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Faith, God's Will For Us, The Gospel, What is God Like?

THE MURDER OF JESUS-PART 1

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(Disclaimer:  I have never read Bill O’Riley’s book called Killing Jesus. The following thoughts came from my own personal study. Any similarities are purely coincidental.)

I am using the word “murder” because it is different than “killing”.  Killing can be an accident or defensive.  Murder is intentional with malice. Further, the word “murder” in this article is used symbolically to demonstrate how Jesus and His message are denigrated in our society, including in some churches.

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Let it never be said that a single race initiated the murder of Jesus.  He willingly laid down His life for all races.  He allowed Himself to become the sacrifice for everyone’s sin, whether now, in the past, or in the future. His dying words were one of grace and forgiveness:

Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”

Luke 23:24

It was out of ignorance, protection of traditions, and religiosity that they encouraged the crucifixion. But It was always in the plan, from the beginning of time, for Jesus to descend to earth to be an example and to be the sacrificial lamb to pay for our sins so that we might have eternal life. Then to rise from death to the heavenly sanctuary.

Jesus Willingly Laid Down His Life

No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down for Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”

John 10:18

A thought question: “Were we in the same position as the religious leaders, would we want to murder Jesus?”  The answer is likely “yes” if we are as religious, dogmatic, and sold out to traditions as they were. The religious leaders were not open to His words.   They tried to keep Him from talking and teaching. However, we can murder HIm today by making His word and followers of no effect or minimized. Jesus is murdered almost daily in the public eye through social media, movies, TV shows, and leftist news channels.

Another way we can murder Jesus is by treating followers of Christ the same as they did Jesus via hatred.

“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.”

John 15:18

‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

Matthew 25:40

Since no one can kill Jesus physically, the enemy and our unconverted selves can do so by promoting our own teachings over His.  This is the point of this article. 

It is not physical harm but the hate-filled accusatory judgment that the world dishes out. Even church members do the same when they fight with each other over the gnat while swallowing the camel in the room.

The Spirit of the Antichrist in the world today

The Jews of Jesus’ day wanted to murder Him because of His teachings. His message cut across their long-held traditions and man-made rules. Today, arguments over theology and man-made traditions have become the anti-Christ of His teachings. In fact, the “Ant-Christ” and the Beast of Daniel and Revelation seek to put traditions and man-made worship and Religious rules above the teachings of Christ! Perhaps this is why John exclaimed that the spirit of the Antichrist is already in the world. (1 John 4:3). This passage is in the context of false teachers or prophets (see verses 1 and 2). False teachers always promote their own agenda, beliefs, and interpretations over the plain spoken word. Let’s examine this closer:

Nothing New Under The Sun

“Therefore, the Jews sought all the more to kill Him because He not only broke the Sabbath but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.”

John 5: 18

John’s account of the Jews seeking to murder Jesus points out several great mysteries of God’s kingdom.

On this day, the religious leaders charged Jesus with two violations worthy of death.  One was based on carefully guarded traditions, the other on the word of God!

First, they said He “broke the Sabbath.”  Secondly, they said Jesus (made) Himself equal to God.  Today, churches are still at odds over these two accusations.  They point to this passage and say, “The Sabbath is of no significance because Jesus broke it.” Some claim that Jesus is not God. By making these claims, they denigrate His teaching and thereby murder Him again.

Are we just as rigid, religious, and closed-minded as the religious leaders were? Have we closed our ears to the plain word of God in favor of our denomination or traditions?

Have you heard someone say, “If it was good enough for grandma, it is good enough for me.” This really puts Grandma and her traditions on a pedestal, even over God’s word! She must have known all the truth. While good ole Grandma was a fine Christian lady, I like Jesus better. Is Jesus murdered when the grandson or granddaughter put Grandma over Jesus? Is this not replacing Christ with Grandma?

Murdering Jesus With Man-Made Rules

“Jesus replied…You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you:

“‘These people honor me with their lips,

but their hearts are far from me.

They worship me in vain;

their teachings are merely human rules.;”

Matthew 15:7-9 NIV (Jesus quoting from Isaiah 29:13)

Why did the Jews think Jesus  “broke the Sabbath”? Did He really break the Sabbath?  The answer is found in verses 8-10 in the same chapter (John 5).

“Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” And immediately, the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath.  The Jews, therefore, said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.’“

John 5: 8-10

Who said it was not lawful to “carry your bed” on the Sabbath?  They did!  Not Jesus!  Did you notice that the haughty religious leaders directed their judgment towards the man who was cured, not at Jesus?    It is much easier to judge someone who is weak and unlike the majority than it is to judge Jesus. 

At another time, Jesus demonstrated to them a concept that overruled their legalistic Sabbath keeping when he healed the man with a withered hand in the Synagogue on the Sabbath (Matthew 12: 9-13). He asked them which one would not rescue a sheep fallen in a pit on the Sabbath.” By asking this rhetorical question, he demonstrated the value of a person over the animal world and made this point about keeping the Sabbath:

Therefore, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath

Matthew 12: 11-12”

So, doing good on the Sabbath is a teaching of Jesus on how to observe it, but it so enraged the religious leaders that they sought to murder him. The very next verse says this,

Then the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy (murder) Him.

Matthew 12: 14

How powerful are long-held traditions and man-made rules about the Sabbath? Going against it can lead to the murder of the Son of God and even His followers!

At another time, they would accuse Jesus directly of breaking the Sabbath by healing on the Sabbath (See Mark 3:2) and causing the man to “work” on the Sabbath!  The Lord Jesus told the man to “take up his bed and walk.”  Jesus was influencing the healed man to sin (according to their definition) when Jesus instructed the man to do something that violated their man-made rules about the Sabbath, i.e., getting out of bed, lifting it, and walking!

Ponder Question:  Do we seek to murder Jesus (degrade) His teachings) when we make up our self-made laws about the fourth commandment?  By thinking we obey, we really are modifying based on our traditions to conform the Sabbath to our lifestyle and the popularity of the world or the way we were raised or taught.  Do we set our own rules about keeping the day holy, as the commandment states?  Or do we annul the Sabbath commandment and place the solemnity on another day without scriptural authority? There is no evidence that Jesus broke the spirit or the letter of the fourth commandment…only the religious leaders claimed He broke it. He did, however, break their silly, made-up rules and traditions. Why? Because they didn’t know who He was!

Killing Jesus by Refusing to See Him as God

Jesus answered, “I am the Father are one…”We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”

John 10:33

When Jesus healed another paralytic, Jesus forgave his sins. 

When Jesus saw their faith, He told the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”

And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, “Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

Mark 2: 5-7

The scribes were right by reasoning in their hearts that only God can forgive sins.  They didn’t dare to claim to have the power to forgive sins. The priests of the Temple performed ceremonies to lead the sinner to God for atonement, but they would never proclaim their sins forgiven.  Sins have always been forgiven by faith in God’s love, grace, and mercy.  Someone greater than the religious teachers was in their midst, the incarnate Immanuel (God with us). He had the power because He is God.

Ponder Question: Do we kill Jesus when we seek forgiveness of sins or absolution from a priest?  Is the heavenly temple where Jesus is ready to minister to our sins and failures left desolate because a mere man has stepped into His place?

Further thought: do we murder Jesus by hating other people?

A Christian teacher at a private school asked her students to draw a picture of the person they disliked the most. One girl drew a picture of her once-best friend who stole her boyfriend. Another person drew a picture of a political figure, while another drew a picture of her father, who had left the family.

Next, the teacher took the pictures and placed them carefully on a dart board. Each student was given darts. Without prompting, all stood and faced the picture of the person they disliked the most and began to throw the darts at their picture. The activity began to get lively as each student threw the darts harder and harder. Soon, the pictures were in tatters, and the teacher asked them to return to their desks.

Once the students were settled and quiet, the wise teacher began to remove the tattered pictures from the dart boards. Underneath was another tattered picture. It was a picture of Jesus!

The students gasped, and some wept when the teacher reverently quoted these words of Jesus:

“Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.”

Next time, we will explore further Jesus’ claim to divinity from His works, the Apostles, and the Prophets. Did Jesus ever degrade the words of the Father or of the Old Testament writers?

