is just and having salvation,
Lowly and riding on a donkey,
A colt, the foal of a donkey.”

Zechariah 9: 9

The above was written about 550 years before the events of Jesus entry into Jerusalem on a donkey. Despite clear descriptions from the word of God, it seems we always get it wrong regarding the coming of Jesus. The Jews of old expected the Messiah to come riding on a white horse and conquering their enemies so they could rule the world. But He came quietly riding on a donkey in a small part of the word as predicted by the prophets. Today, many preachers think Jesus’ second coming will be quiet despite scripture’s teaching of a grand world-wide event seen by “every eye.” Revelation 1:7

(The following first-person account is based on the NIV version of John 12:1-19, John 11, Matthew 21:1-11, 26: 6-13, Mark 11:1-11, 14:3-9, Luke 7: 11-17, Luke 8: 40-56, Luke 19:28-40, and Luke 24)

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Six day before the Passover, Jesus asked me to take Cleopas and go to a small nearby village. There we would find a donkey and a colt tied up. Jesus told us to loosen the two animals and bring them back to Him. If anyone asks why we were taking them, we were to say, “the Lord has need of them.”

Looking back on the events of the last seven days, I understand more about the prophecies of the Tanakh (Old Testament), especially after Jesus gave Cleopas and me a Bible study on the Messianic prophecies as we walked towards Emmaus after the resurrection.

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The day before Jesus asked us to bring to him the donkey and its colt we were all staying in Bethany (just outside of Jerusalem) at the home of Martha and her brother Lazarus. It was odd to sit there at the table with a man who had been dead for four days! But there he was. I asked him what it was like and he said it was like a sleep where time movement was as a split second. I remember Jesus using the same word as we headed to Bethany to see Lazarus. He had told us,

“Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to wake him up.”

We thought this peculiar and told him it would “be good to let him sleep.” Then Jesus told us very bluntly,

” Lazarus is dead.“

So, I was not surprised that Lazarus had nothing to report about being dead other than being unconscious like a deep sleep where morning comes as soon as your head hits the pillow.

When Lazarus got sick, Martha sent for Jesus, but He took his time getting to Bethany because He said that his sickness was

“for the glory of God and that the Son of God might be glorified through it.”

Martha was upset that Jesus didn’t come right away because she knew He could heal Lazarus and He wouldn’t die. She had comfort knowing that Lazarus would “rise again in the resurrection at the last day,” because Jesus told her so. But Jesus said,

“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

In Jesus’ presence, the dead are always brought back to life. He never attended a funeral where the dead were not raised! This is the way it will be when He returns the second time. He has promised.

Two times before, we had seen Him bring life back to a dead body. There was the widow’s son at Nain and Jairus’ daughter. The noisy crowd at Jairus’ house had laughed at Jesus when he told, them

“She is not dead, but sleeping.”

I am sure if we asked them what death was like, they would say the same thing as Lazarus and Jesus. It is like sleep. This was Jesus, favorite description of death.

Now the chief priests not only wanted to kill Jesus, but they wanted to kill Lazarus too! Lazarus was a testimony against their own beliefs and power. The Sadducees were especially irritated by the resurrection of Lazarus because they did not believe in the resurrection, but as I said, there he was…living proof of not only the certainty of resurrection but also of the power of the Son of God. He symbolized what would happen to all who put their trust in Jesus and the chief priests did not like this because it was a threat to their own beliefs about death and their own power over the people.

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So after the wonderful supper served by Martha, Mary washed the feet of Jesus with some expensive oil called spikenard. Judas was unhappy about this act and complained that Mary’s oil could be sold and given to the poor. Later we would understand why Judas was so upset. It turns out he was stealing from us! Jesus told us, particularly Judas,

“Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.”

Little did we know that about a week later, she would have this oil with her when she went to the empty tomb of Jesus.

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Cleopas and I left the crowded home of Lazarus and headed to the village where we found the donkey and the colt tied up just as Jesus had described. The owner asked the question for which we already had the answer and we headed back to Bethany.

The next morning on the first day of the week, Sunday (aka as Palm Sunday) as you Gentiles call it, we threw our cloaks on the donkey and helped Jesus upon the beast. Fear came over some of us because Jesus had avoided Jerusalem, the Jews, and particularly the religious leaders. They were expecting Him to come to Jerusalem for the feasts.

“…both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a command, that if anyone knew where He was, he should report it, that they might seize Him.“

We felt like Jesus was putting us all on dangerous ground.

As we headed into town, many of those who Jesus had healed began to go ahead of him and the crowds began to grow as they gave open and loud praises to him! It was customary for royalty or important leaders to ride into Jerusalem on powerful horses to prove their strength, force, and intimidation. But, seeing Jesus on the donkey spoke to me of humbleness, servitude, compassion, and empathy.

Instead of royal banners, the people joined the growing throng and cut down palm branches and placed them in the path of the anticipated new king of Israel. As the crowd grew larger and louder, our hearts beat wildly within us. All of the disciples had waited for this day when He would accept the people’s adoration and set himself up as King and deliver us from the tyranny of our enemies, particularly Rome! All of us would certainly have high positions in His new kingdom!

More people got caught up in the scene of the approaching King and went out to join the followers and those healed by Jesus. There were many there whose lives found not only new health but meaning and faith in Jesus as the Messiah. All joined in with the praises and cutting palm branches. They waved them in celebration of this wonderful day of deliverance. Many placed clothing in the path of their new King!

The crowd spontaneously and repeatedly shouted the words of the Psalmist who predicted their words hundreds of years before:

‘“Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” The King of Israel!”‘

(Psalm 118: 25, 26)

This scene was also described by the prophet Zechariah (9:9)

‘”Fear not, daughter of Zion; Behold, your King is coming, Sitting on a donkey’s colt.”‘

The Pharisees shouted over the crowd for Jesus to rebuke or make the people quiet. But Jesus said if He did so the stones would immediately cry out! Now was the appointed time for praise to the long-awaited Messiah!

Cleopas and I would not understand all this until a week later when Jesus would give us the Bible study as we walked towards Emmaus. We would hear it a second time when He also taught the remaining eleven disciples from the Tanakh.

In the coming week, before His resurrection, we would see and hear many things from Jesus. After his clearing out the merchants at the temple, we would hear parables and listen to the religious leaders try to trap him. Most of all we looked forward to having the Passover with Him. But, only the twelve would be there.

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DAY 2

Then He taught, saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’

Mark 11: 17

A first -person account of the last week before the resurrection

The following happened on the 2nd day of the week before the resurrection of Jesus

Based on Matt. 21:12-16, 23-46; Mark 11:15-19, 27-33; 12:1-12; Luke 19:45-48; 20:1-19

I would tell you my name, but I don’t want my constituents to know who I am, particularly those of the ruling class here in Jerusalem. You will understand after you hear my story.

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The Rabble call Him Jesus. I watched the stinking rabble follow the false prophet into our city. The palm branches, the donkey, the praises were disturbing to me. The timing could not have been worse. The Passover is near and there are many people from all over the country in our fair city. Jews, converted Gentiles, and the merchants I hired. This is one of the biggest festivals of the year and it is my responsibility as one of the Sadducees to make sure the event is profitable.

