"As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work"(v.2)
Glory of God is revealed in the manner His Power and Wisdom have created the heaven and the earth; so much so even a speck of dust refracts sunlight to create a roseate dawn or starry skies that never fails to thrill us. God is beyond human conception and Truth is the only measure by which He makes sense to us. "He hath made everythingbeautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end(Ec.3:11)". Only through his Son it is known. The works of God ( John 6:28-29).
Soul is a token of God establishing his sovereignty over His creation and it holds the everlasting covenant as its frame of reference. "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.( John 14:6)." Truth in inward parts makes each of us accountable to God in the final reckoning. So what are we but chosen by God before the worlds began. Are we sons or servants merely going through the motions of living for our reward?
"My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope./O remember that my life is wind: mine eye shall no more see good."
"Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling?" A hireling and a son have different standing which the Parable of the Prodigal Son brings out. The spendthrift son have wasted away his means and fell in want. In an alien country where Satan is a hard taskmaster he would even grudge over the husks doled out to his servants, what does the son say,'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!( Luke 15:17).The expression 'when he came to himself' is highly significant. Soul is a reminder of our fellowship with God.
The question may arise that if we are indeed crucified with Christ and dead to sin then why we need to be concerned about such matters post salvation. Romans 7:17 seems to bolster that point when Paul states that it is not him but sin living within that causes problems. This still would show that sin lives or exists but that Christ through the Holy Spirit indwells us once we come to faith ( John 14:23). This would show that during the entire sanctification process on earth we go through this sad state of affairs.
It is implicit in meaning that Christ died for all sins; past present and future. That would be the case for us living today; of course as we are already nearly 2000 years past the atonement so that in that sense all the sins were future for us; and indeed all the generations before us until the time of Christ.
When it comes to sin; we need to emphasize how doctrinal errors lead to all sorts of gross behaviors following apostasy. Indeed the doctrine of demons now or in the past causes the worst evils as we see from occultic rituals still followed today that originated from pagan religions millennia past inspired by the enemy of our souls. Unrepentant sin often is associated with lifestyles of sin or leads to it inevitably in time. As a believer indwelt with the Holy Spirit we will be grieved as the Spirit within is affected by evil that we allow in ( Eph. 4:30). True believers not only don't mind testing themselves to see if they are in the faith ( 2 Cor. 13:5-6) but like to remind themselves of such passages even if they are living right to keep them on course. This of course involves godly sorrow not worldly ( 2 Cor. 7:10).
Human logic needs to be subjugated to Godly wisdom for a believer. Satan always has plans that he likes to bring to our minds which he has concocted so that we think our plans can sort of help God along. All things must be in submission and obedience to the cross.
Repentance: Granted by God AND lived out in the lives of true saints of Christ
Without a heart change; we won't have works that are done that produce any good fruit. Thus; we need the gift of repentance ( Rom. 9:15-16) to bring us to saving faith in order to have the desire in our hearts to serve; obey and love Christ ( Ezekiel 11:19; also see Mark 1:15).
An example of this is when Christ says that we who are evil still can give "good gifts" to our children ( Matt. 7:11). The problem with such actions isn't toward what is done for the recipient (unless there is a deliberate attempt to control; spoil or manipulate their behavior which may be more common than some parents want to believe). Another example would be with those who give their lives to charitable causes but choose not to preach the Gospel. I won't name names here but this has happened with famous people in the past; and there are charities today which I don't support that refuse to proclaim the Gospel.
Of course if the only repentance had to be the type associated with our moment of salvation there wouldn't be so many warnings not to fall away. We are foolish to be so myopic as to disregard examples throughout scripture where sins have destroyed lives; even of saints. We see people in the New Testament who die prematurely due to sinful lifestyles ( 1 Cor. 11:30; James 5 end of chapter). The whole of 1 Corinthians and much of 2 Corinthians shows a slew of problems such as incest; greed; disputes; gluttony; jealousies; etc that needed to be dealt with. It also shows how they were indeed to judge disputes among themselves not the world; in 1 Corinthians chapter 6 and several other passages in the same book regarding those living in grievous error and covering for women.
With the context of the church and the Old Testament we see that not only individuals but nations are petitioned to be forgiven (such as with Daniel's prayer after the 70 year exile). A little leaven ruins the lump.
"He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me."
Whosoever received the twelve, no matter which, they were associates and fellow laborers working in unison towards an end. Jesus was aware of it, and he had compassion on seeing desperate masses dithering through as sheep without a shepherd. It prompted him to send his disciples forthwith, obtuse and jejune as they were, was the spiritual sloth that had settled on the land of Palestine. "Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few;/ Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest."(9:36-38). So their level of knowleldge was not the issue but number in order to reach those who were ready to fain on the way. Power and Glory worked so Jesus assured them,"For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you."(10:20)
The disciples were 'little ones' in their naivete and it is in this context Jesus spoke,"And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward."(v.42)
As associates every one of the disciples was dealt with equally, as well as encouraged since no one was allowed to stand athwart the Gospel out reach. In one moment St Peter is praised, ("Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven."-16:17) and in the next he was berated rightly so, since his solicitous remark for his personal safety than for the glory of the Word elicited this reply, "Get thee behind me, Satan;thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.(16:23)" The glory of God did not allow Jesus to give any preferential treatment to them.
"And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease."
He (Jesus) gave them power,
In the Prayer of Jesus we have it explained. "As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him./And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent."( John 17:2-3) Their power came the Word ("Thy word is truth") so God in the Father-Son Relationship gave them certain privileges in the kingdom of heaven as such what actions they did on the earth was on their behalf. For example it conferred knowledge with regards to the Son so Jesus did not have to talk to them in mysteries.("Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven,"-13:11)The disciples were raw and untested and we shall see they were left to grow in their service with their ups and down, so in the end they were more as friends than as servants. "It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord"(v.25) Association therefore devolved from heaven where Jesus served as the Intercessor before his Father and historically began with the 12 the tag for the Gospel of Christ. The number served so where Judas Iscariot fell of another Apostle stepped into the breach.