Prophecies for Our Time, The Soon Return of Jesus

Part 7-Second Coming Predictions-The Spirit of the Antichrist

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He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads,

Revelations 13:16

There is a way that seems right to a man,
But its end is the way of death.

Proverbs 14:12

I hope you appreciate our slow walk up to identification of the Antichrist.  It is important to have the groundwork laid so that when we arrive, it will all make sense and be supported by scripture.  There is so much confusion about this topic.  But, it does not have to be so if we are using sound Biblical exegesis in our walk.

In previous studies, we were able to determine from scripture that the father of lies (Satan) works through deception.  He creates delusion so great that more (rather than few) are deceived.  If it were possible, the very elect could be deceived.

For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

Mark 13:6

For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

Matthew 24:24

Why are the elect not deceived?  We discovered that it is because they love the truth, the righteousness of God, and have a personal relationship with Jesus.  This passage expresses it well:

“….they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

2 Thessalonians 2: 10-11

And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

John 17:3

In these last days, we can expect Satan to have perfected his system of deception.  His work will mimic the work of God even in appearances.

For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

2 Corinthians 11:14-16

We cannot trust appearances… those things that appeal to the eye…things that are majestic and grand.  It is only through the simple word of God and a trusting relationship with Him that we can count ourselves as the elect.

Had Satan revealed himself in his real character, he would have been repulsed at once, for Adam and Eve had been warned against this dangerous foe; but he worked in the dark, concealing his purpose, that he might more effectually accomplish his object. Employing as his medium the serpent, then a creature of fascinating appearance, he addressed himself to Eve.

Great Controversy, page. 532

We must compare what we hear and see what we know about God through our personal experience (testimony), but even more important through his written word (law).

To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

Isaiah 8:20

It is a noble thing to research scripture to see if your preacher or teacher is telling the truth as found in God’s word.  In these last days, it will be critical in discerning and avoiding the way that seems right, but leads to destruction:

These (followers in Berea) were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

Acts 17:11

The Bereans loved the truth and compared the Tanakh (Old Testament) with the preaching of Paul to make sure he spoke truth.  Shouldn’t we do the same?

Too many Christians rely heavily on preachers and teachers to spoon feed them with theories, ideas, and doctrines.  Most have little knowledge of God’s word and practical experience.  Further, we have the power of media, film, grand churches, and masses to help push us down a broad path, rather than seek the narrow path.

Here is a test….Which one of these pictures best represent how Satan will appear to deceive people?

Devil Christ-the-Priest-top-half Cardnial Keith Obrien

We can be certain that Satan will not be obvious.  He will appear as a sheep, but inside is a ravenous wolf…a lion seeking to eat and kill as many as possible.  He is insane and self-deceived.  He uses ministers.

And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. 

2 Corinthians 11: 14-15

If we are looking for a mean-spirited ugly Antichrist that is easily identified, then we are already on a broad path of deception.

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The Real Antichrist

Hollywood and the” Left Behind” books have portrayed the Antichrist as a Romanian man named Carpathia leader of the world community and world government who rises to power after the rapture.  After 3/12 years in power, he is assassinated, but then resurrected by Satan and seeks to destroy the followers of Jesus.

But the Bible paints and entirely different picture as we have learned in these series of Second Coming Predictions.

What the Bible has to say about the real Antichrist?

The word Antichrist is found only 4 times in the New Testament (King James Version).  They are all in the books of 1 John (3 times) and 2 John (1 Time).  Let’s read all four:

Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.

1 John 2:18

John warns us that by looking for one Antichrist, we miss the many that were already come.  Is that true today?  Yes!

Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.

1 John 2:22

An antichrist that has already come is a liar and denies that Jesus is the Christ.  Plain enough.  Right?

and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.

1 John 4: 3

So, we can know that the spirit of the Antichrist is already in the world.

For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

2 John 1:17

Again, deception is connected to the antichrists that are in the world already.

The disciple John (who would later write and warn us about a power described as a beast in Revelation 13) gives valuable information. but it is the tip of the iceberg:  He states that the followers had been taught about the coming of “The Antichrist,” but there were already many that have gone out in the world. These antichrists work through deception.  They are liars just like their father the devil.  They deny that Jesus is the Messiah, that He came in the flesh and that He will return in the flesh. They deny the relationship between the Father and Jesus.

