MARK III

 AS WE CONTINUE ON THE "CONFUSION" CYCLE  THAT FOLLOWED JESUS STATEMENT IN MARK 11.) THAT HE IS TO SUFFER MANY THINGS AND THEN BE PUT TO DEATH AND THREE DAYS LATER WILL RISE FROM THE GRAVE, AND THIS STATEMENT WAS TO MUCH FOR PETER. IT MADE NO SENSE TO HIM AT ALL. THIS TALK ABOUT ABUSE AND DEATH SOUNDED LIKE NONSENSE TO HIM.-- AND HE TOLD JESUS SO. JESUS TURNED  QUITE SHARPLY ON PETER AND ADDRESSED HIM AS "SATAN" AND TOLD HIM TO GET AWAY--FROM HIM. PETER WAS OPPOSING GOD HIMSELF. JESUS POINTED OUT THAT NOT ONLY WAS THE WAY OF THE CROSS ESSENTIAL FOR HIM, BUT ALSO FOR ANYONE INVOLVED IN HIS COMMUNITY. JESUS HAD COME TO USE HIS LIFE IN THE  SERVICE OF HIS HEAVENLY FATHER AND OTHER PEOPLE, TO CARRY THE CROSS OF SERVANTHOOD.MARK CONTAINS THREE OF THESE "PREDICTION"---CONFUSION---CLARIFICATION" CYCLES. THE FIRST  TOOK PLACE TOWARD THE CLOSE OF JESUS GALILEAN MINISTRY THE SECOND TOOK PLACE (9:30--32) AFTER JESUS TRANSFIGURATION (9:2:9) , SEE ALSO  EXODUS 24:15-18). THE THIRD TOOK PLACE (10:32--45) DURING JESUS JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM AND DEATH,10:1. A REFERENCE TO CONFUSION OCCURS ALSO IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE TRANSFIGURATION, JESUS TOLD THOSE WHO  WITNESSED THE EVENT THAT THEY WERE NOT TO SPEAK TO ANYONE ABOUT WHAT THEY HAD SEEN UNTIL THE "SON OF MAN"SHOULD HAVE RISEN FROM THE DEAD"(9:9. MARK CONTINUES; " SO THEY KEPT THE MATTER TO THEMSELVES, QUESTIONING  WHAT THE RISING FROM THE DEAD MEANT 9:10. THEY COULD NOT UNDERSTAND JESUS TALK ABOUT RESURRECTION BECAUSE HE DIDN'T EXPECT JESUS WOULD DIE!  WHY ALL THIS CONFUSION? APPARENTLY THE DISCIPLES ACCEPTED THE COMMON NOTION THAT THE MESSIAH WOULD BRING HONOR, PRESTIGE, WEALTH, PRIVILEGE AND POLITICAL LIBERTY FOR THE JEWISH PEOPLE. A FEW DAYS BEFORE IS DEATH, JESUS STOOD ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES, AND LOOKED ACROSS THE KIDRON VALLEY TO JERUSALEM. HIS CHOICE OF TRANSPORTATION FOR ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM WAS NO ACCIDENT. LONG BEFORE, ZECHARIAH POINTED OUT THAT WHEN ZION'S KING EVENTUALLY CAME HER, HE WOULD IN HUMILITY  ON AN ASS WHEN ON A MISSION OF PEACE. JESUS WANTED HIS MODE OF ENTRY TO SAY TO THE CROWDS THAT HE HAD NOT COME TO FOMENT POLITICAL REVOLT AGAINST THE ROMANS. HE HAD COME TO GIVE GOD'S PEACE TO SINNERS AND TO TEACH HUMANITY THE WAYS OF PEACE WITH ONE ANOTHER. HIS AUDIENCE MISSED THE POINT-- AND NO WONDER. THEY WANTED A MESSIAH WHO WOULD BE A CARBON COPY OF DAVID OF OLD WHO WOULD RESTORE TO THEM THE KIND OF NATIONAL PRESTIGE THEY ONCE ENJOYED. THEY WERE BLIND! AFTER JESUS HAD ENTERED THE CITY, HE WENT TO THE TEMPLE. WHAT HE SAW ANGERED HIM. THE NEXT DAY HE RETURNED TO THE TEMPLE AND CREATED A HOLY HAVOC AMONG THE MONEY CHANGERS AND ANIMAL SELLERS. HE SENT THEIR WARES FLYING AND FORBADE ANYONE FROM CARRYING ANYTHING THROUGH THE TEMPLE (THE MISHNAH FORBADE THE IRREVERENT  USE OF THE TEMPLE AS A SHORTCUT, 11:16 HIS AUDIENCE WAS LEFT WITHOUT AN EXPLANATION. IS IT NOT WRITTEN," 'MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL THE NATIONS?  (ISAIAH 56:7:11). BUT YOU HAVE MADE IT A DEN OF ROBBERS.

MARK'S GOSPEL PART II

 MARK 1:1-13 DEALS WITH PREPARATION FOR JESUS MINISTRY. THE LONG SECTION THAT FOLLOWS (V1:14-8:26) DESCRIBES JESUS' ACTUAL MINISTRY IN AND AROUND GALILEE. HE FULFILLED THE ISAIANIC SIGNS, DEMONSTRATED HIS POWER OVER NATURE, PUT THE DEMONIC WORLD IN ITS PLACE AND RAISED THE DEAD. DURING THIS MINISTRY JESUS MADE NO CLAIMS IN WORDS ABOUT WHO HE WAS. HE PROCLAIMED THAT THE KINGDOM OF GOD HAD COME, PERFORMED MIRACLES, DEMONSTRATED BY PERSONAL EXAMPLE THE NATURE OF LIFE IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD, AND TAUGHT-BUT HE LEFT IT TO HIS AUDIENCE TO WORK OUT WHO HE WAS. STRANGELY ENOUGH, THOUGH THE DEMONS RECOGNIZED HIM, EVERY ONE ELSE REMAINED STRANGELY SILENT. DURING THIS PERIOD, JESUS DID NOT REFER TO HIS APPROACHING PASSION AND CRUCIFIXION. HE HAD REASONS FOR THIS. NOT ONLY DID HE WANT TO DEMONSTRATE THAT HE WAS THE MESSIAH, BUT HE ALSO WANTED TO CLARIFY WHAT KIND OF MESSIAH HE HAD COME TO BE, NAMELY A "SERVANT MESSIAH."  AT THIS TIME (PART ONE OF MARK) OF JESUS MINISTRY WAS DEVOTED TO TEACHING, AND DOING ISAINIC SIGNS, AND DEMONSTRATING HIS POWER AND AUTHORITY OVER NATURE. THEN JESUS ASKED HIS DISCIPLES WHO THEY THOUGHT HE WAS. THOUGH THEY HAD CONCLUDED THAT HE WAS THE MESSIAH, THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT KIND OF A MESSIAH HE HAD COME TO BE. JESUS PREDICTED HIS APPROACHING PASSION THREE TIMES; EACH PREDICTION  FOLLOWED AN IMPORTANT EVENT IN HIS LIFE. WHEN HE WAS CRUCIFIED, THE ONLY PERSON WHO SEEMED TO UNDERSTAND WHO HE WAS, A ROMAN CENTURION. WHEN JESUS BEGAN HIS MINISTRY, HE WAS "ISRAEL REDUCED TO ONE.." AS HIS MINISTRY PROGRESSED, THE CROWDS GATHERED AROUND HIM. HOWEVER, WHEN THEY BEGAN TO UNDERSTAND HIS MESSAGE, THEY DESERTED HIM. AT THE CROSS, ONLY ONE PERSON CONFESSED WHO HE WAS. DURING HIS FINAL WEEK IN JERUSALEM, JESUS FOUND HIMSELF LOCKED IN CONTROVERSY WITH THE AUTHORITIES ABOUT PAYING TAXES TO CAESAR, LIFE AFTER DEATH., THE LAW, HIS AUTHORITY AND MESSIAHSHIP ( MARK 12:13-37). SOMETHING REMARKABLE FOLLOWED. JESUS FOR THE FIRST TIME SPOKE ABOUT HIS EXPECTED PASSION, DEATH, RESURRECTION. HIS COMMENTS AMOUNTED TO THIS: " YOU HAVE ANSWERED CORRECTLY. I AM THE MESSIAH. TO BE MESSIAH MEANS I MUST SUFFER MANY THINGS AT THE HANDS OF THE ELDERS, CHIEF PRIEST, AND SCRIBES. THEY WILL PUT ME TO DEATH. BUT AFTER THREE DAYS I SHALL RISE FROM THE GRAVE.

OBSERVATIONS MARK'S GOSPEL. PART I"

JESUS CLAIMED FOR HIMSELF THE RIGHT TO FORGIVE SINS,2:1-12. HIS CLAIM INCENSED THE SCRIBES, WHO INSISTED ONLY GOD COULD FORGIVE SINS,2:7. THEY WERE CORRECT, BUT IN THEIR BLINDNESS COULD NOT SEE WHO STOOD BEFORE THEM. JESUS NEVER DID ANYTHING TO BENEFIT HIMSELF. HE CONSISTENTLY REFUSED TO USE HIS DIVINE POWER TO PERFORM A MIRACLE TO SERVE HIS OWN PERSONAL NEEDS. EVEN WHEN HE WAS HUNGRY, HE CHOSE TO REMAIN HUNGRY  RATHER THEN CHANGE STONES INTO BREAD, MATTHEW 4:4. JESUS WAS ALWAYS THE "SERVANT";  HE SOUGHT ONLY TO PLACE HIMSELF AND HIS POWERS AT THE SERVICE OF HUMANITY. AS JESUS MOVED AMONG PEOPLE, HE DEMONSTRATED REMARKABLE COMPASSION. FOR EXAMPLE, BEFORE HEALING A LEPER, HE REACHED OUT AND TOUCHED HIM, 1:40-45. THE PHARISEES   ON OCCASION THREW ROCKS AT LEPERS AND SAID THEIR SUFFERING  WAS THE RESULT OF SOME SIN THEY HAD COMMITTED. FURTHERMORE, JESUS SOUGHT THE COMPANY OF SINNERS, TAX COLLECTORS,"  AND THE LIKE, 2:15-17. HIS ACTIONS UPSET THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES FOR THEY FELT THAT IF HE REALLY WAS THE MESSIAH, HE WOULD SEEK OUT THE "RIGHTEOUS" (NAMELY THEMSELVES). JESUS CONCERN FOR THE GENTILES WOULD ALSO HAVE BEEN REPUGNANT TO  MANY IN ISRAEL WHO BELIEVED THAT WHEN FINALLY THE MESSIANIC AGE  CAME THE GENTILES WOULD BE DESTROYED OR AT BEST MADE SLAVES OF THE JEWS; 7: 24-30 JESUS REPEATEDLY  IGNORED TRADITIONAL ATTITUDES CONCERNING THE OBSERVANCE OF THE SABBATH., WHAT MATTERED TO JESUS WAS THE WELL BEING OF HIS PEOPLE, NOT THE KEEPING OF RITUALS AND TRADITIONS. THIS WAS BOUND TO BRING HIM INTO HEADLONG CONFRONTATION WITH THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES, FOR HIS ACTIONS CALLED INTO QUESTION THE VALIDITY OF THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE LAW. ALL BUT ONE OF JESUS MIRACLES (AS REPORTED IN MARK)  ARE DONE IN AND AROUND GALILEE; HE HEALS BLIND BARTIMAEUS NEAR JERICHO 10:46-52. HE PERFORMS NO MIRACLES IN OR NEAR JERUSALEM, THE "CITY OF OPPOSITION."  WHEN JESUS WAS RECOGNIZED, HE WARNED THE PERSON OR SPIRIT WHO HAD RECOGNIZED HIM
 TO SAY NOTHING ABOUT THE MATTER,1:33,44; 5:43;9:9. WHY? FIRST JESUS WANTED TO MAKE CLEAR THAT THE MESSIANIC AGE HAD COME AND THAT HE INDEED WAS THE MESSIAH. SECOND, HE WANTED TO MAKE IT CLEAR WHAT KIND OF A MESSIAH
HE HAD COME TO BE. THE COMMUNITY CONTAINED MANY BURNING WITH DESIRE TO BE RID OF THE ROMANS AND TO GAIN POLITICAL INDEPENDENCE. JESUS NEEDED TIME TO DEMONSTRATE THAT HE WAS NOT THE KIND OF MESSIAH WHO WOULD FIT THAT KIND OF EXPECTATION. HE HAD NOT COME TO BE A POLITICAL DELIVER. IN MARK 8:27--30. JESUS PUTS TWO QUESTIONS TO HIS DISCIPLES. THE FIRST IS: "WHO DO MEN SAY THAT I AM?!  THE SECOND IS:WHO DO YOU SAY THAT  I AM?"  THOUGH HE DID NOT PREVIOUSLY PUT THESE QUESTIONS TO ANYONE. HE WAS RECOGNIZED PRIOR TO THAT TIME--BY THE DEMONS! (1:24; 1:34; 3:11; 5:7). THROUGHOUT THE FIRST HALF OF MARK'S ACCOUNT, JESUS DISCOURAGES PEOPLE AND EVIL SPIRITS ALIKE FROM DECLARING WHO HE IS.  THOUGH HE WANTED PEOPLE TO COME TO FAITH IN HIM AS THE MESSIAH, HE WANTED THEM TO SEE CLEARLY WHAT KIND OF MESSIAH HE HAD COME TO BE. WHEN REPRESENTATIVES OF THE AUTHORITIES IN JERUSALEM, " THE CITY OF OPPOSITION, "  CAME NORTH TO WHERE HE WAS WORKING, USUALLY THEY CAME TO CHALLENGE AND OPPOSE HIM. JESUS LIFE WAS ALWAYS THAT OF A SERVANT. HE DEMONSTRATED GREAT COMPASSION TO THOSE HE CAME IN CONTACT. AT THE SAME TIME, HE CONSISTENTLY REFUSED TO USE HIS POWER TO BENEFIT HIMSELF IN ANY WAY. THE PEOPLE, THE AUTHORITIES AND HIS DISCIPLES FOUND IT DIFFICULT TO RELATE HIS LIFESTYLE TO TRADITIONAL EXPECTATIONS ABOUT WHAT THE MESSIAH WOULD BE LIKE AND WHAT HE WOULD ACCOMPLISH. THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST.MARK CONTAINS NO INFANCY NARRATIVE. IT BEGINS WITH A REPORT OF HOW JESUS WENT FROM NAZARETH IN GALILEE TO WHERE JOHN WAS WORKING TO BE BAPTIZED BY HIM. AT HIS BAPTISM HE WAS ANOINTED INTO THE MESSIANIC OFFICE. HIS TITLES WERE ANNOUNCED, AND THE NATURE OF HIS MISSION WAS DEFINED. AFTER HIS BAPTISM HE RETURNED TO GALILEE. JESUS MINISTRY TOOK PLACE IN AND AROUND GALILEE. HE LEFT IT TO MAKE JOURNEYS TOWARDS TYRE AND SIDON, INTO THE DECAPOLIS  AND TO THE REGION OF CAESAREA PHILIPPI, AND THE HEADED SOUTH FOR HIS FIRST AND FINAL VISIT TO JERUSALEM. MARK GIVES THE IMPRESSION THAT JESUS MINISTRY WAS SHORT; HE MENTIONS JESUS ATTENDANCE AT ONLY ONE PASSOVER OBSERVANCE.
THOUGH JESUS TAUGHT EXTENSIVELY DURING HIS MINISTRY, MARK REPORTS ONLY A LIMITED AMOUNT OF WHAT JESUS ACTUALLY SAID. HE CONCENTRATES MORE ON JESUS ACTIONS, IN PARTICULAR HIS MIRACLES. THESE CAN BE CLASSIFIED AS FOLLOWS. 1.) THE ISAIANIC SIGNS
                     2..) MIRACLES OVER NATURE.
                     3.) MIRACLES OVER THE REALM OF THE DEMONIC.
                     4.)MIRACLES OVER DEATH. 

