What is True Communion?
In Matthew 26:26-29 we read: "And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom."
In Mark 14:22-25 we read: "And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body. And he took the cup, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them: and they all drank of it. And He said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many. Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of G-d."
The term "Communion" is derived from Latin communio (sharing in common). The corresponding term in Greek is κοινωνία, which is often translated as "fellowship". In Christianity, the basic meaning of the term communion is an especially close relationship of Christians, as individuals or as a Church, with G-d and with other Christians. In the Bible, the Greek term κοινωνία (koinonia) is an exclusively New Testament term, appearing nowhere in the ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament known as the Septuagint. As a noun, or in its adjectival or verbal forms, it is found in 43 verses of the New Testament. In addition, the noun is found in some manuscripts (used for producing the English translation known as the King James Version, but not for more recent translations) in Ephesians 3:9.
In the New Testament, the word is applied, according to the context, to communion, sharing or fellowship with:
the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4), G-d (1 John 1:6), the Trinity (1 John 1:3), Jesus, Son of G-d (1 Corinthians 1:9), his sufferings (Philippians 3:10; 1 Peter 4:13), his future glory (1 Peter 5:1), the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 13:14; Philippians 2:1)
the blood and the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 10:16), pagan sacrifices and gods (1 Corinthians 10:18-20)
fellow Christians, their sufferings and the faith (Acts 2:42; Galatians 2:9; 1 John 1:3, 1:7; Hebrews 10:33; Revelation 1:9; Philemon 1:6, 1:17)
a source of spiritual favours (Romans 11:17), the gospel (1 Corinthians 9:23), light and darkness (2 Corinthians 6:14)
others' sufferings and consolation (2 Corinthians 1:7; Philippians 4:14), their evangelizing work (Philippians 1:5), their graces or privileges (Romans 15:27; Philippians 1:7), their material needs, to remedy which assistance is given (Romans 12:13, 15:26-27; 2 Corinthians 8:4, 9:13; Galatians 6:6; Philippians 4:15; 1 Timothy 6:18; Hebrews 13:16)
the evil deeds of others (Matthew 23:30; Ephesians 5:11; 1 Timothy 5:22; 2 John 1:11; Revelation 18:4)
the bodily human nature all have in common (Hebrews 2:14)
a work partnership, secular or religious (Luke 5:10; 2 Corinthians 8:23)
Of these usages, Bromiley's International Standard Bible Encyclopedia selects as especially significant the following meanings:
I. Common life in general (only in Acts 2:42)
II. Communion between particular groups, the most remarkable instance of which was that between Jews and Gentiles
III. Communion in the Body and Blood of Christ
IV. Sharing in divine revelation and with G-d himself (1 John 1:1-7).
If you rely on your carnal mind to try to interpret scripture and/or to try to understand what G-d wants for you to do and/or to believe - you are going to be in continual danger of being confused and led astray. In Ephesians 4:14 we read: "That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;" Every religious denomination has a number of "true" doctrines peculiar to each one. Which of all these various doctrines are you going to beLIEve in and accept? Communion with G-d is the grand secret of the believer's strength and assurance you are truly where you should be and can know the truth that will set you free! You always need to carefully guard against every thing that is a counterfeit of the Truth - there are many antichrists out there (see my teaching on many antichrists). Let all men be liars but G-d be true! Always remember that communion with G-d is a totally different thing from communion with any man. You have no need for any man to teach you - you must look upon communion with G-d as a pure, abstract, independent, holy thing, above and beyond every thing earthly. "The hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father." Again, "G-d is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth." (See my earlier teachings on How to Hear Jesus and How to hear Christ)
True Communion with G-d also consists of receiving the love of the Father, and loving Him in return. The prophet Zephaniah says something incredible about G-d’s love for us: “The Lord thy G-d in the midst of thee is mighty; He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in his love, He will joy over thee with singing” (Zephaniah 3:17). G-d rests in His love for His people. In Hebrew, the phrase “He will rest in his love” reads, “He shall be silent because of His love.” G-d is saying: “I’ve found my true love, and I’m totally satisfied! I don’t need to look elsewhere, because I have no complaint. I’m completely fulfilled in this relationship, and I won’t take my love back. My love is a settled matter!” G-d gets great pleasure from His people. Zephaniah testifies, “He rejoices over you with singing.” He is saying, “G-d’s love for you is so great, it puts a joyfull song on His lips."
In John Chapter 6:51-66 we see Jesus say that in order for His followers to live forever they had to eat His flesh and drink His blood. In John 6:66 (see 666) we read how some responded: "From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with Him." In Revelation 3:20 we read: "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." To hear Jesus - is to sup with Him. In Hebrews 5:12 we read: "For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which [be] the first principles of the oracles of G-d; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat." A teacher is like a woman who eats food but feeds babies with her milk - we all need to hear Jesus directly (John 10:27). In doing so, as we hear Him and eat the strong meat of His flesh (John 1:14) and drink His blood - we literally become one with Him as we continue to sup with Him. (John 17:22 ; Romans 12:4; 1 Corinthians 12:12; Ephesians 4:4, 16)
What about what the denominational churches call "holy communion"? Paul asked, “Do you not have houses to eat and drink in?,” and said, “If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home” (1 Corinthians 11:22, 24). The Most High does not dwell in house made with hands, as the prophet said, “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me?” says the Lord (Acts 7:47-48). G-d, who made the world and everything in it, who is the Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made with hands (Acts 17:24). The one who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he lacks conviction; and everything that is not of conviction is sin (Romans 14:23). "Let not the one who eats look down on the one who does not eat; and let not him who does not eat condemn the one who eats, for G-d has welcomed him." (Romans 14:3). What then does 1 Corinthians 11:26 mean: "For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come."?
The phrase "drinking of the cup" symbolizes sharing the consequences of what was in that cup. It also came to mean accepting what the king dealt out. The whole denominational world currently drinks of Babylon's cup, full of the wine of her fornications and abominations (Revelation 17:4; 18:3). Since "drinking of the cup" means accepting whatever is appointed for one to experience—both good and bad, joyful or sorrowful—all who drink of Babylon's cup will share in her terrible future. In the Bible are numerous references to this cup of G-d's wrath and how Babylon and other nations will drink from it, symbolizing the divine punishments being inflicted (Revelation 14:10; 16:19; Psalm 11:6; Isaiah 51:17, etc.). Revelation 14:10, for example, speaks of drinking "of the wine of the wrath of G-d, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation." Drinking of a cup means participating in whatever that cup contains. Those whom G-d is calling out of Babylon are asked to drink of another cup. The psalmist writes, "I will take up the cup of salvation" (Psalm 116:13). This cup has far more positive ramifications for us than the curses boiling within G-d's cup of indignation! The cup of salvation contains all the blessings of G-d, especially those of eternal life and reward in His Kingdom. G-d will not mix the contents of these two cups; they are totally incompatible. We must choose one or the other - we must choose life or death - blessing or curse! Paul says, "We cannot drink of the Lord's cup and of the cup of demons" (I Corinthians 10:21). We must totally reject this world, this Babylon and all of her harlot daughters, and that awful cup of the false denominational churches, full of abominations and of the blood of the saints (Revelation 18:6). The denominational churches are not gathered together unto Jesus - they are all gathered apart!
Jesus commands us to drink only of His cup! "Drink from it, all of you," Jesus says (Matthew 26:27). He does not say "drink the wine," but to drink of the cup. (Please read I Corinthians 10:16-23), According to Jewish tradition, when a young man and woman were to be betrothed, the groom poured wine into his cup and invited the woman to drink of it. It was up to her. If she drank from it, she was considered betrothed to him. If she did not, no marriage would take place. Paul tells the church in II Corinthians 11:2: "For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ." When the bride drank of the cup, she drank of the marriage covenant or contract, accepting it. Understanding this symbolism, it is no wonder that Jesus tells His disciples: "For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." As we drink of His cup to the last drop, we accept His invitation to be betrothed to Him and to be forgiven of our sins so we can be like He is—sinless, spotless and without fault in His presence at the Marriage Supper.
Yet it means far more than this! Remember that "drinking the cup" means to accept whatever that cup represented. In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus asked three times "if it were possible remove this cup from me, nevertheless not my will but thine be done." When the mother of James and John approaches Jesus with her request to have her sons sit on each side of Jesus when He came into His Kingdom, Jesus replies with a question: "You do not know what you ask. Are you [James and John] able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" They said to Him, "We are able." (Matthew 20:22) Jesus continues in verse 23:"You will indeed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on my right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father." What happened to them? James the son of Zebedee was the first apostle martyred, early on by Herod (Acts 12:2). Though John was the longest-lived of the twelve, apparently living nearly 100 years, he certainly suffered greatly at the hands of his persecutors. Not only did he spend many years in exile on the Isle of Patmos, one tradition says he miraculously survived after being boiled in oil! Beyond this, he had to watch the true church disintegrate through apostasy, divisions and persecution. Part of what Jesus' cup entails is suffering. When we drink of His cup, we are saying we are willing to suffer with Him and experience with Him whatever He ordains for us. We say that we are willing to walk down the same path He walked, with similar consequences. Are you really ready to do this? Are you really ready to drink from His cup to the very last drop dear one?
Just as Jesus died that you might live spiritually and eternally dear one; we only survive naturally by the daily death of other living creatures and plants that we eat. Every time you eat dear one, something had to be sacrificed (die) that you might live. Just so, Jesus died that you might have life and that more abundantly! We must daily break the body and shed the blood of G-d's creations. When we do this knowingly, lovingly, gratefully, prayerfully, reverently, remembering our Lord's sacrifice each of our meals becomes a sacrament. Whenever we ignore this fact, and use these plants and creatures that have died that we might live - either wastefully, destructively, greedily, ignorantly and/or without compassion and gratitude - that is condemnation and a desecration. ( Acts 2:46-47; 1 Corinthians 11:34) Whenever you eat or drink something that has given up its life that you might live - remember Jesus' sacrifice for you - Jesus died so that you might live forever.
In a Jewish home, mealtime is a hallowed service to Hashem and the table is an "altar to G-d", the food is all kosher and the food is blessed and prayers are said throughout the meal. To desecrate this sacrifice of life is to condemn ourselves to spiritual and moral loneliness and others to want.
In America food is so plentiful - people have food fights and throw away tons of food everyday! America produces twice as much food as needed per person. More than 40 percent of all food produced in America is not eaten, according to research by former University of Arizona anthropologist Timothy Jones. That amounts to more than 29 million tons of food waste each year, or enough to fill the Rose Bowl every three days. Nationwide, food scraps make up 17 percent of what we send to landfills. The average American wastes more than half a pound of food per day. When you count what’s put down the disposal, 25 percent of what enters our homes is not eaten. Every day, American restaurants throw away more than 6,000 tons of food. American food waste has significant environmental, economic, and cultural ramifications.
Wasting food squanders the time, energy, and resources — both money and oil — used to produce that food. Increasingly, great amounts of fossil fuel are used to fertilize, weed, control insect pests and diseases, harvest, and process food. Still more fuel is spent transporting food from farm to processor, wholesaler to restaurant, store to households, and finally to the landfill. It takes more than one calorie of fossil-fuel energy to yield one calorie of food. Food rotting in landfills contributes to global warming. Landfills are America’s primary source of methane emissions, and the second-largest component of landfills are organic materials. When food decomposes in a landfill, it releases methane, a greenhouse gas 21 times more damaging than carbon dioxide. In addition, wet food waste is the main threat to groundwater or stream pollution in the event of a liner leak or large storm. Financially, wasted food costs America more than $100 billion annually, says the University of Arizona’s Jones. What a terrible daily desecration and shameful waste of sacrificial life! Is this how we should remeber Jesus' sacrifice?
True Communion with G-d is the right and privilege of every true believer. John felt all this happiness when he wrote: "Truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ." Union to G-d, and communion with him through the Son of His love, is the source of every spiritual blessing. "If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin." But, "if we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not tell the truth;" for, "He that says he abides in Him, ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked." Jesus said: "I am the Light of the world; he that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." "I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes on me should not abide in darkness." "While you have light, believe in the light, that you may be the children of light." If we all hear Him we will all be in the light and we all will have true fellowship with one another - because then and only then there will be no darkness or confusion - for He is the Light and He is not the Author of Confusion. Babylon simply means "confusion".
All believers, who are united to Christ by faith, can through His Holy Spirit, have direct communication and true fellowship with Him. To those of us who hear Him (John 10:27), G-d is a G-d that hears and answers our questions and prayers. As we talk with Him, He daily pours his blessings and teachings into our souls and lives. He daily fills us with His light, He daily strengthens us with His might, by his Holy Spirit He daily teaches us the truth and speaks peace to us through the blood of Jesus- and He accepts us and clothes us in His righteousness; His divine image is formed in our souls, and we are made fit for His kingdom of glory. He originally made man to talk with Him as they walked together in the Garden of Eden. What greater honor or privilege can there be, to again be admitted into the presence of the King of kings– to once again have true communion as we walk and talk with Him, whom angels worship, and before whom devils tremble! Ask Him to talk with you today dear one. But, do not ask to hear Him talk to you - if you will not continue to walk with Him and obey Him to the very last drop!
Shalom! Selah!
"There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers." (Proverbs 6:16-19)
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Who is the accuser of our brethren?
Who is the accuser of our brethren?
In Matthew 12:1-50 we read: "At that time Jesus went on the Sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the Sabbath day. But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; How he entered into the house of G-d, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests? Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the Sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless? But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple. But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day. And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue: And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath days? that they might accuse him. And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the Sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the Sabbath days. Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other. Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him. But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all; And charged them that they should not make him known: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory. And in his name shall the Gentiles trust. Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw. And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David? But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils. And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of G-d, then the kingdom of G-d is come unto you. Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house. He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad. Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation. While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother." We believers who do the will of our Father are Jesus' brethren!