The temple yard is full of the merchants selling the sacrificial animals required by the Torah and the Law of Moses. There are sheep, goats, bulls, and doves. I must admit, the sound is loud in the temple yard with all the commotion of the bleating sheep, cows mooing, and all the other sounds of bargaining and people doing business, but the tinkling of the money tells me this year is going to be very good for the Temple and our religion. Most important to me is that I will get a good share of the profits.

The rabble is more than willing to sacrifice their money to buy one of the animals. Because of the demand, we can charge what we wish. They will pay for it! The prices are the highest they have ever been! Yes, business is good! We need to take advantage of the short time available to those of us in the business.

There is a sudden hush over the crowd. It has gone dead quiet. Even the animals have stopped their pitiful sounds.

“What is going on?”

As I say this to a man standing next to me, my eyes fall on a figure near the entrance to the temple and behind the money-changers’ tables. His eyes meet mine and I see anger and pity combined. I have never seen such a face so calm and assuring, but also powerful and regal despite his well-traveled clothes. He is obviously not part of the leaders in the city.

Then it occurs to me, this is the man…the false prophet…He is the man called Jesus that everyone was honoring yesterday! He has some cords in his hands and he raises them above his head and strikes the tables and all the coin goes flying. He then takes hold of the tables and flips them quickly as if he is judging my friends selling the animals. Who is He to judge my friends in such a harsh way?

Then in a loud voice, He says,

“Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’

The crowd, particularly the money changers go running out of the Temple yard trying to grab a few of the reachable coins as they hastily and fearfully retreat. Even the animals flee! The sheep and goats run with a certain joy as would a man escaping from prison. Jesus opens the cages and lets the doves fly away. There goes the money we planned on making today! Who is this Jesus to do such a thing? We are just trying to make an honest living…Well, some of those money changers are sinners and probably are not honest with the buyers, but what is that to me?

In a matter of moments, the Temple area is quiet and all that remains is Jesus, the rabble, and me. But, I decided to leave with the animals as His eyes again penetrate mine. I feel uncomfortable and feel the strange metallic fear in the back of my throat. But, as I quickly leave, I see some of the rabble coming in. They have their children. Soon the Temple area has a new sound of praising and children laughing.

In the streets, I see my other Sadducee brothers, the chief priests, and the elders coming towards me with a perplexed look on their faces. The Pharisees are not too far behind. They ask me what I had just asked a man near me,

“What is going on in the Temple?”

I give them a brief description and we all walk to the Temple to encounter Jesus. He can’t do this and get away with it! I seem to recall that He did this three years ago! What authority does He have to do such a thing? Anyway, we need to get our business back up and running quickly.

As we enter temple area, we can hear men and women singing and the children are saying the same thing as yesterday,

“”Hosanna to the Son of David!”

People are praising God and crying with happiness for their eyesight and ability to walk again. The children are sitting on the knees of Jesus and everyone is in a joyous and attentive mood. Not very proper for the religious atmosphere of the Temple! It makes me uncomfortable hearing the sound of children saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David.” So I say to Jesus,

“Do you hear what these children are saying? “

“Yes,” He said “have you never read,“‘From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise?”

I remember reading this in the book of Psalm. He seems to be a teacher. His voice is soft but strong. He seems like a King. I walk back to my friends and constituents for comfort from those eyes!

We walk in together and I ask Jesus:

“By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?”

I expect my question to trap him because He is going against all the tradition and the strength of these important leaders! But, He immediately responds by asking me a question!

“I also will ask you one thing, and answer Me: The baptism of John—was it from heaven or from men?”

All of us huddle together to discuss how we will answer. But, we soon find there is no easy response. We must be careful not to trap ourselves!

“If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From men,’ we fear the multitude, for all count John as a prophet.”

We don’t know how to answer so I say,

“We do not know.”

Maybe this answer is a good one because He will then have to tell us by what authority He takes over the temple area. Instead, He says,

“Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.“

As we turn to leave, He asks for our opinion about a story of two sons,

“But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my vineyard.’ He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went. Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?”

This is easy, so I answer,

“The first.”

But, His point cuts to my heart and makes me angry,

“Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him.”

How dare Him to say that the Rabble is better than me!

Just when I am about to turn and leave with my constituents, He engages us again,

“Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them.Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.”

“Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?”

Again, an easy answer, but because of my anger, I answer before I think it through,

“He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.”

Then Jesus rouses the anger of my highly esteemed religious leaders by referring to the book of Psalms and saying to us,

“the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.”

These parables are referring to us! He thinks our great nation will be given to another? What nerve! He is a false prophet! My anger boils as I listen to this…this….man. We can’t take it any longer.

We all walk outside the temple area confused about how to handle this situation. Since no one can come up with a suitable answer that would not arouse the anger of the people, we agree to meet later to discuss what we should do about Jesus and His Rabble. We will call it a day, but we will take up the matter again tomorrow. Something must be done about this false Prophet. He is stirring up the people and is a threat to our business and religion. The death of one man to save our nation seems to be the only answer!

A few of us hang around to listen to Jesus talk…hoping to use His own words against Him.

Later, we learn Jesus has retired to Bethany for the night. Tomorrow we will deal with Him and get this matter settled once and for all. After all, there are many of us who are well established in the community. We have been to all the good schools, we can out think Him. We will expose Him for who He is!

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Author’s note:

Some are good at religion but have a poor knowledge of the Kingdom of God. Jesus came to reclaim that which was taken by the merchants, traders, and those who occupy the Temple. Does Jesus need to overturn and clean our minds so He may bring praise and singing back to our hearts-the Temple of the Spirit? Indeed, one Man’s death would spare not just one nation, but many people around the world. In Him we all find life.

Faith

IS OBEDIENCE ONLY FOR THE LEGALISTIC-PART 3

March 7, 2021 Eddie Leave a comment

He (Jesus) answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?

For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’

But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God”—

then he need not honor his father or mother.’ Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.

Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:

‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth,
And honor Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.

And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”

Matthew 15:3-9

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Jesus and His disciples were watched by the religious leaders very closely to see if they would obey “the law.” Jesus was often tested by them on this subject. But “the law” of the Scribes and Pharisees was at odds with God’s law in a profound way as Jesus points out in the verses above.

Their law was their own interpretation of the unchangeable law of the Creator. Their law contained additions without any blessing, direction, or endorsement from the Creator and Giver of the law.

As pointed out in the condemnation by Jesus to those mutilators of God’s law in Matthew 15, they had attempted to create a loop-hole in God’s 5th commandment to make it a little less harsh and easier to “keep.” God’s law clearly and simply states:

“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.”

Exodus 20:12

But, the leaders said this law could be voided through the offer of a gift as a substitute for giving honor and respect to those who bore and raised them. It was like they were paying their way out of an obligation that was not to their liking. So they changed it! There is not scriptural authority for doing so.

Jesus didn’t like their addition and proclaimed their man-made tradition would make God’s “commandment of no effect.” Jesus desired them to obey this commandment from the heart, but because they didn’t and tried to come up with ways to make their changes legal, Jesus viewed this as legalism and worthless . As a result of their changes and their traditions their worship was “in vain.” It disclosed their hypocrisy of lip service vs heart service.

A couple of other things to notice about this commandment and Jesus’ response:

1.) God does not put a condition on whether to honor your mother and father or not. It doesn’t say to honor them if they are worthy of the honor and respect or if they were perfect parents. Most parents, including myself, are no where near perfect, but we do have a God-given love for our offspring that most children do not understand. Many times we fail, but that does not make a loop-hole for the breaking of this commandment.