MESSIANIC MINISTRY.

 WHEN JOHN THE BAPTIST WAS ARRESTED, JESUS GOES INTO GALILEE WHERE HE PROCLAIMS: THE TIME IS FULFILLED AND THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND; REPENT, BELIEVE IN THE GOSPEL,"1:15.  WITH THIS JESUS MESSIANIC MINISTRY GETS UNDERWAY. WHAT HAPPENS?  THE TRUE ISRAEL BEGINS TO GATHER ABOUT HIMSELF A NEW PEOPLE. HE CONFRONTS PETER AND ANDREW, JAMES AND JOHN AND SAYS "FOLLOW ME!" 1:17. THEY FOLLOW. THERE IS NO TESTS TO ASCERTAIN WHETHER THEY ARE WORTHY OF BEING IN JESUS COMPANY. NO STUDY IS MADE OF THEIR FAMILY BACKGROUND TO CHECK OUT THEIR PEDIGREE. THERE IS ONLY AN URGENT SUMMONS. 2:13,14. A LITTLE LATER, THE TWELVE ARE ST ASIDE AS THE NUCLEUS OF THE NEW ISRAEL THAT IS BEING FORMED 3:13-18. THE MESSIANIC MINISTRY IS INDEED GETTING UNDERWAY. WHAT FORM DID THE MESSIANIC MINISTRY TAKE?  1:14-8:30 OUTLINES THE BULK OF JESUS MINISTRY, HOWEVER, IT IS ONLY TOWARD THE CLOSE OF THIS MAJOR SECTION OF JESUS MINISTRY. THAT HE PUTS TWO CRUCIAL QUESTIONS. THE FIRST IS:" WHO DO MEN SAY THAT I AM?" THOUGH JESUS DOE NOT ASKS THIS QUESTION IN WORDS PRIOR TO THIS OCCASION, NEVERTHELESS HE POSES THIS QUESTION TO HIS WATCHING AUDIENCE AND TO HIS DISCIPLES CONTINUALLY THROUGH HIS ACTIONS!  THE WHOLE POINT OF HIS EARLY MESSIANIC MINISTRY TO MAKE PEOPLE TO THINK ABOUT WHO HE IS, WHAT HE IS DOING, AND WHY HE IS DOING IT. THROUGHOUT 1:14-8:30 MARK DEVOTES MUCH ATTENTION TO JESUS MIRACLES. TRUE, MARK FREQUENTLY DESCRIBES JESUS AS "TEACHING." HE RECORDS TEN INSTANCES WHERE JESUS IS ADDRESSED AS "TEACHER."  HE SAYS JESUS HEARERS  ARE ASTONISHED AT HIS TEACHING. DESPITE ALL THIS, MARK TELLS US LITTLE ABOUT WHAT JESUS ACTUALLY TAUGHT. HE RECORDS ONLY TWO EXTENDED PARABLES, EVEN THOUGH HE SAYS JESUS WAS ACCUSTOMED TO USE THIS FORM OF TEACHING, 4:2, 12:1. IF MARK PLACES SO MUCH EMPHASIS ON JESUS MIRACLES, ONE MUST ASK: "WHAT WAS THE INTENDED MESSAGE. JESUS  STATED ON ONE OCCASION THAT OTHERS IN PALESTINE, APART FROM HIM, WERE ABLE TO CAST OUT DEMONS, MATTHEW 12:27: IT WAS BELIEVED THAT A PERSON COULD PERFORM MIRACLES NOT ONLY IN THE POWER OF GOD., BUT ALSO IN THE POWER OF SATAN, MARK 3:22. THE MIRACLES JESUS DID WERE DESIGNED TO SPEAK A POWERFUL MESSAGE ABOUT WHO HE WAS, AND WHAT AGE HAD BROKEN IN WITH HIS MINISTRY. WHAT FORM DID THE MESSIANIC MINISTRY TAKE? MARK 1: 14-8:30. OUTLINES THE BULK OF JESUS MINISTRY. HOWEVER, IT IS ONLY TOWARD THE CLOSE OF THIS MAJOR SECTION OF JESUS MINISTRY THAT HE PUTS TWO CRUCIAL QUESTIONS TO HIS DISCIPLES. THE FIRST IS:" WHO DO MEN SAY THAT I AM?"  " WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM? THOUGH JESUS DOES NOT ASK IN WORDS PRIOR TO THIS OCCASION, NEVERTHELESS HE POSES QUESTION THIS QUESTION TO HIS WATCHING AUDIENCE AND HIS DISCIPLES CONTINUALLY THROUGH HIS ACTIONS!  THE WHOLE POINT OF HIS EARLY MESSIANIC MINISTRY IS TO MAKE PEOPLE THINK ABOUT WHO HE IS, WHAT HE IS DOING, AND WHY HE IS DOING IT.  THROUGHOUT 1:14-8:30, MARK DEVOTES MUCH ATTENTION TO JESUS MIRACLES. TRUE, MARK FREQUENTLY DESCRIBES JESUS AS "TEACHING."  HE RECORDS TEN INSTANCES WHERE JESUS IS ADDRESSED AS "TEACHER." HE SAYS THAT JESUS HEARERS ARE ASTONISHED AT HIS TEACHING. DESPITE ALL THIS, MARK TELLS US LITTLE ABOUT WHAT JESUS ACTUALLY TAUGHT. HE RECORDS ONLY TWO EXTENDED PARABLES, EVEN THOUGH HE SAYS THAT JESUS WAS ACCUSTOMED  TO USE THIS FORM OF TEACHING, 4:2, 12 :1.  IF MARK PLACES SO MUCH EMPHASIS ON JESUS MIRACLES, ONE MUST ASK: " WHAT WAS THE INTENDED MESSAGE OF THOSE MIRACLES?!  JESUS STATED ON ONE OCCASION THAT OTHERS IN PALESTINE, APART FROM HIM, WERE ABLE TO CAST OUT DEMONS., MATTHEW 12: 27.  IT WAS BELIEVED THAT A PERSON COULD PERFORM MIRACLES NOT ONLY IN THE POWER OF GOD BUT ALSO IN THE POWER OF SATAN, MARK 3:22. THE MIRACLES DID WERE DESIGNED TO SPEAK A POWERFUL MESSAGE ABOUT WHO HE WAS, AND WHAT AGE HAD BROKEN IN WITH HIS MINISTRY. THESE MIRACLES CAN BE DIVIDED INTO FOUR GROUPS. THE ISAIANIC SIGNS, THIS TERM "ISAINIC"  IS DERIVED FROM THE NAME "ISAIAH."   
 JOHN THE BAPTIST IS IN PRISON. HIS LIFE IS IN DANGER. HE SENDS SOME OF HIS FOLLOWERS TO  JESUS TO ASK IF HE REALLY IS THE ONE THEY HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR. JESUS DOES NOT WITH A VERBAL "YES ". INSTEAD HE POINTS TO THE THINGS HE HAS BEEN DOING. JESUS ACTIONS REVEAL WHO HE IS!
 IN MATTHEW 11:5 JESUS SAYS, " THE BLIND RECEIVE THEIR SIGHT AND THE LAME WALK, LEPERS ARE CLEANSED AND THE DEAF HEAR, AND THE DEAD ARE RAISED UP, AND THE POOR HAVE THE GOOD NEWS  PREACHED TO THEM." HUNDREDS OF YEARS BEFORE, THE PROPHET ISAIAH WROTE, "THEN (WHEN THE MESSIANIC AGE
FINALLY COMES) THE EYES OF THE BLIND SHALL BE OPENED AND THE EARS OF THE DEAF UNSTOPPED: THEN SHALL THE LAME MAN LEAP LIKE A HART, AND THE TONGUE OF THE DUMB SING FOR JOY," ISAIAH 35:5,6; NOTE ALSO ISAIAH 42:7 AND 61:1. THE JEWS BELIEVED THAT WHEN THE MESSIANIC AGE BROKE IN, THE "SIGNS" ISAIAH HAD REFERRED TO WOULD BE DONE---EVIDENCE THAT THE MESSIANIC AGE FINALLY CAME.  THEREFORE, THOUGH THE MIRACLES JESUS DID FOR THE BLIND, DEAF, DUMB, AND THE LAME WERE STUPENDOUS AND ASTONISHING, THEY WERE PRIMARILY INDICATIONS THAT THE HOPES ISRAEL HAD LONG CHERISHED WERE BEING FULFILLED. THAT SAID VOLUMES ABOUT WHO JESUS WAS. JESUS ACTIONS NEEDED TO BE READ WITH GREAT CARE.TOWARDS THE CLOSE OF HIS MINISTRY, JESUS QUESTIONED THE DISCIPLES ABOUT HOW THEY HAD READ THOSE ACTIONS, MARK 8: 27-30.






 

MESSIANIC MINISTRY.