In Revelation 12:7-12 we read: "And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our G-d, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our G-d day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time." Here in Revelation 12:10 Satan is referred to as "the accuser of our brethren." The word "accuse" is defined, "(1) to charge with, or declare to have committed a crime, (2) to find at fault; to blame . . ." Do we have any examples of Satan accusing "our brethren before G-d" (Rev. 12:10)? Yes, we find such in Job 1:6-11; 2:1-6. Job was a man who was perfect and upright, and one who feared G-d and eshewed evil! G-d himself testified to this fact. However, it did not matter to Satan or Job's "friends". They all accused Job of being "wrong" anyway. Here we see a true picture of Satan as "the accuser of our brethren." Satan also tempts and accuses mankind. Under Satan's influence, even Christian friends can become "accusers of our brethren" and as they share in the devil's work and they will also receive Satan's "reward"!. We see people carrying out the work of the devil in both the Old and New Testaments. Job's brethren falsely accused him (4:7-9). The Pharisees falsely accused Jesus here in this Chapter and throughout His ministry. Among the sins characteristic of the "last days" is that some of us will also be "false accusers" (2 Tim. 3:3). Anyone can accuse anyone of anything! Job said to his accusers many thousands of years ago, "I also could speak as ye do: if your soul were in my soul's stead, I could heap up words against you and shake mine head at you" (16:4). Likewise the Pharisees' accusation against our Lord shows that anyone is able to dredge up any kind of accusation against another - even against the Son of G-d! Denominational churches today accuse all the other churches of being wrong or not as "correct" as they are. Some of the religious "leaders" today go as far as saying only their group will go to heaven! "Christians" are actually killing one another because they beLIEve the others are "wrong". I have watched as innocent people are destroyed because some "kind soul" decides to point out their shortcomings. Often Satan gets us to do his dirty work and we become the accusers of our brethren, I have seen this happen even while we are gathered together in His name! We are to be known for our love which means we are to accept others just as they are. We are to get the beam out of our eye before we try to help others remove the speck in theirs. G-d starts a work in us and He and He alone (not some "accuser of the brethren") brings it to completion! Jesus did not accuse anyone - not even the woman caught in the very act of adultery!
In Zechariah 3: "And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel." Joshua, the high priest, represented Israel. Joshua comes before G-d and the Accuser of the Brethren points out the sinful nature of Joshua’s robe, but G-d calls for a robe of righteousness to be placed upon him. Jesus Christ, our High Priest represents us. We are clothed and covered in His righteousness. Verse 3: "Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD stood by." Joshua, the high priest, was accused and resisted by the Devil. Satan cannot resist our High Priest. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: What happens? Satan cannot resist Him. The DEBT is paid in full. Satan has no legal grounds to accuse us before a holy G-od because Jesus Christ has fully settled forever all that a holy G-d could have against us, and it is paid in full. We are not only forgiven; we are justified. We are declared righteous. But, in spite of this Satan and many religious people still will try to accuse even the righteousness of G-d in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
Accusations hurt people. Even a child is up-set when they are told that they have done something wrong especially when they have not done so. Job's "friends" hurt him deeply with their words (Job 16:1-2). Job felt the inward pain that comes to one who is falsely accused as have many brethren today who have faced such satanic accusations. Accusations hurt people's reputations. It is evident that Paul's reputation suffered in the eyes of some of his brethren in the church at Corinth because of false accusations made by his enemies there (2 Corinthians 10:2, 10). The accussors of the brethren even turned Paul's refusal of support from the church into an accusation (cf. 2 Cor. 11:7-9; 12:13).
Here in Matthew 12 the first religious leaders' accusation on so trifling an incident shows how minutely they observed Jesus' disciples. This minor infraction should simply have ignored; but not by these bitter,self righteous religious leaders, finding no genuine sins in the conduct of Jesus and his disciples, they attempted to make a "mountain out of this molehill". Their charge was completely false. G-d's law did not prohibit the preparation and eating of food on the Sabbath day. Jesus' disciples had only violated the Pharisees' religious "interpretation" of G-d's law; and such interpretations were held even more sacred by the Pharisees than G-d's law itself. In the Pharisees' view, the disciples were guilty of threshing wheat! Such nit-picking, and magnification of trifles would also have made them guilty of irrigating the land, if they had accidentally knocked off a few drops of dew while passing through the fields! The Pharisees were out to "get" Jesus; and any trumped up charge was better than none. Religious "leaders" today still continue to point out where others are "wrong" so they can feel morally superior.
The fact that the Pharisees had approved David's unlawful conduct was well known; and, if they had not approved it, they could have easily turned Jesus' words against Him (Matthew 5:19). That they did not so respond proves that they had approved of David's unlawful conduct. Thus, their hypocrisy was open for all to see. Jesus' quotation from Hosea 6:6 was a plain reference to the corruption and guilt of the Pharisees, and suggests that a proper attitude of mercy in their hearts would have rejected the criticism of this action before it was made. The real trouble was not in Jesus and his disciples but in the hearts of the Pharisees. Judge not lest ye be judged! I have often watched the self righteous pick at some minor infraction of their self-righteous doctrine of concern and forget Jesus' command that we love one another and not judge anything before time!
Jesus here states that the Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath - here Jesus takes the whole matter out of the context of their law, and their interpretations, and their opinions, and their doctrines and even out of the Law of Moses. In Mark 2:27-28 we read: "And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath." In Colossians 2:16 we read: " Therefore do not let anyone judge (or accuse) you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day." Who is the "Son of Man"? This term is employed as a synonym for man e.g. "G-d is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? " (Numbers 23:19). "Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil." (Isaiah 56:2). The Prophet Ezekiel is addressed by G-d as "son of man" more than ninety times, e.g. "And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee." (Ezekiel 2:1). It is also used in Daniel where Gabriel said: "So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision." (Daniel 8:17). Jesus had the right to set aside all of the laws; and, in the final analysis, His disciples needed no permission except Jesus' to do whatever He permitted. The Sabbath could be ignored and rejected utterly, unless Jesus commanded it (which he did not); for Paul said, "He took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross" (Colossians 2:14). We are no longer under the law - we are completely free in Jesus - He only commanded us to love (not accuse or judge) one another!
Then the religious leaders asked Him: "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day? that they might accuse Him." Their question, Matthew declared, sprang not from a desire to learn, but from hope of another chance to accuse Jesus. I watch with great interest how the devil uses self righteous people to accuse others of "wrong-doing" - (I was walking with a brother who was smoking when another brother saw us and said to me: "Do you hang out with people who smoke?" I answered back: "I even hang out with people who judge.") And he said unto them, What man shall there be of you, that shall have one sheep, and if this fall into a pit on the Sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? The Pharisees had to agree based upon Exodus 23:4,5 and Deuteronomy 22:4.
Jesus then answered: "How much then is a man of more value than a sheep! Wherefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath day." Jesus continued to prove that his conduct and that of his apostles was completely correct and lawful. He did not lay claim to any "excusable violations," but he claimed strict and wholehearted compliance with the law, the whole law. He said, "Think not that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I came not to destroy but to fulfill" (Matthew 5:17). Certainly, healing was allowable on the Sabbath day, or upon any other day. That principle was honored by the Pharisees, as it applied to animals; but, in their blindness, they rejected the same principle when applied by Jesus to a man! When Jesus healed the withered arm these religious leaders became so enraged that they went out and took counsel on how they might destroy Him. Jesus obviously would not obey them - or their doctrines. Jesus chose to obey G-d and G-d alone. Religious people hate everyone they can not control. Jesus was only doing what His Father wanted and the Prophets had prophesied that He would do. Religious people are under the law and literally hate anyone who is free of their doctrines. Whom the Son sets free is free indeed!
Jesus knew their thoughts- a knowledge only G-d could have. Jesus clearly warns all religious leaders then and now: "He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth." In the great conflict between life and death, good and evil, the kingdom of G-d and of Satan, Jesus' true church and Babylon there is no middle ground; there is no neutral position; either you to join and submit to Jesus or you become one of the antichrists and divide His flock. Choose to hear and obey Jesus or you will become a co-worker with Satan; there was and still simply is no other alternative. As Bob Dillon sang: "You're gonna have to choose to serve somebody - it may be the devil or it may be the Lord. But, you're gonna have to serve somebody!"
Therefore, I say unto you, Every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men; but the blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. From the gospel of Mark comes, "Whosoever shall blaspheme against the Holy Spirit hath never forgiveness, but is guilty of AN ETERNAL SIN; because they said, He hath an unclean spirit" (Mark 3:29,30). Significantly, Mark spoke not of "the" but "an" eternal sin, showing that the transgression under consideration in this place is one of a class of sins designated as "eternal." "For, as touching those who were once enlightened, and tasted the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and tasted the good word of G-d and the powers of the age to come, and then fall away, it is impossible to renew them" (Hebrews 6:4-6). Concerning apostates, "The last state is become worse with them than the first" (2 Peter 2:20,21), indicating a condition worse than being lost, and which is fulfilled only by being lost without possibility of recovery. Now of this general condition, variously described as death while one lives, a sin unto death, the quenching of the Spirit, worse than being a sinner, and impossible to renew, and for which there is no need to pray - all such sins qualify for Mark's description, "an eternal sin." When you persist in saying that what G-d is doing is what the devil is doing - you are blaspheming the Holy Spirit.
Seven different sins against the Holy Spirit may be noted in these references: (1) lusting against (Galatians 5:16);(2) resisting (Acts 7:51), (3) grieving (Ephesians 4:30); (4) lying to (Acts 5:3); (5) insulting (Hebrews 10:24); (6) blaspheming against (Mark 3:29); and (7) quenching (1 Thessalonians 5:19).
Speech is one of the greatest advantages of mankind; and the greater the gift, the greater the sin of perverting it to unworthy purposes. It would be impossible to sum up all the sins of mankind in the area of sinful speech. It must appear even to casual thought of it that words, as used by millions, constitute the bulk of human shame and wickedness. James said, "If any stumbleth not in word, the same is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body also" (James 3:2). Beyond everything else, man should watch what he says. One's words can justify when they confess Christ, or teach the truth, or serve to make peace, bestow a blessing, or give encouragement; but on the other hand, when words condemn, subvert the truth, utter accusations, prejudice, hatred, or malice, or divide the Body of Christ - then such words only bring condemnation to those who speak them.
The religious leaders now demand a visual sign to prove Jesus was really of G-d comes from the same group who had already accused Jesus of being in league with the devil and who had already seen many miraculous signs. But, now they were demanding a sign of their own choosing. Luke stated that they sought a "sign from heaven" (Luke 11:16). Jesus was first asked for a sign by the tempter in Matthew chapter 4 - where Jesus refused to turn stones into bread or to jump from the pinnacle of the temple or to worship the tempter. Here the Pharisees' request for a sign was simply a renewal of Satan's temptations of the Lord in the wilderness. Christ always refused to perform wonders for his enemies like Herod or the tempter or the religious Pharisees. He did work miracles for the benefit of John's disciples (Luke 7:18-22), and raised Lazarus that the people might believe (John 11:42). Jesus did so many signs and miracles that if they were all recorded the books would fill the earth!
“Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe”. That is how the apostle Thomas answered the Savior's disciples when they told him that they saw the risen Lord (John. 20:25). But there are not and cannot be such proofs, for the Christian faith is beyond the grasp of carnal thoughtl. Nothing in the Christian faith, be it the very existence of G-d, the resurrection of Jesus or any other truths, can be proven logically: one can only accept them or reject them purely on the basis of faith. “No one has seen G-d at any time”, (John. 1:18). Nobody has ever proved the existence of G-d. And nobody has ever born witness to the resurrection of Jesus in such a way that it might become an obvious fact for all of mankind. Nevertheless, regardless of the seeming lack of proofs of the Christian faith, millions of people came, still come and will come to Christ; they believed, believe and will believe in His resurrection; they accepted, accept and will accept the existence of G-d. Why? Because they have personally encountered G-d in their lives, and no additional proofs were/are/or will be necessary for them.
Let us look at what happened to the two disciples returning from Jerusalem to Emmaus, who did not recognize Jesus in the traveler they had met on the way, The Lord walked with them and conversed with them during their entire journey, entered the house with them, and only when He was breaking bread did they finally recognize Him. But immediately He became invisible. The disciples then said: “Did not our hearts burn within us while He talked with us on the way?” (Luke. 24:32). With joy they went and told the disciples of their encounter with the risen Lord. It is striking that the disciples did not recognize Jesus when He was next to them. Their physical eyes did not help them to see the risen G-d. But with the inner eyes of their soul they recognized Him. As soon as they knew this, He became invisible to them, for physical sight is not necessary when the heart is alive with faith. That is what happened and happens to Christians when they come to believe in G-d. They have not seen Him, but their hearts are aflame with love for Him. Jesus spoke about such people when He said: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe” (John. 20:29). They are blessed, for they did not seek logical proofs, but the fire of faith which G-d places in people’s hearts. We believe in the resurrection of Jesus not because we saw G-d, but because we have felt His real presence in our hearts.
The "adulterous generation" refers the missing 42nd generation in Matthew Chapter 1 - Peter said we are that chosen generation - 1 Peter 2:9. The relation of the Jews to G-d was represented as a marriage contract with G-d as the husband and the Jewish people as his wife (Isa. 57:3; Hosea 3:1; Ezek. 16:15). Hence, their apostasy and idolatry are often represented as adultery. We Christians are to be His virgin bride not part of the great whore Babylon or her harlot daughters - Christ is not divided!
The "sign of the prophet Jonah" refers to the resurrection of Jesus, the greatest and most wonderful miracle of all time. Jesus' announcement of this "sign" at that time was actually a prophecy of his death, burial and resurrection. The Old Testament had plainly indicated the Messiah would rise from the dead (Psalms 16:10. Here Jesus again lays claim to Messiahship; but His enemies could not or would not see what He meant!
The Bible states that "G-d prepared" a great fish (Jonah 1:17). In the book of Jonah is related also how G-d "prepared" a gourd (Jonah 4:6), a worm (Jonah 4:7), and a sultry east wind (Jonah 4:8)! G-d knew that it would take Jonah three days and nights to finally agree to preach to Ninevah! When Jonah eventually agreed the great fish vomited out a very bleached out Jonah on the shore and and when the changed Jonah walked out of that stinking mess and began to reach - Ninevah saw the living "ghost" and quickly repented!