2.) Jesus doesn’t do away with this commandment or indicate obedience to this commandment would be legalistic. As we discussed in a previous article, the new covenant is based on the laws written on the heart.

3.) Jesus does not give them a list or tell them how to honor their parents. Lists encourage tasks or works. While the ten commandments could be considered a list, they are 10 principles. disclosing God’s character and will. We see in these commandments a God that desires love and respect for both himself and our neighbors. They are not a list to “work on” to deserve salvation or love from God.

The law of God is not minimized or changed by the new covenant. Even the giver of the law (Jesus) will not change even the smallest part to accommodate mankind. Some are surprised to discover that Jesus, before He came to the world as an infant, gave the 10 Commandments to Moses. That is a different study for a different time.

Those who have been born again and have a new heart will obey from a love basis rather than a basis to be saved (legalism). The new covenant people obey the Lord because they ARE saved, not in order to BE saved.

These born-again followers will understand that to honor their mother or father is the will of God Himself and it will be a natural response from a heart transformed by the power of God to love and respect them. To try and circumvent, excuse, rationalize, or change it is hypocrisy and attempting to put our own thoughts and reasoning above God’s.

This commandment, like the others, should be read carefully and simply. Nothing should be added nor taken away, not even one letter or stroke of the pen. How can anything that is perfect be changed anyway? It is a transcript of how God wants us to live, not a checklist for finding favor or salvation from the Lord. Those who will endeavor to obey for the right reasons will be blessed.

Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

Revelation 21:14

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Jesus made it clear to the Scribes and Pharisees that he did not come to change the law and that anyone who taught others to break even the smallest detail was outside of God’s will. Any attempt to modify the law affected the truthfulness of the worship experience. This is a pretty serious situation. Listen to his exact words:

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.

Matthew 5:17

It is here where some will say, “since Jesus fulfilled the law (10 Commandments) it is no longer viable.” The next verse clears that up.

“For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”

Matthew 5:18

We still have a heaven and an earth, so the law remains. Also, it has been almost 2,000 years since Jesus fulfilled it, and he still wants us to teach that the law should not be broken. It is so immovable that Jesus makes reference to “jot” and “tittle” (smallest letter or stroke of the pen) will not be modified or eliminated.

Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:19

I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be the one who teaches that even one thing can be changed in God’s “perfect law of liberty” James 1:25. How about you?

Jesus perfect obedience to this law (fulfillment) is the basis for His perfect sacrifice (No sin found in Him) and for the forgiveness for our breaking the law which is sin.

Sin is the transgression of the law

1 John 3:4

All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

Romans 3:23.

But sin is much more. We are born sinners with a nature to sin. Anything not of faith is sin. There are a 1,000 ways we can sin, but in the end, all can be summarized by the 10 commandments.

When we are born again, we are given a heart of flesh with God’s law written upon it (New Covenant) and we obey out of sense of love and respect rather than a method of salvation (legalism). Our very nature is changed. The thief stops stealing,;the liar stops lying; the adulterer stops sleeping with women who are not his wife…..

If you love me, keep my commandments

John 14:15

Of course they are not perfect. When we do sin, we have an advocate:

My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

1 John 2:1

Oh! The mercy and forgiveness of our great God!

How can we claim to be followers if we disobey or re-write the law to suit us as did the religious leaders of Jesus’ time?

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In Luke, Jesus confirmed as He did in Matthew 5 that the law would never change. Further, He used the passing of heaven and earth to drive home the point:

“But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than for one stroke of a letter in the law to be dropped.”

Luke 16:17

Other writers agree with Jesus on the eternal existence of the law and His word:

“All His precepts are sure. They are upheld forever and ever”

Psalm 111:8

“The sum of your word is truth;
and every one of your righteous ordinances endures forever.”

Psalm 119:160

“The grass withers, the flower fades,
But the word of our God stands forever.”

Isaiah 40:8

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Jesus was tested another time on a different commandment. But, the same principles apply.

“At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. And His disciples were hungry, and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!”

But He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God and ate the showbread which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless? Yet I say to you that in this place there is One greater than the temple. But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

Matthew 12: 1-8

The Scribes and Pharisees were particularly zealous for this law. They added their own rules that is in the thousands. However, like the 5th commandment, the law is presented by the Lawgiver in a simple manner. However, the religious leaders made it very legalistic and burdensome. In the process, this law intended to bless man became another checklist of things to do or not to do.

In this incident, Jesus and his disciples were hungry and began to shuck corn in a field and eat it as they walked along. This violated one of the Sabbath “rules” created by the very legalistic religious leaders, but Jesus said they were “guiltless.” Here is an important question: Is there anywhere in scripture where God forbid such action by the disciples? No! It is another example of man’s tradition or adding to the law that makes the law a burden and makes their worship vain.

To make his point (That He and the disciples had not broken the 4th commandment), He asks the supposed scriptural authorities the question: “Have you not read….” This question (referring to 1 Samuel 21: 1-6) puts them back on their heels. They obviously had read it, but they had missed the application from their reading about the priority of man’s needs above a ritual of the law. Jesus begins to connect the hunger of David’s men and the hunger of Jesus and His disciples. Very simply, the value of men and their hunger needs outweigh any man-made religious ceremony (i.e., Hot warm bread used in the sanctuary service and the need to eat on the Sabbath when nothing else is available). Again, there is no law written or intended by the Lawgiver for anyone having to subscribe to such a strict interpretation of a simple law and go hungry on a day the Lord has blessed and made holy. Further, Jesus clearly states the priority of mercy over sacrifice and ceremonial religious laws.

The 4th Commandment is very simple and plain in its delivery by the Creator, much like the 5th commandment. The Great Lawgiver and Creator states the commandment simply and provides the reason as to why a professed follower should obey it. (Not to be saved, but because they are saved)

The command:

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

The Reason:

For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Exodus 20: 8-11

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As with the 5th Commandment, Jesus made it clear that His Law should not be modified or added to in any way. The same observations for the 5th Commandment can be made for the 4th Commandment:

1.) God does not put a condition on whether to honor the Sabbath or not or that He had plans to modify or change it. He says, “Remember” and to “Keep it Holy” since the reason for the commandment has to do with the fact that he is the Creator (and Redeemer-See Deuteronomy’s version-Chapter 5: 12-15)

3.) Jesus does not give them a list or tell them how to keep the Sabbath holy, other than refraining from work on that day. The reason? We are to respect our Creator and “rest” as He did. It is not only a physical rest, but a rest of relationship with the Creator and His Creation. It is about relationships and not a religious list of things to trip us up so that we sin.

When the Lord stopped working after His work of Creation, it was not that He was tired, but that He wanted the time to be immortalized as proof of his Creatorship. Further, Adam and Eve began their first full day with the Lord on the Sabbath. This must have been a very special Sabbath as they began to see and understand life and a relationship with the Creator.

Have you ever wondered about the heavenly bodies that tell us about time? Even scientist will admit we measure time by the sun and the moon. Our year is based on the orbit of the earth around the sun. Our month is based on the orbit or phases of the moon around the earth. But there is nothing in nature to base our 7 day weekly cycle.

A 7 day weekly cycle exists only because it was instituted by our Creator (Jesus) in the beginning. Why not a 6 day cycle or a 5 day cycle? The 7 day cycle and the Sabbath screams: God created us!