 THE WORDS  OF ISAIAH 40:3 (MARK 1:3) ARE FOUND IN ALL FOUR GOSPELS AND DEFINE THE SIGNIFICANCE  OF JESUS APPROACHING MINISTRY. ISAIAH FIRST SPOKE THESE WORDS TO THE EXILES IN BABYLON. HE ASSURED THEM THAT WAS  ABOUT TO RESCUE THEM FROM CAPTIVITY  AND LEAD THEM BACK TO THEIR HOMELAND!
 THEIR MESSAGE IN THE GOSPELS IS: GOD IS ABOUT TO CARRY OUT THE GREAT AND FINAL RESCUE OF HIS PEOPLE. THEY ARE BEING HELD CAPTIVE, NOT TO EGYPT, ASSYRIA OR BABYLON, BUT TO THE POWER OF SIN, SATAN AND DEATH. THEY ARE CAPTIVE TO THEIR TRADITIONS AND RITUALS, AND TO THEIR OBSESSIONS WITH THE DESCENT FROM ABRAHAM AND FAMILY GENEALOGIES. JESUS IS COMING TO FREE THEM FROM THESE BONDS, AND TO LEAD THEM INTO LIBERTY OF TRUE SONSHIP WITH GOD. AS MALACHI OF OLD PREDICTED (3:1, 4:5), ONE HAD BEEN SENT TO PREPARE THE WAY FOR THE MESSIAH. JOHN THE BAPTIST HAD CARRIED OUT HIS MISSION IN THE WILDERNESS, THE PLACE OF EXPECTATIONS, NEW BEGINNINGS, THE PLACE GOD TOOK HIS PEOPLE TO RENEW THEM. AND DRAW THEM CLOSER TO HIMSELF.  APPARENTLY, CONSIDERABLE  NUMBERS WENT OUT INTO THE WILDERNESS TO HEAR JOHN AND BE BAPTIZED BY HIM. THAT JEWS SHOULD HAVE SUBMITTED TO HIS BAPTISM IS REMARKABLE, FOR TRADITIONALLY ONLY GENTILES WERE BAPTIZED WHEN THEY CONVERTED TO JUDAISM. AS THE OLA SON OF GOD PASSED THROUGH THE WATERS OF THE RED SEA AND THE JORDAN, SO THE NEW SON OF GOD MUST PASS THROUGH WATER, THE WATER OF JOHN'S BAPTISM. HE WOULD LEAD HIS PEOPLE INTO THE INHERITANCE OF AN ETERNAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FATHER. WHEN JESUS WAS COMING UP OUT OF THE WATER AFTER HIS BAPTISM, " HE SAW THE HEAVENS OPENED AND THE SPIRIT DESCENDING UPON HIM LIKE A DOVE," 1:1O. CENTURIES BEFORE, THE PROPHET HAD CRIED OUT, " O THAT THOU WOULDEST REND THE HEAVENS ASUNDER AND COME DOWN," ISAIAH 64:1. AT JESUS BAPTISM THE HEAVENS WERE INDEED RENT, AND THE SPIRIT HIMSELF CAME DOWN IN A FORM THAT RESEMBLED A DOVE. AND HOVERED OVER THE HEAD OF JESUS. THE RABBIS (TEACHERS) SPOKE OF A DOVE AS A SYMBOL OF THE NATION OF ISRAEL. AT JESUS BAPTISM, THE SPIRIT IN THE FORM OF A DOVE HOVERED OVER THE HEAD OF THE NEW "SON OF GOD," THE TRUE ISRAEL. HE WAS TO LEAD A LIFE DIRECTED ENTIRELY BY THE HOLY SPIRIT. AT HIS BAPTISM JESUS WAS ANOINTED BY THE VOICE FROM HEAVEN: " THOU ART MY BELOVED SON: WE THEE I AM WELL PLEASED. THIS STATEMENT SPEAKS VOLUMES. "THOU ART MY BELOVED SON," REFLECTS PSALM 2:7. THIS PSALM WAS USED IN ANCIENT ISRAEL AT THE CORONATION OF A KING FROM THE LINE OF DAVID. THE VOICE AT JESUS BAPTISM DECLARED THAT GOD HAD KEPT HIS PROMISE AND HAD NOT LET THE LINE O DAVID TO DIE OUT.
 JESUS WAS INDEED, THE LONG AWAITED  DESCENDANT OF DAVID, THE LONG--EXPECTED MESSIANIC KING WHO HAD COME TO RULE GOD'S PEOPLE THAT THEY MIGHT FIND THE ULTIMATE BLESSEDNESS WHICH HAD BEEN THE FOCUS OF ALL THEIR HOPES. THE DIRECTION THE LIFE OF THIS MESSIANIC KING WOULD TAKE WOULD BE DIFFERENT FROM WHAT MANY WERE EXPECTING. " WITH THEE I AM WELL PLEASED" IS A QUOTATION FROM ONE OF ISAIAH'S SERVANT SONGS (42:1-4; NOTE V. 1).  AS MESSIANIC KING JESUS WOULD BE THE SERVANT.. HE WOULD BE DESPISED, REJECTED, AND HIS PEOPLE WOULD DO THEIR VERY WORST TO HIM.
 THEY WOULD CRUCIFY HIM! HOWEVER, THROUGH HIS DEATH HE WOULD LAVISH ON THEM THE OFFER OF A COMPLETE, PERFECT AND ETERNAL PARDON,  AND DRAW
 THEM INTO A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIMSELF, WHICH THEY WOULD HAVE LIFE, NOW AND FOREVER. AFTER JESUS WAS ANOINTED INTO OFFICE AS THE LONG AWAITED KING, AND THE NATURE OF HIS KINGSHIP DEFINED., HE WAS LED BY THE SPIRIT INTO THE WILDERNESS. OLD ISRAEL HAD BEEN TAKEN INTO A WILDERNESS AFTER PASSING THROUGH WATER. SHE HAD BEEN TAKEN THERE TO BE TESTED AND TRIED, AND HAD DONE LITTLE ELSE BUT SIN.  THE RECORD OF HER "FORTY YEARS" IN THE WILDERNESS IS A MISERABLE ONE. THE NEW ISRAEL, THE NEW SON OF GOD, WAS LED BY THE SPIRIT INTO THE WILDERNESS, TO BE TESTED AND TRIED BY SATAN FOR "FORTY DAYS."  THERE JESUS PUT AN END TO SATAN'S RUN OF SUCCESSES WITH THE HUMAN RACE--HE DID NOT YIELD TO HIM. IN CHRIST, SATAN DID NOT MEET HIS MATCH, HE MET HIS CONQUEROR!
 MARK STATES IN 1;3b, " JESUS WAS WITH THE WILD BEASTS, AND THE ANGELS MINISTERED TO HIM". SOME SEE IN THIS VERSE A REFERENCE TO THE ARRIVAL OF THE MESSIANIC AGE IN TERMS OF " PARADISE RESTORED," ISAIAH 11:6-9; 65:25; HOSEA 2:18. SOME SEE IN IT A REFERENCE TO THE NEW ADAM REGAINING CONTROL OVER THE REALM OF NATURE ON A COSMIC SCALE. OTHERS SEE IN THIS VERSE A SUBTLE SUGGESTION THAT JESUS REMAINED "IN THE WILDERNESS OF TEMPTATION," LOCKED IN COMBAT WITH SATAN THROUGHOUT HIS MINISTRY. MATTHEW 4:11 AND LUKE 4:13; SOME SAY THAT SATAN LEFT JESUS AFTER THE TEMPTATION. THAT COMMENT IS NOT MADE IN MARK, WHERE THE CONFLICT BETWEEN JESUS AND SATAN CONTINUES TO THE CROSS WHERE THE APPARENT CONQUEROR (SATAN) IS CONQUERED. ( NOTE: THAT THE FIRST MIRACLE JESUS PERFORMS IN MARK AFTER HIS TEMPTATION INVOLVES A STRUGGLE WITH A DEMONIAC.) AFTER JOHN THE BAPTIST IS ARRESTED, JESUS GOES INTO GALILEE WHERE HE PROCLAIMS:" THE TIME IS FULFILLED, AND THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND, REPENT, AND BELIEVE IN THE GOSPEL,"1:15.  WITH THIS, JESUS MESSIANIC MINISTRY GETS UNDER WAY. WHAT HAPPENS? THE TRUE ISRAEL BEGINS TO GATHER ABOUT HIMSELF A NEW PEOPLE. HE CONFRONTS PETER AND ANDREW, JAMES AND JOHN, AND SAYS, "FOLLOW ME! " 1:17. THEY FOLLOW. THERE IS NO TEST TO ASCERTAIN WHETHER THEY ARE WORTHY OF BEING IN JESUS' COMPANY. NO STUDY IS MADE OF THEIR FAMILY BACKGROUND TO CHECK OUT THEIR PEDIGREE. THERE IS ONLY AN URGENT SUMMONS, 2:13,14. A LITTLE LATER, THE TWELVE ARE SET SIDE AS THE NUCLEUS OF THE NEW ISRAEL THAT IS BEING FORMED 3: 13,14.  THE MESSIANIC MINISTRY IS INDEED GETTING UNDER WAY.   

MARK: [ CHRIST THE SERVANT].

 HOW DOES ONE STUDY THE GOSPELS? SHOULD ONE STUDY MATTHEW FIRST IN VIEW OF ITS PLACE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT?  IF A PERSON DOES JUSTICE TO MATTHEW, IS IT NECESSARY TO READ ANY OF THE OTHER GOSPELS/ WHY NOT STUDY ALL FOUR GOSPELS AT THE SAME TIME? WHY NOT USE SCISSORS AND PASTE, AND TRY TO FIT ALL FOUR ACCOUNTS INTO ONE HARMONIOUS WHOLE ? IT IS NOT AS SIMPLE AS THAT. ANY ATTEMPT TO MIX ALL FOUR GOSPELS INTO A SINGLE ACCOUNT GAINS NOTHING AND LOSES MUCH. WHEN TATIAN TRIED TO COMBINE THE GOSPELS, THE EARLY CHURCH SOON REALISED THAT THE INDIVIDUAL INSIGHTS EACH GOSPEL HAS TO OFFER WERE LOST IN THE PROCESS. JESUS PERSON AND MINISTRY ARE LIKE A INCREDIBLY BEAUTIFUL DIAMOND WITH COUNTLESS FACETS TO IT. EACH GOSPEL WRITER CONCENTRATES ON ON PARTICULAR FACETS OF THE ONE DIAMOND. TO JUMBLES THE GOSPELS TOGETHER IS TO BLUR THREE TOTAL PICTURE THAT EMERGES WHEN EACH GOSPEL IS STUDIED IN ITS OWN RIGHT.
 WHEN EACH EVANGELIST WROTE  HIS RESPECTIVE GOSPEL, HIS GOAL WAS NOT TO PRESENT HIS READERS WITH A COMPLETE ACCOUNTS OF EVENTS IN JESUS LIFE.  HE DESCRIBES THE LIFE MINISTRY, MISSION OF JESUS ONLY IN BROAD OUTLINE. WHAT DETAILS HE SELECTS ARE CHOSEN FOR A PURPOSE THAT HIS READERS MAY "BELIEVE" AND HAVE LIFE,"  JOHN 20:30,31.
  TWO FACTS ABOUT MARK'S GOSPEL ARE OF GREAT IMPORTANCE.
 FIRSTLY, IT IS GENERALLY AGREED THAT MARK WAS WRITTEN FIRST. THERE IS ALSO GOOD REASON TO BELIEVE THAT MARK SERVED AS A BASIS FOR THE WRITING OF BOTH MATTHEW, AND LUKE. MARK CONTAINS 661 VERSES. MATTHEW REPRODUCES 606 OF THESE AND LUKE 32O. ONLY 31 OF MARK'S 661 VERSES DO NOT APPEAR IN EITHER MATTHEW OR LUKE. MATTHEW OCCASIONALLY VARIES MARK'S ORDER OF EVENTS WITHIN  HIS GOSPEL; LUKE DOES THE SAME. HOWEVER, MATTHEW AND LUKE TOGETHER NEVER VARY THE ORDER;  ONE OF THEM ALWAYS AGREE WITH MARK'S ORDER OF EVENTS, AND MOST OFTEN BOTH DO. A KNOWLEDGE OF MARK HELPS A PERSON READ MATTHEW AND LUKE MORE INTELLIGENTLY. SECONDLY, DURING THE FIRST HALF OF THE SECOND CENTURY A.D.,  THE BISHOP OF HIERAPOLIS IN SOUTH PHRYGIA WAS A MAN CALLED PAPIAS. PAPIAS TOOK AN INTEREST IN COLLECTING INFORMATION ABOUT THE GOSPELS. HE WROTE ON ONE OCCASION THAT MARK CONTAINS THE MATERIAL THAT PETER USED IN HIS PREACHING.  HE SAID THAT MARK WAS PETER'S INTERPRETER, AND THAT HE WROTE DOWN THE THINGS PETER USE TO SAY ABOUT JESUS. IF WE ACCEPT PAPIAS'S
 STATEMENT AT FACE VALUE, IT WOULD MEAN THAT IN MARK WE HAVE  VIRTUALLY AN EYE-WITNESS ACCOUNT OF JESUS LIFE. IF THIS IS SO, ONE CAN UNDERSTAND WHY MARK QUOTES AN OCCASIONAL WORD OF JESUS IN "ARAMAIC": "TALITHA CUMI,"  5:41; "EPHPHATHA," 7:34; "ABBA,"  14:36. IN THESE VERSES JESUS ORIGINAL WORDS  ECHO DOWN TO US THROUGH PETER'S VIVID MEMORY. WE CAN ALSO UNDERSTAND WHY MARK OFTEN USES A TENSE THAT WE MIGHT CALL A HISTORIC "PRESENT" 151 TIMES IN ORIGINAL GREEK;  IT READS MUCH LIKE THE REPORT OF AN EYE-WITNESS. MARK'S GRAMMAR AND STYLE HAVE BEEN 'IMPROVED" TO PRODUCE A MORE POLISHED  LITERARY PRODUCT. OTHER FEATURES OF MARK STYLE ARE WORTH OF NOTE. MARK IS VERY FOND OF THAT LITTLE WORD "AND."  OFTEN WHEN TELLING A STORY, HE JOINS ITS DETAILS TOGETHER BY ADDING "AND... AND... "AND..."  IN THE GREEK OF CHAPTER THREE, 29 OF 35 VERSES BEGIN WITH "AND."
 MARK IS ALSO FOND OF THE WORD "IMMEDIATELY." HE USES IT 41 TIMES IN HIS GOSPEL . 10 TIMES IN THE FIRST CHAPTER ALONE. HIS USE OF THE WORD CREATES A SENSE OF URGENCY---" THERE IS NO TIME TO WASTE. LISTEN NOW! BELIEVE NOW!
 FOLLOW NOW! MARK'S STORY DOES NOT MARCH ALONG IT GALLOPS ALONG WITH SUCH SPEED THAT THE IMAGINATIVE READER HAS LITTLE TIME TO CATCH HIS BREATH.