The question of "three days and three nights," as signifying the time of our Lord's remaining in the tomb, is one of the most widely discussed issues in the New Testament. Please read my teaching on "Easter" - Jesus was crucified the day before the Passover Sabbath (Mark 15:42). (2) The Jews always honored the day before the Passover (15th of Nisan) as a special "high" Sabbath, no matter what day of the week it fell upon (Exodus 12:6; Leviticus 23:7; Numbers 28:16-18). John's gospel plainly says it was "the preparation of the Passover" (John 19:14), and that it was "an high day" (John 19:31). These Scriptures plainly show that the ordinary Sabbath was not meant. Thus, Jesus was crucified on the day before the "high day," or first day of Passover. Since the Passover (15th of Nisan) in the year 30 A.D. fell on Thursday, the "day before" would make it Wednesday on which Jesus was crucified.Jesus said he would rise "after three days" (Mark 8:31). "After three days" he would rise again (Mark 9:31; 10:34). "This is now the third day since these things were done" (Luke 24:31). .
The heart of the earth is a figurative expression for the grave which is also called "the lower parts of the earth" (Psalms 63:9; Ephesians 4:9).
Jesus here speaks of the one judgment - "the judgment" was a constant theme of Jesus' teaching. Jesus' view of the judgment envisioned a day of wrath toward which all the world is moving, a day on which G-d shall rise in righteous anger and cast evil out of his universe. "It is appointed unto men once to die, and after this cometh judgment" (Hebrews 9:27). The judgment is a simultaneous judgment of all nations and conditions of men, regardless of the specific times in which they lived. The Queen of the South, the men of Nineveh, and the people of Jesus' generation are spoken of as all appearing simultaneously for judgment, though, of course, their lives were separated by many centuries in time. Paul referred to that occasion as "that day" (2 Timothy 4:8). Thus, it may be logically concluded that "the judgment" of Scripture is a specific occasion, a cataclysmic day, upon which every man ever born on earth shall appear before the judgment seat of the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10). "The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here." Solomon offered at the dedication of the temple "twenty-two thousand oxen, and a hundred twenty thousand sheep" (2 Chronicles 7:5). Christ offered his own blood within the holiest place of all for full payment for all of the sins of all mankind (Hebrews 9:14).
This parable of a wandering demon applies to the Jewish nation, which is "the man." The "going out" represents the spiritual rebirth of Israel under the preaching of John the Baptist. The "swept and garnished" period (in next verse) referred to the lack of any infilling of the Holy Spirit which could have produced fruits of repentance.. Dry places were supposed to be attractive to demons, who were thought to take advantage of people who borrowed water, and were said to take up residence in crumbs, or fragments of food. Jesus flaunted all those superstitions by borrowing water from the woman at the well of Samaria (John 4), by commanding the disciples to gather up the fragments after the feeding of the five thousand, and the four thousand, and by himself frequenting desert places. No house can remain long empty, unused, swept, garnished, or idle. Alas, such is a true description of the spiritual condition of many people who think they are Christians. They are "good," but "good for nothing." Their righteousness consists of emptiness, denominational doctrines, superficial decoration, and negative goodness. However, without the ongoing infilling of the Holy Ghost the life of a man will eventually revert to a condition worse than at the first. The evil spirit cast out of a man is ever lurking and seeking an opportunity to return with seven companions worse than himself, and to take over and plunge the soul in greater wickedness than ever. Jesus clearly saw that the religious leaders then and now would be able to deceive and command the believers to reject Him as the Messiah and Teacher. (John 10:27; 1 John 2:27) What state is worse than being unsaved? It is the apostasy from which it is impossible to be renewed (Hebrews 6:4-6).
If the mother of Jesus in this passage was his literal mother, then there is no reason to suppose that his brothers were not his literal brothers. Whoever delivered that message apparently expected Jesus to drop everything and honor the intrusion. He did no such thing. He plainly declared that the ties of flesh and blood would not take precedence over the spiritual ties of the kingdom itself. Mary was never set forth by Jesus as the "Mother of G-d," Jesus treatment of His family here is based on the fact that Mary and his brothers were interfering with His Ministry work as an adult. Relationship to Jesus does not depend on fleshly kinship but on being born again. "As many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of G-d, even to them that believe on his name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of G-d" (John 1:12,13). I remember when I felt Jesus arm on my shoulder and saw His finger pointing to "Our Father" - we are all His brethren - that is just one more reason we should not accuse one another.
In Philippians 1:6 we read: "Being confident of this very thing, that He (and not you) which has begun a good work in you (and everyone else) will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:" Dear one, you should treat others as you would like to be treated (Matt. 7:12) and judge others by their fruits, and not by any accusations of what you have heard (Matt. 7:20; Gal. 2:14). The devil is "the accuser of our brethren." It is bad enough that he is involved in such activity. You should not want to be a part of the devil's work. If someone wants you to pray for something that is bothering them do so; but you never need to point out what they are doing wrong in "your" opinion. Paul said that he was chief of all the apostles but he also said that he was chief of all the sinners.
In Romans 14:10 we read: “Why do you criticize and pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you look down upon or despise your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of G-d. (12) And so each of us shall give an account of himself - give an answer in reference to judgment - to G-d. (13) Then let us no more criticize and blame and pass judgment on one another, but rather decide and endeavor never to put a stumbling block or an obstacle or a hindrance in the way of a brother.” (The Amplified Bible) As we have read, the scriptures tell us not to tear down our brethren through criticism or judgment, as this can pose a serious stumbling-block and cause irreparable damage to their faith. Among G-d’s warnings to us in scripture, there are none more somber or serious than His warning to not become a stumbling block to His followers. “...whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea” (Matt. 18:6). There’s an old saying that “We tend to judge others by their actions, and we judge ourselves by our intentions.” The truth is, we cannot rightly judge anyone else, because we do not know the contents of their heart. We should be content to judge only ourselves and seek to bring our own lives in alignment with G-d’s Word (1 Corinthians 11:31). A person with an accusing or critical spirit usually dwells on the negative, seeks for flaws in others rather than looking for any good. They’re simply a complainer, usually always upset, and generally have a problem or a negative comment about something. They often have little control over their tongue, their temper, and have tendencies for gossip and slander, which Paul said were sins “worthy of death” (Rom. 1:29-32).
The devil always tries to create a complaining or critical attitude in people to stir up turmoil and strife within the body of Christ (Eph. 6:12). We must always be on guard that none of us will be used as a tool of the devil to bring harassment or discouragement upon our brothers or sisters through accusations or criticisms, as the Bible warns us not to “give place” to the devil (Eph. 4:27). Remember that Satan is specifically called “the accuser of the brethren” (Rev. 12:10). Are you also an accuser of the brethren? The Bible says that the reason that we are to come together as a church is, not to criticize, but to “exhort” (encourage) one another (Hebrews 10:25). “Cursing the darkness” won’t change anything, but we must light a candle and “expose the light” of G-d’s Word. By sharing the truth of G-d’s Word, and encouraging people to live in its truth, people will change. Love and encouragement is a “motivational force.” A Christian’s tongue should never be used for anything but good. “Let no foul or polluting language, nor evil word, nor unwholesome or worthless talk (ever) come out of your mouth; but only such speech as is good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the need and the occasion, that it may be a blessing and give grace (G-d’s favor) to those who hear it” (Ephesians 4:29 The Amplified Bible). Remember this dear one, the Bible doesn’t promise peace to those who dwell on the faults of others! It says that the Lord will keep them in perfect peace, whose minds are stayed on Him! (Isaiah 26:3).
Concerning Satan, the Lord Jesus Christ said; he was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own; for he is a liar, and the father of it. John 8:44. A very interesting question is asked in Romans 8:33 “who can lay anything to the charge of G-d’s elect?” No child of G-d, should ever take over Satan’s work as the Accuser of the brethren. We all should be exceedingly careful about laying anything to the charge of G-d’s elect - we need to heed 2 Corinthians 2:10-11. We should not be ignorant of Satan’s devices, forgiving one another rather than accusing one another. A Christian supposedly is one who has put on the new man and has put off the old man. And of course when the Christian puts off the old man, he puts away lying, and he speaks only the truth in love. Those who have put on the new man are tenderhearted, forgiving (not accusing) one another, even as G-d, for Christ’s sake, hath forgiven them. Ephesians 4:15-32. Dear one, please leave the judgment of your brother/sister to G-d and use your words to heal, encourage. bless and pray rather than accuse, curse, destroy and/or to tear down. We should all be rejoicing and exalting and giving thanks in all things rather than murmuring, grumbling, accusing and complaining about a brother or sister. We all need to learn to play well together - by doing it Christ’s (not Satan's) way.
Shalom! Selah!
In Matthew 12:1-50 we read: "At that time Jesus went on the Sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the Sabbath day. But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; How he entered into the house of G-d, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests? Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the Sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless? But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple. But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day. And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue: And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath days? that they might accuse him. And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the Sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the Sabbath days. Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other. Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him. But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all; And charged them that they should not make him known: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory. And in his name shall the Gentiles trust. Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw. And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David? But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils. And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of G-d, then the kingdom of G-d is come unto you. Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house. He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad. Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation. While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother." We believers who do the will of our Father are Jesus' brethren!
In Revelation 12:7-12 we read: "And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our G-d, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our G-d day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time." Here in Revelation 12:10 Satan is referred to as "the accuser of our brethren." The word "accuse" is defined, "(1) to charge with, or declare to have committed a crime, (2) to find at fault; to blame . . ." Do we have any examples of Satan accusing "our brethren before G-d" (Rev. 12:10)? Yes, we find such in Job 1:6-11; 2:1-6. Job was a man who was perfect and upright, and one who feared G-d and eshewed evil! G-d himself testified to this fact. However, it did not matter to Satan or Job's "friends". They all accused Job of being "wrong" anyway. Here we see a true picture of Satan as "the accuser of our brethren." Satan also tempts and accuses mankind. Under Satan's influence, even Christian friends can become "accusers of our brethren" and as they share in the devil's work and they will also receive Satan's "reward"!. We see people carrying out the work of the devil in both the Old and New Testaments. Job's brethren falsely accused him (4:7-9). The Pharisees falsely accused Jesus here in this Chapter and throughout His ministry. Among the sins characteristic of the "last days" is that some of us will also be "false accusers" (2 Tim. 3:3). Anyone can accuse anyone of anything! Job said to his accusers many thousands of years ago, "I also could speak as ye do: if your soul were in my soul's stead, I could heap up words against you and shake mine head at you" (16:4). Likewise the Pharisees' accusation against our Lord shows that anyone is able to dredge up any kind of accusation against another - even against the Son of G-d! Denominational churches today accuse all the other churches of being wrong or not as "correct" as they are. Some of the religious "leaders" today go as far as saying only their group will go to heaven! "Christians" are actually killing one another because they beLIEve the others are "wrong". I have watched as innocent people are destroyed because some "kind soul" decides to point out their shortcomings. Often Satan gets us to do his dirty work and we become the accusers of our brethren, I have seen this happen even while we are gathered together in His name! We are to be known for our love which means we are to accept others just as they are. We are to get the beam out of our eye before we try to help others remove the speck in theirs. G-d starts a work in us and He and He alone (not some "accuser of the brethren") brings it to completion! Jesus did not accuse anyone - not even the woman caught in the very act of adultery!
In Zechariah 3: "And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel." Joshua, the high priest, represented Israel. Joshua comes before G-d and the Accuser of the Brethren points out the sinful nature of Joshua’s robe, but G-d calls for a robe of righteousness to be placed upon him. Jesus Christ, our High Priest represents us. We are clothed and covered in His righteousness. Verse 3: "Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD stood by." Joshua, the high priest, was accused and resisted by the Devil. Satan cannot resist our High Priest. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: What happens? Satan cannot resist Him. The DEBT is paid in full. Satan has no legal grounds to accuse us before a holy G-od because Jesus Christ has fully settled forever all that a holy G-d could have against us, and it is paid in full. We are not only forgiven; we are justified. We are declared righteous. But, in spite of this Satan and many religious people still will try to accuse even the righteousness of G-d in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
Accusations hurt people. Even a child is up-set when they are told that they have done something wrong especially when they have not done so. Job's "friends" hurt him deeply with their words (Job 16:1-2). Job felt the inward pain that comes to one who is falsely accused as have many brethren today who have faced such satanic accusations. Accusations hurt people's reputations. It is evident that Paul's reputation suffered in the eyes of some of his brethren in the church at Corinth because of false accusations made by his enemies there (2 Corinthians 10:2, 10). The accussors of the brethren even turned Paul's refusal of support from the church into an accusation (cf. 2 Cor. 11:7-9; 12:13).
Here in Matthew 12 the first religious leaders' accusation on so trifling an incident shows how minutely they observed Jesus' disciples. This minor infraction should simply have ignored; but not by these bitter,self righteous religious leaders, finding no genuine sins in the conduct of Jesus and his disciples, they attempted to make a "mountain out of this molehill". Their charge was completely false. G-d's law did not prohibit the preparation and eating of food on the Sabbath day. Jesus' disciples had only violated the Pharisees' religious "interpretation" of G-d's law; and such interpretations were held even more sacred by the Pharisees than G-d's law itself. In the Pharisees' view, the disciples were guilty of threshing wheat! Such nit-picking, and magnification of trifles would also have made them guilty of irrigating the land, if they had accidentally knocked off a few drops of dew while passing through the fields! The Pharisees were out to "get" Jesus; and any trumped up charge was better than none. Religious "leaders" today still continue to point out where others are "wrong" so they can feel morally superior.
The fact that the Pharisees had approved David's unlawful conduct was well known; and, if they had not approved it, they could have easily turned Jesus' words against Him (Matthew 5:19). That they did not so respond proves that they had approved of David's unlawful conduct. Thus, their hypocrisy was open for all to see. Jesus' quotation from Hosea 6:6 was a plain reference to the corruption and guilt of the Pharisees, and suggests that a proper attitude of mercy in their hearts would have rejected the criticism of this action before it was made. The real trouble was not in Jesus and his disciples but in the hearts of the Pharisees. Judge not lest ye be judged! I have often watched the self righteous pick at some minor infraction of their self-righteous doctrine of concern and forget Jesus' command that we love one another and not judge anything before time!