" From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it."( Job 1:7) There we have Satan's mobility to wreak havoc wherever and whenever possible.Power against unclean spirits necessitated a different approach. These spirits have no fixed abode even as Satan the prince of the power of air could go anywhere and attack the strongholds of man whenever it suited him. For this purpose Jesus Christ established the principle of Association. (10:40)
"No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse." God is a consuming fire and against it the traditions of the fathers and superficial observances of the old did not stand a chance. So it required for the lost sheep of Israel to trust the Word become flesh. He was 'the true Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.' God well knew that they were stiff necked and evil. As in the case of Ezekiel God sent his Son to them with the same condition. "And thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear: for they are most rebellious."(Ez.2:7). It is significant that God addresses the prophet as Son of man, and Ezekiel serves as a stand in for his Son.
The 12 disciples did not choose the Son but He did. " But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him./ And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father."( John 6:64-65) and he well knew who would betray him. "Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve."(6:70-71).
Jesus chose him as man not judging him before hand. As the Word become flesh he would give him a chance to redeem himself. But Judas was an old bottle, whose disobedience, sin was like the proverbial little fox burrowing deep and yet spoiling the vineyard while in bud. Time tests of what man is.
"Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.(9:16-17)
" Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:/But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
God had determined before the worlds began and also spoken through his Prophet Isaiah,"The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined."(Is.9:2). Further down he connects it to the Prince of Peace "Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end." As the light of the world Jesus was particular the direction the doctrine of his Father should take. As the Savior of the world the fulness of God radiated from his Life and not from any geographical place. So it was upon them and not the land, the land of the shadow of death, 'hath the light shined.'
"The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel./And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria."(Is.9:1-8) Even Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria were included within the ambit of his ministry. How come Jesus chose to send his disciples 'go rather to the lost sheep of Israel' and not Samaria?
We need look at this passage to understand why.
In the dialogue with the woman from Canaan (15:21-28) Jesus tried to put her off and said,"t is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs." Her answer satisfied him. He said, "O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour."(v.28) He was hoping to find the same quality among the lost sheep of Israel. Without it was a total mismatch as he had mentioned earlier: "No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse./Neither do men put new wine into old bottles:.(9:16-17)
"But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat."
I don't want to go into this like I'm carrying a hammer, and like THOR, here I am, coming to pound you on the head with my judgement. No, instead I come to you as I would want someone to come to me. There are some things that just shouldn't be talked about in front of large audiences, and some would argue "But it says rebuke before all!!". My goodness, if that's the way we were all treated we wouldn't last too long in this now would we? I think it's easier to just do, and not say a word. People will usually get the hint. Most will at least, and those who don't will learn fast that living a double life will eventually reveal itself, and there won't be no hiding it. "But you're going against the word". Am I? The bible says to love one another as I have loved you. To love our neighbor as ourselves. JESUS didn't announce all of your sins did he? No, he didn't. The reason I'm even touching on this subject has to do with my own stinking attitude, and I never really thought about it this way, until now. Isn't that something. God has given me clarity, and he wants you to be free from that sort of dictator like spirit and attitude. It's God's church, and he'll clean house when the time comes for him to do so. We just need to keep truckin! Keep living for Jesus. I'm good with finding another seat, or simply saying to a brother "I'm sorry, but I'm no longer interested". There's just a better way to go about it, than becoming emotionally involved to where it causes us to sink down to a level GOD has not purposed for us to be on. I don't comment on here much, but when I do, I feel like I'm being led of GOD to do so. I hope that this is clear, and hopefully it will help you as it has helped me. May GOD bless you richly!
Mercy is kindness bestowed as forgiveness by God. It is undeserved by the recipient and freely given by the giver.
Deut. 4:31 "For the LORD thy God is a merciful God"
Neh. 9:31 "Nevertheless, for thy great mercies' sake thou didst not utterly consume them, nor forsake them, for thou art a gracious and merciful God."
Dan. 9:9 "To the LORD our God belong mercies and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against him."
Lk. 6:36 "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful."
Ps. 25:6 Remember O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindness; for they have been from old."
Lk. 1:50 "And His mercy is on them who fear him from generation to generation"
Eph. 2:4 "God who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved)."
God is rich in mercy. It is boundless in Him. Even before creation, when He had no cause to be merciful within the Godhead, as there was no sin between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, God chose to express mercy towards creation in the everlasting covenant forged before anything was created. He purposed to be merciful to sinful humans to forgive their sins due to the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus, "slain before the creation of the world."
His mercies do not fail. They are sure for those who believe in the Son. We can be confident in the forgiveness brought to us in Christ because God has determined to be merciful on those He chooses to me merciful (those who are saved by His grace).
We can know that when we sin God is faithful and just to forgive us on account of the sacrifice of Jesus. When we bring to God our sin seeking forgiveness and cleansing, we can know that we have received mercy from Him. He is good to us. We are His children by adoption and heirs with Christ to all the blessings given Him for His perfect life.
Because of this mercy, we are to be merciful to others.
Thank YOU LORD for the brethren on this platform and the wisdom they show in helping and bringing clarity to the discussions. Help us all to stand in YOUR Word and go forth planting and watering as we learn to praise and glorify YOU. May we continue to pray for the peace in Jerusalem and continue to look for YOUR coming. May our nation's leadership turn to CHRIST JESUS for wisdom and direction through HIS salvation.
"Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?/ And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bride-chamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast."
We shall take this up along with reference to John in 11:2-15 and this embassy from the disciples of John is leading us to the falling apart between the friend of the groom and the groom. According to the Scripture one was intended as a messenger and the other as the Messiah. John practiced the rigors of ascetic life could not see beyond his own lifestyle. He was as perplexed as the Pharisees that he would consort with publicans and the sinners. John lacked the insight as to Jesus as the suffering servant and What the prophet had foretold, 'he hath born our griefs'. "That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses."(8:17)
Vis-a-vis John his order of priorities differed from the Word concerning their respective ministries. As a suffering servant he was on the road to glory."If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us."(2.Ti.2:12)
John wanted to know, "Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?/Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see." Jesus making the doctrine of his Father as the Servant-King,- and the path inexorably led to Calvary and beyond, a fact that John missed. The beam in his eye was such how the Messiah-King would conduct his kingdom on the earth prevented him obviously. He had all the credentials of being the greatest born of a woman but in the estimation of Jesus,"notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he." (11:11). He thought like everybody else, and not as the Word had spoken.