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Jesus Conclusion:

The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath:

Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath.

Mark 2: 27, 28

Jesus told the religious leaders that He made the Sabbath to be a blessing for man not a list of do’s and don’t’s so that man is made a slave to the Sabbath. Notice it is made for “man” or mankind not just the Jews. The commandment was given long before there was a nation of Jews. That reasoning would also indicate that all the other commandments are only for the Jews and not for us.

The Scribes and Pharisees had effectively made the Sabbath a burden and God’s original intention was lost through their adding and modifying a simple commandment meant to be a lasting memorial to our Creator and an opportunity to “come unto (Jesus) and rest.”

Jesus knew how it should be remembered because He is Lord of the Sabbath! This is the real Lord’s day! It was created by God and it belongs to Him

“But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God.”

Exodus, 20:10

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In conclusion:

We can learn from these two incidents regarding honoring parents and honoring the day God blessed. It tells us that the law of God is immutable and has a relationship/heart purpose. They are not part of a list of do’s and don’ts to follow so one can be saved. God forbid! it is a law of liberty (James 2:12). It can not be modified to meet our own convenience, thinking, or tradition.

Jesus gave the Law and He knows better than anyone how to follow the spirit of the law which does not negate the letter.

I am sure your spouse would want you to keep the letter of the law regarding adultery, but even more the spirit (i.e., you are faithful because you love her/him.)

The same goes for your neighbor. You don’t steal, lie, cheat, or covet his wife, or kick his cat (the letter of the law). Not because you have to, but because you respect him as a child of God and because of the born-again heart given you by the Lord (Spirit of the Law).

Have you asked yourself how can you “Remember the Sabbath to keep it holy?” The key word here is holy (a.k.a sanctified). How do you make it about a love relationship with God and His creation rather than a list of do’s and don’t’s? How do you make it a delight or a blessing and not a burden?

The Sabbath was made for man, to be a blessing to him by calling his mind from secular labor to contemplate the goodness and glory of God

Of all the commandments, the 4th one is the most misunderstood and the one where legalism can quickly smother the spiritual blessing God has prepared for us each week. It is not just about when should church attendance be conducted. This is no doubt a “holy” activity for the Sabbath. It was Jesus’ and Paul’s custom to go to meet with God’s people each Sabbath. I would say they are good examples to follow. Wouldn’t you?

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In our next study, we will see how the enemy has attacked the law of God and the family unit (the 4th and 5th commandments) to serve his purpose of confusing and leading people away from a knowledge of the Lord which is salvation.

He has a special anger towards those who teach and obey the will of God and testify of Jesus Christ:

And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Revelation 12:17

Faith

IS OBEDIENCE ONLY FOR THE LEGALISTIC? PART 2

February 17, 2021 Eddie Leave a comment

Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”

Mathew 5:17-19

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Part 1 Summary

In the earlier blog, we looked to the word of God to answer the question about legalism and the role of God’s law in the heart of the believer.

Briefly, we saw that there are many laws in the Bible. Some were temporary (Ceremonial and Sacrificial). These laws or ordinances were like a school master that taught God’s people about sin, salvation, and the coming Messiah.

These had their purpose and their end came when type (e.g. spotless lamb) met anti-type (i.e. Jesus). When Jesus came, we no longer needed the School Master to teach us. We now had Jesus’ life, death, burial, and resurrection as our teacher and hope.

But, the law that is eternal is the moral law contained in the 10 commandments. Jesus did not come to abolish it or to destroy it. On the contrary, His life magnified the law and made it honorable. Example: Jesus told us men that looking upon a woman with lust was the same as committing adultery

“But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

Mathew 5:28

Here we see Jesus “magnifying” the law. He makes it bigger so we can clearly see or understand to scope of the law. It also demonstrates that man is sinful to the core. It tells us we need a Savior not only from eternal death but from the power of sin.

Sin is defined in one place as the breaking or transgressing of the law.

“Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.”

1 John 3:4

John goes on to tell us something very important for the believer.

Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.

1 John 3:6

Is it not clear that if someone sins, they don’t know Him? But if the believer “abides” in Him, that person will not sin. Now be careful here. It is not saying you are perfect and never sin. It means you do not practice sin as clarified in the the next verse:

He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.

1 John 3:7

Before John ever gets into this discussion, he sets the boundaries of the discussion by saying this:

My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

1 John 2:1

God’s desire is that we do not sin. We have Jesus as our advocate in heaven (another topic for another time) to cover us should we sin. But this advocate is not an excuse to practice sin. That the true follower will not do. The thief will not continue his life of stealing. The adulterer will stop sleeping around. The person with other gods will give them up. Is this a fair statement?

Here is what we must remember: We are born with a sinful nature. When we are born again, we are given a spiritual nature. These two natures will compete against each other and it is our choice and God’s action as to which one will win the war between flesh and spirit. Keep in mind that battles may be lost due to the carnal nature, but this does not mean the war is over and a victor crowned. Paul describes this battle in Romans 8 (Another study for another time).

One of my favorite writers wrote something that I think is very appropriate here and supported by the grace of our great loving God:

“There are those who have known the pardoning love of Christ and who really desire to be children of God, yet they realize that their character is imperfect, their life faulty, and they are ready to doubt whether their hearts have been renewed by the Holy Spirit. To such I would say, Do not draw back in despair. We shall often have to bow down and weep at the feet of Jesus because of our shortcomings and mistakes, but we are not to be discouraged. Even if we are overcome by the enemy, we are not cast off, not forsaken and rejected of God. No; Christ is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Said the beloved John,

“These things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” 1 John 2:1.

Steps to Christ, P. 64

The law, specifically the 10 commandments, point out to sinful man what is sin. To know about the law and sin is to know more about the God who gave it and more about ourselves. It points out how really sinful we are and that we need a savior because we cannot “enter into the womb a second time” and be reborn. We cannot give ourselves a new spirit. The law enhances the reality of grace and His power, but God’s grace does not eliminate the law otherwise he could have simply eliminated the definition of sin instead of having his Son pay the penalty for sin i.e., death. This would be a divine loophole of sorts. I don’t see where God provides loopholes, but He does supply grace and power.

The law, like God, is eternal and it is given the same description as God Himself. The law expresses His character which is holy, just, and good.

For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me. Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.

Romans 7:11, 12

We can not take the 10 commandments off the wall and wash our face with it, the law points out the smudge on our face, which tells us we need to be cleansed. To try to wash our face with the law would be the definition of legalism. Instead, the law indicates God’s will for us and that we need a Savior not only for breaking it, but for the power to obey it as will be shown in the following discussion.

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When talking about the law of God, we must discuss the topic of new covenant versus old covenant. Here many make a deadly mistake, thinking the old covenant was about keeping the law for salvation, but the new covenant is freedom from keeping the law and living under grace. This implies disobedience. As we shall see both covenants include obedience to God’s law. The new covenant does not diminish the requirements of the law, but there is a twist that should give encouragement to us and help us avoid legalism.

Jesus is the “Mediator of the new covenant.”

And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

Hebrews 9:15

By the sacrificial death of Jesus upon the cross, He redeemed everyone, including those under the first covenant. This redemption for them and for all “who are called may receive the promise of eternal life.”