Jesus here states that the Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath - here Jesus takes the whole matter out of the context of their law, and their interpretations, and their opinions, and their doctrines and even out of the Law of Moses. In Mark 2:27-28 we read: "And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath." In Colossians 2:16 we read: " Therefore do not let anyone judge (or accuse) you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day." Who is the "Son of Man"? This term is employed as a synonym for man e.g. "G-d is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? " (Numbers 23:19). "Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil." (Isaiah 56:2). The Prophet Ezekiel is addressed by G-d as "son of man" more than ninety times, e.g. "And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee." (Ezekiel 2:1). It is also used in Daniel where Gabriel said: "So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision." (Daniel 8:17). Jesus had the right to set aside all of the laws; and, in the final analysis, His disciples needed no permission except Jesus' to do whatever He permitted. The Sabbath could be ignored and rejected utterly, unless Jesus commanded it (which he did not); for Paul said, "He took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross" (Colossians 2:14). We are no longer under the law - we are completely free in Jesus - He only commanded us to love (not accuse or judge) one another!
Then the religious leaders asked Him: "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day? that they might accuse Him." Their question, Matthew declared, sprang not from a desire to learn, but from hope of another chance to accuse Jesus. I watch with great interest how the devil uses self righteous people to accuse others of "wrong-doing" - (I was walking with a brother who was smoking when another brother saw us and said to me: "Do you hang out with people who smoke?" I answered back: "I even hang out with people who judge.") And he said unto them, What man shall there be of you, that shall have one sheep, and if this fall into a pit on the Sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? The Pharisees had to agree based upon Exodus 23:4,5 and Deuteronomy 22:4.
Jesus then answered: "How much then is a man of more value than a sheep! Wherefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath day." Jesus continued to prove that his conduct and that of his apostles was completely correct and lawful. He did not lay claim to any "excusable violations," but he claimed strict and wholehearted compliance with the law, the whole law. He said, "Think not that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I came not to destroy but to fulfill" (Matthew 5:17). Certainly, healing was allowable on the Sabbath day, or upon any other day. That principle was honored by the Pharisees, as it applied to animals; but, in their blindness, they rejected the same principle when applied by Jesus to a man! When Jesus healed the withered arm these religious leaders became so enraged that they went out and took counsel on how they might destroy Him. Jesus obviously would not obey them - or their doctrines. Jesus chose to obey G-d and G-d alone. Religious people hate everyone they can not control. Jesus was only doing what His Father wanted and the Prophets had prophesied that He would do. Religious people are under the law and literally hate anyone who is free of their doctrines. Whom the Son sets free is free indeed!
Jesus knew their thoughts- a knowledge only G-d could have. Jesus clearly warns all religious leaders then and now: "He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth." In the great conflict between life and death, good and evil, the kingdom of G-d and of Satan, Jesus' true church and Babylon there is no middle ground; there is no neutral position; either you to join and submit to Jesus or you become one of the antichrists and divide His flock. Choose to hear and obey Jesus or you will become a co-worker with Satan; there was and still simply is no other alternative. As Bob Dillon sang: "You're gonna have to choose to serve somebody - it may be the devil or it may be the Lord. But, you're gonna have to serve somebody!"
Therefore, I say unto you, Every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men; but the blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. From the gospel of Mark comes, "Whosoever shall blaspheme against the Holy Spirit hath never forgiveness, but is guilty of AN ETERNAL SIN; because they said, He hath an unclean spirit" (Mark 3:29,30). Significantly, Mark spoke not of "the" but "an" eternal sin, showing that the transgression under consideration in this place is one of a class of sins designated as "eternal." "For, as touching those who were once enlightened, and tasted the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and tasted the good word of G-d and the powers of the age to come, and then fall away, it is impossible to renew them" (Hebrews 6:4-6). Concerning apostates, "The last state is become worse with them than the first" (2 Peter 2:20,21), indicating a condition worse than being lost, and which is fulfilled only by being lost without possibility of recovery. Now of this general condition, variously described as death while one lives, a sin unto death, the quenching of the Spirit, worse than being a sinner, and impossible to renew, and for which there is no need to pray - all such sins qualify for Mark's description, "an eternal sin." When you persist in saying that what G-d is doing is what the devil is doing - you are blaspheming the Holy Spirit.
Seven different sins against the Holy Spirit may be noted in these references: (1) lusting against (Galatians 5:16);(2) resisting (Acts 7:51), (3) grieving (Ephesians 4:30); (4) lying to (Acts 5:3); (5) insulting (Hebrews 10:24); (6) blaspheming against (Mark 3:29); and (7) quenching (1 Thessalonians 5:19).
Speech is one of the greatest advantages of mankind; and the greater the gift, the greater the sin of perverting it to unworthy purposes. It would be impossible to sum up all the sins of mankind in the area of sinful speech. It must appear even to casual thought of it that words, as used by millions, constitute the bulk of human shame and wickedness. James said, "If any stumbleth not in word, the same is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body also" (James 3:2). Beyond everything else, man should watch what he says. One's words can justify when they confess Christ, or teach the truth, or serve to make peace, bestow a blessing, or give encouragement; but on the other hand, when words condemn, subvert the truth, utter accusations, prejudice, hatred, or malice, or divide the Body of Christ - then such words only bring condemnation to those who speak them.
The religious leaders now demand a visual sign to prove Jesus was really of G-d comes from the same group who had already accused Jesus of being in league with the devil and who had already seen many miraculous signs. But, now they were demanding a sign of their own choosing. Luke stated that they sought a "sign from heaven" (Luke 11:16). Jesus was first asked for a sign by the tempter in Matthew chapter 4 - where Jesus refused to turn stones into bread or to jump from the pinnacle of the temple or to worship the tempter. Here the Pharisees' request for a sign was simply a renewal of Satan's temptations of the Lord in the wilderness. Christ always refused to perform wonders for his enemies like Herod or the tempter or the religious Pharisees. He did work miracles for the benefit of John's disciples (Luke 7:18-22), and raised Lazarus that the people might believe (John 11:42). Jesus did so many signs and miracles that if they were all recorded the books would fill the earth!
“Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe”. That is how the apostle Thomas answered the Savior's disciples when they told him that they saw the risen Lord (John. 20:25). But there are not and cannot be such proofs, for the Christian faith is beyond the grasp of carnal thoughtl. Nothing in the Christian faith, be it the very existence of G-d, the resurrection of Jesus or any other truths, can be proven logically: one can only accept them or reject them purely on the basis of faith. “No one has seen G-d at any time”, (John. 1:18). Nobody has ever proved the existence of G-d. And nobody has ever born witness to the resurrection of Jesus in such a way that it might become an obvious fact for all of mankind. Nevertheless, regardless of the seeming lack of proofs of the Christian faith, millions of people came, still come and will come to Christ; they believed, believe and will believe in His resurrection; they accepted, accept and will accept the existence of G-d. Why? Because they have personally encountered G-d in their lives, and no additional proofs were/are/or will be necessary for them.
Let us look at what happened to the two disciples returning from Jerusalem to Emmaus, who did not recognize Jesus in the traveler they had met on the way, The Lord walked with them and conversed with them during their entire journey, entered the house with them, and only when He was breaking bread did they finally recognize Him. But immediately He became invisible. The disciples then said: “Did not our hearts burn within us while He talked with us on the way?” (Luke. 24:32). With joy they went and told the disciples of their encounter with the risen Lord. It is striking that the disciples did not recognize Jesus when He was next to them. Their physical eyes did not help them to see the risen G-d. But with the inner eyes of their soul they recognized Him. As soon as they knew this, He became invisible to them, for physical sight is not necessary when the heart is alive with faith. That is what happened and happens to Christians when they come to believe in G-d. They have not seen Him, but their hearts are aflame with love for Him. Jesus spoke about such people when He said: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe” (John. 20:29). They are blessed, for they did not seek logical proofs, but the fire of faith which G-d places in people’s hearts. We believe in the resurrection of Jesus not because we saw G-d, but because we have felt His real presence in our hearts.
The "adulterous generation" refers the missing 42nd generation in Matthew Chapter 1 - Peter said we are that chosen generation - 1 Peter 2:9. The relation of the Jews to G-d was represented as a marriage contract with G-d as the husband and the Jewish people as his wife (Isa. 57:3; Hosea 3:1; Ezek. 16:15). Hence, their apostasy and idolatry are often represented as adultery. We Christians are to be His virgin bride not part of the great whore Babylon or her harlot daughters - Christ is not divided!
The "sign of the prophet Jonah" refers to the resurrection of Jesus, the greatest and most wonderful miracle of all time. Jesus' announcement of this "sign" at that time was actually a prophecy of his death, burial and resurrection. The Old Testament had plainly indicated the Messiah would rise from the dead (Psalms 16:10. Here Jesus again lays claim to Messiahship; but His enemies could not or would not see what He meant!
The Bible states that "G-d prepared" a great fish (Jonah 1:17). In the book of Jonah is related also how G-d "prepared" a gourd (Jonah 4:6), a worm (Jonah 4:7), and a sultry east wind (Jonah 4:8)! G-d knew that it would take Jonah three days and nights to finally agree to preach to Ninevah! When Jonah eventually agreed the great fish vomited out a very bleached out Jonah on the shore and and when the changed Jonah walked out of that stinking mess and began to reach - Ninevah saw the living "ghost" and quickly repented!
The question of "three days and three nights," as signifying the time of our Lord's remaining in the tomb, is one of the most widely discussed issues in the New Testament. Please read my teaching on "Easter" - Jesus was crucified the day before the Passover Sabbath (Mark 15:42). (2) The Jews always honored the day before the Passover (15th of Nisan) as a special "high" Sabbath, no matter what day of the week it fell upon (Exodus 12:6; Leviticus 23:7; Numbers 28:16-18). John's gospel plainly says it was "the preparation of the Passover" (John 19:14), and that it was "an high day" (John 19:31). These Scriptures plainly show that the ordinary Sabbath was not meant. Thus, Jesus was crucified on the day before the "high day," or first day of Passover. Since the Passover (15th of Nisan) in the year 30 A.D. fell on Thursday, the "day before" would make it Wednesday on which Jesus was crucified.Jesus said he would rise "after three days" (Mark 8:31). "After three days" he would rise again (Mark 9:31; 10:34). "This is now the third day since these things were done" (Luke 24:31). .
The heart of the earth is a figurative expression for the grave which is also called "the lower parts of the earth" (Psalms 63:9; Ephesians 4:9).
Jesus here speaks of the one judgment - "the judgment" was a constant theme of Jesus' teaching. Jesus' view of the judgment envisioned a day of wrath toward which all the world is moving, a day on which G-d shall rise in righteous anger and cast evil out of his universe. "It is appointed unto men once to die, and after this cometh judgment" (Hebrews 9:27). The judgment is a simultaneous judgment of all nations and conditions of men, regardless of the specific times in which they lived. The Queen of the South, the men of Nineveh, and the people of Jesus' generation are spoken of as all appearing simultaneously for judgment, though, of course, their lives were separated by many centuries in time. Paul referred to that occasion as "that day" (2 Timothy 4:8). Thus, it may be logically concluded that "the judgment" of Scripture is a specific occasion, a cataclysmic day, upon which every man ever born on earth shall appear before the judgment seat of the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10). "The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here." Solomon offered at the dedication of the temple "twenty-two thousand oxen, and a hundred twenty thousand sheep" (2 Chronicles 7:5). Christ offered his own blood within the holiest place of all for full payment for all of the sins of all mankind (Hebrews 9:14).
This parable of a wandering demon applies to the Jewish nation, which is "the man." The "going out" represents the spiritual rebirth of Israel under the preaching of John the Baptist. The "swept and garnished" period (in next verse) referred to the lack of any infilling of the Holy Spirit which could have produced fruits of repentance.. Dry places were supposed to be attractive to demons, who were thought to take advantage of people who borrowed water, and were said to take up residence in crumbs, or fragments of food. Jesus flaunted all those superstitions by borrowing water from the woman at the well of Samaria (John 4), by commanding the disciples to gather up the fragments after the feeding of the five thousand, and the four thousand, and by himself frequenting desert places. No house can remain long empty, unused, swept, garnished, or idle. Alas, such is a true description of the spiritual condition of many people who think they are Christians. They are "good," but "good for nothing." Their righteousness consists of emptiness, denominational doctrines, superficial decoration, and negative goodness. However, without the ongoing infilling of the Holy Ghost the life of a man will eventually revert to a condition worse than at the first. The evil spirit cast out of a man is ever lurking and seeking an opportunity to return with seven companions worse than himself, and to take over and plunge the soul in greater wickedness than ever. Jesus clearly saw that the religious leaders then and now would be able to deceive and command the believers to reject Him as the Messiah and Teacher. (John 10:27; 1 John 2:27) What state is worse than being unsaved? It is the apostasy from which it is impossible to be renewed (Hebrews 6:4-6).
If the mother of Jesus in this passage was his literal mother, then there is no reason to suppose that his brothers were not his literal brothers. Whoever delivered that message apparently expected Jesus to drop everything and honor the intrusion. He did no such thing. He plainly declared that the ties of flesh and blood would not take precedence over the spiritual ties of the kingdom itself. Mary was never set forth by Jesus as the "Mother of G-d," Jesus treatment of His family here is based on the fact that Mary and his brothers were interfering with His Ministry work as an adult. Relationship to Jesus does not depend on fleshly kinship but on being born again. "As many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of G-d, even to them that believe on his name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of G-d" (John 1:12,13). I remember when I felt Jesus arm on my shoulder and saw His finger pointing to "Our Father" - we are all His brethren - that is just one more reason we should not accuse one another.