"But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick./ But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
Here Jesus is not addressing the thoughts of his interlocutors but responding to them. The word of God had already answerd their spoken word, so Jesus cites the relevant portion. The word had sized them up even before they were born. " For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings./But they like men have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me."(Hosea.6:7-8). The scribes, Pharisees and also the Sadducees tempted Jesus on various occasions. (Matt.16:1)
Why did the nation of Israel hate the Son of man without any cause? Satan sins from the beginning.. He is the Father of lies and when he beguiled Eve he set up a no man's land which ever since has served as a cloak. Beyond the complacency of the strict adherence to their traditions and Law of Moses they were serving the interests of Satan instead. In our time also we have great many who recoil from any approach other than their literalism. It is worth their while to keep harping on old Jerusalem that for their many sins have been condemned and "Behold, your house is left unto you desolate." (Notice 'behold' in it and it is determined. )"And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations.(Is.25 :7). Now we can place the context of the Sermon on the mount. He presented the doctrine of His Father as his Will which he shall fulfill it at the appointed time. The Gospel also presents Judgment of the nation in Ch.24.
Complacency of Israel was like little foxes. "Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes."(S.of S-2:15)
"And Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee./And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth./And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?"
Jesus came as the Word become flesh. He was God in his own right since God sent him 'as the only begotten Son' so wherever he healed or suffered rejection he did so since his obedience to the Word that was sent before the worlds began."Behold" here we have another expression which the Spirit uses to indicate the Word which was 'in the beginning'. His obedience as a man to the Word is what we need infer to the confession,"I am the Way."( John 1:1;8:58). Faith of the palsied man and of his four helpers elicited him to address him as 'Son.' We already discussed the doctrine of God he declared against the holy mountain and what we shall read in the gospel, is the practical application of it according to the occasion warranted.
"And behold" the Spirit introduces in the next verse.Certain of the scribes took umbrage at it. "This man blaspheneth" they thought. The Word had already foretold what they signified in Salvation Plan of God. "And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:/For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them."(13:14-15)
God as the Creator understand thoughts of man and know of their worth, "I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings."(Je.17:10)
"O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me..../thou understandest my thought afar off."
Hi Jimbob: I didn't realize it's been a month since I communicated with you. I have been posting comments to other people but I'd like to start communicating with you again. Do you have any recent comments I can read or respond to or maybe you might respond to one of my recent comments? Hope I hear back from you. :)
And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. Matthew 24:14
We are living in a time where an understanding of the nature of the True Gospel and the character of the Day in which we are living could not be more urgent. ZionInTravail provides a Biblical view regarding these fundamental questions and is dedicated to serving Christ in the ministry of the True Gospel to all mankind regardless of age, sex, nationality, or economic status.
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They are currently ministering in Africa in the countries of Ghana, Lesotho, Botswana, South Africa, and Tanzania. In the nation of China, they are engaged in developing videos to be aired on social media platforms in that country. They have a shortwave facility in Florida and are airing programs in English and Spanish to six different regions of the world.
"But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men."
In the previous chapter The evangelist gives us an instance of Jesus stilling the boisterous sea. He did not use it to walk over the water to go to his own city. Neither did he take on the tempter when he challenged him to turn the stone into bread for the simple reason that faith in God's holiness set him among men and fulfilling his Will gave glory to God. "And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed." It was a novel way to get a cure, on the same scale as the the woman with an issue of blood who touched the hem of Jesus's garment. Faith in both cases worked.("Thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour."-vv.20-22) Faith made the occasion count. Faith of God and man is the savor of salt to which Jesus had referred. "Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men."(5:13) Two symbols spun out of same faith: you are light of the world, God the Father of lights rendering you thus and the eye of faith is abiding in the true Light would imply. It is thus we see through his light. Salt is also similar.
Salt is made of atoms of Chlorine which is a deadly gas and Sodium a metal that burns when comes in contact with water. But when these trillions of atoms are arrayed precisely in order it is our common salt. Faith is the savor arising of God and man when held in place by the spirit without any deviation. This faith made the man with palsy take up his bed and walk. God gave such power to man, his saltiness was not in his own but in working with God.
"There met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way."
Casting out demons from taking over a person is nothing new. Heart of man is treacherous. "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings." (Je.17:9-10). The Spirit in dealing with this wants us to remember what Jesus he was there fore. The Evangelist inspired by the Spirit gives us in terms of Prophet Isaiah 'Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses."(8:17). Jesus knew the demoniac spirit would not leave him with all his powers at disposal so a legion clamored while he himself did not know how to be himself. How he wanted to follow Jesus after he was healed is what Matthew is laying emphasis on. So 'the two possessed with devils' refer to two personality. This is corroborated by both Mark and Luke versions. According to the fruit of his doings "And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him."( Luke 8:39b)" Jesus searches the heart to give every according to his ways and saw the man could be helped. It was he took over his case and restored him to his family. By the same token the devils were unanimous where they wanted to go." So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine./ And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters."(8:31-32)
The loss of swine was most unspeakable to the city where livestock counted more than men. Our times have no whit improved on the heart most deceitful and desperately wicked at the time of Jesus.
" But the men marveled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!"
The superscription refers to a Psalm quote, "The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee; they were afraid: the depths also were troubled."(Ps.77:16) The body of waters know the sovereignty of the word of God. The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.(Ge.1:2) Glory of the waters is derived from the Law. "The LORD sitteth upon the flood; yea, the LORD sitteth King for ever." ( Ps. 29:10)
Matthew gives by citing a few healings that Jesus did validating the quote from Prophet Isaiah (53:1) The centurion an outsider proved by his faith in the word declared by truth that lay writ. Thus the throne set over the flood whether we consider it literally or as a symbol for people(Is.57:20) does work. The earth itself is held by foundations which we know as the Word or the Law. "For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods."(Ps.24:2)This flood rages because these do not know the grace of God and it also helps us understand why the wicked are compared to troubled sea. Isaiah treats them as enemy "So shall they fear the name of theLordfrom the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of theLordshall lift up a standard against him."(Is.59:19)
Before Jesus rebuked the tempest the Evangelist presents the King of glory in terms of his outward circumstances as a vagabond. " And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head."(8:20) It is to warn those who go by appearances. The suffering servant as Isaiah would say, "he hath no form nor comeliness" and" Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted."(53:2-4)
His testimony as a man aligned with the Word become flesh by 'faith+works
"Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared."
Testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophesy.
Angel of the Lord wherever it is mentioned in the Scripture is as a stand in for the Son. The sons of God mentioned in Ge.6 who took to wives from men were bad actors so St Paul would warn, " But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed."(Gal.1:8)
Jesus of Nazareth confessed that he did not come to destroy the Law or prophets. His own testimony was to fulfill them. For this reason he tells the leper what he was to do. Law of Moses applied to the man who he healed. Similarly he would fulfill the Law because as Moses warned the Israelites of the Advent of the prophet from God he was obliged to fulfill it ,"For my nameisin him." Multiplying the loaves earlier instance demonstrated that he was the Word become flesh; in the case of seven baskets his testimony was to his Father who had sent the angels and as the writer to the Hebrews says, "Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son."
In this context among so many unnamed angels we have the names Gabriel and Michel and their service also fell under the gospel which is one. They may be considered as 'prophets'. The place prepared overarches the land of Canaan and it is new Jerusalem as the Spirit wants us to take note of.
"And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes."
The Spirit gives the number Seven to indicate God's completeness so we have seven 'days' relating to the God document, the Holy Bible. (Ge.1) The House that Wisdom built has seven pillars, relating to 'my Father's mansions.' Seven golden candlesticks (Re.1:12) covering all those who are called and chosen for eternal habitations. Similarly seven seals relate to the judgment upon the disobedient beginning with 'woe to you' and sword, death and pestilence three horsemen color coded are spread out while the word gone forth from the mouth of the Lord is shown as the first horseman 'went forth conquering, and to conquer. We are told that he is none other than the Son, "and his name is called The Word of God.'(Re.19:13) It is of him Moses referred, "Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my nameisin him."(Ex.23:20-23)
Now the Isaiah quote: "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, "This is also tagged Seven which we infer from the martyrdom of the Two witnesses. "And after three days and an half the spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet;." What affrighted their enemies was the fact that resurrection is indeed true! The everlasting life promised to the world ( John 3:16)shall be made manifest. Sending the bread of heaven was one part and gathering the broken remains in seven baskets prove this part of the Isaiah quote:"but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." Testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."(Re.19:10) After healing the leper Jesus told him, "but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony."(Matt.8:4)
Matthew refers Testimony of Jesus to indicate, "it is done."
Ephesians 4:13 Till WE ALL COME into the UNITY of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a PERFECT MAN, unto the measure of the FULLNESS of Christ.
Colossians 2:9 For IN HIM dwelleth all the FULLNESS of the Godhead BODILY.
Colossians 1:27 .... this mystery ..... Christ IN YOU ......are you not the body of Christ .....
1 Corinthians 12:27 ... ye are the BODY of Christ ......
John 19:34 ..... Is it not written IN YOU LAW, I HAVE SAID, Ye are gods?
GOD WILL SEND STRONG DELUSION-THAT THEY BELIEVE A LIE
The false messiah,the main head of the universal and religious and satanic Antichrist's Kingdom,is at door- John 5:43-47
Will be also elected the next and last Pope.It is he who will rule the first half of the last week:42 months- Luke 21:24 combined with Re.11:2 and 13:5-.Will be his nickname Paul VII?
The Word is GOD. Isaiah 66:4 combined with 2Thessalonians 2:12 and Matthews 24:15-25KJV:
Isaiah 66:v.4:
4 I also will choose their delusions,and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called,none did answer;when I spake,they did not hear:but they did evil before mine eyes,and chose that in which I delighted not.
2Thessalonians 2:8-12:
8And then shall that Wicked be revealed,whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth-His Word- , and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
9Even him,whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish;because they received not the love of the truth,that they might be saved.
11And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion,that they should believe a lie:
12That they all might be DAMNED who believed not the Truth - believed not in JESUS -, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Matthew 24:15-25
15When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation,spoken of by Daniel the prophet,stand in the holy place(whoso readeth,let him understand)
You know that the Hebrews had to cross the Red Sea.
Now GOD's people will have to go through(I mean win a war)against the Red Dragon,a Red Dragon yes
Isaiah 26:21-22
20Come,my people,enter thou into thy chambers,and shut thy doors about thee:hide thyself as it were for a little moment,until the indignation be overpast
21For,behold,the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity:the earth also shall disclose her blood,and shall no more cover her slain.
"And after three days and an half the spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them./And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them."
Isaiah refers to sending the word (Is.55:11)and it makes a full circle. In the parlance of the Spirit the Number Seven refers to completeness. Thus God sanctifies 'the day' after blessing man and his creation.(Ge.2:3)The Word sent forth covers three and a half days and the latter half refers to the work of these two witnesses which is when they ascend upto heaven in 'a cloud" age of grace comes to an end. Tribulation shall be great for this reason. Jesus assured,"For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be./And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened."
This whole circuit of the Gospel has baptism by water and also baptism by fire. "But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished! Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth?"( Luke 12:49-56) This division we see right now in our midst. A house divided between Israel and Gaza, both from the same Semitic stock.
The pillar of cloud by day and fire by night are introduced in the Book of Exodus and these makes a distinction between the Israelites and the Egyptians. In Daniel's vision we have the witnesses (Dan.7:9-10. Thus we have them as symbols and in relation to 'his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire."Of this latter His ministers is 'fire'.("Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire"-Ps.104:4-6) Martyrdom of Two Witnesses shall explain culmination of Gospel outreach from heaven(fire) and the earth (water)."