FIRST CENTURY JUDAISM

 UNTIL A FEW DECADES AGO, THE POPULAR VIEW WAS THAT, IN JESUS TIME, JUDAISM WITHIN ISRAEL KEPT ITSELF PURE FROM FOREIGN INFLUENCES, BUT JUDAISM OUTSIDE ISRAEL WAS INFLUENCED BY GREEK AND ROMAN CULTURE.  THIS VIEW HAS BEN ABANDONED. ARCHAEOLOGY HAS SHOWN THAT MANY SYNAGOGUES IN ISRAEL HAD GREEK CHARACTERISTICS. THE WRITINGS OF RABBIS REVEAL THOSE WHO LIVED IN THE HOLY LAND HAD A TASTE FOR GREEK CULTURE, IDEAS, TERMS AND METHOD OF INTERPRETATIONS. THERE WAS TRAVEL BETWEEN ISRAEL AND JEWISH CENTERS AROUND THE MEDITERRANEAN WORLD;  FOR EXAMPLE, EACH YEAR EMISSARIES  WERE SENT FROM  JERUSALEM TO THE JEWS OF THE DISPERSION WHO WERE EXPECTED TO PAY THE ANNUAL HALF- SHEKEL TEMPLE TAX. THE RESULT WAS A CERTAIN UNITY OF THOUGHT AMONG JEWS EVERYWHERE, A UNITY THAT WAS EXPRESSED IN THE UBIQUITOUS SYNAGOGUE. THOUGH THE OF JESUS DAY WAS COMPLEX ND CONTAINED A NUMBER OF SECTS AND MOVEMENTS, JUDAISM , EVERYWHERE HAD MUCH IN COMMON. LET'S LOOK AT THE BASIC BELIEFS OF  JUDAISM IN THE TIME OF JESUS. THE GREEK MIND SOUGHT GOD THROUGH REASON, AND EXPLAINED GOD FROM THE WORLD AND ITS LIFE FROM GOD, BELIEVING THAT HE MAKES HIMSELF  KNOWN THROUGH REVELATION. THE EXISTENCE OF GOD POSED PROBLEMS FOR THE HEBREW MIND. GOD EXISTED, AN D WAS LORD OVER ALL CREATION AND LIFE., DEUTERONOMY 6:4. ISRAEL WAS HIS "SON,"  EXODUS 4:21,22. DURING THE POSTEXILIC PERIOD, THE JEWS SOUGHT INCREASINGLY TO PRESERVE THE "OTHERNESS OF GOD. FROM THE THIRD CENTURY B.C. ONWARDS, THE NAME YAHWEH (LORD) WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE READINGS
OF SCRIPTURES, AND THE NAME ADONAI WAS USED INSTEAD. THE GREEK TRANSLATION OF THE OLD TESTAMENT (SEPTUAGINT) TRANSLATED YAHWEH BY KURIOS (LORD. THE TARGUMS (ARAMAIC) TRANSLATIONS OF THE HEBREW TEXT) USED THE WORD MEMRA (WORD). IN THE LITURGY OF THE DAY OF ATONEMENT, THE HIGH PRIEST MUMBLED THE NAME FOR GOD SO THAT NO ONE  COULD UNDERSTAND IT. TO GIVE A PROPER NAME TO GOD WAS TO SUGGEST THAT HE WAS A GOD AMONG GODS. BY NOT USING GOD'S NAME, THE JEWS DECLARED THAT HE IS ABOVE AND BEYOND ANYTHING CREATED. SOME MIGHT ARGUE THAT THIS INSISTENCE ON GOD'S "OTHERNESS"  REMOVED HIM FROM THIS WORLD. JUDAISM ANSWERED BY SAYING THAT ONE COULD EXPERIENCE GOD'S PRESENCE ON EARTH THROUGH HIS "SHEKIAH" OR (DOXA (GLORY). THOUGH THE "SHEKIAH"  GOD MADE HIS PRESENCE AMONG THE PEOPLE THROUGH HIS HOLY SPIRIT WHICH CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS  POSSESSED AND SPOKE TO HIS PEOPLE THROUGH HIS OWN "VOICE" OR "THE DAUGHTER OF A VOICE" MATTHEW 3 :17; 17:5; JOHN 12:28. THE JEWISH ATTITUDE TOWARDS GOD WAS NOT ONE OF FEAR. THOUGH PROVERBS 1:7 SPEAKS OF "THE FEAR OF THE LORD" AS THE BEGINNING  OF WISDOM."  THE TERM "THE FEAR OF THE LORD" IS ROUGHLY THE EQUIVALENT OF "RELIGION"  ISRAEL EMPHASISED  GOD'S LOVE FOR HER AS MUCH AS HER REVERENCE FOR HIM.

JESUS PREDICTS HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION. [MATTHEW 16:21-28]

 "THE WORD MESSIAH" COMES FROM A HEBREW WORD WHICH MEANS TO "ANOINT," AND THEREFORE "THE MESSIAH" IS THE "ANOINTED ONE." AMONG THE JEWS, PEOPLE WERE "ANOINTED" INTO CERTAIN HIGH OFFICES, EXAMPLE PROPHETS (1 KINGS 19:16), PRIESTS (EXOD. 28:41), AND KINGS (1 SAM.16:12,13; Ps. 69:20).  THE WORD "MESSIAH" IS USED ONLY TWICE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT AND ON BOTH OCCASIONS, IT IS TRANSLATED BY THE WORD "CHRIST" (JOHN 1:41; 4:25), "CHRIST" IS THE GREEK WORD FOR THE "ANOINTED ONE.".JUST AS "MESSIAH"  IS THE HEBREW WORD FOR IT. JESUS BEGAN TO SHOW HIS DISCIPLES THAT HE MUST GO TO JERUSALEM, AND SUFFER MANY THINGS. FROM THE ELDERS AND CHIEF PRIESTS AND SCRIBES, AND BE KILLED, AND BE RAISED ON THE THIRD DAY.
THEN PETER TOOK HIM , " ASIDE AND BEGAN TO REBUKE HIM, SAYING, "FAR BE IT FROM YOU, LORD;  THIS SHALL NOT HAPPEN TO YOU. IF WE KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT SAINT PETER, IN HIS TRAVELS WITH JESUS OVER THE THREE YEAR PERIOD, WAS THAT HE PUT HIS FOOT IN HIS MOUTH MANY TIMES OVER. JESUS SAID TO PETER
"GET BEHIND ME SATAN!  JESUS TURNED AND SAID YOU ARE OFFENSE TO ME, FOR YOU ARE NOT MINDFUL OF THE THINGS OF GOD, BUT THE THINGS OF MEN.  BY BLOCKING THE MESSIAH'S APPOINTED WAY, PETER BECOMES AN OBSTACLE TO CHRIST AND BECOMES UNWITTINGLY THE TOOL OF SATAN. THEN JESUS SAYS TO HIS DISCIPLES, " IF ANYONE DESIRES TO COME AFTER ME, LET HIM DENY HIMSELF, AND TAKE UP HIS CROSS AND FOLLOW ME. FOR WHOEVER DESIRES TO SAVE HIS LIFE WILL LOSE IT. ,BUT WHO EVER LOSES HIS LIFE FOR MY SAKE WILL FIND IT.  WE MUST NOW TALK ABOUT THE LEGEND OF CHARLEMAGNE, AND THE INTERESTING STORY OF HIS BURIAL, AND HOW 200 HUNDRED YEARS LATER, WHEN DUG UP, FOUND SITTING ON HIS LAP A BIBLE AND A BONEY FINGER POINTING TO THIS PASSAGE IN MATTHEW 16:26: FOR WHAT PROFITS A MAN IF HE GAINS THE WHOLE WORLD, AND LOSES HIS OWN SOUL? FOR THE SON OF MAN WILL COME IN THE GLORY OF HIS FATHER WITH HIS ANGELS, AND THEN HE WILL REWARD EACH ACCORDING TO HIS WORKS. "BUT WHOEVER WANTS TO KNOW GOD AND HIS WILL CORRECTLY, SHOULD GO THE RIGHT WAY. THE RIGHT WAY IS CHRIST THE LORD, WHEN HE SAYS" NO MAN COMES UNTO THE FATHER BUT BY ME. YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE SON TO GET TO THE FATHER.WHOEVER WANTS TO KNOW THE FATHER AND COME TO HIM, LET HIM COME TO CHRIST FIRST. THAT CHRIST IS THE SON-OF GOD AND THE ALMIGHTY, ETERNAL GOD. YOU MAY ASK JUST WHAT THE SON OF GOD DO? HE BECOMES MAN FOR OUR SAKE, HE BECOMES SUBJECT TO THE LAW, IN ORDER TO REDEEM US FROM THE LAW. HE PERMITS HIMSELF TO BE CRUCIFIED AND DIE ON THE CROSS, IN ORDER TO PAY FOR OUR SINS; AND HE RISES FROM THE DEAD, IN ORDER TO MAKE, BY HIS RESURRECTION AND ENTRANCE INTO ETERNAL LIFE, AND BRING HELP AGAINST ETERNAL DEATH. AND HE SITS AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, IN ORDER TO ADVOCATE FOR US, SENDING THE INTO OUR LIFE THROUGH BAPTISM, THE HOLY SPIRIT, BY WHOM WE MAY BE RULED AND LED AND KEPT AGAINST EVERY TEMPTATION AND SUGGESTION OF THE DEVIL. THAT MEANS TO KNOW CHRIST RIGHTLY. WHEN, THEN, THIS KNOWLEDGE IS GOOD AND FIRM IN YOUR HEART, THEN BEGIN TO THINK OF HEAVEN AND TRY TO SOUGHT IT OUT. IT IS NOT HIS WILL THAT WE SHOULD BE LOST, BECAUSE HE USES ALL OF HIS SUPREME MEANS TO HELP US TO LIFE. IN THIS WAY WE MAY COME TO GOD IN THE RIGHT MANNER, AS CHRIST HIMSELF PREACHES; IN JOHN 3;16: "FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE."  JUST HOLD THESE THOUGHTS IN THE TIME THE DEVIL TRY'S TO PLANT OTHER THOUGHTS WHEN TRYING TO DRAW US AWAY, IN TIMES OF WEAKNESS, AND DISTRESS, WHERE WE FEEL SEPARATED FROM GOD, THINKING THAT WE CAN EXPECT NOTHING GOOD FROM GOD. WE MUST FIRST LEARN TO KNOW CHRIST THE LORD FIRST, AND THEN ALL DEVILISH THOUGHTS TURN OUT TO BE BLASPHEMIES. FOR THAT REASON GOD HAS THE GOSPEL PREACHED SO GENERALLY AND PUBLICLY THAT EVERYONE SHOULD HEAR, BELIEVE, AND ACCEPT IT AND THUS BE SAVED. BUT SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T GO LIKE THAT?  AS THE GOSPEL TELLS US: " MANY ARE CALLED, BUT FEW
ARE CHOSEN, THAT IS FEW ACCEPT THE ATTITUDE TOWARD THE GOSPEL THAT TELLS THEM THAT GOD LOVES THEM. SO SOME HEAR IT AND PAY NO ATTENTION.
SOME HEAR IT AND DO NOT CLING FIRMLY TO IT, AND ALSO DO NOT WANT TO SACRIFICE OR SUFFER FOR IT; SOME HEAR IT BUT PREFER MONEY AND GOODS AND WORLDLY LUSTS. BUT THAT IS NOT PLEASING TO GOD, AND HE DOES NOT WANT SUCH PEOPLE THAT IS WHAT CHRIST CALLS  "NOT BEING CHOSEN,"  THAT,IS, NOT TO BEHAVE SO THAT GOD CAN BE WELL PLEASED WITH THEM. BUT THOSE ARE THE CHOSEN PEOPLE AND WELL PLEASING TO GOD, THAT HEAR THE GOSPEL DILIGENTLY, BELIEVE IN CHRIST, MANIFEST THEIR FAITH IN GOOD WORKS, AND SUFFER ON THAT ACCOUNT WHAT THEY MUST SUFFER. AT TIMES OF THE TEMPTATIONS THAT FLOOD US, IN THE WAYS OF THE DEVIL, AND HIS SUGGESTIONS, AND PRAY FOR PROTECTION, PATIENCE, AND  AND ASSISTANCE AND THINGS WILL GO WELL. LISTEN TO GOD'S COMMAND: THOU SHALL HEAR THE WORD OF GOD AND BELIEVE IN CHRIST, THAT HE HIS OUR SAVIOR AND HAS PAID FOR OUR SINS. REMEMBER THIS COMMAND, TO FOLLOW IT. IF YOU FIND YOURSELF WITHOUT FAITH, OR WEAK, PRAY GOD FOR HIS HOLY SPIRIT AND DO NOT DOUBT THAT CHRIST IS THE SAVIOR AND YOU SHALL BE SAVED THROUGH HIM. TODAY'S GOSPEL READING REMINDS US THAT LIFE IN CHRIST, RATHER THAN SIMPLY COMFORTING US OR EXCUSING US FROM THE PAIN OF THIS WORLD, STRENGTHENS US TO FACE WHAT WE FEAR MOST: SUFFERING AND DEATH. JESUS DOES NOT TURN FROM PAIN AND LOSS; INDEED HE OFFERS STRENGTH AND HOPE TO HIS PEOPLE. GOD'S ADOPTION OF US IN THE WATERS OF BAPTISM AND OUR COMMUNION IN CHRIST'S BODY AND BLOOD- SIGN S OF HEALING AND COMMUNITY---STRENGTHEN US TO OFFER OURSELVES AS SERVANTS TO A WEARY AND FRIGHTEN WORLD. JESUS SET HIS FACE TOWARDS JERUSALEM. HE PUT HIS BEST FOOT FORWARD, MOVING CONFIDENTLY INTO SERVANT HOOD. ALL ALONG THE WAY THE DISCIPLES HAD BEEN SAYING SENSIBLE THINGS LIKE SEND THE CROWDS AWAY. LET THEM GET THEIR OWN FOOD. ASSOCIATE WITH YOUR OWN KIND. TAKE CARE OF YOUR SELF'S FIRST. THE DISCIPLES WERE INTERESTED IN THE SAFEST ROUTE,  BENT ON SELF-- PRESERVATION. THE DISCIPLES WERE GOOD WITH SURVIVAL SKILLS, BUT JESUS WAS GOOD WITH GOSPEL SKILLS. THE GOOD NEWS OF GOD'S REIGN IN LOVE WOULD ENLARGE THEIR LIVES BEYOND SURVIVAL SKILLS.

THE BEGINNING OF THE END! (PROPHECY) (MARK 13:1-8). (PSALM 22).