In Philippians 1:6 we read: "Being confident of this very thing, that He (and not you) which has begun a good work in you (and everyone else) will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:" Dear one, you should treat others as you would like to be treated (Matt. 7:12) and judge others by their fruits, and not by any accusations of what you have heard (Matt. 7:20; Gal. 2:14). The devil is "the accuser of our brethren." It is bad enough that he is involved in such activity. You should not want to be a part of the devil's work. If someone wants you to pray for something that is bothering them do so; but you never need to point out what they are doing wrong in "your" opinion. Paul said that he was chief of all the apostles but he also said that he was chief of all the sinners.
In Romans 14:10 we read: “Why do you criticize and pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you look down upon or despise your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of G-d. (12) And so each of us shall give an account of himself - give an answer in reference to judgment - to G-d. (13) Then let us no more criticize and blame and pass judgment on one another, but rather decide and endeavor never to put a stumbling block or an obstacle or a hindrance in the way of a brother.” (The Amplified Bible) As we have read, the scriptures tell us not to tear down our brethren through criticism or judgment, as this can pose a serious stumbling-block and cause irreparable damage to their faith. Among G-d’s warnings to us in scripture, there are none more somber or serious than His warning to not become a stumbling block to His followers. “...whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea” (Matt. 18:6). There’s an old saying that “We tend to judge others by their actions, and we judge ourselves by our intentions.” The truth is, we cannot rightly judge anyone else, because we do not know the contents of their heart. We should be content to judge only ourselves and seek to bring our own lives in alignment with G-d’s Word (1 Corinthians 11:31). A person with an accusing or critical spirit usually dwells on the negative, seeks for flaws in others rather than looking for any good. They’re simply a complainer, usually always upset, and generally have a problem or a negative comment about something. They often have little control over their tongue, their temper, and have tendencies for gossip and slander, which Paul said were sins “worthy of death” (Rom. 1:29-32).
The devil always tries to create a complaining or critical attitude in people to stir up turmoil and strife within the body of Christ (Eph. 6:12). We must always be on guard that none of us will be used as a tool of the devil to bring harassment or discouragement upon our brothers or sisters through accusations or criticisms, as the Bible warns us not to “give place” to the devil (Eph. 4:27). Remember that Satan is specifically called “the accuser of the brethren” (Rev. 12:10). Are you also an accuser of the brethren? The Bible says that the reason that we are to come together as a church is, not to criticize, but to “exhort” (encourage) one another (Hebrews 10:25). “Cursing the darkness” won’t change anything, but we must light a candle and “expose the light” of G-d’s Word. By sharing the truth of G-d’s Word, and encouraging people to live in its truth, people will change. Love and encouragement is a “motivational force.” A Christian’s tongue should never be used for anything but good. “Let no foul or polluting language, nor evil word, nor unwholesome or worthless talk (ever) come out of your mouth; but only such speech as is good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the need and the occasion, that it may be a blessing and give grace (G-d’s favor) to those who hear it” (Ephesians 4:29 The Amplified Bible). Remember this dear one, the Bible doesn’t promise peace to those who dwell on the faults of others! It says that the Lord will keep them in perfect peace, whose minds are stayed on Him! (Isaiah 26:3).
Concerning Satan, the Lord Jesus Christ said; he was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own; for he is a liar, and the father of it. John 8:44. A very interesting question is asked in Romans 8:33 “who can lay anything to the charge of G-d’s elect?” No child of G-d, should ever take over Satan’s work as the Accuser of the brethren. We all should be exceedingly careful about laying anything to the charge of G-d’s elect - we need to heed 2 Corinthians 2:10-11. We should not be ignorant of Satan’s devices, forgiving one another rather than accusing one another. A Christian supposedly is one who has put on the new man and has put off the old man. And of course when the Christian puts off the old man, he puts away lying, and he speaks only the truth in love. Those who have put on the new man are tenderhearted, forgiving (not accusing) one another, even as G-d, for Christ’s sake, hath forgiven them. Ephesians 4:15-32. Dear one, please leave the judgment of your brother/sister to G-d and use your words to heal, encourage. bless and pray rather than accuse, curse, destroy and/or to tear down. We should all be rejoicing and exalting and giving thanks in all things rather than murmuring, grumbling, accusing and complaining about a brother or sister. We all need to learn to play well together - by doing it Christ’s (not Satan's) way.
Shalom! Selah!
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Jesus Loves and Finds the Lost.
Jesus Loves and Finds the Lost.
In Luke 15:1-32 we read: "Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. And he spake this parable unto them, saying,
What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of G-d over one sinner that repenteth. And he said, A certain man had two sons: And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found."
Jesus truly did and does eat (Revelation 3:20) with the sinners and publicans - this was something the religious Pharisees and scribes would never do>. These sinners neither knew nor followed the strict dietary laws which the Pharisees and scribes meticulously followed. In answering the Pharisee’s and scribe's criticism of His habit of receiving sinners and eating with them, Jesus gives them three parables to clearly show that G-d loves sinners, seeks them out, and all heaven rejoices when they are found, showing that He is merely doing what His Father wants, contrary to what the religious "leaders" want to do with sinners and publicans. The three parables include:
1. (The Lost sheep)- A well-known example from life: A shepherd will leave the flock and go and search for his lost sheep until he finds it and brings it home on his shoulders rejoicing - this lost sheep is compared to the joy in heaven over one sinner who repents and in this manner finds his way to his heavenly home. Here is a story of one in a hundred.
2. (The Lost Coin): A housewife who seeks a lost coin and rejoices with friends when she finds it - is compared to the spiritual truth of G-d’s loving, seeking, and rejoicing over lost sinners that are finally found. Here is a story of one in ten.
3. (The Prodigal Son): The Holy Spirit emphasizes His main point (G-d’s love for and joy over repentant sinners) by giving a third parable wherein the illustration shifts from lost sheep and coins to a lost son, This younger Son chooses to leave and chooses to come back repentant (= Choice) and his father was waiting and looking for him (= Predestination). Here is a story of one in one.
The story of the prodigal son is one of Jesus' most famous parables even though the word prodigal is not found in Scripture. The main character in the Prodigal Son parable, is really the forgiving father, whose character remains constant throughout the parable, is a picture of a loving and forgiving G-d and His ongoing concern for the lost. The younger son symbolizes the lost, and the elder brother represents the self-righteous. The major theme of this parable is not so much the conversion of the sinner, but rather the restoration of a lost sinner into complete fellowship with the Father. The main difference being that the owners went out to look for what was lost in the first two parables, whereas in this third parable the father patiently waited and watched eagerly for his son's return. We see a progression between the three parables from the relationship of one in a hundred, to one in ten, to one in one; demonstrating G-d’s love for each individual and His personal attentiveness towards all humanity. We see in this parable the graciousness of the father overshadowing the sinfulness of his sons, as it is the memory of the father’s goodness and kindness that finally brings the prodigal son to true repentance.
In this parable the younger son asks his father for his share of his estate; which would have been half of what his older brother would receive; in other words 1/3 for the younger, 2/3 for the elder (Deuteronomy 21:17). Though it may have been within his rights to ask, it was not a loving thing to do. A Jewish son would never normally request nor receive his portion of the inheritance prior to his father's death. To even ask for this - was seen to mean that you wished your Father dead! Jesus' parables are intentionally packed with high emotion. Jesus' Jewish listeners would have expected the father in this parable to explode in anger and unbelief at his youngest son's unbelievable request. But in Jesus' parable, the father lovingly grants his son's request and divides his living—literally meaning that he literally divides his life to accommodate his youngest son's selfish desires. In this parable Jesus paints a picture in which the son prefers to live a sinful, selfish extravagant life with strangers rather than with his family - obviously not caring about what G-d wanted either. Instead of rebuking his son or denying him his "share" the father patiently granted him his request. This is a picture of G-d letting a sinner go his own way (Deuteronomy 30:19). We all possess this foolish ambition to be "on our own" - needing neither G-d nor family, which is the reason why sinners persist in their sins (Genesis 3:6, Romans 1:28). A sinful state is simply a departure and distance from G-d (Romans 1:21). A sinful state is also a state of constant discontent. Luke 12:15 says, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” This prodigal son learned the hard way that covetousness, greed and selfishness leads to a life of dissatisfaction and disappointment. He also learned that the most valuable things in life are the things you cannot buy.
This younger son traveled to a distant country and this physical departure was a display of his willful disobedience to all the goodness His father had offered (Proverbs 27:19, Matthew 6:21, 12:34). In the process, he squandered all his father had worked so hard for, on selfish, shallow fulfillment, losing everything. His financial disaster was followed by a natural disaster in the form of a famine (we are just now entering into another famine and we are just beginning to be in want) which he failed to plan for (Genesis 41:33-36). At this point he sold himself into physical servitude to a Gentile and found himself feeding pigs, a detestable position and job for any Jew (Leviticus 11:7; Deuteronomy 14:8; Isaiah 65:4; 66:17). Needless to say he must have been incredibly desperate at that point to willingly enter into such a loathsome position. And what an irony that his choices led him to a position in which he had no choice but to work, for a stranger at that, the very things he refused to do for his father. To top it off, he was paid so little that he longed to eat the pig’s slop. But, he couldn’t even find even this little "mercy" among the people. Obviously, once his wealth was gone, so were his "fair-weather friends". The text clearly says, “no man gave unto him.” . Even these unclean animals seemed to be better off than he was at this point. This is a picture of the state of the lost sinner who has returned to a life of slavery to sin (2 Peter 2:19-21). It is a picture of what sin really does in a person’s life, when they reject the Father’s will (Hebrews 12:1, Acts 8:23). “Sin always promises more than it gives, takes you further than you wanted to go, and leaves you worse off than you were before.” Sin promises life and freedom but brings slavery and death (John 6:23).
The prodigal son began to reflect on his condition and realized that even his father's hired servants had it better than him. His painful circumstances helped him to see his father in a new light and brought him hope (Psalm 147:11, Isaiah 40:30-31, Romans 8:24-25, 1 Timothy 4:10). This is reflective of the sinner when he/she discovers the destitute condition of their life because of sin. It is a realization that apart from G-d there is no hope (Ephesians 2:12, 2 Timothy 2:25-26). This is when a repentant sinner “comes to his senses” and longs to return to the state of fellowship with G-d which was lost when Adam sinned (Genesis 3:8). The son’s original reason for going home was to fill his empty stomach, not to reconcile with his father. The prodigal son was simply trying to find a way to save himself. In order to facilitate this, the son crafts a speech to manipulate, not to repent. The Pharisees know the Exodus scriptures well and knew that Pharaoh used a similar speech to placate Moses in a carnal attempt to stop the plagues. Clearly, the son is not returning to become a slave, he wants to become a hired craftsman so that he can survive and perhaps to repay what he had lost (Luke 19:8, Leviticus 6:4-5). . It is in this condition that the son starts his journey back to the father—literally covered with filthy (Isaiah 64:6) rags to wear and a contrived speech to manipulate his father. Regardless of his real motivation - his return to his father demonstrates true humility and true repentance, not based on what he said but was willing to do and eventually acted upon (Acts 26:20). He realized he had no right to claim any further inheritance upon return to his father’s household, nor did he have anything to offer to repay his debts, except a life of service, in repentance of his previous actions. With that he was prepared to fall at his father’s feet and hoped to at least be able to eat again.
As the prodigal son comes closer to his home, he feels fear and shame. He had wished his father dead; left his family and community; and now he has lost everything. He expects to face both his father’s anger and rejection. Further, the Jewish community would reject and banish him—as was their custom. Any Jew who lost his money among foreigners would face the Kezazah (literally “the cutting off.”) The Kezazah would be performed by breaking a clay pot at the feet of the prodigal as visual symbol that the community rejected him forever. Jesus portrays the father as waiting patiently for his son's return, daily searching the distant road hoping to finally catch a glimpse of his Son's return, Jesus notes that the Father first saw his prodigal Son from a long way off. During that time it was not the custom of men to run, yet the father ran to greet his son. Why would he break conventionalism for this wayward child who had sinned against him? The obvious answer is because he loved him and was eager to show him that love and to restore their relationship. But the prodigal son is now struck with fear seeing his father run at him. In the Middle East, it was considered humiliating for men over age forty to run. As the father ran, he would have had to lift his robe and expose himself—another humiliation. As the father drew closer, the son did not see his Father's hate or anger—but only his Father's love and joy.
When the father finally reached his returning son not only did he throw his arms around him but he also greeted him with a kiss of love (1 Peter 5:14). He was so filled with joy at his son’s return that he didn’t even let his son finish his contrived confession. Nor did he question or lecture him; instead he unconditionally forgave him and accepted him back into his family. The father running to his son, greeting him with a kiss and ordering the celebration to begin is a picture of how our Heavenly Father feels towards sinners who repent. G-d greatly loves us, patiently waits for us to repent so he can show us His great unmerited mercy, because he does not want any of us to perish nor suffer (Ephesians 2:1-10, 2 Peter 3:9, 1 Corinthians 3:15). Experiencing his father’s visible joy and complete forgiveness, the prodigal Son's manipulative speech is simply not necessary. All that is left - is the feeling that he is is not worthy. The love and forgiveness are too overwhelming. Then the father restores the son—covering him with the best robe, providing shoes for his feet (slaves were bare-footed, sons wore shoes), placing a ring on his finger (a signet ring would give him the power to transact business). The imagery here is that of the son returning with filthy rags on his back and a contrived speech. Yet it was the father’s costly, unexpected outpouring of visible love that really turns the son’s heart toward him. The son’s work (repentance) is simply to accept that he was forgiven by his Father's love. The related parable of The Lost Sheep provides a beautiful image of this saving grace. When we fully realize the magnitude of G-d's unmerited grace and unconditional forgiveness for us - we can then truly forgive others. When we understand that G-d takes the responsibility (with joy) to find and completely restore (Joel 2:25) us, we can truly love and help others.