"As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work"(v.2)
Glory of God is revealed in the manner His Power and Wisdom have created the heaven and the earth; so much so even a speck of dust refracts sunlight to create a roseate dawn or starry skies that never fails to thrill us. God is beyond human conception and Truth is the only measure by which He makes sense to us. "He hath made everythingbeautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end(Ec.3:11)". Only through his Son it is known. The works of God ( John 6:28-29).
Soul is a token of God establishing his sovereignty over His creation and it holds the everlasting covenant as its frame of reference. "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.( John 14:6)." Truth in inward parts makes each of us accountable to God in the final reckoning. So what are we but chosen by God before the worlds began. Are we sons or servants merely going through the motions of living for our reward?
"My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope./O remember that my life is wind: mine eye shall no more see good."
"Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling?" A hireling and a son have different standing which the Parable of the Prodigal Son brings out. The spendthrift son have wasted away his means and fell in want. In an alien country where Satan is a hard taskmaster he would even grudge over the husks doled out to his servants, what does the son say,'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!( Luke 15:17).The expression 'when he came to himself' is highly significant. Soul is a reminder of our fellowship with God.
The question may arise that if we are indeed crucified with Christ and dead to sin then why we need to be concerned about such matters post salvation. Romans 7:17 seems to bolster that point when Paul states that it is not him but sin living within that causes problems. This still would show that sin lives or exists but that Christ through the Holy Spirit indwells us once we come to faith ( John 14:23). This would show that during the entire sanctification process on earth we go through this sad state of affairs.
It is implicit in meaning that Christ died for all sins; past present and future. That would be the case for us living today; of course as we are already nearly 2000 years past the atonement so that in that sense all the sins were future for us; and indeed all the generations before us until the time of Christ.
When it comes to sin; we need to emphasize how doctrinal errors lead to all sorts of gross behaviors following apostasy. Indeed the doctrine of demons now or in the past causes the worst evils as we see from occultic rituals still followed today that originated from pagan religions millennia past inspired by the enemy of our souls. Unrepentant sin often is associated with lifestyles of sin or leads to it inevitably in time. As a believer indwelt with the Holy Spirit we will be grieved as the Spirit within is affected by evil that we allow in ( Eph. 4:30). True believers not only don't mind testing themselves to see if they are in the faith ( 2 Cor. 13:5-6) but like to remind themselves of such passages even if they are living right to keep them on course. This of course involves godly sorrow not worldly ( 2 Cor. 7:10).
Human logic needs to be subjugated to Godly wisdom for a believer. Satan always has plans that he likes to bring to our minds which he has concocted so that we think our plans can sort of help God along. All things must be in submission and obedience to the cross.
Without a heart change; we won't have works that are done that produce any good fruit. Thus; we need the gift of repentance ( Rom. 9:15-16) to bring us to saving faith in order to have the desire in our hearts to serve; obey and love Christ ( Ezekiel 11:19; also see Mark 1:15).
An example of this is when Christ says that we who are evil still can give "good gifts" to our children ( Matt. 7:11). The problem with such actions isn't toward what is done for the recipient (unless there is a deliberate attempt to control; spoil or manipulate their behavior which may be more common than some parents want to believe). Another example would be with those who give their lives to charitable causes but choose not to preach the Gospel. I won't name names here but this has happened with famous people in the past; and there are charities today which I don't support that refuse to proclaim the Gospel.
Of course if the only repentance had to be the type associated with our moment of salvation there wouldn't be so many warnings not to fall away. We are foolish to be so myopic as to disregard examples throughout scripture where sins have destroyed lives; even of saints. We see people in the New Testament who die prematurely due to sinful lifestyles ( 1 Cor. 11:30; James 5 end of chapter). The whole of 1 Corinthians and much of 2 Corinthians shows a slew of problems such as incest; greed; disputes; gluttony; jealousies; etc that needed to be dealt with. It also shows how they were indeed to judge disputes among themselves not the world; in 1 Corinthians chapter 6 and several other passages in the same book regarding those living in grievous error and covering for women.
With the context of the church and the Old Testament we see that not only individuals but nations are petitioned to be forgiven (such as with Daniel's prayer after the 70 year exile). A little leaven ruins the lump.
"He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me."
Whosoever received the twelve, no matter which, they were associates and fellow laborers working in unison towards an end. Jesus was aware of it, and he had compassion on seeing desperate masses dithering through as sheep without a shepherd. It prompted him to send his disciples forthwith, obtuse and jejune as they were, was the spiritual sloth that had settled on the land of Palestine. "Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few;/ Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest."(9:36-38). So their level of knowleldge was not the issue but number in order to reach those who were ready to fain on the way. Power and Glory worked so Jesus assured them,"For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you."(10:20)
The disciples were 'little ones' in their naivete and it is in this context Jesus spoke,"And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward."(v.42)
As associates every one of the disciples was dealt with equally, as well as encouraged since no one was allowed to stand athwart the Gospel out reach. In one moment St Peter is praised, ("Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven."-16:17) and in the next he was berated rightly so, since his solicitous remark for his personal safety than for the glory of the Word elicited this reply, "Get thee behind me, Satan;thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.(16:23)" The glory of God did not allow Jesus to give any preferential treatment to them.
"And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease."
He (Jesus) gave them power,
In the Prayer of Jesus we have it explained. "As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him./And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent."( John 17:2-3) Their power came the Word ("Thy word is truth") so God in the Father-Son Relationship gave them certain privileges in the kingdom of heaven as such what actions they did on the earth was on their behalf. For example it conferred knowledge with regards to the Son so Jesus did not have to talk to them in mysteries.("Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven,"-13:11)The disciples were raw and untested and we shall see they were left to grow in their service with their ups and down, so in the end they were more as friends than as servants. "It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord"(v.25) Association therefore devolved from heaven where Jesus served as the Intercessor before his Father and historically began with the 12 the tag for the Gospel of Christ. The number served so where Judas Iscariot fell of another Apostle stepped into the breach.