INTRO: THE PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE BEFORE US TODAY IS KNOWN AS THE OLIVET DISCOURSE, WHICH TOOK PLACE ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES. THIS SERMON, WHICH WAS DELIVERED BY JESUS., IS ALSO RECORDED IN MATT. 24-25 AND IN LUKE 21. IN THE END OF THE WORLD SERMON JESUS TALKS ABOUT THE END OF TIME AND THE EVENTS WHICH SURROUND THE END OF THE WORLD " WHAT I SAY TO YOU DISCIPLES"
 AND TO US "WATCH!" THIS PROPHECY TOOK PLACE ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES. THIS PASSAGE IS ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT TO INTERPRET IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. BECAUSE OF THIS FACT, MOST, VARIOUS FALSE TEACHINGS ABOUT THE END TIMES, THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST, AND EVEN ABOUT SALVATION HAVE ARISEN. WE WANT TO TAKE OUR TIME AS WE MOVE THROUGH THESE VERSES. WE WANT TO GET A CORRECT UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE LORD JESUS IS TRYING TO TEACH US.
 FIRST, THIS PASSAGE NEVER MENTIONS THE CHURCH OR THE RAPTURE. WHY? IT DOESN'T MENTION THESE THINGS BECAUSE THIS PASSAGE. IT DOESN'T MENTION THESE THINGS BECAUSE THIS PASSAGE WAS NOT WRITTEN TO THE CHURCH, IT WAS WRITTEN TO THE NATION OF ISRAEL. THIS IS PRIMARILY A JEWISH PROPHECY. STILL, THERE ARE MANY TRUTHS WE CAN GLEAN FROM THESE VERSES. SECOND, HIS PROPHECY COVERS A TREMENDOUS EXPANSE OF TIME. OVER 3,OOO YEARS OF HUMAN HISTORY ARE IN VIEW HERE.THESE VERSES CONTAIN PROPHECIES THAT HAVE BEEN PARTIALLY FULFILLED AND THAT WILL BE COMPLETELY. IN THE FUTURE, WHEN CHRIST RETURNS. SO, WE WILL BE LOOKING BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS AT THE SAME TIME.
THIRD, AS WITH ANY PROPHETIC PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE THAT NO ONE HAS ALL THE ANSWERS. NO BIBLE SCHOLAR HAS EVER BEEN ABLE TO  SOLVE ALL THE THEOLOGICAL RIDDLES HIDDEN WITHIN THE "OLIVET DISCOURSE,"  THUS WE MUST APPROACH THESE GREAT VERSES WITH A HUMBLE HEART. KNOWING NONE OF US KNOWS IT ALL. ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES WITH THOSE THOUGHTS IN MIND, LET'S LISTEN IN  ON THIS CONVERSATION BETWEEN JESUS AND HIS DISCIPLES, AS HE TEACHES THEM ABOUT THE EVENTS THAT WILL CHARACTERIZE  THE END OF TIME. I TRUST WHAT THE LORD SAYS HERE WILL BE A CHALLENGE AND AN HELP TO US AS WE STUDY THIS TEXT TOGETHER.LET'S LOOK.  I WANT YOU TO SEE A STRANGE PREDICTION; A STARTLING PANORAMA AND A SOBERING PROMISE. LETS LOOK AT THESE TRUTHS AND THINK ABOUT " "THE BEGINNING OF THE END." V1-2 "A STRANGE PREDICTION." ETHE TEMPLE AND ITS DESIGN. NOW JESUS IS LEAVING THE TEMPLE. FOR THE LAST TWO CHAPTERS WE HAVE SEEN JESUS AND HIS ENCOUNTERS WITH THE RELIGIOUS JEWS. IT HAS BEEN A TENSE TIME TO JESUS AND HIS DISCIPLES. SURELY THEY ARE BAFFLED BY THE LORD'S WORDS AND BEHAVIOR  IN THE TEMPLE. THEY PROBABLY THOUGHT THAT JESUS  WOULD TRY TO WIN FAVOR OF THE JEWS AND THE JEWISH LEADERS. INSTEAD, JESUS DID EVERYTHING IN HIS POWER TO EXPOSE THEM AS RELIGIOUS PHONIES. NOW, THEIR TIME IN THE TEMPLE IS OVER AND ONE OF THE DISCIPLES TRIES TO LIGHTEN THE MOOD. AFTER ALL NEGATIVITY THEY HAVE EXPERIENCE, THIS WANTS TO SAY SOMETHING POSITIVE. SO, HE CALL THE LORDS ATTENTION TO THE TEMPLE, ITS CONSTRUCTION AND ITS BEAUTY. NOTE:  SOLOMON SPENT "7" YEARS ON THE TEMPLE, 13 YEARS ON HIS OWN HOUSE!  THE TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM WAS CONSIDERED TO BE AMONG THE MOST SPECTACULAR WONDERS OF THE ANCIENT ROMAN EMPIRE. THE ORIGINAL TEMPLE CONSTRUCTED BY SOLOMON WAS A MAGNIFICENT BUILDING THAT TOOK SEVEN YEARS AND MANY A MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO BUILD..THE TEMPLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED BY NEBUCHADNEZZAR AND THE BABYLONIANS AND THE BABYLONIANS WERE TAKEN INTO EXILE. 6OO BC. LIKE EVERY OTHER JEW, THIS DISCIPLE WAS IMPRESSED BY THE TEMPLE. HE WAS PROUD THAT IT WAS PART OF HIS NATION AND HIS RELIGION. SO, HE CALLS THE LORD'S ATTENTION TO THE BUILDING AND ITS WONDERS. THE RESPONSE OF JESUS IS SOMEWHAT STRANGE. JESUS HEARS  THE EXCLAMATION OF THIS DISCIPLE AND RESPONDS BY TELLING HIM THAT THE TEMPLE HE LOVES SO DEARLY WILL EVENTUALLY BE DISMANTLED AND DESTROYED.  THIS WAS LITERALLY FULFILLED IN 7O A.D. WHEN THE ROMAN GENERAL TITUS AND HIS ARMY CONQUERED THE CITY. TITUS ORDERED THE THE TEMPLE TO BE SPARED,BUT THE BUILDING WAS GUTTERED BY FIRE AND THE CITY TOTALLY DESTROYED. TODAY, THERE IS NOT A SINGLE STONE LEFT FROM THE GREAT TEMPLE HEROD BUILT. THEN, DURING THE MILLENNIAL REIGN OF CHRIST, A FINAL TEMPLE WILL BE BUILT IN JERUSALEM. LET'S LOOK AT THE LORD AND HIS REVELATION. THE DISCIPLES ARE BAFFLED BY WHAT JESUS IS TALKING ABOUT THE DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE AND THEY ARE LOOKING FOR AN EXPLANATION. THESE MEN COME ASKING THE LORD THE SAME QUESTIONS PEOPLE STILL ASK ABOUT THE END TIMES. EVERYONE WANTS TO KNOW "WHEN" IT WILL HAPPEN AND "WHAT" WILL BE THE SIGNS THAT IT IS HERE. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO TO GUARANTEE A GOOD CROWD IN ANY SERVICE IS TO ANNOUNCE THAT YOU WILL PREACH ON THE END TIMES. PEOPLE WILL COME TO HEAR THAT, AND BRING A FRIEND. LETS CONSIDER OUR LORD'S RESPONSE TO THE QUESTION WHAT THE "SIGNS" WILL BE, AS THE END TIME APPROACHES. THE FIRST THING TO NOTE: IS THE POTENTIAL OF DECEPTION. JESUS EVEN WARNED HIS DISCIPLES THEY COULD BE DRAWN AWAY BY THE THINGS THEY MIGHT HEAR OR SEE AND THE POTENTIAL. STILL EXISTS. JESUS SAYS THAT MANY FALSE MESSIAHS, AND WE MUST BE GROUNDED IN WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS AND WHAT WE BELIEVE  [1 PET. 3:15]. WE  NEED TO HAVE OUR DOCTRINE NAILED DOWN IN OUR HEARTS, SO WHEN DECEPTIONS COME, WE CAN STAND FAITHFUL TO OUR LORD. ACTS 5:36-37 MENTIONS TWO WOULD-BE MESSIAHS THAT LIVED BEFORE THE TIME OF JESUS. THERE WAS ONE NAMED "THEUDUS". HE CLAIMED TO BE ABLE TO PART THE JORDAN RIVER. HE DECEIVED  ABOUT 400 PEOPLE AND LED THEM TO THEIR DEATHS. OUR WORLD HAS BEEN MARKED BY WARS, AT THE END TIMES, JESUS SAID THAT WARS AND RUMORS WOULD INCREASE AS THE END TIME APPROACHED. JESUS SAID, " THESE THINGS MUST NEEDS BE." THAT IS GOD IS USING THE TERRIBLE TRAGEDY OF WAR TO SHAPE THE WORLD FOR HIS COMING OF HIS SON. THERE WILL BE AN INCREASE IN EARTHQUAKES. SCIENTISTS TELL US MORE THAN 13 MILLION PEOPLE HAVE DIED IN EARTHQUAKES OVER THE PAST 4,OOO YEARS. A POWERFUL QUAKE OCCURRED UNDER THE PACIFIC OCEAN IN DECEMBER 2OO3 WHICH SPAWNED A TSUNAMI THAT KILLED 3OO,OOO PEOPLE. JESUS SAID IT WILL BE THAT WAY. THERE WILL BE FAMINES. WHEN JESUS IS COMING, BUT WHEN HE DOES, IT WILL NOT BE ANNOUNCED. WHEN JESUS COMES, HE WILL COME AS A "THIEF IN THE NIGHT," [1 THES. 5:2].

RIDDLE OF GOD. [JOHN 1:18]

FEW WORDS IN SCRIPTURE HAVE GRIPPED THE HUMAN MIND WITH THE POWER OF THE OPENING LINES OF THE FOURTH GOSPEL:
                 IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD
                 AND THE WORD WAS WITH  GOD
                 AND THE WORD WAS GOD.
THESE WORDS WERE SO MAGICAL, THAT THE WESTERN CHURCH USED THEM FOR CENTURIES AS A BLESSING FOR THE SICK AND NEWLY BAPTIZED CHILDREN. IT WAS EVEN PLACED IN AMULETS AND HUNG AROUND THE NECK TO PROTECT ONE FROM SICKNESS. THERE'S A STORY OF A PRIESTLY BENEDICTION FOUND IN 1980 IN  A SMALL EXCAVATION IN A IRON AGE CEMETERY OUTSIDE THE CITY IN JERUSALEM, THERE WAS RECOVERED TWO SMALL SHEETS OF SILVER WITH A TEXT FAINTLY ENGRAVED UPON THEM, WHICH AFTER THE MOST DELICATE LABORS OF CONSERVATION AND DECIPHERMENT, PROVED TO BE PASSAGES SIMILAR TO TWO FAMOUS VERSES OF THE BOOK OF NUMBERS; CHAPTERS 6, 24,26. " THE LORD BLESS THEE AND KEEP THEE, THE LORD MAKE HIS FACE SHINE UPON THEE, AND BE GRACIOUS UNTO THEE; THE LORD LIFT UP HIS COUNTENANCE UPON THEE AND GIVE THEE PEACE. I MENTION IT BECAUSE, NOT ONLY DID THESE SMALL SLIPS OF SILVER
HAVE THE OLDEST FRAGMENTS OF THE BIBLE TEXT YET DISCOVERED ENGRAVED ON THEM, BUT THEY ALSO CONTAINED THE EARLIEST MENTION OF JEHOVAH IN HIS CITY OF JERUSALEM. THE TWO SILVER SHEETS HAD BEEN CAREFULLY ROLLED UP AND TIED AROUND THE NECKS OF TWO DEAD CHILDREN.
JESUS CHRIST HAS SOLVED THE RIDDLE OF GOD. RIDDLES ARE NOT SIMPLY CHILDISH JOKES. THEY HAVE HISTORY IN HUMANITY'S QUEST TO UNDERSTAND THE WORLD. HAVE YOU HEARD OF THE "RIDDLE OF THE SPHINX?"  THE ANCIENT GREEKS TOLD OF A MONSTER WHICH CAME TO THE CITY EACH YEAR WITH A RIDDLE.. ' WHAT SPEAKS WITH ONE VOICE, BUT WALKS ON FOUR LEGS, TWO LEGS, AND ON THREE LEGS? AND HOBBLES WITH A CANE WHEN OLD. BY ANSWERING THE RIDDLE HE SAVED THE CITY. WE STILL USE THE IDEA OF A RIDDLE IN THIS SERIOUS SENSE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE "RIDDLE OF LIFE," OR THE "RIDDLE OF SUFFERING." FOR MANY PEOPLE GOD IS A RIDDLE. THEY WOULD POSE THE QUESTION LIKE THIS. IF THERE IS A GOD, WHY DO THE INNOCENT SUFFER? WHY IS THERE SO MUCH PAIN AND SORROW IN THE WORLD?"; OR THEY ASK, WHY DOES GOD ASK SO MUCH OF US, WHEN HE DIDN'T CREATE US PERFECT IN THE FIRST PLACE.?" WE OUGHT TO TAKE THESE QUESTIONS SERIOUSLY, BECAUSE THEY REMIND US THAT THE EXISTENCE OF EVIL, BECOMES AN ACUTE PROBLEM WHEN WE DARE TALK OF A ,LOVING GOD. WE BARELY HAVE TIME TO HEAR THE ANGELS SING ABOUT "PEACE ON EARTH" BEFORE WE ARE REMINDED THAT PEOPLE LIKE STEPHEN WERE STONED FOR THEIR CHRISTIAN FAITH, THAT A KING SO FEARED THE COMING OF CHRIST THAT HE TRIED TO KILL ALL THE CHILDREN UNDER TWO YEARS OF AGE. FOR A CHRISTIAN, THEN,
 THE "RIDDLE WOULD BE: " WHAT KIND OF GOD WOULD LET HIMSELF AND HIS FOLLOWERS BE PUSHED AROUND BY A HARD CRUEL WORLD?" WE ARE NOT THE FIRST ONES TO PUZZLE OVER THIS QUESTION.  JOHN 1:18 THAT CONFUSION AND MISUNDERSTANDING HAVE CLOUDED THE GOOD NEWS OF GOD FROM THE BEGINNING. " HE WAS IN THE WORLD AND THE WORLD KNEW HIM NOT, "  SAYS OUR TEXT. HE CAME TO HIS OWN HOME, HIS OWN PEOPLE RECEIVED HIM NOT."  THE REST OF THE BOOK OF JOHN REPEATEDLY CALL ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT  PEOPLE- MISUNDERSTOOD JESUS-- FROM NICODEMUS ASKING " HOW CAN A MAN BE BORN AGAIN WHEN HE IS OLD?" TO PILATE IMPATIENTLY SNAPPING, "WHAT IS TRUTH?"
 AND YET THE ANSWER TO THE RIDDLE WAS THERE. THAT'S THE WAY IT IS WITH GOOD RIDDLES. WHEN YOU UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION, YOU ALREADY HAVE THE ANSWER. THE RIDDLE OF GOD IS A LOT LIKE THAT. ONCE WE GRASP THE KEY WORD, QUESTIONS ABOUT HIS POWER AND HIS WILL CAN BE ANSWERED JOHN SAYS:  WHEN WE TRY TO SOLVE THE RIDDLE OF GOD FROM ANY OTHER STARTING POINT, WE RUN INTO A DEAD END. THAT'S WHAT JESUS MEANT WHEN HE SAID, "NO MAN COMES BY THE FATHER, BUT BY ME." HOW DOES JESUS SOLVE THE RIDDLE? HE SHOWS HOW GOD'S POWER WORKS, IT DOES NOT ELIMINATE DEATH, IT SIMPLY TAKES AWAY DEATH'S FINALITY. JESUS SPENT MUCH OF HIS MINISTRY URGING PEOPLE TO SEE SUFFERING DOES NOT GO UNNOTICED. GOD MARKS THE FALL OF A SPARROW AND THE PLIGHT OF A LEPER.  SO JESUS BECOMES THE KEY TO UNDERSTANDING WHAT A LOVING GOD CAN DO FOR A SUFFERING AND SINFUL WORLD.