This prodigal son was satisfied if he could simply return home as a hired servant, but to his surprise and delight was restored back into the full privilege of being his father’s son. He had been transformed from a state of complete destitution to complete restoration. That is what G-d's grace does for any penitent sinner (Psalm 40:2, 103:4). Not only are we forgiven but we receive a spirit of sonship as His children, heirs of G-d and co-heirs with Christ, of his incomparable riches (Romans 8:16-17, Ephesians 1:18-19). The father then ordered the servants to bring the best robe (a sign of dignity and honor, a covering for his filthy rags and proof of his acceptance back into the family), a ring for the son's hand (a sign of authority and sonship it was like our credit cards) and sandals for his feet (a sign of not being a servant, as servants did not wear shoes, or for that matter rings or expensive clothing). All these things represent what we receive in Christ upon our salvation: clothed in the robe of the Redeemer's righteousness (Isaiah 61:10), made partakers of the Spirit of adoption (Ephesians 1:5), feet fitted with the readiness that come from the gospel of peace prepared to walk in the ways of holiness (Ephesians 6:15). A fattened calf was prepared, and a party was held (notice that blood was shed = atonement for sin ~ Hebrews 9:22). Fatted calves in those times were saved for special occasions such as the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 23:26-32). This was not just any party; it was a rare and complete celebration. Had the prodigal Son been dealt with according to the Law there would have been a funeral, not a celebration. “The Lord does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.” (Psalm 103:10-13). Instead of condemnation, there is rejoicing for a son who had been dead but now is alive, who once was lost but now is found (Romans 8:1; John 5:24). Note the parallel between “dead” and “alive” and “lost” and “found”—terms that also apply to one’s state before and after conversion to Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:1-5). This is a beautiful story/picture of what occurs in heaven over one repentant sinner (Luke 15: 7, 10).
Now to the final and tragic character in the Parable of the Prodigal Son, the oldest son, who symbolizes the Pharisees and the Scribes and today's religious leaders and self righteous "beLIEevers". Outwardly they lived blameless "holy" lives, but inwardly their attitudes were abominable (Matthew 23:25-28). This was true of the older son who worked hard, publically obeyed his father, and brought no visible disgrace to his family or townspeople. It is obvious by his words and actions, upon his brothers return, that he is not showing any love either for his Father or his brother. One of the duties of the eldest son would have included reconciliation between the father and his son. He would have been the host at the feast to celebrate his brother’s return. Yet he remained in the field instead of in the house where he should have been. This act alone would have brought public disgrace upon the father. Still the father, with great patience, went out to plead with his angry and hurting eldest son. He did not rebuke him as his actions and disrespectful address of his father warranted (he says “Lo” (look) instead of addressing him as “Father” or “My Lord”), nor did his compassion cease as he listened to his complaints and criticisms. The boy pleaded to his father's righteousness by proudly proclaiming his own self-righteousness in comparison to his brother’s sinfulness (Matthew 7:3-5). By saying “this thy son was come,” the older brother avoids acknowledging that the prodigal is even his own brother. Just like the Pharisees, the older brother was defining sin by outward actions, not inward attitudes (Luke 18:9-14). In essence the older brother was saying that he was the one worthy of the celebration and his father had been ungrateful for all his work. Now the one who had squandered his wealth was getting from the father what the elder brother deserved. The father tenderly addresses his oldest as “Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine" and corrects the error in his thinking by addressing the prodigal son as “this thy brother". The father’s response, “It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad” suggests that the elder brother should have joined in the celebration of his brother’s return.
The older brother’s focus was on himself and as a result there was no joy in his brother’s arrival home. He was too self-consumed with issues of self-righteousness, justice and equity that he failed to see the value in the fact that his brother had repented and returned. He failed to realize that “anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness. Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there I nothing in him to make him stumble. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him” (1 John 2:9-11). He allowed the devil's anger to take root in his heart to the point that he was unable to forgive or show compassion towards his brother, and for that matter the perceived sin of his father against him (Genesis 4:5-8). He preferred to nurse his anger rather than enjoy fellowship with his father, brother and the community. He personally chose suffering and isolation over restoration and reconciliation (Matthew 5:24, 6:14-15). He saw his brother’s return as a threat to his own inheritance. After all, why should he have to share his remaining portion with a brother who had already wastefully squandered his? And why hadn’t his father rejoiced in his presence through his faithful years of service? This son complained that he had “slaved" all these years. Both sin and self-righteousness separate us from G-d's love and forgiveness! We all require and need to be saved by G-d’s grace (His unearned, unmerited love for us) but, self righteousness is far more difficult (if not impossible) for a person to repent of - because they always think they are right!. The sinner knows he is wrong! Religious people do not need G-d as they beLIEve they are earning their way and they get very angry when anyone they feel has not earned their own way gets blessed/saved. The publicans and sinners draw near to hear Him (John 10:27) - the religious leaders do not want Him to talk! The Jews and many denominational "Christians" today all labor under the law - true Christians are saved only by grace.
The wise and loving father seeks to bring restoration by pointing out that all he has is and has always been available for the asking to his eldest son, as it was his portion of the inheritance since the time of the allotment. He never utilized the blessings at his disposal (Galatians 5:22, 2 Peter 1:5-8). Just like the eldest son, the Pharisees and scribes (and Denominational churches today) have a religion of good works. They hope to earn blessings from G-d and in their carnal "obedience" merit eternal life (Romans 9:31-33, 10:3). They never ask - so they will never receive salvation! They fail to understand the unmerited grace of G-d, and failed to comprehend the meaning of true forgiveness and mercy. It was therefore not what they did that became a stumbling block to their growth but rather what they did not do, which completely alienated them from G-d (Matthew 23:23-24, Romans 10:4). They were irate at the fact that Jesus was receiving and forgiving “unholy” people, failing to see their own tremendous need for a Savior. We know that the Pharisees and scribes continued to oppose Jesus and separate themselves from his followers. Despite Jesus' parables pleading for them to “come join in” they continued to refuse and were the ones who instigated the false arrest, beating and crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 26:59). A tragic ending to all these three parables filled with such hope of unmerited salvation, mercy, joy, and forgiveness. Throughout Jesus' ministry, the Pharisees and scribes expressed seething anger toward him. And the hate of the religious leaders reached it end when they freely chose to crucify Jesus. Even then, Jesus continued to express unconditional, unexpected love which eventually lead to Paul's conversion, who himself, was previously a seething, anger filled Pharisee. This is a wonderful picture of the great love of G-d has towards us - who are so unworthy. He continually seeks after us, reaches out to us and calls to us from whatever level of despair and hell we have fallen into. When we finally come to Him, He completely washes away all our filth and sins, not holding them against us nor even remembering any of them. “He will turn again, He will have compassion upon us; He will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.” (Micah 7:19).
The picture of the elder Brother refusing to receive the prodigal Son back into brotherly relationship is a warning to us dear one on how we should personally respond to any repentant sinners (1 John 4:20-21, Luke 17:3, Galatians 6:1, James 5:19-20). “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23). We are included in that "all" and we must remember that “all our righteous acts are like filthy rags” apart from Christ (Isaiah 64:6, John 15:1-6). It is only by G-d’s grace that we are saved, not by works that we may boast of some goodness that we perceive to be our own (Ephesians 2:9, Romans 9:16, Psalm 51:5). That is the core message of the Parable of the Prodigal Son. Jesus is saying that he came to earth to find and restore sinners. Through these parables, Jesus is redefining repentance to mean “accepting being found.” Jesus equates himself with the good shepherd. In the Middle East, a lost sheep can take two to three days to find and restore. When a sheep realizes that it is lost, it freezes and can only cry out. Yet even when the sheep hears the voice of his shepherd, it can’t move because it is so terrified. This is why the shepherd must carry the sheep back to the fold on his shoulders. In the Middle East with its rugged terrain, carrying a sheep on your shoulders is a difficult, dangerous task. Jesus would eventually carry the cross on His shoulders to save us - because we clearly can not save ourselves!.
Shalom! And Selah!
In Luke 15:1-32 we read: "Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. And he spake this parable unto them, saying,
What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of G-d over one sinner that repenteth. And he said, A certain man had two sons: And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found."
Jesus truly did and does eat (Revelation 3:20) with the sinners and publicans - this was something the religious Pharisees and scribes would never do>. These sinners neither knew nor followed the strict dietary laws which the Pharisees and scribes meticulously followed. In answering the Pharisee’s and scribe's criticism of His habit of receiving sinners and eating with them, Jesus gives them three parables to clearly show that G-d loves sinners, seeks them out, and all heaven rejoices when they are found, showing that He is merely doing what His Father wants, contrary to what the religious "leaders" want to do with sinners and publicans. The three parables include:
1. (The Lost sheep)- A well-known example from life: A shepherd will leave the flock and go and search for his lost sheep until he finds it and brings it home on his shoulders rejoicing - this lost sheep is compared to the joy in heaven over one sinner who repents and in this manner finds his way to his heavenly home. Here is a story of one in a hundred.
2. (The Lost Coin): A housewife who seeks a lost coin and rejoices with friends when she finds it - is compared to the spiritual truth of G-d’s loving, seeking, and rejoicing over lost sinners that are finally found. Here is a story of one in ten.
3. (The Prodigal Son): The Holy Spirit emphasizes His main point (G-d’s love for and joy over repentant sinners) by giving a third parable wherein the illustration shifts from lost sheep and coins to a lost son, This younger Son chooses to leave and chooses to come back repentant (= Choice) and his father was waiting and looking for him (= Predestination). Here is a story of one in one.
The story of the prodigal son is one of Jesus' most famous parables even though the word prodigal is not found in Scripture. The main character in the Prodigal Son parable, is really the forgiving father, whose character remains constant throughout the parable, is a picture of a loving and forgiving G-d and His ongoing concern for the lost. The younger son symbolizes the lost, and the elder brother represents the self-righteous. The major theme of this parable is not so much the conversion of the sinner, but rather the restoration of a lost sinner into complete fellowship with the Father. The main difference being that the owners went out to look for what was lost in the first two parables, whereas in this third parable the father patiently waited and watched eagerly for his son's return. We see a progression between the three parables from the relationship of one in a hundred, to one in ten, to one in one; demonstrating G-d’s love for each individual and His personal attentiveness towards all humanity. We see in this parable the graciousness of the father overshadowing the sinfulness of his sons, as it is the memory of the father’s goodness and kindness that finally brings the prodigal son to true repentance.
In this parable the younger son asks his father for his share of his estate; which would have been half of what his older brother would receive; in other words 1/3 for the younger, 2/3 for the elder (Deuteronomy 21:17). Though it may have been within his rights to ask, it was not a loving thing to do. A Jewish son would never normally request nor receive his portion of the inheritance prior to his father's death. To even ask for this - was seen to mean that you wished your Father dead! Jesus' parables are intentionally packed with high emotion. Jesus' Jewish listeners would have expected the father in this parable to explode in anger and unbelief at his youngest son's unbelievable request. But in Jesus' parable, the father lovingly grants his son's request and divides his living—literally meaning that he literally divides his life to accommodate his youngest son's selfish desires. In this parable Jesus paints a picture in which the son prefers to live a sinful, selfish extravagant life with strangers rather than with his family - obviously not caring about what G-d wanted either. Instead of rebuking his son or denying him his "share" the father patiently granted him his request. This is a picture of G-d letting a sinner go his own way (Deuteronomy 30:19). We all possess this foolish ambition to be "on our own" - needing neither G-d nor family, which is the reason why sinners persist in their sins (Genesis 3:6, Romans 1:28). A sinful state is simply a departure and distance from G-d (Romans 1:21). A sinful state is also a state of constant discontent. Luke 12:15 says, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” This prodigal son learned the hard way that covetousness, greed and selfishness leads to a life of dissatisfaction and disappointment. He also learned that the most valuable things in life are the things you cannot buy.
This younger son traveled to a distant country and this physical departure was a display of his willful disobedience to all the goodness His father had offered (Proverbs 27:19, Matthew 6:21, 12:34). In the process, he squandered all his father had worked so hard for, on selfish, shallow fulfillment, losing everything. His financial disaster was followed by a natural disaster in the form of a famine (we are just now entering into another famine and we are just beginning to be in want) which he failed to plan for (Genesis 41:33-36). At this point he sold himself into physical servitude to a Gentile and found himself feeding pigs, a detestable position and job for any Jew (Leviticus 11:7; Deuteronomy 14:8; Isaiah 65:4; 66:17). Needless to say he must have been incredibly desperate at that point to willingly enter into such a loathsome position. And what an irony that his choices led him to a position in which he had no choice but to work, for a stranger at that, the very things he refused to do for his father. To top it off, he was paid so little that he longed to eat the pig’s slop. But, he couldn’t even find even this little "mercy" among the people. Obviously, once his wealth was gone, so were his "fair-weather friends". The text clearly says, “no man gave unto him.” . Even these unclean animals seemed to be better off than he was at this point. This is a picture of the state of the lost sinner who has returned to a life of slavery to sin (2 Peter 2:19-21). It is a picture of what sin really does in a person’s life, when they reject the Father’s will (Hebrews 12:1, Acts 8:23). “Sin always promises more than it gives, takes you further than you wanted to go, and leaves you worse off than you were before.” Sin promises life and freedom but brings slavery and death (John 6:23).
The prodigal son began to reflect on his condition and realized that even his father's hired servants had it better than him. His painful circumstances helped him to see his father in a new light and brought him hope (Psalm 147:11, Isaiah 40:30-31, Romans 8:24-25, 1 Timothy 4:10). This is reflective of the sinner when he/she discovers the destitute condition of their life because of sin. It is a realization that apart from G-d there is no hope (Ephesians 2:12, 2 Timothy 2:25-26). This is when a repentant sinner “comes to his senses” and longs to return to the state of fellowship with G-d which was lost when Adam sinned (Genesis 3:8). The son’s original reason for going home was to fill his empty stomach, not to reconcile with his father. The prodigal son was simply trying to find a way to save himself. In order to facilitate this, the son crafts a speech to manipulate, not to repent. The Pharisees know the Exodus scriptures well and knew that Pharaoh used a similar speech to placate Moses in a carnal attempt to stop the plagues. Clearly, the son is not returning to become a slave, he wants to become a hired craftsman so that he can survive and perhaps to repay what he had lost (Luke 19:8, Leviticus 6:4-5). . It is in this condition that the son starts his journey back to the father—literally covered with filthy (Isaiah 64:6) rags to wear and a contrived speech to manipulate his father. Regardless of his real motivation - his return to his father demonstrates true humility and true repentance, not based on what he said but was willing to do and eventually acted upon (Acts 26:20). He realized he had no right to claim any further inheritance upon return to his father’s household, nor did he have anything to offer to repay his debts, except a life of service, in repentance of his previous actions. With that he was prepared to fall at his father’s feet and hoped to at least be able to eat again.