" From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it."( Job 1:7) There we have Satan's mobility to wreak havoc wherever and whenever possible.Power against unclean spirits necessitated a different approach. These spirits have no fixed abode even as Satan the prince of the power of air could go anywhere and attack the strongholds of man whenever it suited him. For this purpose Jesus Christ established the principle of Association. (10:40)
"No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse." God is a consuming fire and against it the traditions of the fathers and superficial observances of the old did not stand a chance. So it required for the lost sheep of Israel to trust the Word become flesh. He was 'the true Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.' God well knew that they were stiff necked and evil. As in the case of Ezekiel God sent his Son to them with the same condition. "And thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear: for they are most rebellious."(Ez.2:7). It is significant that God addresses the prophet as Son of man, and Ezekiel serves as a stand in for his Son.
The 12 disciples did not choose the Son but He did. " But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him./ And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father."( John 6:64-65) and he well knew who would betray him. "Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve."(6:70-71).
Jesus chose him as man not judging him before hand. As the Word become flesh he would give him a chance to redeem himself. But Judas was an old bottle, whose disobedience, sin was like the proverbial little fox burrowing deep and yet spoiling the vineyard while in bud. Time tests of what man is.
"Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.(9:16-17)
" Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:/But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
God had determined before the worlds began and also spoken through his Prophet Isaiah,"The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined."(Is.9:2). Further down he connects it to the Prince of Peace "Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end." As the light of the world Jesus was particular the direction the doctrine of his Father should take. As the Savior of the world the fulness of God radiated from his Life and not from any geographical place. So it was upon them and not the land, the land of the shadow of death, 'hath the light shined.'
"The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel./And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria."(Is.9:1-8) Even Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria were included within the ambit of his ministry. How come Jesus chose to send his disciples 'go rather to the lost sheep of Israel' and not Samaria?
We need look at this passage to understand why.
In the dialogue with the woman from Canaan (15:21-28) Jesus tried to put her off and said,"t is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs." Her answer satisfied him. He said, "O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour."(v.28) He was hoping to find the same quality among the lost sheep of Israel. Without it was a total mismatch as he had mentioned earlier: "No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse./Neither do men put new wine into old bottles:.(9:16-17)
1 Corinthians 5:11
"But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat."
I don't want to go into this like I'm carrying a hammer, and like THOR, here I am, coming to pound you on the head with my judgement. No, instead I come to you as I would want someone to come to me. There are some things that just shouldn't be talked about in front of large audiences, and some would argue "But it says rebuke before all!!". My goodness, if that's the way we were all treated we wouldn't last too long in this now would we? I think it's easier to just do, and not say a word. People will usually get the hint. Most will at least, and those who don't will learn fast that living a double life will eventually reveal itself, and there won't be no hiding it. "But you're going against the word". Am I? The bible says to love one another as I have loved you. To love our neighbor as ourselves. JESUS didn't announce all of your sins did he? No, he didn't. The reason I'm even touching on this subject has to do with my own stinking attitude, and I never really thought about it this way, until now. Isn't that something. God has given me clarity, and he wants you to be free from that sort of dictator like spirit and attitude. It's God's church, and he'll clean house when the time comes for him to do so. We just need to keep truckin! Keep living for Jesus. I'm good with finding another seat, or simply saying to a brother "I'm sorry, but I'm no longer interested". There's just a better way to go about it, than becoming emotionally involved to where it causes us to sink down to a level GOD has not purposed for us to be on. I don't comment on here much, but when I do, I feel like I'm being led of GOD to do so. I hope that this is clear, and hopefully it will help you as it has helped me. May GOD bless you richly!
He is MERCIFUL
Mercy is kindness bestowed as forgiveness by God. It is undeserved by the recipient and freely given by the giver.
Deut. 4:31 "For the LORD thy God is a merciful God"
Neh. 9:31 "Nevertheless, for thy great mercies' sake thou didst not utterly consume them, nor forsake them, for thou art a gracious and merciful God."
Dan. 9:9 "To the LORD our God belong mercies and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against him."
Lk. 6:36 "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful."
Ps. 25:6 Remember O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindness; for they have been from old."
Lk. 1:50 "And His mercy is on them who fear him from generation to generation"
Eph. 2:4 "God who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved)."
God is rich in mercy. It is boundless in Him. Even before creation, when He had no cause to be merciful within the Godhead, as there was no sin between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, God chose to express mercy towards creation in the everlasting covenant forged before anything was created. He purposed to be merciful to sinful humans to forgive their sins due to the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus, "slain before the creation of the world."
His mercies do not fail. They are sure for those who believe in the Son. We can be confident in the forgiveness brought to us in Christ because God has determined to be merciful on those He chooses to me merciful (those who are saved by His grace).
We can know that when we sin God is faithful and just to forgive us on account of the sacrifice of Jesus. When we bring to God our sin seeking forgiveness and cleansing, we can know that we have received mercy from Him. He is good to us. We are His children by adoption and heirs with Christ to all the blessings given Him for His perfect life.
Because of this mercy, we are to be merciful to others.
December 2, 2023
"Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?/ And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bride-chamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast."
We shall take this up along with reference to John in 11:2-15 and this embassy from the disciples of John is leading us to the falling apart between the friend of the groom and the groom. According to the Scripture one was intended as a messenger and the other as the Messiah. John practiced the rigors of ascetic life could not see beyond his own lifestyle. He was as perplexed as the Pharisees that he would consort with publicans and the sinners. John lacked the insight as to Jesus as the suffering servant and What the prophet had foretold, 'he hath born our griefs'. "That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses."(8:17)
Vis-a-vis John his order of priorities differed from the Word concerning their respective ministries. As a suffering servant he was on the road to glory."If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us."(2.Ti.2:12)
John wanted to know, "Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?/Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see." Jesus making the doctrine of his Father as the Servant-King,- and the path inexorably led to Calvary and beyond, a fact that John missed. The beam in his eye was such how the Messiah-King would conduct his kingdom on the earth prevented him obviously. He had all the credentials of being the greatest born of a woman but in the estimation of Jesus,"notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he." (11:11). He thought like everybody else, and not as the Word had spoken.