So again, we see that the cross is the central point for both those in the old testament and the new testament. It is here where all, on both sides of the cross, look by faith to Jesus for eternal life. Those in the old testament looked forward in faith and were instructed by the School Master or the sacrificial and ceremonial laws given by God through Moses to teach them about Jesus. They were not saved by works and obedience, but by faith in the spotless lamb of God (Jesus).

Those of us on this side, look to Jesus’ death on the cross by faith for eternal life and we have the life of Jesus and the testimony of His followers to teach us. Also, we have the experience of those before the cross to teach us as well. In fact, those before the cross and the writings of the old testament can instruct us in righteousness.

Paul wrote to Timothy and reminded him of this fact. Paul wrote it before the writings of the other new testament writers were known and brought together. So Paul’s message to Timothy is referring to the writings of the old testament when he said,

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:16

Those books in the old testament will reproof, correct and even instruct the new testament believer in righteousness. Further, it will make us complete and thoroughly equipped for every good work.

We should never say or believe things like, “That is in the old testament, I am a new testament believer.” Rather, we should say, we are a believer of “All Scripture.”

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The experience of God’s people before the cross serve as examples of how we should both live and respond to God.

“For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.”

Romans 15:4

Their lives and experiences become examples of how to live or not to live. Their experiences will give us hope!

Jesus is also found in type all through the old testament. To bypass these books is to miss Christ.

“Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.

Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. And do not become idolaters as were some of them.”

1 Corinthians 10: 1-7

So as we look at the new covenant or the new testament, we must not forget the value of the old covenant and the old testament. It still provides us help in our Jesus journey. It is even provides information that should be obeyed and understood by the Christian who appreciates the value of the new covenant.

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To understand the new covenant, we must understand the old covenant. Is that a fair statement? Why two covenants? Did God make a mistake and create a new covenant because it was impossible or too difficult to live under? Many think this because of somethings Paul states.

Generally, a covenant is defined as an agreement between two parties, but it can be simply a promise by the Lord. For example, the Lord made a promise to the people of earth to not destroy it by water ever again. This was a covenant or promise from the great Creator.

“I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth… and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.”

Genesis 9:13,15

The Lord did the same type of “one-sided covenant” with Abraham when he promised him land and descendants:

“On the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying: ‘To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates—’ “

Genesis 15:18

“And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.” Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying: “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you.”

Genesis 17: 2-7

However, these covenants (promises) of God are not the covenants distinguished as old by Paul.

There was a point where the people of God tried to make a covenant or agreement with God and they became “old.”

“Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”

So Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before them all these words which the Lord commanded him. Then all the people answered together and said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do.”

Exodus 19:5-7

In the next Chapter of Exodus (20) we see these words:

And God spoke all these words, saying:

“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.”

Exodus 20: 1-2

Then the Lord spoke the 10 Commandments Himself as shown in Exodus 20: 3-17

Here was the covenant the people made. It seemed to be the response God wanted, but noticed they agreed to obey God based on fear and their own efforts. They state, “all that the Lord has said we will do.” They attempted to obey God under their grit and determination. Obedience was not from the heart but rather from duty and fear. After a while their promises faded away and became old.

They were afraid of God and this formed their their response.

Then they said to Moses, “You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.”

Exodus 20:19

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Citing the fear and poor promises of the people, the writer of Hebrews cites the need for a new covenant:

“But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.”

Hebrews 8:6

What better promises? Did God make a promise that was inferior or had a fault? No! The problem or fault was found with the people who made the covenant with God as shown in the verse that follows:

“For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. Because finding fault with them. He says: “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah—not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the Lord.”

Hebrews 8: 7-9

The fault was with the people who made a promise they could not keep.

Have you ever made a promise to God while under fear? “God if you will just get me out of this situation, I will serve you until I die.” But, after you are delivered, you forget your promise and go back to serving only yourself. In this situations, you are doing exactly what the children of Israel did. They made a promise they could not keep. Why? Because they were attempting something without a changed heart. They did not realize their own weakness. God desired them to obey out of love and through His power.

Continuing in Hebrews 8, we see the better promise, but it still contains God’s law and obedience.

“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”

Hebrew 8:10

So the new covenant is one where God provides the promise and the people respond to His love in obedience because they have a new heart (rebirth). But notice that the new covenant still involves the law of God and obedience. The law is never destroyed or eliminated, it is a new attitude about it where the obedience comes from the new heart. If it is on the heart, do you think you will obey the letter? The spirit and the letter of the law go together. Let me explain:

If a born again Christian says to his wife, I obey the law concerning adultery in the spirit, but not by the letter. What has he just told his wife? Would the wife be comfortable about the separation of spirit and letter? Could the husband sleep with her sister (letter) but keep the “spirit.” NO! If He is living in the spirit of the law, he won’t even allow himself to look at a woman with lust! Especially, he will not tempt himself with pornography! Men, if you are looking at porn, you need Jesus to both forgive you and to help you overcome it. It is sin!

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“But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.”

Romans 7:6

Paul is explaining how we often get the cart before the horse. Many try to serve only in the letter. These are the legalistic.

In a very difficult part of Paul’s writing, he continues to explain that the law is spiritual and we are carnal. There are the two natures that live and fight within us until Jesus returns. The purpose of the law is to tell us what God considers as transgression and how sinful we are:

I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.” Romans 7: 7

“…by the law is the knowledge of sin.”

Romans 3:20

Here Paul understands that desiring the possessions of another person is sin, but he goes further:

“I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died.”

Romans 7: 9

Paul was “foot loose and fancy free” as we say in the South. But, when he became aware of the words of the law, he came under great conviction and he saw his way of life meant death, for he had said earlier in the chapter,

“the wages of sin is death.”

Romans 6:23

The law points out what God calls sin regardless of what the world might think. When we come to accept the fact that we are sinners, we seek God and find forgiveness and the power to live a life in Christ. We don’t want to continue in an unsatisfying life of sin and disobedience. God begins to write His laws in our hearts so that our obedience comes from a new heart powered by God himself. The law does not go away. In fact, it becomes a writing inscribed in our way of thinking so that the thief stops stealing, the liar stops lying, etc. If, in our brand new way of thinking, we do slip; we have an advocate with the father.

I have heard someone say, I obey the law with my spirit and not by letter. I am under grace. How does that work?

Paul cautioned again such thinking when he said,

What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?

Romans 6:15

Being “under grace” does not mean one can disobey God’s law. We are not “under” the law because we are not under the penalty, because Jesus paid the penalty for our transgression of the law. His death shows the permanence of the law.

The followers of God are shown to be true followers by obedience to it. To claim we follow Jesus and willfully disobey is to not be a follower, for He said,

“But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?”

Luke 6:46″

It is like saying I am a follower of Robert Atkins,but I don’t obey the diet plan. I obey it in my spirit, but not the letter. How much weight do you think that person would lose?

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It is no wonder that Satan himself is upset with the last day people who wish to testify of Jesus Christ through an experience of obedience to His words that include the 10 commandments. This identifies them as true followers and not religious pretenders.

“And the dragon (Satan) was enraged with the woman (church), and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

Revelation 12:17

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Conclusion

God’s 10 Commandment law has never been destroyed. It is still a sin to have other god’s, to build statues of gods and fall down before them. It is still a sin to disrespect God’s name and character. It is still a sin to forget the Sabbath of the Lord and dishonor his creation and the time He blessed. It is still a sin to dishonor your parents, to murder, to commit adultery, to steal, to lie, and to covet your neighbors possessions.