As the prodigal son comes closer to his home, he feels fear and shame. He had wished his father dead; left his family and community; and now he has lost everything. He expects to face both his father’s anger and rejection. Further, the Jewish community would reject and banish him—as was their custom. Any Jew who lost his money among foreigners would face the Kezazah (literally “the cutting off.”) The Kezazah would be performed by breaking a clay pot at the feet of the prodigal as visual symbol that the community rejected him forever. Jesus portrays the father as waiting patiently for his son's return, daily searching the distant road hoping to finally catch a glimpse of his Son's return, Jesus notes that the Father first saw his prodigal Son from a long way off. During that time it was not the custom of men to run, yet the father ran to greet his son. Why would he break conventionalism for this wayward child who had sinned against him? The obvious answer is because he loved him and was eager to show him that love and to restore their relationship. But the prodigal son is now struck with fear seeing his father run at him. In the Middle East, it was considered humiliating for men over age forty to run. As the father ran, he would have had to lift his robe and expose himself—another humiliation. As the father drew closer, the son did not see his Father's hate or anger—but only his Father's love and joy.
When the father finally reached his returning son not only did he throw his arms around him but he also greeted him with a kiss of love (1 Peter 5:14). He was so filled with joy at his son’s return that he didn’t even let his son finish his contrived confession. Nor did he question or lecture him; instead he unconditionally forgave him and accepted him back into his family. The father running to his son, greeting him with a kiss and ordering the celebration to begin is a picture of how our Heavenly Father feels towards sinners who repent. G-d greatly loves us, patiently waits for us to repent so he can show us His great unmerited mercy, because he does not want any of us to perish nor suffer (Ephesians 2:1-10, 2 Peter 3:9, 1 Corinthians 3:15). Experiencing his father’s visible joy and complete forgiveness, the prodigal Son's manipulative speech is simply not necessary. All that is left - is the feeling that he is is not worthy. The love and forgiveness are too overwhelming. Then the father restores the son—covering him with the best robe, providing shoes for his feet (slaves were bare-footed, sons wore shoes), placing a ring on his finger (a signet ring would give him the power to transact business). The imagery here is that of the son returning with filthy rags on his back and a contrived speech. Yet it was the father’s costly, unexpected outpouring of visible love that really turns the son’s heart toward him. The son’s work (repentance) is simply to accept that he was forgiven by his Father's love. The related parable of The Lost Sheep provides a beautiful image of this saving grace. When we fully realize the magnitude of G-d's unmerited grace and unconditional forgiveness for us - we can then truly forgive others. When we understand that G-d takes the responsibility (with joy) to find and completely restore (Joel 2:25) us, we can truly love and help others.
This prodigal son was satisfied if he could simply return home as a hired servant, but to his surprise and delight was restored back into the full privilege of being his father’s son. He had been transformed from a state of complete destitution to complete restoration. That is what G-d's grace does for any penitent sinner (Psalm 40:2, 103:4). Not only are we forgiven but we receive a spirit of sonship as His children, heirs of G-d and co-heirs with Christ, of his incomparable riches (Romans 8:16-17, Ephesians 1:18-19). The father then ordered the servants to bring the best robe (a sign of dignity and honor, a covering for his filthy rags and proof of his acceptance back into the family), a ring for the son's hand (a sign of authority and sonship it was like our credit cards) and sandals for his feet (a sign of not being a servant, as servants did not wear shoes, or for that matter rings or expensive clothing). All these things represent what we receive in Christ upon our salvation: clothed in the robe of the Redeemer's righteousness (Isaiah 61:10), made partakers of the Spirit of adoption (Ephesians 1:5), feet fitted with the readiness that come from the gospel of peace prepared to walk in the ways of holiness (Ephesians 6:15). A fattened calf was prepared, and a party was held (notice that blood was shed = atonement for sin ~ Hebrews 9:22). Fatted calves in those times were saved for special occasions such as the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 23:26-32). This was not just any party; it was a rare and complete celebration. Had the prodigal Son been dealt with according to the Law there would have been a funeral, not a celebration. “The Lord does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.” (Psalm 103:10-13). Instead of condemnation, there is rejoicing for a son who had been dead but now is alive, who once was lost but now is found (Romans 8:1; John 5:24). Note the parallel between “dead” and “alive” and “lost” and “found”—terms that also apply to one’s state before and after conversion to Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:1-5). This is a beautiful story/picture of what occurs in heaven over one repentant sinner (Luke 15: 7, 10).
Now to the final and tragic character in the Parable of the Prodigal Son, the oldest son, who symbolizes the Pharisees and the Scribes and today's religious leaders and self righteous "beLIEevers". Outwardly they lived blameless "holy" lives, but inwardly their attitudes were abominable (Matthew 23:25-28). This was true of the older son who worked hard, publically obeyed his father, and brought no visible disgrace to his family or townspeople. It is obvious by his words and actions, upon his brothers return, that he is not showing any love either for his Father or his brother. One of the duties of the eldest son would have included reconciliation between the father and his son. He would have been the host at the feast to celebrate his brother’s return. Yet he remained in the field instead of in the house where he should have been. This act alone would have brought public disgrace upon the father. Still the father, with great patience, went out to plead with his angry and hurting eldest son. He did not rebuke him as his actions and disrespectful address of his father warranted (he says “Lo” (look) instead of addressing him as “Father” or “My Lord”), nor did his compassion cease as he listened to his complaints and criticisms. The boy pleaded to his father's righteousness by proudly proclaiming his own self-righteousness in comparison to his brother’s sinfulness (Matthew 7:3-5). By saying “this thy son was come,” the older brother avoids acknowledging that the prodigal is even his own brother. Just like the Pharisees, the older brother was defining sin by outward actions, not inward attitudes (Luke 18:9-14). In essence the older brother was saying that he was the one worthy of the celebration and his father had been ungrateful for all his work. Now the one who had squandered his wealth was getting from the father what the elder brother deserved. The father tenderly addresses his oldest as “Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine" and corrects the error in his thinking by addressing the prodigal son as “this thy brother". The father’s response, “It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad” suggests that the elder brother should have joined in the celebration of his brother’s return.
The older brother’s focus was on himself and as a result there was no joy in his brother’s arrival home. He was too self-consumed with issues of self-righteousness, justice and equity that he failed to see the value in the fact that his brother had repented and returned. He failed to realize that “anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness. Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there I nothing in him to make him stumble. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him” (1 John 2:9-11). He allowed the devil's anger to take root in his heart to the point that he was unable to forgive or show compassion towards his brother, and for that matter the perceived sin of his father against him (Genesis 4:5-8). He preferred to nurse his anger rather than enjoy fellowship with his father, brother and the community. He personally chose suffering and isolation over restoration and reconciliation (Matthew 5:24, 6:14-15). He saw his brother’s return as a threat to his own inheritance. After all, why should he have to share his remaining portion with a brother who had already wastefully squandered his? And why hadn’t his father rejoiced in his presence through his faithful years of service? This son complained that he had “slaved" all these years. Both sin and self-righteousness separate us from G-d's love and forgiveness! We all require and need to be saved by G-d’s grace (His unearned, unmerited love for us) but, self righteousness is far more difficult (if not impossible) for a person to repent of - because they always think they are right!. The sinner knows he is wrong! Religious people do not need G-d as they beLIEve they are earning their way and they get very angry when anyone they feel has not earned their own way gets blessed/saved. The publicans and sinners draw near to hear Him (John 10:27) - the religious leaders do not want Him to talk! The Jews and many denominational "Christians" today all labor under the law - true Christians are saved only by grace.
The wise and loving father seeks to bring restoration by pointing out that all he has is and has always been available for the asking to his eldest son, as it was his portion of the inheritance since the time of the allotment. He never utilized the blessings at his disposal (Galatians 5:22, 2 Peter 1:5-8). Just like the eldest son, the Pharisees and scribes (and Denominational churches today) have a religion of good works. They hope to earn blessings from G-d and in their carnal "obedience" merit eternal life (Romans 9:31-33, 10:3). They never ask - so they will never receive salvation! They fail to understand the unmerited grace of G-d, and failed to comprehend the meaning of true forgiveness and mercy. It was therefore not what they did that became a stumbling block to their growth but rather what they did not do, which completely alienated them from G-d (Matthew 23:23-24, Romans 10:4). They were irate at the fact that Jesus was receiving and forgiving “unholy” people, failing to see their own tremendous need for a Savior. We know that the Pharisees and scribes continued to oppose Jesus and separate themselves from his followers. Despite Jesus' parables pleading for them to “come join in” they continued to refuse and were the ones who instigated the false arrest, beating and crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 26:59). A tragic ending to all these three parables filled with such hope of unmerited salvation, mercy, joy, and forgiveness. Throughout Jesus' ministry, the Pharisees and scribes expressed seething anger toward him. And the hate of the religious leaders reached it end when they freely chose to crucify Jesus. Even then, Jesus continued to express unconditional, unexpected love which eventually lead to Paul's conversion, who himself, was previously a seething, anger filled Pharisee. This is a wonderful picture of the great love of G-d has towards us - who are so unworthy. He continually seeks after us, reaches out to us and calls to us from whatever level of despair and hell we have fallen into. When we finally come to Him, He completely washes away all our filth and sins, not holding them against us nor even remembering any of them. “He will turn again, He will have compassion upon us; He will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.” (Micah 7:19).
The picture of the elder Brother refusing to receive the prodigal Son back into brotherly relationship is a warning to us dear one on how we should personally respond to any repentant sinners (1 John 4:20-21, Luke 17:3, Galatians 6:1, James 5:19-20). “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23). We are included in that "all" and we must remember that “all our righteous acts are like filthy rags” apart from Christ (Isaiah 64:6, John 15:1-6). It is only by G-d’s grace that we are saved, not by works that we may boast of some goodness that we perceive to be our own (Ephesians 2:9, Romans 9:16, Psalm 51:5). That is the core message of the Parable of the Prodigal Son. Jesus is saying that he came to earth to find and restore sinners. Through these parables, Jesus is redefining repentance to mean “accepting being found.” Jesus equates himself with the good shepherd. In the Middle East, a lost sheep can take two to three days to find and restore. When a sheep realizes that it is lost, it freezes and can only cry out. Yet even when the sheep hears the voice of his shepherd, it can’t move because it is so terrified. This is why the shepherd must carry the sheep back to the fold on his shoulders. In the Middle East with its rugged terrain, carrying a sheep on your shoulders is a difficult, dangerous task. Jesus would eventually carry the cross on His shoulders to save us - because we clearly can not save ourselves!.
Shalom! And Selah!
Friday, January 7, 2011
Jesus' Burden is light and Jesus' Yoke is easy!
In Matthew 11:30 we read: "For my yoke [is] easy, and my burden is light." There are many denominational "churches" who like the old scribes and Pharisees lay heavy burdens on their member's backs, but do not lift a finger to help. Perhaps your denomination insists you pay them ten percent or more - right off the top and demands that you must "earn your salvation" by good works, fasts, weekly or even daily attendance and other participations in their "work of the Lord". Religion not Jesus has required you to wear an uncomfortable yoke and/or has placed these heavy burdens on you - Jesus tells you that you only need to believe on him and His only commandment is for His disciples to Love one another! Jesus came to set you free dear one!
Have you ever wondered why Jesus used the image of the yoke? At least two oxen are hitched together by a yoke side by side. Oxen are called "beasts of burden." So why does Jesus calls His yoke easy, his burden light? Because He yokes Himself to us. That's why His yoke is easy and His burden light. And He gives us His Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9-10) to give us the inner strength and dynamic power to bear "our share" of the burden. Once we are yoked together, our burden becomes His and "our burden" is gone. Cast your burdens upon Him dear one and He will sustain thee!
Easy yoke, light burden. But, sometimes it doesn't feel that way. Usually this is because the yoke or burden you have on or are carrying is not from our Lord but, is there either from our own decisions or what some "kind religious soul" has put upon you.. Either way, when you find yourself chafing and straining - simply lay your burden down and listen to the soft, peaceful voice of the Lord. Then continue to let go and let G-d. Listen to the Lord and not to any man! We live in a very sinful, negative, selfish, demonic, religious world that will be very happy to be given the opportunity to tell you - that you are wrong for trusting Jesus that all things (yes dear one, everything) works together for good for those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose.
I believe that the one of the most pleasant discoveries of my life is that G-d will always take care of us (He still has the Manna ovens dear one). There are many thousands of scriptural examples of G-d continually providing for His people e.g., many years after the Israelites had wandered in the wilderness, the prophet Nehemiah offered a prayer of thanksgiving, remembering how G-d had easily yoked with his people and shouldered their burdens: " Thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to shew them light, and the way wherein they should go. Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst. Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, [so that] they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not." The Lord will never forsake us - He will be with us both day and night; He will instruct us and provide us with food and drink even in the midst of our enemies to sustain us and we will never lack anything. (Psalm 23) We are only to pray for one another so we may be healed!
At the end of Jesus’ life, just before he entered Gethsemane, he reminded his Apostles of the times when they went out to teach the people with neither purse nor scrip. Then Jesus asked them: “When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing.” They lacked nothing! So, if any of you lack anything, let him ask of G-d, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth [chastises] not; and it [the blessing] shall be given him. Jesus promised us that He would never leave us or forsake us! By the stripes of Jesus we are healed! Jesus is the Author and finisher of our faith! In Philippians 1:6 we see that it is the Lord's responsibility to begin a good work in us and to perform it until the day of Jesus Christ! In John 6:28-299 we read: "Then they said to Him, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of G-d ?" Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of G-d, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." We are only to ask to receive - we only have to ask that our joy may be full!