HE CAME TO ME! [LUKE 7 11:17]

 THE MORE I READ THE BIBLE, ESPECIALLY THE GOSPELS, I SEE THE SAME TRUTH LIVED OUT TIME AND AGAIN. THERE IS PASSAGE AFTER PASSAGE SHOWING JESUS AS HE GOES TO PEOPLE TRAPPED IN DESPERATE SITUATIONS. WHETHER IT IS A SINFUL WOMAN AT JACOB'S WELL; A BLIND MAN AT THE TEMPLE; A POOR BEGGAR IN JERICHO; OR A RICH MAN IN A TREE; WE ARE GIVEN THE PRIVILEGE OF WATCHING AS JESUS MOVES IN POWER FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE TRAPPED IN HOPELESS AND HELPLESS SITUATIONS. WE AS CHRISTIANS ARE SAVED BECAUSE HE DID WHAT WE COULD NOT DO FOR OURSELVES AND CAME TO US, SAVED OUR SOUL BY GRACE. WE ARE SAVED PERFECTLY,COMPLETELY, AND ETERNALLY AND WE DID NOT HAVE ONE THING TO DO WITH IT. NOR DID WE CONTRIBUTE ONE THING TO IT. I AM SAVED BECAUSE "HE CAME TO ME!" I WANT TO LOOK INTO ONE OF THOSE WONDERFUL TIMES TODAY. I WANT TO LOOK IN ON A PITIFUL LITTLE SCENE IN A TINY HAMLET CALLED NAIN. I WANT TO WATCH JESUS DO THE IMPOSSIBLE AND THE INCREDIBLE ONE MORE TIME. PLEASE JOIN ME IN THIS PASSAGE AND WE THINK ON  'THE SIMPLE THOUGHT."  "HE SEARCHED ME OUT!" I WANT TO SHOW YOU WHAT JESUS CAN AND WILL DO WHEN HE COMES INTO YOUR IMPOSSIBLE SITUATION. I WANT TO SHOW YOU WHAT HE CAN DO FOR EVERY SOUL WHO WILL OPEN THEIR HEART AND TRUST HIM BY FAITH. PLEASE ALLOW ME TO MAKE THREE OBSERVATIONS  FROM THE TEXT: HE CAME TO ME. WHEN JESUS CAME TO NAIN THAT DAY, HE DID NOT ARRIVE AT A JOYOUS MOMENT. WHEN HE CAME IT WAS A TIME OF DEATH AND A TIME OF MOURNING. THE NAME "NAIN" LITERALLY MEANS " BEAUTY" BUT, THERE WAS NO BEAUTY IN NAIN THAT DAY. DEATH HAD INVADED THE LITTLE TOWN OF NAIN. WE ARE TOLD THE VICTIM IS A YOUNG MAN (V14). THAT HE IS "THE ONLY SON OF HIS MOTHER," (V.12). AND WE ARE TOLD HE IS DEAD! A GREAT CROWD OF MOURNERS ARE MAKING THEIR WAY THROUGH THE GATES OF THE CITY, TO A LITTLE CEMETERY, WHERE HE IS TO BE BURIED.
AS WAS THE CUSTOM IN THAT DAY, THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY HAD STOPPED WHAT THEY WERE DOING AND HAD JOINED THE FUNERAL PROCESSION AS IT MADE ITS WAY THROUGH TOWN. THE MOTHER WOULD HAVE BEEN IN FRONT. SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN FOLLOWED BY THOSE WHO CARRIED THE OPEN COFFIN, WHICH CONTAINED THE BODY OF HER SON. BEHIND THEM WOULD HAVE BEEN THOSE WHO WERE MOURNING THE BOY'S DEATH. THESE PEOPLE WOULD HAVE BEEN WAILING, CRYING AND CHANTING PHRASES OF GRIEF AND MOURNING. SOME MAY HAVE BEEN FRIENDS AND RELATIVES; OTHERS MAY HAVE BEEN PAID TO COME AND HELP MOURN THE DEATH OF THE BOY. THOSE BRINGING UP THE REAR WOULD HAVE BEEN TOWN'S FOLK WHO FOLLOWED OUT OF RESPECT FOR THE DEAD. HERE IS A YOUNG MAN WHOSE LIFE HAD BEEN FILLED WITH GREAT POTENTIAL. HE MIGHT OF HAD HOPES OF MARRIAGE AND OF FATHERING CHILDREN, BUT NOW HE IS DEAD. THERE MAY HAVE BEEN PLANS OF GOING INTO BUSINESS TO SUPPORT HIMSELF AND HIS WIDOWED MOTHER, BUT NOW HE IS DEAD. THOSE EYES WHICH ONCE HAD BEEN BRIGHT WITH THE GLEAM OF YOUTH ARE NOW DULLED BY DEATH. THAT MIND, NOW STILLED BY THE COLD OF DEATH, DEATH HAS COME AND IT HAS BROUGHT WITH IT ALL THE CRUELNESS AND HEARTACHE IT POSSESSES. BUT DEATH HAS BEEN PART OF THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE EVER SINCE MAN SINNED AGAINST GOD. IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN. EVER SINCE ADAM CHOSE TO GO HIS WAY INSTEAD OF GOD'S WAY, DEATH HAS STALKED AND CLAIMED LIFE AFTER LIFE. THIS WAS THE WARNING OF GOD TO ADAM, (GEN.2:17). AND THIS WAS THE EXPERIENCE OF ADAM (5:5).  IT HAS BEEN, AND IT CONTINUES TO BE THE EXPERIENCE OF EVERY HUMAN THAT HAS EVER LIVED, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ELIJAH AND ENOCH. DEATH AND ITS PAIN, IS PART AND PARCEL OF THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE (HEB 9:27). WHAT HAPPENED AT NAIN IS WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING TO MEN SINCE THE DAWN OF TIME, AND ONE DAY IT WILL COME FOR YOU AND ME! I THINK THERE IS MORE HERE THAN JUST PHYSICAL DEATH OF A MOTHER'S ONLY SON. I THINK THIS BOY, IN HIS PHYSICAL DEATH, IS A PICTURE OF WHAT SPIRITUAL DEATH IS ALL ABOUT. I WILL CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO GENESIS 2:17). IN THAT VERSE, GOD TOLD ADAM THAT THE DAY HE ATE OF THE FORBIDDEN FRUIT, WOULD BE THE DAY HE WOULD DIED. BUT DID ADAM DIE THAT DAY? PHYSICALLY HE DID NOT DIE, FOR HE LIVED HUNDREDS OF MORE YEARS. BUT, SPIRITUALLY, HE DIED THE VERY DAY HE ATE THE FRUIT. YOU SEE, THERE IS SOMETHING FAR WORSE THAN PHYSICAL DEATH! YOU SEE THE BIBLE TELLS US ROMANS (6;23) "THAT THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH)" THAT VERSES DOES NOT ONLY REFER TO DEATH OF THE BODY, BUT IT REFERS TO THE ETERNAL DESTINY OF THE LOST SOUL IN HELL! DYING IN THIS WORLD IS ONE THING, BUT SPENDING ETERNITY IN HELL, SEPARATED FROM THE PRESENCE OF GOD, WITH NO HOPE OF SALVATION, IS INFINITELY MORE TRAGIC! THAT IS THE END OF THE PERSON WHO LIVES THEIR LIFE WITHOUT GOD AND DIES LOST (Psa. 9:17). (2 THES. 1:8-9). (EPH.2:1). TEACHES THAT HORRIBLE TRUTH. THE YOUNG MAN WAS THERE PHYSICALLY, BUT COULD NOT HEAR THE CRIES OF HIS MOTHER, BUT THE MOURNING AND THE GRIEVING DID NOT EFFECT HIM. HE WAS HEADED TO THE CEMETERY AND THEY WERE GOING TO PLACE HIS BODY IN THE COLD EARTH, BUT HE NEITHER KNEW IT NOR CARED ABOUT IT. HE WAS DEAD AND THE THINGS OF THE EARTH, THE THINGS ASSOCIATED WITH LIFE HAD NO EFFECT ON HIM WHATSOEVER, AND HE WAS BEYOND THE TOUCH OF THOSE WHO LOVED HIM STILL. ONE WHO IS LOST, IS PHYSICALLY ON THIS EARTH ARE ALIVE AND WELL, AND GO ABOUT THEIR LIVES, BUT SPIRITUALLY ARE DEAD. THEY CANNOT SEE, HEAR OR FEEL GOD. THEY ARE DEAD TO GOD, TO HIS WORD AND TO HIS MOVING AND WORKING IN THE WORLD. THEY ARE UNMOVED BY THE CROSS AND THE EMPTY TOMB. THEY ARE UNAFFECTED BY GOOD GIFTS AND AND GREAT BLESSINGS OF A HOLY GOD. I'VE BEEN THERE! IF YOU ARE SAVED YOU HAVE BEEN THERE! IF YOU NEVER BEEN SAVED, YOU ARE THERE RIGHT NOW! IT IS A HORRIBLE PLACE TO EXIST. BUT, THAT IS THE WAY IT IS FOR EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT KNOW JESUS CHRIST AS PERSONAL SAVIOR TODAY! IT WAS A TIME OF DEATH WHEN "JESUS CAME TO ME.

GREATEST STORY! ROMANS: [10: 1-15]

 IT IS A SATISFYING EXPERIENCE, WHEN AFTER A LONG JOURNEY, WE HAVE FINALLY ARRIVED AT OUR DESTINATION, SAFE AND SOUND. IT COULD HAVE BEEN THE OTHER WAY AROUND. THE LIFE WE LIVE NOW IS A JOURNEY. WE PILGRIMS AND THE EARTHLY TABERNACLE, OUR BODY, WILL SOMEDAY BE DISSOLVED. SOMETIMES IT'S A LONG JOURNEY, AND SOMETIMES IT SHORT WHEN IT IS MEASURED IN YEARS , MONTHS, AND DAYS;  BUT MEASURED IN TERMS OF THE ENDLESS AND UNENDING ETERNITY IT IS INDEED VERY SHORT. SOMETIMES IT IS NOT A PLEASANT JOURNEY. IT IS A JOURNEY THROUGH A LONG AND DREARY WILDERNESS, FILLED WITH DANGEROUS PITFALLS ON ALL SIDES. THE ROAD IS POSTED WITH MISDIRECTIONS SET UP BY SATAN AND HIS AGENTS, DESIGN TO LEAD US ASTRAY. IT IS A JOURNEY THROUGH A WORLD OF WARS AND RUMORS OF WARS, DISHONESTY, FALSE TEACHERS, HATE SLANDER--A WORLD OF SIN WHICH CAN GIVE TO THE WANDERER ONLY A SPIRIT OF FRUSTRATION, DISMAY AND INSECURITY. WHAT IS THE FINAL DESTINATION OF THAT JOURNEY IS STANDING BEFORE GOD, HEARING THOSE WORDS:"COME AND REST GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT!" ALL OF US SOMEDAY MUST COME INTO HIS PRESENCE. IT IS APPOINTED UNTO MEN ONCE TO DIE, BUT AFTER THIS THE JUDGMENT. THE IMPORTANT QUESTION IS: CAN WE STAND IN IS PRESENCE. WILL WE BE PERMITTED TO STAY IN HIS PRESENCE ETERNALLY? DOES THIS FILL OUR HEARTS WITH TERROR OR  WITH PEACE. IN PEACE IF CHRIST IS OUR ADVOCATE WHO WILL VOUCH FOR US. EVEN MOSES HAD TO CONFESS. HAVE YOU EVER HAD THIS HEART-- WARMING EXPERIENCE, OF HAVING A LITTLE CHILD CUDDLE-UP ON YOUR LAP WITH THE REQUEST TO TELL THEM A STORY. IN ONE RESPECT CHILDREN ALL OVER THE WORLD ARE VERY MUCH THE SAME. THEY LOVE LISTENING TO THRILLING TALES OF ADVENTURE AND DARING, STRIKING LEGENDS. ONE STORY COMES TO MIND OF GREAT STORIES OF HEROISM, PATRIOTISM, GREAT STORIES OF THE BIBLE, WHERE YOU FIND GREAT BRAVERY IN THE STORIES OF DAVID, GOLIATH, DANIEL IN THE LION'S DEN. THREE MEN IN A FURNACE? WHERE WILL YOU FIND MORE STRIKING WARNINGS AGAINST SIN THAN IN THE STORIES OF CAIN AND ABEL, THE FLOOD, DAVID AND BATHSHEBA? WHERE WILL YOU FIND MORE INSPIRING AND ENNOBLING STORIES THAN THE BIOGRAPHIES OF JOSEPH, JOB, JOHN, PAUL? WHERE IN ALL THE WORLD WILL YOU FIND GREATER LESSONS OF THE MASTER STORYTELLER OF OUR AGES CHRIST OUR LORD?  NEVER FORGET THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD? THAT WONDERFUL STORY OF JESUS AND HIS LOVE FOR THE PEOPLE AND THE WORLD, GOD'S CREATION STARTING WITH THE GARDEN.
 THE PRODIGAL SON, THE GOOD SAMARITAN, THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN.
NEVER FORGET THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD, THE ONE SAVING STORY, THAT WONDERFUL STORY OF JESUS AND HIS LOVE FOR THE WORLD. CHRISTIANS AROUND THE WORLD ACKNOWLEDGE IT AS THE ONLY HOPE AND SALVATION. EVEN UNBELIEVERS WHO HEAR IT FOR THE FIRST TIME BELIEVE THE BIBLES LOVE STORY, IS THE ONLY HOPE OF SALVATION. WHEN THEY HEAR IT FOR THE FIRST TIME, READILY ADMIT THAT THERE IS NOTHING IN HISTORY, FOLKLORE, FABLE, OR LEGEND, WHICH CAN EVER BEGIN TO COMPARE WITH THIS RECORD OF MAN'S REDEMPTION FROM SIN AND ITS CURSE THROUGH THE SUFFERING AND DEATH OF GOD'S SON. WITHOUT A DOUBT, IT IS THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD! BUT AS LONG AS THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO NEVER HEARD IT, AS LONG AS THERE ARE SINNERS WHO HAVE NEVER ACCEPTED IT, IT STILL NEEDS TO BE TOLD. THE APOSTLE PAUL, THE AUTHOR OF THIS MESSAGE HERE, HAD ONE AIM AND PURPOSE IN LIFE, FROM HIS DRAMATIC MOMENT OF CONVERSION, ON THE DAMASCUS ROAD, HE WAS ALWAYS ON THE MOVE, PREACHING ABOUT JESUS, WITNESSING TO JESUS, SUFFERING FOR JESUS, AND THE REASON FOR IT ALL? PAUL EXPRESSES  HIS GOAL IN LIFE, AND INCIDENTALLY GIVES EVERY CHRISTIAN SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT, WHEN HE PRAYS IN THE FIRST VERSE OF THE TENTH CHAPTER, OF ROMANS " THAT THEY MIGHT BE SAVED." EVEN THOUGH GOD CALLED HIM AS THE APOSTLE TO THE GENTILES, HE WAS NONE THE LESS INTENSELY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SALVATION OF HIS OWN COUNTRYMEN, THE JEWS.THEIR ETERNAL WELFARE WAS

ESTHER.