All of these antichrists can be overcome by an understanding and acceptance of God’s word as given to holy men who were moved by the work of the Holy Spirit. This includes the books and letters of the New Testament in addition to the Old Testament.

Paul warns us as well:

But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them,  and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

2 Timothy 3: 13-15

Remember as we move forward, that the work of the Antichrist is not just one person, but the work of many including Satan himself. It will be deception that can only be unlocked through a comparison of their words with the words of God and a trusting relationship with the Lord.

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Paul compliments the words of John when he talks about how the work of the antichrists causes apostasy.  Many will leave the truth because of the deception of the antichrists. In fact, he warns Jesus will not come until after the “falling away.”

Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

2 Thessalonians 2:3

Here we learn more about the nature and personality of the Antichrist.”

There will be a falling away, not just people but many churches.  They will fall away from plain teachings of Jesus and God’s word.  Those that fall away, do so because they are deceived.  They “loved not the truth.”

It has always been the work of Satan to take God’s word away from the people. ..to minimize it….to ridicule those who believe it and live by it.  Because it is here where his hand is revealed and his plan made plain.  His plan is to counterfeit the work of God.  To sit in the temple of God and receiving honor as God himself.  Despite this appearance as an angel of light, he not only is opposing God, but he makes it seem like he IS God or, at the least, represents God.

Paul tells us that the work of the Antichrist was already at work.  Paul refers to him as “that Wicked” who would be revealed to the whole world. He tells us that when Jesus returns this system of deception by Satan and the one who he gives power to deceive will be broken and will be consumed by the brightness of Jesus coming.  But for now, he works in the specific method of deceiving and counterfeiting:

And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

2 Thessalonians 2: 8-11 (KJ)

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So we can understand from scripture that the Antichrist is referred to as “that Wicked.”  But, we shall also see that this work of deception against God is through a power described as the beast.  It will not be just one person, but many who support the work of deception.  It is possible that the ones doing the deceiving think that they are doing the work of God by persecuting those who disagree with their teaching and power.  Remember, the deception is not only towards others, but also the person doing the deception is deceived.

But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

2 Timothy 3:13

“the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.”

John 16:2

Imagine killing someone and thinking you are doing God’s will.  This is strong delusion.  Remember Paul did this very thing before his conversion.

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To learn more about the work of the antichrists, we must move from the books of John to Revelation and Daniel.  John also wrote Revelation and had more to say about the work of the deception caused by the Antichrist.  But this time, he uses symbols that compare with the book of Daniel.  They both saw the same vision even though they were separated by hundreds of years.

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The Beast of Daniel and Revelation

From comparing scripture with scripture, we will see the hand of Satan at work throughout the ages.  It is he that gives the beast of Revelation his seat and great authority.

Many teachers and preachers read the following verses and make great sermons with plenty of opinion and twisting of scripture, but when we study the passages of scripture that bring us up to this point in earth’s history, we will know exactly who is the beast and therefore the Antichrist:

He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads,  and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.

Revelation 13: 16-18

We have many clues about the beast here, but unless we understand how we get to this verse, we will lack wisdom from God’s word.

Here are some of the clues:  The beast has a worldwide influence regardless of a person’s  position in life or income (small and great, rich  and poor, free and slave)

There will be something (a mark) that will distinguish them from those under the control and power of the beast and those who have not been deceived.  Persecution will come upon those who refuse to go along with the beast.  They will not be able to buy or sell.

If we are wise, we will understand the number of this man.

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If we  want to know the entire truth about the beast, we must go back and compare Daniel with Revelation.  This we will do beginning next week.

Who is the real Antichrist?

Can you think of a world power rich in religious history whose authority on religious matters comes from a single man and has great influence on all both small and great, rich and poor?  A power that looks like the real thing in angelic clothing living in a beautiful tmeple, but denies the words of God by putting the requirement of studying its book rather than the Bible for acceptance?  In fact, this man is worshiped and adored.

Next week, we will begin our journey back to Daniel and Revelation so that we can come back to the present and understand the future…from the word of God.

I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.

2 Timothy 1:12