Jesus gave us a pattern for shifting the weight of both the burdens of sin and the difficulties of life. He said, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Stand fast therefore in the liberty with which Christ has made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if you be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; you are fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which works by love. (Galatians 5:1-6) Circumcision was the first and perhaps the most important of all ceremonial laws. It dated all the way back to Abraham, far before Moses. Circumcising a child on the 8th day of his life was so important that it could even be done on the Sabbath without breaking the Sabbath law of rest. You are under Jesus' Grace not any of the old laws! Whom the Son sets free is free indeed!
And with respect to all the other sacrificial and ceremonial laws Hebrews says, Therefore when He comes into the world, He says, Sacrifice and offering you desired not, but a body have you prepared me: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you have had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do your will, O G-d. Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin you desired not, neither had pleasure in them; which are offered by the law; Then said he, Lo, I come to do your will, O G-d. He takes away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Hebrews 10:5-10)
What is the ‘first” Jesus takes away? It is the “sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin,” all of the sacrificial and ceremonial laws. And what is the “second” that he establishes? His Grace. It is the coming into agreement with Jesus Christ’s will which brings us rest. ( Read about the rest in Hebrews 4:9-11) When we yoke ourselves to Jesus we have come to the place in our thinking where we can say that we agree with him and want to do his will. As our mind is renewed, our will is transformed. When our will has merged with his will, then we have come into His rest. And be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of G-d. (Romans 12:2) For it is G-d who works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. (Philippians 2:13) You can not help G-d dear one! All you can give Him are your sins and problems and burdens!
In Mark 5:21-43 we read: " And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto him: and he was nigh unto the sea. And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet, And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed (from the Greek "sozo" it is not "heal" in the usual sense; it means to "save, deliver, protect and to make whole"); and she shall live. And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him. And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years (Judges 19:29: Exodus 28:21; Leviticus 15:25), And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. And straightway the fountain (source) of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. And Jesus, immediately knowing (means "fully perceiving") in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes? And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging (means "to press almost to the point of suffocation") thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing. But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth (Hebrews 9:7-28; 13:11-21; 1 Peter 1:2,19:). And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague. While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further? As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe. And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James. And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly. And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying. And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise. And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment. And he charged them straitly that no man (Ecclesiastes 3:18) should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat (John 6:48-51)."
At times, life presents us with things that are too big for us to handle. Here in the fifth chapter of the gospel of Mark we will learn that we can trust Jesus for things that are too big for us, because nothing is too big for Jesus. Here, two very different people are confronted with problems far too big for them. First, there is a synagogue official who is confronted with his twelve-year-old daughter who is deathly ill. Nothing they have done for her has helped. She is on the very brink of death and finally dies before Jesus arrives. Second, there also is a nameless woman. She has been bleeding for twelve years. Her problem has rendered her a social outcast--walking pollution. She isn't even allowed to enter the synagogue or even supposed to be seen in public. She has no family, and no money; it has all been spent on the latest remedies. She has tried everything, but this thing is too big. Mosaic Law barred such women from all social contacts - Thank G-d - Jesus did not!
Mark brings these two very different people together, because they both teach us the same lesson: We can trust Jesus for the things that are too big for us because nothing, not even death, is too big for Jesus. There are two obstacles that will keep us from coming to Jesus. Either we (like Jairus) are too self important, too religious, and/or too proud - that we never humble ourselves to ask Jesus for any help. But, what do you do when your twelve-year-old daughter, the joy of your life, lies close to death? Perhaps at that point we want to come to G-d, but we are tempted to say, "It would be hypocritical to come to Him now. I've always done things myself. Why change now? What about the fact the leaders of the Synagogue were even then plotting against Jesus?" But that didn't keep Jairus away. Jesus didn't turn this man away because he had ignored him up to that point in his life or even that Jarius may have been plotting against Him. He didn't say, "Oh yes, right, Jairus. Come to me now when things are bad." But others respond like this woman. They stay away from Jesus out of a sense of shame. They feel too unworthy too unclean. Even if you have to sneak up on Jesus, come to Him. Just a touch will do you. He will cleanse you. We must trust Jesus for things that are too big for us by coming to him, despite all of the obstacles.
The woman's 12 years represents the 12 Jewish tribes. Her flow of blood represents the animal sacrifices that did not heal her .Her physicians represent the religious leaders who also could not heal her but actually made her worse. Jesus is the Great Healer, the True Sacrifice, the Great Physician, the Way. the Life and the Truth. The High Priest, the only real plaque and curse remover, the Law ends with Him and Grace, Righteousness, Healing, Sin Removal and cleansing begin and continue to flow out of Him and Him alone. The Jewish bride was immediately and completely healed but, she did not follow Jesus. The little 12 year old girl represents the Gentiles who are the same age as the Jews but are dead in sin until Jesus takes us by the hand and raises us up. (Romans Chapter 6)
Jesus promises you/us in His own words: "Verily, verily I say unto you, he that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do: because I go unto the Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask anything in My name, that will I do” (John 14:13,14).
“If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatsoever ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is My Father glorified, that ye bare much fruit; and so shall ye be My disciples” (John 15:7,8).
Ye did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that ye should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should abide: that whatsoever ye shall ask the Father, in My name, He may give it you” (John 15:16).
In that day ye shall ask Me nothing” and yet again “Verily, verily I say unto you, if ye ask anything of the Father, He will give it you in My name. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be fulfilled” (John 16:23,24).
This truly marvelous promise that He will give us whatever we ask is given us over and over. Jesus literally commands us to ask whatsoever we will. This is the greatest — the most wonderful — promise ever made to man.
We know that He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think (Ephesians. 3:20).
Well dear one, it should be obvious that Jesus' yoke [is] easy, and Jesus' burden is light. If you are carrying a heavy burden or wearing a difficult yoke set them down and ask the Lord for His help! Shalom!
Have you ever wondered why Jesus used the image of the yoke? At least two oxen are hitched together by a yoke side by side. Oxen are called "beasts of burden." So why does Jesus calls His yoke easy, his burden light? Because He yokes Himself to us. That's why His yoke is easy and His burden light. And He gives us His Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9-10) to give us the inner strength and dynamic power to bear "our share" of the burden. Once we are yoked together, our burden becomes His and "our burden" is gone. Cast your burdens upon Him dear one and He will sustain thee!
Easy yoke, light burden. But, sometimes it doesn't feel that way. Usually this is because the yoke or burden you have on or are carrying is not from our Lord but, is there either from our own decisions or what some "kind religious soul" has put upon you.. Either way, when you find yourself chafing and straining - simply lay your burden down and listen to the soft, peaceful voice of the Lord. Then continue to let go and let G-d. Listen to the Lord and not to any man! We live in a very sinful, negative, selfish, demonic, religious world that will be very happy to be given the opportunity to tell you - that you are wrong for trusting Jesus that all things (yes dear one, everything) works together for good for those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose.
I believe that the one of the most pleasant discoveries of my life is that G-d will always take care of us (He still has the Manna ovens dear one). There are many thousands of scriptural examples of G-d continually providing for His people e.g., many years after the Israelites had wandered in the wilderness, the prophet Nehemiah offered a prayer of thanksgiving, remembering how G-d had easily yoked with his people and shouldered their burdens: " Thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to shew them light, and the way wherein they should go. Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst. Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, [so that] they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not." The Lord will never forsake us - He will be with us both day and night; He will instruct us and provide us with food and drink even in the midst of our enemies to sustain us and we will never lack anything. (Psalm 23) We are only to pray for one another so we may be healed!
At the end of Jesus’ life, just before he entered Gethsemane, he reminded his Apostles of the times when they went out to teach the people with neither purse nor scrip. Then Jesus asked them: “When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing.” They lacked nothing! So, if any of you lack anything, let him ask of G-d, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth [chastises] not; and it [the blessing] shall be given him. Jesus promised us that He would never leave us or forsake us! By the stripes of Jesus we are healed! Jesus is the Author and finisher of our faith! In Philippians 1:6 we see that it is the Lord's responsibility to begin a good work in us and to perform it until the day of Jesus Christ! In John 6:28-299 we read: "Then they said to Him, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of G-d ?" Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of G-d, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." We are only to ask to receive - we only have to ask that our joy may be full!
Jesus gave us a pattern for shifting the weight of both the burdens of sin and the difficulties of life. He said, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Stand fast therefore in the liberty with which Christ has made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if you be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; you are fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which works by love. (Galatians 5:1-6) Circumcision was the first and perhaps the most important of all ceremonial laws. It dated all the way back to Abraham, far before Moses. Circumcising a child on the 8th day of his life was so important that it could even be done on the Sabbath without breaking the Sabbath law of rest. You are under Jesus' Grace not any of the old laws! Whom the Son sets free is free indeed!
And with respect to all the other sacrificial and ceremonial laws Hebrews says, Therefore when He comes into the world, He says, Sacrifice and offering you desired not, but a body have you prepared me: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you have had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do your will, O G-d. Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin you desired not, neither had pleasure in them; which are offered by the law; Then said he, Lo, I come to do your will, O G-d. He takes away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Hebrews 10:5-10)
What is the ‘first” Jesus takes away? It is the “sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin,” all of the sacrificial and ceremonial laws. And what is the “second” that he establishes? His Grace. It is the coming into agreement with Jesus Christ’s will which brings us rest. ( Read about the rest in Hebrews 4:9-11) When we yoke ourselves to Jesus we have come to the place in our thinking where we can say that we agree with him and want to do his will. As our mind is renewed, our will is transformed. When our will has merged with his will, then we have come into His rest. And be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of G-d. (Romans 12:2) For it is G-d who works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. (Philippians 2:13) You can not help G-d dear one! All you can give Him are your sins and problems and burdens!
In Mark 5:21-43 we read: " And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto him: and he was nigh unto the sea. And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet, And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed (from the Greek "sozo" it is not "heal" in the usual sense; it means to "save, deliver, protect and to make whole"); and she shall live. And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him. And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years (Judges 19:29: Exodus 28:21; Leviticus 15:25), And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. And straightway the fountain (source) of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. And Jesus, immediately knowing (means "fully perceiving") in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes? And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging (means "to press almost to the point of suffocation") thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing. But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth (Hebrews 9:7-28; 13:11-21; 1 Peter 1:2,19:). And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague. While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further? As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe. And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James. And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly. And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying. And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise. And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment. And he charged them straitly that no man (Ecclesiastes 3:18) should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat (John 6:48-51)."
At times, life presents us with things that are too big for us to handle. Here in the fifth chapter of the gospel of Mark we will learn that we can trust Jesus for things that are too big for us, because nothing is too big for Jesus. Here, two very different people are confronted with problems far too big for them. First, there is a synagogue official who is confronted with his twelve-year-old daughter who is deathly ill. Nothing they have done for her has helped. She is on the very brink of death and finally dies before Jesus arrives. Second, there also is a nameless woman. She has been bleeding for twelve years. Her problem has rendered her a social outcast--walking pollution. She isn't even allowed to enter the synagogue or even supposed to be seen in public. She has no family, and no money; it has all been spent on the latest remedies. She has tried everything, but this thing is too big. Mosaic Law barred such women from all social contacts - Thank G-d - Jesus did not!
Mark brings these two very different people together, because they both teach us the same lesson: We can trust Jesus for the things that are too big for us because nothing, not even death, is too big for Jesus. There are two obstacles that will keep us from coming to Jesus. Either we (like Jairus) are too self important, too religious, and/or too proud - that we never humble ourselves to ask Jesus for any help. But, what do you do when your twelve-year-old daughter, the joy of your life, lies close to death? Perhaps at that point we want to come to G-d, but we are tempted to say, "It would be hypocritical to come to Him now. I've always done things myself. Why change now? What about the fact the leaders of the Synagogue were even then plotting against Jesus?" But that didn't keep Jairus away. Jesus didn't turn this man away because he had ignored him up to that point in his life or even that Jarius may have been plotting against Him. He didn't say, "Oh yes, right, Jairus. Come to me now when things are bad." But others respond like this woman. They stay away from Jesus out of a sense of shame. They feel too unworthy too unclean. Even if you have to sneak up on Jesus, come to Him. Just a touch will do you. He will cleanse you. We must trust Jesus for things that are too big for us by coming to him, despite all of the obstacles.
The woman's 12 years represents the 12 Jewish tribes. Her flow of blood represents the animal sacrifices that did not heal her .Her physicians represent the religious leaders who also could not heal her but actually made her worse. Jesus is the Great Healer, the True Sacrifice, the Great Physician, the Way. the Life and the Truth. The High Priest, the only real plaque and curse remover, the Law ends with Him and Grace, Righteousness, Healing, Sin Removal and cleansing begin and continue to flow out of Him and Him alone. The Jewish bride was immediately and completely healed but, she did not follow Jesus. The little 12 year old girl represents the Gentiles who are the same age as the Jews but are dead in sin until Jesus takes us by the hand and raises us up. (Romans Chapter 6)
Jesus promises you/us in His own words: "Verily, verily I say unto you, he that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do: because I go unto the Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask anything in My name, that will I do” (John 14:13,14).
“If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatsoever ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is My Father glorified, that ye bare much fruit; and so shall ye be My disciples” (John 15:7,8).
Ye did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that ye should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should abide: that whatsoever ye shall ask the Father, in My name, He may give it you” (John 15:16).
In that day ye shall ask Me nothing” and yet again “Verily, verily I say unto you, if ye ask anything of the Father, He will give it you in My name. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be fulfilled” (John 16:23,24).
This truly marvelous promise that He will give us whatever we ask is given us over and over. Jesus literally commands us to ask whatsoever we will. This is the greatest — the most wonderful — promise ever made to man.
We know that He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think (Ephesians. 3:20).
Well dear one, it should be obvious that Jesus' yoke [is] easy, and Jesus' burden is light. If you are carrying a heavy burden or wearing a difficult yoke set them down and ask the Lord for His help! Shalom!
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