3 THE BOOK OF ESTHER IS ONE OF THE FIVE SCROLLS THAT JEWS READ TODAY WHEN IMPORTANT JEWISH FESTIVALS ARE OBSERVED. THE HEBREW VERSIONS DOES NOT CONTAIN A SINGLE REFERENCE TO GOD OR TO THE RELIGIOUS CUSTOMS OF JUDAISM. SEVERAL PASSAGES HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE GREEK VERSION TO GIVE IT A MORE SPIRITUAL TONE. INTERESTLY ENOUGH, ESTHER EVENTUALLY CAME TO BE REGARDED AS SECOND IN IMPORTANCE ONLY TO THE PENTATEUCH ITSELF. ITS MANUSCRIPTS EXCEED IN NUMBER THOSE OF ANY OTHER BOOK OF THE BIBLE, AND OFTEN MAGNIFICENTLY OF EXQUICENTLY ILLUMINATED AND ENCASED IN SILVER AND GOLD EXQUISITE WORKMANSHIP. THE STORY IS SET IN THE REIGN OF AHASUERUS, OR XERXES 1 (486-465) THE SCENE IS XERXES WINTER PALACE IN SUSA. THE KING HAD PREPARED A LAVISH BANQUET, BUT HIS QUEEN VASHTI REFUSED TO PUT INTO A APPEARANCE AND WAS DEPOSED. THE KING ORDERED A SEARCH THROUGHOUT THE EMPIRE FOR BEAUTIFUL WOMEN, TO CHOOSE ONE OF THEM AS THE NEW QUEEN. A JEWISH LASS,  HADASSAH, TOOK PART IN THE COMPETITION. SHE IS CALLED ESTHER IN THE BOOK. SHE WAS SO BEAUTIFUL THAT IT WAS NOT EVEN NECESSARY FOR HER TO GO THROUGH THE CUSTOMARY ONE YEAR OF BEAUTY TREATMENT TO WIN THE KINGS HEART. ESTHER WAS THE COUSIN OF MORDECAI, WHO SERVED ON THE STAFF AT THE KING'S PALACE. MORDECAI LEARNED OF A PLOT TO KILL THE KING AND SHARED THE SECRET WITH ESTHER, WHO IN TURN ALERTED THE THE KING. THE PLOTTERS WERE PUT TO DEATH. HOWEVER, MORDECAI RAN INTO TROUBLE WITH XERXES GRAND VIZIER, HAMAN, BECAUSE MORDECAI REFUSED TO PAY HIM THE APPROPRIATE COURTESIES. HAMAN SO RESENTED MORDECAI'S ATTITUDE THAT HE DEVISED A PLOT TO DESTROY ALL JEWS SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE PERSIAN EMPIRE. HE POINTED OUT TO THE KING THAT THE JEWS REFUSED TO ASSIMILATE, AND CHOSE TO LIVE BY THEIR OWN LAWS., 3:8. XERXES GRANTED HIM PERMISSION TO ISSUE AN EDICT. ALL JEWS WERE TO BE MASSACRED ON THE 13th DAY OF ADAR. MORDECAI PERSUADED ESTHER TO RISK HER LIFE IN ORDER TO SAVE HER PEOPLE. SHE APPEARED BEFORE THE KING IN AN UNSUMMONED VISIT, EVEN THOUGH  SUCH AN ACTION COULD BE PUNISHED BY DEATH. SHE ASKED THAT BOTH THE KING AND HAMAN TAKE PART IN A BANQUET THAT SHE HERSELF WOULD PREPARE FOR THEM THAT VERY DAY. THEY DID THIS SHE INVITED THEM TO DINE WITH HER THE NEXT DAY. ON HIS WAY HOME, HAMAN SAW MORDECAI AND WAS FILLED WITH HATRED AND ANGER TOWARDS HIM. HAMAN'S WIFE AND FRIENDS SUGGESTED THAT HE SET UP A HUGE GALLOWS AND ASKED THE KING TO HAVE MORDECAI HANGED ON IT.  FORTUNATELY THAT VERY NIGHT THE KING REMEMBERED THAT THOUGH MORDECAI HAD SAVED HIS LIFE,  HE HAD NOT BEEN REWARDED FOR THIS.  THE NEXT DAY HAMAN ARRIVED AT THE KING'S COURT HOPING TO PERSUADE XERXES TO HAVE HIS ENEMY HANGED, BUT FOUND HIMSELF IN THE EMBARRASSING POSITION OF BEING SENT BY HE KING TO HONOR MORDCAI.
HAMAN RETURNED TO THE PALACE TO JOIN THE ROYAL COUPLE IN THE SECOND BANQUET, BUT BECAME HORRIFIED WHEN ESTHER POURED OUT HER HEART TO THE KING ABOUT THE APPROACHING SLAUGHTER OF HER PEOPLE AND LAID THE BLAME FOR THE PLOT AT HAMAN'S FEET.  THE KING MOVED AWAY TO PONDER THE SITUATION, AND HAMAN PLEADED WITH ESTHER FOR HIS LIFE. THE KING INTERPRETED  HAMAN'S ACTION AS AN ATTEMPTED ASSAULT ON THE QUEEN AND HAD HIM HANGED ON THE GALLOWS HE HAD PREPARED FOR MORDECAI. HAMAN'S TEN SONS WERE ALSO PUT TO DEATH AND HIS PROPERTY MADE OVER TO ESTHER.
 MORDECAI WAS ENTRUSTED WITH THE POSITION LEFT VACANT BY HAMAN'S EXECUTION. HAMAN HAD PLOTTED TO HAVE ALL JEWS PUT TO DEATH ON THE 13TH ADAR. INSTEAD, THE JEWS IN SUSA WERE GIVEN PERMISSION TO PUT THEIR PERSECUTORS TO DEATH ON THIS DAY. THE JEWS WHO LIVED OUT IN THE PROVINCES WERE PERMITTED TO DO THE SAME THING ON THE 14TH ADAR. WHEN THIS "HOLY WAS" WAS OVER, A JOYOUS FESTIVAL CAME TO BE KNOWN AS PURIM, TO RECALL THE LOT  (IN HEBREW, PUR). HAMAN HAD CAST TO DECIDE ON WHICH DAY THE JEWS WERE TO BE KILLED. THE BOOK, THEN, EXPLAINS THE REASON FOR THE CELEBRATION OF PURIM, AND WHY IT WAS CELEBRATED ON TWO DAYS,3:7; CH 9. ESTHER WOULD HAVE SPOKEN MEANINGFULLY TO JEWS SUBJECTED TO PERSECUTION BECAUSE  OF THEIR UNWILLINGNESS TO ASSIMILATE. THE ACCOUNT OF THE ORIGIN OF PURIM CAME TO MEAN MUCH TO THE JEWS DURING THE MACCABEAN PERIOD. IT IS INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT , ACCORDING TO THE TALMUD, IT IS PERMISSIBLE TO DRINK WINE DURING PURIM UNTIL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN  "BLESSED BE MORDECAI" AND "CURSED BE HAMAN!" BECOMES BLURRED AND INDISTINGUISHABLE. PERHAPS THIS IS WHY THE NAME OF GOD IS NOT MENTIONED IN THE BOOK, LEST ITS MENTION AT SUCH A FEAST RESULT IN ITS BEING PROFANED.

THE WORK OF JESUS AND THE WORK OF THE SPIRIT.

THE SECOND PERSON OF THE TRINITY ENTERED INTO THE FLESH INTO THE GOD-MAN JESUS CHRIST WHEN MARY CONCEIVED, LUKE 1:31. THE GOD MAN JESUS CHRIST LIVED THE LIFE OF A SINLESS SERVANT, WAS CRUCIFIED, DIED AND WAS BURIED. HIS SERVANTHOOD THROUGHOUT THESE EVENTS WAS A DEMONSTRATION OF HIS GLORY. JESUS ROSE FROM THE DEAD ON EASTER SUNDAY MORNING, AND EVENTUALLY "WAS CARRIED UP TO HEAVEN," LUKE 24:5,51.  IN HIS ASCENSION JESUS WITHDREW HIS VISIBLE PRESENCE FROM ONE PLACE THAT HE MIGHT BE PRESENT IN EVERY PLACE WITH ALL HIS PEOPLE TILL THE CLOSE OF THIS AGE, MATTHEW 28:20. ( SEE EXODUS 19:9; MATTHEW 17:5; ACTS 1:9). ABOUT THE CLOUD). THOUGH JESUS SAID HE WOULD SEND THE HOLY SPIRIT TO HIS DISCIPLES AFTER HE ASCENDED (JOHN 14:26; 16:7). HE ALSO SAID THAT HE HIMSELF WOULD COME AND ABIDE WITH THEM. (JOHN 14:18), AND THAT HE AND THE FATHER WOULD COME  AND MAKE THEIR HOME WITH THEM, JOHN 14:23. THE TRIUMPHANT, ASCENDED JESUS RETURNS AND CONTINUES HIS WORK THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT, WHO SPEAKS TO HUMANITY THROUGH THE SCRIPTURES. HE SUMMONS HIS FOLLOWERS TO SHARE AND DEMONSTRATE HIS GLORY DURING THEIR LIVES(SERVANTHOOD), AND PROMISES THAT EVENTUALLY HE WILL TAKE THEM TO SHARE HIS GLORY IN THE PRESENCE OF THE FATHER, JOHN 17:22-24. IN THE MEANTIME THE SPIRIT CONTINUES THE WORK OF JESUS. IT IS POINTED OUT THAT THE WORK OF THE THREE PERSONS OF THE HOLY TRINITY CANNOT BE DIVIDED INTO SEPARATE, WATERTIGHT COMPARTMENTS. ALL PERSONS COOPERATE IN THE "EXTERNAL WORKS " OF CREATION, REDEMPTION, AND SANCTIFICATION. WHEN THIS IS APPLIED TO THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE WORK OF JESUS AND THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
THE FOLLOWING EMERGES: THE HOLY SPIRIT CONTINUES TO DO WHAT JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF WOULD TEACH AND DO IF HE WERE STILL VISIBLY AMONG MEN. THE SPIRIT CONTINUES THE WORK OF JESUS. THEIR WORK IS COMMON AND INSEPARABLE. IN THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO St.JOHN, JESUS SAYS: "BUT THE COUNSELOR, THE HOLY SPIRIT, WHOM THE FATHER WILL SEND IN MY NAME, HE WILL TEACH YOU ALL THINGS, AND BRING TO YOUR REMEMBRANCE ALL THAT I HAVE SAID TO YOU," 14:26. "HE (HOLY SPIRIT) WILL GLORIFY ME, FOR HE WILL TAKE WHAT IS MINE AND DECLARE IT TO YOU.," 16;14, 25.  THE HOLY SPIRIT MIGHT BE COMPARED TO THE DIRECTOR OF A STAGE PRESENTATION, TAKING HIS PLACE TO THE SIDE OF THE STAGE AND POINTING CONSTANTLY TO THE LEAD ACTOR IN MIDSTAGE. JESUS. HE IS MOST "OF THE SPIRIT" WHO IS MOST "OF JESUS." 
IN EPHESIANS 1:19-23 WE CONTINUE, HAVING CHRIST SITTING CHRIST AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER, WHERE PAUL SAYS: GOD'S LIMITLESS POWER WAS AT WORK IN THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST FROM THE DEAD. 1:19-20. THAT SAME MIGHTY  POWER IS AT WORK IN THE HEARTS AND LIVES OF THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN CHRIST, 1:19. HE GOES ON TO SAY THAT, AFTER THE FATHER RAISED CHRIST FROM THE DEAD, "HE MADE HIM SIT AT THE RIGHT HAND IN THE HEAVENLY  PLACES," 1:20. WHAT DOES PAUL MEAN BY THIS STATEMENT?  THESE WORDS HAVE THEIR ROOTS IN THE ANCIENT NEAR EAST, WHERE IT WAS THE CUSTOM TO PORTRAY THE RULER OF THE REALM SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE "god" OF THE CITY OR NATION. THE IDEA WAS THAT THE KING RULED IN THE NAME OF AND FOR,, HIS GOD; HE HELD THE PLACE OF HONOR AND POWER. PAUL, THEN, IS SAYING THAT AFTER HE FATHER RAISED JESUS FROM THE DEAD, HE GAVE HIM THE PLACE OF HONOR AND POWER
IN THE UNIVERSE! CHRIST RULES AND RUNS THE UNIVERSE FOR HIS FATHER, AND HE DOES IT WITH THE WELFARE OF HIS CHURCH IN MIND," EPHESIANS 1:22. CHRIST IS IN CHARGE OF THE UNIVERSE! THIS IS A SOURCE OF GREAT COMFORT TO CHRISTIANS. IT TELLS THEM THAT HISTORY IS NOT " JUST ONE FOOL THING AFTER ANOTHER." BECAUSE OF WHAT THE FATHER ACCOMPLISHED IN CHRIST THROUGH THE EVENTS OF THE CROSS AND THE EMPTY TOMB, LIFE IS NO LONGER A TALE TOLD BY AN IDIOT, FULL OF SOUND AND FURY, SIGNIFYING NOTHING,"  AS ONE OF SHAKESPEARE'S CHARACTERS SUGGEST. IN A WAY NOT ALWAYS OBVIOUS TO HUMAN EYES, EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS CONTRIBUTES TO GOD'S GRAND DESIGN FOR THE UNIVERSE. JUST THINK! THROUGHOUT THE COUNTLESS GALAXIES OF OUR CREATED ORDER, WITH ITS BILLION OF SUNS AND PLANETS, JESUS CHRIST IS LORD! OUR ELDER BROTHER (MATT.12:46-50) HAS BEEN ENTRUSTED WITH THE AUTHORITY TO RUN THE UNIVERSE, AND THE WORLD IN PARTICULAR, ACCORDING TO GOD'S PLAN. WE KNOW THE ONE WHO IS IN CHARGE! THOUGH AT TIMES MEN APPEAR TO BE IN CONTROL OF HISTORY. CHRIST IS IN CONTROL-CHRIST, WHO LOVED US ENOUGH TO GIVE UP LIFE ITSELF. THEREFORE, WE CHRISTIANS HAVE A PRECIOUS SENSE OF SECURITY ABOUT LIFE, DEATH, AND ETERNITY. WE ARE IN GOOD HANDS, IN ALL PLACES AND AT ALL TIMES, PHILIPPIANS 4: 4-7.   