All 10 of these commandments line up under the two great commandments. The first being to

“love God with all your heart, soul, and mind.” The second is like it, “to love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22: 37-39

The first 4 commandments hang (summarized) under the first principle and the last six under the second principle.

But notice the order. If one fails to love God completely, they will not be able love their neighbor with a Christ like love. They will in effect become legalistic (if connected to religion) and a worthless noisy show-off of a cymbal if God’s love is not the basis for their obedience:

“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.”

1 Corinthians 13:1

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No. Obedience is not for the legalistic although there are many who obey to somehow impress God or attempt to make themselves worthy of blessings and salvation.

Obedience is for those who have been born again, where love for their Creator and a testimony to the true God can be expressed through obeying his word.

To obey God is to have true freedom. Just ask the man in prison who murdered someone or the person whose life is run by lying.

To say that we love Him and not obey Him makes us a liar.

“He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”

1 John 2:4

Obedience comes from a new heart supplied by the Redeemer. It is not religious, but it is real. Obedience is the walk with the One you love, not the requirement for walk. The walk, like a child, will be shaky at first, but as you hold the Father’s hand, you will get stronger to do his will, but unlike the earthly example, our hand must be in the hand of our Creator constantly, because if it isn’t, we have the possibility of returning to the mud from which we were cleansed (See 2 Peter 2: 18-22)

I close with the inspiring words from Steps to Christ, p. 60, 61

“But notice here that obedience is not a mere outward compliance, but the service of love. The law of God is an expression of His very nature; it is an embodiment of the great principle of love, and hence is the foundation of His government in heaven and earth. If our hearts are renewed in the likeness of God, if the divine love is implanted in the soul, will not the law of God be carried out in the life? When the principle of love is implanted in the heart, when man is renewed after the image of Him that created him, the new-covenant promise is fulfilled, “I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them.” Hebrews 10:16. And if the law is written in the heart, will it not shape the life? Obedience–the service and allegiance of love–is the true sign of discipleship. Thus the scripture says, “This is the love of God, that we keep His commandments.” “He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” 1 John 5:3; 2:4. Instead of releasing man from obedience, it is faith, and faith only, that makes us partakers of the grace of Christ, which enables us to render obedience.”

Faith, Is This True?, The Law of God

IS OBEDIENCE ONLY FOR THE LEGALISTIC? PART 1

January 31, 2021 Eddie Leave a comment

Recently, I heard a radio preacher say, “The Old Testament was about obedience, but the New Testament is about grace.” I don’t want to read too much into this or interpret his statement incorrectly, but I hear this same idea said in different ways. In almost all cases the implication is there are two methods of salvation:

1.) Obedience for those before the cross and

2.) Grace and faith after the cross.

Obedience (Old Covenant) Grace/Faith (New Covenant)

Only a few days later, I heard another speaker talk about Galatians in such a way that it lead me to believe that talking about obedience was “another gospel.” The preacher stated: “nothing can be added to the work of Jesus. To add anything else is “another gospel.” Without a doubt, no one can add to what Jesus has done for sinful man. and we cannot do enough good works to merit salvation. including obedience. Here is the proof:

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”

Ephesians 2:9, 10

“But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”

Galatians 5:18

“But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…”

Romans 3:21-23

All three of the verses above were from Paul. Paul was a highly educated and dedicated Hebrew. Before his conversion, he considered himself “blameless” concerning the righteousness that comes by the law. but then he discovered Jesus and his eyes were opened.

Paul, seemed to be concerned where people would take verses like those above. He abruptly asks a question at the end of Romans 3 and again at the beginning of Romans 6 to clarify:

Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.

Romans 3:31

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?

Romans 6:1

The established law has a place in the Jesus Journey of the believer, but what is it?

Despite Romans 3:31 and other “obedience” verses we shall see, people continue to quote verses that would seem to say, we can pretty much ignore the 10 commandment law. Here are a few:

We are not “….under the law, but under grace.”

Romans 6:14

“The law was done away with.”

Colossians 2:14?

“The law has been nailed to the cross.”

Colossians 2:14?

Obedience is “another gospel.”

“I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel”

Galatians 1:6

Incorrect application of these passage may make it sound like God does not want us to obey and if I want to obey God, I have reverted back to the Old Testament way of salvation and have become legalistic, perhaps even lost. By choosing to seek to live in obedience, I have left the gospel of grace and faith. So is obedience only for the legalistic?

I have tried to boil this down to 5 important thought questions:

1.) Has obedience ever been a method of salvation? Was Moses, the prophets, the people of Israel saved by the works of the law? Has anyone ever been able to save themselves through obedience?

2.) What is the relationship between obedience and grace? Are they mutually exclusive of each other?

3.) What does Salvation mean and what is the purpose of the law?

4.) Does God expect me to live a life in disobedience to his commandments? What happens if I start to try to obey?

5.) Does Obedience have anything to do with the new covenant?

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Now I am certain, I don’t need to get up get dressed and head to the local temple and sacrifice a lamb for the sins I have committed. This was definitely part of the instructions God gave Moses to give to God’s people. I also know that being circumcised is not a prerequisite to being a part of God’s people. But, how do I relate to God’s law? What is the danger if I ignore it or if I obey it?

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What is God’s law?

Is it just the 10 commandments?

Is it the old sacrificial system given by God to Moses?

Is it some spiritual thing that I keep in my spirit but am careful to not obey the letter?

Here is what I know from God’s word;

The word “law” appears 529 times in the entire Bible. If you throw in “statute” and “ordinance” we can add another 219 times. So that brings us to 748 verses.

Do they all mean the same thing? This is where many people get confused.

The three main categories for these 748 verses are used primarily in 1 of 3 main ways:

A.) God’s Ten Commandments written with His own finger.

“And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.”

Exodus 31:18

B.) The laws given by God to Moses concerning the sanctuary services, sacrifices, feast days. The ceremonial laws contained in ordnances. Written by Moses and placed in a pouch in the side of the Ark of the Covenant.

“Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee.”

Deuteronomy 31:26

These ordinances and laws were ceremonial and gave identity and teaching to the chosen people before the cross. After the cross, God made the Jew and Gentile one.

“And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.”

Exodus 18:20

“….having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace.”

Ephesians 2:15

C.) The word of God contained in the “books of the law” a.k.a Torah (First Five books of the Bible)

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

Joshua 1:8

But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Psalm 1: 2, 3

So it is always important to understand which law God is referring to before making any decisions as to what God would have you do.

One last question before we start, Does the freedom given me by the grace of God give me license to disobey?

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In this post, we will start with questions #1 and #2

1.) Has obedience ever been a method of salvation? Was Moses, the prophets, the people of Israel saved by the works of the law? Has anyone ever been able to save themselves through obedience?

The answer is NO! The Jews of old were saved just like those of the New Testament: By the grace of God through faith and not of any works. Listen to Paul:

“I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”

Galatians 2:21

There would have been no need for Jesus to die on the cross for our sins or the sins of those in the Old Testament time if “righteousness” could come through the law.