"But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick./ But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
Here Jesus is not addressing the thoughts of his interlocutors but responding to them. The word of God had already answerd their spoken word, so Jesus cites the relevant portion. The word had sized them up even before they were born. " For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings./But they like men have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me."(Hosea.6:7-8). The scribes, Pharisees and also the Sadducees tempted Jesus on various occasions. (Matt.16:1)
Why did the nation of Israel hate the Son of man without any cause? Satan sins from the beginning.. He is the Father of lies and when he beguiled Eve he set up a no man's land which ever since has served as a cloak. Beyond the complacency of the strict adherence to their traditions and Law of Moses they were serving the interests of Satan instead. In our time also we have great many who recoil from any approach other than their literalism. It is worth their while to keep harping on old Jerusalem that for their many sins have been condemned and "Behold, your house is left unto you desolate." (Notice 'behold' in it and it is determined. )"And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations.(Is.25 :7). Now we can place the context of the Sermon on the mount. He presented the doctrine of His Father as his Will which he shall fulfill it at the appointed time. The Gospel also presents Judgment of the nation in Ch.24.
Complacency of Israel was like little foxes. "Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes."(S.of S-2:15)
"And Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee./And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth./And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?"
Jesus came as the Word become flesh. He was God in his own right since God sent him 'as the only begotten Son' so wherever he healed or suffered rejection he did so since his obedience to the Word that was sent before the worlds began."Behold" here we have another expression which the Spirit uses to indicate the Word which was 'in the beginning'. His obedience as a man to the Word is what we need infer to the confession,"I am the Way."( John 1:1;8:58). Faith of the palsied man and of his four helpers elicited him to address him as 'Son.' We already discussed the doctrine of God he declared against the holy mountain and what we shall read in the gospel, is the practical application of it according to the occasion warranted.
"And behold" the Spirit introduces in the next verse.Certain of the scribes took umbrage at it. "This man blaspheneth" they thought. The Word had already foretold what they signified in Salvation Plan of God. "And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:/For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them."(13:14-15)
God as the Creator understand thoughts of man and know of their worth, "I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings."(Je.17:10)
"O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me..../thou understandest my thought afar off."
And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. Matthew 24:14
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[Comment Removed]
"But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men."
In the previous chapter The evangelist gives us an instance of Jesus stilling the boisterous sea. He did not use it to walk over the water to go to his own city. Neither did he take on the tempter when he challenged him to turn the stone into bread for the simple reason that faith in God's holiness set him among men and fulfilling his Will gave glory to God. "And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed." It was a novel way to get a cure, on the same scale as the the woman with an issue of blood who touched the hem of Jesus's garment. Faith in both cases worked.("Thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour."-vv.20-22) Faith made the occasion count. Faith of God and man is the savor of salt to which Jesus had referred. "Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men."(5:13) Two symbols spun out of same faith: you are light of the world, God the Father of lights rendering you thus and the eye of faith is abiding in the true Light would imply. It is thus we see through his light. Salt is also similar.
Salt is made of atoms of Chlorine which is a deadly gas and Sodium a metal that burns when comes in contact with water. But when these trillions of atoms are arrayed precisely in order it is our common salt. Faith is the savor arising of God and man when held in place by the spirit without any deviation. This faith made the man with palsy take up his bed and walk. God gave such power to man, his saltiness was not in his own but in working with God.
"There met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way."
Casting out demons from taking over a person is nothing new. Heart of man is treacherous. "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings." (Je.17:9-10). The Spirit in dealing with this wants us to remember what Jesus he was there fore. The Evangelist inspired by the Spirit gives us in terms of Prophet Isaiah 'Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses."(8:17). Jesus knew the demoniac spirit would not leave him with all his powers at disposal so a legion clamored while he himself did not know how to be himself. How he wanted to follow Jesus after he was healed is what Matthew is laying emphasis on. So 'the two possessed with devils' refer to two personality. This is corroborated by both Mark and Luke versions. According to the fruit of his doings "And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him."( Luke 8:39b)" Jesus searches the heart to give every according to his ways and saw the man could be helped. It was he took over his case and restored him to his family. By the same token the devils were unanimous where they wanted to go." So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine./ And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters."(8:31-32)
The loss of swine was most unspeakable to the city where livestock counted more than men. Our times have no whit improved on the heart most deceitful and desperately wicked at the time of Jesus.
" But the men marveled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!"
The superscription refers to a Psalm quote, "The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee; they were afraid: the depths also were troubled."(Ps.77:16) The body of waters know the sovereignty of the word of God. The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.(Ge.1:2) Glory of the waters is derived from the Law. "The LORD sitteth upon the flood; yea, the LORD sitteth King for ever." ( Ps. 29:10)
Matthew gives by citing a few healings that Jesus did validating the quote from Prophet Isaiah (53:1) The centurion an outsider proved by his faith in the word declared by truth that lay writ. Thus the throne set over the flood whether we consider it literally or as a symbol for people(Is.57:20) does work. The earth itself is held by foundations which we know as the Word or the Law. "For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods."(Ps.24:2)This flood rages because these do not know the grace of God and it also helps us understand why the wicked are compared to troubled sea. Isaiah treats them as enemy "So shall they fear the name of theLordfrom the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of theLordshall lift up a standard against him."(Is.59:19)
Before Jesus rebuked the tempest the Evangelist presents the King of glory in terms of his outward circumstances as a vagabond. " And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head."(8:20) It is to warn those who go by appearances. The suffering servant as Isaiah would say, "he hath no form nor comeliness" and" Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted."(53:2-4)
His testimony as a man aligned with the Word become flesh by 'faith+works
Hebrews 1:2 Hath in these last days hath spoken to by his Son, WHOM he hath appointed HEIR of ALL THINGS ...
Being an heir of God, what does Christ possess?
Romans 8:17 And if children, then HEIRS of God, and joint heir with Christ ...
If Christ was made HEIR of ALL THINGS, would not you also, being and heir of God and joint heir with Christ? posses the same things?
Don't let your carnal mind LIMIT what God says he has done by the death and resurrection of his SON.
God Bless YOU!
What are the saints of God going to be doing in the AGES TO COME?
Ephesians 2:7 ... that in the ages to come ....
Psalms 2:10 Be wise therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye JUDGES of the earth.