Through the ceremonial feast of Passover (Exodus 12), the Jews under those laws were taught that the unblemished innocent male sheep had to die for their sins. They had to believe this in faith. Merely following the directions of God through Moses was not the point of their forgiveness but led them to understand about the coming Messiah who was the “true lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world.” John 1:29

So by faith, the Jews looked forward to the Cross for their salvation not in obeying the law. But the law was good in that it came from God himself through Moses and it taught (through an object lesson) the cost of sin, the price that had to be paid, and the transference of their sin onto the unblemished Son of God.

When Jesus came, type met anti-type. There was no longer a need to have ceremonies and laws that pointed forward to Jesus. Now they had the life and teachings of Jesus and that teacher (using types) ended.

Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

Galatians 3:24, 25

All those ceremonial laws pointed forward to Jesus and His death on the cross that they might have faith in Him. Today, we look back at Jesus and the cross that we might have faith. Both of us are saved by faith, not by the works of the law of ceremonies.

Those laws had fulfilled their purpose of pointing the OT people to Jesus. When He died on the cross they ended and we were no longer “under” those sets of laws.

But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

Galatians 3: 23

This faith spoken of by Paul is another word for Jesus. The faith that is revealed is Jesus. It is clear from Hebrews 11 (Faith Chapter) that those of the OT lived their lives by faith as we do:

The term “By faith” or “through faith” appears at least 19 times in Hebrews 11! They are all references to the OT people of faith!

“These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off…And these all, having obtained a good report through faith.”

Hebrews 11: 13, 39

Please keep in mind, faith is not a thing….a religious thing….It is “trust” in God. It is made evident by a response. A person can say they have faith in God, but their works will show it. Faith is not based on nothing. It has substance and evidence. This substance and evidence comes through trusting in God’s word.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Hebrews 11:1

But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

James 2:18

Paul shows the method of salvation i.e., grace through faith not of works. James tells us that the works (obedience) produced from a believer is the evidence of their faith. The two go together.

James goes on to say,

If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.

James 2: 8-12

James uses the term “law of liberty” twice. Here is the hint that obeying the law gives liberty. Just ask the murder in prison or the person who is trapped in a web of lies. There is a blessing in obedience to God’s 10 commandments. Wouldn’t you agree? We are not talking about the method of salvation, but rather the results of salvation.

But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it,and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

James 1:25

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2.) What is the relationship between obedience and grace? Are they mutually exclusive of each other?

How can anyone claim to be a follower of the only true God and not obey?

“He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”

1 John 2:4

“And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?”

Luke 6:46

“Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.”

Luke 6: 47-48

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?

Romans 6:1

Matthew 5: 17-19

Heaven and earth remains and so do the 10 commandments. Anyone who teaches to break the least of the commandments is not doing the will of God. I don’t want to be called the least in the kingdom of heaven. Do you? The best way here is to teach to obey the law of God.

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Conclusion:

The 10 commandments remain as does heaven and earth. The ceremonial laws taught about Jesus and salvation, but they ended at the cross where type met anti-type.

Obedience does not save you, but a saved person will be obedient. The thief will stop stealing. The liar will stop lying. All of this happens because of the new birth….the new heart God gives the person saved.

“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people”

Hebrews 8:10

If you are thinking the new covenant spoken of here is for Jews only. Remember there is neither Jew nor Greek and that if we belong to Christ we are “Abraham’s seed” (Father of Jews) and “heirs according to the promise.”

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Galatians 3:28

“And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

Galatians 3:29

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“A woman is driving way over the speed limit. Suddenly, she sees in her rear view mirror the flashing red and blue lights of a police car and hears the familiar wail of the siren. She pulls over, grabs her purse, and takes out her driver’s license. The policeman approaches, takes her license, and returns to his car.

She wonders how much the ticket is going to be (she was wayover the limit); she also worries about how she will be able to pay it. A few minutes later the policeman comes back and says, OK, Miss, what we are going to do, so that you don’t have to face the penalty of the law again, is abolish the law. You no longer have to worry about the speed limit.

As ludicrous as that story is, it’s no more so than the theology that teaches that after Jesus died, the law, the Ten Commandments, was abolished.” Dr. Keith A. Burton,

“Wages of sin is death.”

Romans 6:23

“Sin is the transgression of the law.”

1 John 3:

The definition of sin has never changed.

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“There are two errors against which the children of God–particularly those who have just come to trust in His grace–especially need to guard. The first, already dwelt upon, is that of looking to their own works, trusting to anything they can do, to bring themselves into harmony with God. He who is trying to become holy by his own works in keeping the law, is attempting an impossibility. All that man can do without Christ is polluted with selfishness and sin. It is the grace of Christ alone, through faith, that can make us holy.

The opposite and no less dangerous error is that belief in Christ releases men from keeping the law of God; that since by faith alone we become partakers of the grace of Christ, our works have nothing to do with our redemption.

But notice here that obedience is not a mere outward compliance, but the service of love.”

Steps To Christ, page 59, 60

Death and Resurrection

ABSENT FROM THE BODY, PRESENT WITH THE LORD

January 15, 2021 Eddie Leave a comment

Can you explain what God meant when He said “To be absent from the body is to be present with the LORD and who was He talking too?”

A Conflicting Teaching of Paul?

This text is found in 2 Corinthians 5:8. These words come from Paul. The same letters to the Corinthians (1^st and 2 Corinthians) contain the very clear verses about the importance of the resurrection to the believer (1 Corinthians 15 for example). So, is Paul teaching two different doctrines? Does “absent from the body and present from the Lord” mean when a person dies, he/she goes immediately to her reward of eternal life in heaven? For this passage to align with all the other passages from Paul, Jesus and the other writers about the second coming and resurrection, we must look at it in its context and the light of the many other passages.

The typical understanding of the state of the dead is that they don’t die. That their soul lives on forever, but there is at least a judgment before entrance into “the heavenly gates”, according to Paul. Some say, the resurrection is merely the redeemed coming back to get their bodies.

The problem with the teaching of immediate reward is that it destroys the need for a resurrection and the second-coming. To base our entire understanding on what happens at death on one verse and ignore all the multitude of very clear passages about the second coming and the resurrection of the body is poor exegesis and takes away the encouragement of Paul to “comfort one another with these words” which is found after the description of the coming of Christ and the dead rising first and then is being caught up to meet Him in the air…(1 Thessalonians 4: 16-18). It would also negate “the mystery” Paul discloses regarding the clear scene of resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15:51-54:

^“Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, THEN shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

Notice that immortality is not given until those who sleep are changed (in a twinkling of an eye) when they are raised form the dead in an instant and they then move from mortal to immortality, corruptible (subject to decay) to incorruptible (not subject to decay). The proclamation of “Death is swallowed up in victory” is not pronounced until Jesus returns and those who sleep in the grave are risen and changed. (Note: it is not His coming that is in a moment and a twinkling of an eye, but the change of the redeemed!)

The Passage:

Let’s read carefully the entire passage in the question above to get the immediate context. Then let’s look at the context of the entire letter and Paul’s other similar statements about this topic:

Paul describes three states of a person existence:

“For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. ²For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, ³if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. ⁴For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. ⁵Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

⁶So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. ⁷For we walk by faith, not by sight. ⁸We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.”

2 Corinthians 5; 1-8

Paul tells us there are three states of existence a person can be in:

We are in an “earthly house” also called “this tent.” This is without doubt reference to our body.
Unclothed (Naked). Neither in this “earthly house” “tent” nor in the building God has made for us.
“Building of God” eternal in the heavens. This is the immortal body.

So there is a point where we are neither at home in this body or present with the Lord. It is the being without clothing of life or naked We “groan” or desire to be clothed with the “building of God” that is “swallowed up” by life. This is our desire to move out of this life to the life God has made for us and for our bodies to be changed.

When do we receive the building of God that is immortal and swallowed up by life? It is at the Second Coming as also described by Paul to the same Corinthians in his first letter.

^52“Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep (naked), but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. ⁵³For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 1 Corinthians 15: 52-53

Here Paul describes the condition of the saved follower of Christ when He returns:

They “all sleep” waiting to be changed (verse 52). Paul describes this as being naked in 2 Corinthians 5: 2-3
At the “last trumpet” (second coming-See 1 Thess. 4:16-18) they are changed into the house mentioned in 2 Corinthians 5 above.
They “put on” (are clothed) with immortality (no longer subject to death) and incorruption (no longer subject to decay or growing old) at the second coming and the resurrection.

What is often overlooked is the term “sleep” to describe death even though it used by many Bible writers including Jesus to describe death. This sleep is both unconscious and very quick (See Job 14:12, Job 19: 25-26, Psalm 13:33, Daniel 12:22, Matthew 9:24, John 11: 11-13, 1 Corinthians 15:51, 1 Thessalonians 4: 14, Eccl 9:5). This is what it means to be naked according to Paul. It is that place where we are neither clothed in this mortal body or in the immortal body given at the second coming.

The sleep of death is very quick as an experience for both the believer and the unbeliever.

Jesus taught two resurrections. When a saved person dies, the next thing they see is Jesus in the air with all the other people being resurrected or “caught up” to meet Him in the air (1 Thessalonians 4: 16-18). The next thing the unsaved see is something different (A different topic for another time). Whether dead for one moment, one year, or a thousand years before the Lord returns, the sleep is instantaneous in their minds. If you have ever been put under general anesthesia, you hear the anesthetist say, “we are putting you to sleep…” and the very next words are “you are in the recovery room” even though you may have been in surgery for hours.

To be absent from the body and present with the Lord does not mean immediate presence with the Lord in the scheme of time without the judgment and the second coming of Jesus. But to the believer, the sleep of death is quick and unconscious.

Real Comfort From God’s Word:

Over the years, I have heard many words spoken to comfort the bereaved. Often those words have no basis in God’s word. Some even border on the ridiculous. I actually heard this at a funeral a few years ago. The “pastor” in his zeal to bring comfort to a grieving family of a man who loved to hunt and drink came up with this wild and untrue scenario of the condition of the deceased: “Our brother, is now hunting with St. Peter and drinking his favorite whisky.” Sounds great, but there is so much wrong with that illusion.

I don’t know about you, but I prefer the words of God when it comes to comforting those who have lost a loved one.

Such was the case when Paul sought to remind the people of Thessalonica what they had forgotten. The people had expected Jesus to have already returned. That was their hope of eternal life and it is ours too. Paul ended the true description of the return of Christ and the condition of the deceased with this statement for which we all desire, “Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” What was it that Paul said that lead to this conclusion? It is the hope in the second coming and the resurrection of the dead…those who are in Christ. Here are the exact words. They are, perhaps, the clearest picture of the return of Christ.

“For the Lord Himself will descend (come down) from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. THEREFORE COMFORT ONE ANOTHE WITH THESE WORDS.” 1 Thess. 4: 16-18

If you read carefully, you will notice several great Biblical truths: 1.) The Lord Himself (not an angel or someone else) comes. It is not quiet nor secretive. 2.) He comes down to us, and brings us up to Him when He returns. 3.) Those who were “in Christ” when they died are resurrected. 4.) Those who are “left” (alive and remain) meet the Lord in the air. What a great reunion day that will be! Those who have been separated for so many years meet the Lord in the air…not heaven…in the air. 5.) Eternity starts there in the air after the resurrection and the changing of our bodies into glorious immortal bodies (See 1 Cor. 15: 51-54) According to Jesus, he then takes us to where He is now (John 14:1-4). 6.). It is in this description (words) of the return of Christ that we are to find our comfort.

Paul could not have described a better picture of hope and comfort! The resurrection of the saved and the great reunion day that starts on that day is our hope…the source of comfort. we trust Jesus by faith now, but the reality is on that great day of His return.

Jesus gave the same hope in the following words of comfort. It, too, is centered on the Second coming and taking us to where He is now.

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” John 14: 1-3

Like Paul, Jesus’ concern is that our hearts are not troubled. That we are comforted in His words The disciples were troubled because Jesus was telling them of His pending death and His going away (See previous chapter, John 13.) Jesus comfort to them was to give them hope in His return after preparing a place for them (and us). When would they see Him again? The answer is clear from Jesus…when He comes again and He receives us. It is then that He takes us to where He is now (heaven).

Is it not clear that our joy and comfort is in the promise of Jesus’ return and the fact that He holds the keys of the grave and death (See Revelation 1:18)?

Paul was adamant about the second coming and the resurrection of the saved as our only hope…our only comfort…Paul gives even more detail about the resurrection and its absolute necessity for our salvation from death in 1 Corinthians 15.

“And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty…And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep (died) in Christ have perished.” 1 Corinthians 15: 14, 17-18.

Never comfort me with false words that my loved one is in heaven looking down on me. How could that be heaven for them? It is unbiblical. My comfort is in that blessed hope of His return. I am

“looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. ” Titus 2:13

The crown of life will be given at the return of Christ and not before. Look carefully at the statements of Jesus, Peter, and Paul: 2 Timothy 4:8, 1 Corinthians 15: 51-54, 1 Peter 5:4, Luke 14:14

“Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to ALL WHO HAVE LOVED HIS APPEARING.” 2 Timothy 4:8

The last chapter of Revelation, Jesus tells us when we receive our reward and this crown. Jesus brings it with Him! “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.” Revelation 22:12

Answers From Scripture – A Jesus Journey

DANIEL AND REVELATION-PART 1

The Fakers

True Prophets

The Prophets Work

The Interpretation

The Second Kingdom

Third Kingdom

The Fourth Kingdom

4th Kingdom-Forever Division

Our Day-The Soon Coming Eternal Kingdom

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HE IS ALIVE! NOW I UNDERSTAND LIKE NEVER BEFORE!

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DAY 6 AND 7-THE WEEK BEFORE THE RESURRECTION-DISCOURAGEMENT

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A Night to Remember Forever…

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DAY 3 AND 4 OF THE WEEK BEFORE THE RESURRECTION

The Destruction of Jerusalem

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DAY 1 AND 2-THE WEEK BEFORE THE RESURRECTION

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IS OBEDIENCE ONLY FOR THE LEGALISTIC-PART 3

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IS OBEDIENCE ONLY FOR THE LEGALISTIC? PART 2

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IS OBEDIENCE ONLY FOR THE LEGALISTIC? PART 1

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ABSENT FROM THE BODY, PRESENT WITH THE LORD

Real Comfort From God’s Word:

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"He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. Colossians 1:28

The Fakers

True Prophets

The Prophets Work

The Interpretation

The Second Kingdom

Third Kingdom

The Fourth Kingdom

4th Kingdom-Forever Division

Our Day-The Soon Coming Eternal Kingdom

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The Destruction of Jerusalem

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Real Comfort From God’s Word:

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"He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. Colossians 1:28