God is calling out a priesthood to rule and reign in the kingdom of God.
Keep growing into maturity.
God Bless YOU!
"Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared."
Testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophesy.
Angel of the Lord wherever it is mentioned in the Scripture is as a stand in for the Son. The sons of God mentioned in Ge.6 who took to wives from men were bad actors so St Paul would warn, " But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed."(Gal.1:8)
Jesus of Nazareth confessed that he did not come to destroy the Law or prophets. His own testimony was to fulfill them. For this reason he tells the leper what he was to do. Law of Moses applied to the man who he healed. Similarly he would fulfill the Law because as Moses warned the Israelites of the Advent of the prophet from God he was obliged to fulfill it ,"For my nameisin him." Multiplying the loaves earlier instance demonstrated that he was the Word become flesh; in the case of seven baskets his testimony was to his Father who had sent the angels and as the writer to the Hebrews says, "Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son."
In this context among so many unnamed angels we have the names Gabriel and Michel and their service also fell under the gospel which is one. They may be considered as 'prophets'. The place prepared overarches the land of Canaan and it is new Jerusalem as the Spirit wants us to take note of.
"And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes."
The Spirit gives the number Seven to indicate God's completeness so we have seven 'days' relating to the God document, the Holy Bible. (Ge.1) The House that Wisdom built has seven pillars, relating to 'my Father's mansions.' Seven golden candlesticks (Re.1:12) covering all those who are called and chosen for eternal habitations. Similarly seven seals relate to the judgment upon the disobedient beginning with 'woe to you' and sword, death and pestilence three horsemen color coded are spread out while the word gone forth from the mouth of the Lord is shown as the first horseman 'went forth conquering, and to conquer. We are told that he is none other than the Son, "and his name is called The Word of God.'(Re.19:13) It is of him Moses referred, "Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my nameisin him."(Ex.23:20-23)
Now the Isaiah quote: "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, "This is also tagged Seven which we infer from the martyrdom of the Two witnesses. "And after three days and an half the spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet;." What affrighted their enemies was the fact that resurrection is indeed true! The everlasting life promised to the world ( John 3:16)shall be made manifest. Sending the bread of heaven was one part and gathering the broken remains in seven baskets prove this part of the Isaiah quote:"but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." Testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."(Re.19:10) After healing the leper Jesus told him, "but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony."(Matt.8:4)
Matthew refers Testimony of Jesus to indicate, "it is done."
Do you exist, other than being the BODY of Christ?
Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I (as the body) live, yet NOT I, but CHRIST ......
this mystery... HIDDEN from the foundation of the world
Is Christ God?
Ephesians 4:13 Till WE ALL COME into the UNITY of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a PERFECT MAN, unto the measure of the FULLNESS of Christ.
Colossians 2:9 For IN HIM dwelleth all the FULLNESS of the Godhead BODILY.
Colossians 1:27 .... this mystery ..... Christ IN YOU ......are you not the body of Christ .....
1 Corinthians 12:27 ... ye are the BODY of Christ ......
John 19:34 ..... Is it not written IN YOU LAW, I HAVE SAID, Ye are gods?
The false messiah,the main head of the universal and religious and satanic Antichrist's Kingdom,is at door- John 5:43-47
Will be also elected the next and last Pope.It is he who will rule the first half of the last week:42 months- Luke 21:24 combined with Re.11:2 and 13:5-.Will be his nickname Paul VII?
The Word is GOD. Isaiah 66:4 combined with 2Thessalonians 2:12 and Matthews 24:15-25KJV:
Isaiah 66:v.4:
4 I also will choose their delusions,and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called,none did answer;when I spake,they did not hear:but they did evil before mine eyes,and chose that in which I delighted not.
2Thessalonians 2:8-12:
8And then shall that Wicked be revealed,whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth-His Word- , and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
9Even him,whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish;because they received not the love of the truth,that they might be saved.
11And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion,that they should believe a lie:
12That they all might be DAMNED who believed not the Truth - believed not in JESUS -, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Matthew 24:15-25
15When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation,spoken of by Daniel the prophet,stand in the holy place(whoso readeth,let him understand)
You know that the Hebrews had to cross the Red Sea.
Now GOD's people will have to go through(I mean win a war)against the Red Dragon,a Red Dragon yes
Isaiah 26:21-22
20Come,my people,enter thou into thy chambers,and shut thy doors about thee:hide thyself as it were for a little moment,until the indignation be overpast
21For,behold,the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity:the earth also shall disclose her blood,and shall no more cover her slain.
Get ready
Can you be EQUAL to your God, and yet, not be your God?
What would make you EQUAL to God?
Philippians 2:5 Let this mind BE IN YOU, which was also IN CHRIST JESUS,
Philippians 2:6 Who being in the form of GOD, though it not robbery, to be equal to God.
If you have a GOD, and call out to that God: can you be that GOD.
Christ cried out to HIS GOD, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me.
Can God (Spirit) DIE?
"And after three days and an half the spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them./And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them."
Isaiah refers to sending the word (Is.55:11)and it makes a full circle. In the parlance of the Spirit the Number Seven refers to completeness. Thus God sanctifies 'the day' after blessing man and his creation.(Ge.2:3)The Word sent forth covers three and a half days and the latter half refers to the work of these two witnesses which is when they ascend upto heaven in 'a cloud" age of grace comes to an end. Tribulation shall be great for this reason. Jesus assured,"For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be./And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened."
This whole circuit of the Gospel has baptism by water and also baptism by fire. "But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished! Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth?"( Luke 12:49-56) This division we see right now in our midst. A house divided between Israel and Gaza, both from the same Semitic stock.
The pillar of cloud by day and fire by night are introduced in the Book of Exodus and these makes a distinction between the Israelites and the Egyptians. In Daniel's vision we have the witnesses (Dan.7:9-10. Thus we have them as symbols and in relation to 'his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire."Of this latter His ministers is 'fire'.("Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire"-Ps.104:4-6) Martyrdom of Two Witnesses shall explain culmination of Gospel outreach from heaven(fire) and the earth (water)."