MALACHI, JOEL, RUTH,

 THE NAME MALACHI MEANS "MY MESSENGER," 3:1. THE BOOK DEALS WITH ISSUES THAT INDICATE WHEN IT WAS WRITTEN. MALACHI'S LITERARY STRUCTURE IS UNIQUE. IT IS MADE UP OF SIX SECTIONS. EACH SECTION. EACH SECTION BEGINS WITH A STATEMENT AND A QUESTION., AND THE FOLLOWING MATERIAL EXPANDS ON THE THEME. TO ILLUSTRATE, NOTE 2:17-3:4.
            "YOU HAVE WEARIED ME WITH YOUR WORDS.
               YET YOU SAY, "HOW HAVE WE WEARIED HIM?
                BY SAYING, 'EVERYONE WHO DOES EVIL IS GOOD IN THE SIGHT OF THE                                                       LORD, AND HE DELIGHTS IN THEM.'
                OR BY ASKING, 'WHERE IS THE GOD OF JUSTICE?' "
   THE VERSES THAT FOLLOW DECLARE THAT GOD WILL INDEED JUDGE, AND THAT HIS JUDGEMENT WILL BE LIKE A REFINER'S FIRE. NO ONE WILL BE ABLE TO ENDURE HIS COMING.      
 1. 1:-5 THE LORD'S LOVE FOR JACOB IS GREATER THAN HIS LOVE FOR ESAU.
 2.1:6-2:9 BOTH THE PRIESTS AND LAITY ARE WITHHOLDING HONOR FROM THE LORD.
 3. 2:10-16 JEWISH MEN HAVE BEEN MARRYING FOREIGN WOMEN.
 4. 2: 17-3:5 THE PEOPLE HAVE QUESTIONED THE LORD'S JUSTICE. HE WILL JUDGE THEM FOR THIS.                 
 5. 3:6-12 THE PEOPLE ARE ROBBING THE LORD BY WITHHOLDING FROM HIM THE TITHES FROM HIM WHICH ARE DUE HIM.
 6. 3:13 4:3. MANY IN THE COMMUNITY NEGLECT THEIR DUTY TO WORSHIP HIM, SOME EVEN DESPISE WORSHIP. THERE ARE, HOWEVER, SOME WHO ARE FAITHFUL; THEY WILL BE REWARDED.
 THE WORSHIP LIFE IN THE TEMPLE WAS AT A LOW EBB; WORSHIPPERS THOUGHT THEY COULD OFFER BLEMISHED ANIMALS IN THEIR SACRIFICES, 1:7,8,13. THE BLAME IS LAID AT THE FEET OF THE LEADERS OF THE PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY THE PRIESTS ,2:1-3, 8,9, MANY IN THE COMMUNITY FLIPPANTLY DECLARED THAT IT MADE MORE SENSE TO BE IRRELIGIOUS THEN RELIGIOUS; TO BE IRRELIGIOUS PAID A BETTER DIVIDEND. MALACHI DESCRIBED THE PRIESTHOOD AS IGNORANT, INDULGENT, AND  GRASPING, HE FELT COMPELLED TO ATTACK THEM. THE REFERENCES TO ABUSES IN THE TEMPLE, DIVORCE AND MIXED MARRIAGES, AND EXPLOITATION OF THE POOR BY THE RICH INDICATE THAT MALACHI WAS WRITTEN BEFORE THE ARRIVAL OF NEHEMIAH AND EZRA, POSSIBLY 500-450 B.C.
 MALACHI REPEATS OBADIAH'S THREAT OF IMPENDING DISASTER FOR EDOMITES, 1:3-5. SOME INTERPRET HIS REFERENCE TO WIDE-SPREAD, ACCEPTABLE GENTILE WORSHIP QUITE LITERALLY; OTHERS RELATE IT TO THE EXPECTED MESSIANIC AGE WHEN SACRIFICES OF ALL NATIONS WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE TO THE LORD, 1:11. BOTH MALACHI AND JOEL STRESSED THE NEARNESS OF THE DAY OF THE LORD.. MALACHI SAID THAT WOULD SEND ELIJAH TO PREPARE THE PEOPLE FOR ITS COMING. MALACHI REPEATS OBADIAH'S THREAT OF IMPENDING DISASTER FOR THE EDOMITES, 1:3,5. SOME INTERPRET HIS REFERENCE TO WIDE-SPREAD, ACCEPTABLE GENTILE WORSHIP QUITE LITERALLY; OTHERS RELATE IT TO THE EXPECTED MESSIANIC AGE WHEN SACRIFICES OF ALL NATIONS WOULD  BE ACCEPTABLE TO THE LORD ALSO THE DESCRIPTION OF THE IDEAL PRIEST.  (2:5-7). AND THE LIST OF BLESSINGS THE OBEDIENT COULD EXPECT TO RECEIVE 3:10-12, 16,17; 4:2,3; A SEPERATION OF THE RIGHTEOUS FROM THE UNRIGHTEOUS TAKES PLACE ALREADY IN THIS LIFE. THE NAMES OF THOSE WHO FEARED THE LORD WERE BEING RECORDED IN A BOOK, THEY WOULD BE SPARED ON THE DAY OF JUDGMENT,3:16. THE BOOK ENDS BY STATING THAT THE LORD WOULD SEND ELIJAH, THE PROPHET PAR EXCELLENCE, TO SUMMON ISRAEL TO REPENTANCE, AND PREPARE THE PEOPLE FOR THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE DAY OF THE LORD. 3:1-4; 4:5,6; SEE ALSO MATTHEW 11: 10:14; 11:17:10-13; MARK 1:2; 6:14,15; LUKE 1:17, 76; 7:27. 

JOEL: LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT JOEL, THE SON OF PETHUEL, AND WHEN HE DID HIS WORK. HIS BOOK DOES NOT MENTION ANY REIGNING KING. ELDERS AND PRIESTS OCCUPY THE PROMINENT POSITIONS IN THE COMMUNITY, 1:2,13; 2:16-17. JUDAH IS CALLED ISRAEL, INDICATING THAT THE NORTHERN TRIBES NO LONGER EXIST. 2:27.
 THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM, THE EXILE, AND THE ANNEXATION OF JEWISH TERRITORY ARE BUT MEMORIES, 3:1-3, 17. THE COMMUNITY JOEL ADDRESSED OCCUPIES ONLY A SMALL TRACT OF GROUND; IT IS VIRTUALLY WITHIN EARSHOT OF THE TRUMPET BLAST. THOUGH THE EXILE IS OVER, SOME JEWS ARE SCATTERED AMONG THE NATIONS 3;2. TO ADD TO THE PROBLEMS OF THE POST EXILIC  COMMUNITY, THE PHOENICIANS AND THE PHILISTINES HAD SOLD OFF SOME OF ITS MEMBERS AS SLAVES TO THE GREEKS 3:6. JOEL WAS WRITTEN ABOUT THE TIME OF MALACHI, POSSIBLY A LITTLE LATER. OTHERS DATE IT AFTER THE TIME OF NEHEMIAH AND EZRA- A TIME WHEN THE RESTORED REMNANT HAD RALLIED AROUND THE TEMPLE, MADE THE LAW THE FOCAL POINT OF ITS INTERESTS AND SETTLED DOWN TO WAIT FOR THE DAY OF THE LORD. JOEL SPOKE AT THE TIME WHEN THE LAND WAS BEING RAVAGED BY A PLAGUE OF LOCUSTS AND THE PEOPLE WERE TERROR-STRICKEN. JOEL SAID THE PLAGUE WAS MORE THAN A PASSING PHENOMENON OF NATURE; IT HERALDED THE DAY OF THE LORD AND FORESHADOWED THE FINAL ATTACK THE LORD'S ENEMIES WOULD MAKE ON JUDAH AND ITS GOD. THE LOCUSTS ARE DESCRIBED AS A INVADING ARMY. THEIR MARCH ACROSS THE LAND SHOULD AROUSE WITHIN THE PEOPLE THE HOLY FEAR OF THE LORD'S POWER. HE URGED THE PEOPLE TO INTENSE PRAYER. JOEL'S MESSAGE HAD THE DESIRED EFFECT; THE PEOPLE GAVE THEMSELVES OVER TO REPENTANCE AND PRAYER. JOEL DID NOT STOP THERE, JUST AS THE PLAGUE WOULD BE DISPERSED, SO TOO WOULD THE HARASSING NATIONS BE DESTROYED ON THAT DAY WHEN THE LORD WOULD INTERVENE DECISIVELY ON BEHALF OF HIS PEOPLE. JUDAH WOULD THEN FLOURISH AGAIN 2:18-27. JOEL MAKES USE OF APOCALYPTIC IMAGERY; THE OUTPOURING OF THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY, 2:28,29; CATACLYSMIC CHANGES IN THE SUN,MOON, AND THE EARTH, 2"30-32, THE ASSEMBLY OF THE NATIONS IN THE VALLEY OF JEHOSHAPHAT(" THE LORD JUDGES") FOR JUDGMENT, 3:2,12; THE FLOWING OF A HEALING STREAM FROM THE TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM,3:18 (SEE (EZEK 47:1ff AND ZECH.   . 13;1).JOEL IS BEST REMEMBERED FOR THE USE PETER MADE OF HIM IN HIS PENTECOST SERMON, ACTS 2:17-21 (SEE JOEL 2:28; THE REFERENCE IN BOTH CONTEXTS IS TO ALL ISRAEL.";THE GENTILE PENTECOST IS REPORTED IN ACTS 10). RUTH WAS A MOBITEESS WHO GAVE UP HER COUNTRY AND HER "gods"  TO  BECOME AN EXEMPLARY ADHERENT  OF THE GOD OF ISRAEL.



"RUTH": THE NARRATIVE IS SET IN THE PERIOD OF JUDGES (1:1). HENCE ITS LOCATION IN OUR ENGLISH BIBLES. IN THE HEBREW BIBLE, RUTH IS PLACED AMONG THE "WRITINGS" WHERE IT IS THE SECOND OF THE MEGILLIOTH "(FIVE SCROLLS":
SONG OF SOLOMON, RUTH, LAMENTATIONS, ECCLESIASTES AND ESTHER)). AND IS READ AS PART OF THE JEWISH LITURGY FOR PENTECOST, THE FESTIVAL THAT CELEBRATES BOTH HARVEST AND THE GIVING OF THE LAW ON SINAI. THE AUTHOR IS UNKNOWN. THOUGH 1:1 SETS THE STORY IN THE PERIOD OF JUDGES, THE VERSE ITSELF SUGGESTS THAT THE TIME OF JUDGES WAS ALREADY REMOTE WHEN RUTH WAS WRITTEN. SOME BELIEVE IT WAS WRITTEN SOON AFTER THE TIME OF DAVID, 4:17. OTHERS OPT FOR A POST EXILIC DATING, AND POINT TO THE WORDS WHICH
APPEAR ONLY IN LATE OLD TESTAMENT WRITINGS. IN ANCIENT ISRAEL (AS IN OTHER PEOPLES OF THAT TIME). A STRONG SENSE OF FAMILY, SOLIDARITY EXISTED. A MAN HAD SONS AND, THEREBY, A CLAN, FAMILY,. EACH MEMBER OF THE CLAN
 WAS CONSIDERED AN EXTENSION OF THE ORIGINAL PATRIARCH. A MAN PERPETUATED HIS NAME AND MEMORY THROUGH SONS AND GRANDSONS. IF HE DIED WITHOUT SONS, AND GRANDSONS HE DIED COMPLETELY AND THE LIFE OF THE CLAN CAME TO AN END. THE MANS BROTHER WAS OBLIGED TO MARRY HIS DECEASED BROTHERS WIDOW. THE FIRST SON OF THE NEW UNION WAS CONSIDERED THE SON OF THE DECEASED, THE HEIR TO HIS PROPERTY, AND THE SUSTAINER OF HIS NAME AND LINE. THE PUNCH LINE OF RUTH OCCURS IN 4: 17: "THEY NAMED HIM OBED: HE WAS THE FATHER OF JESSE, THE FATHER OF DAVID. THE FRUIT  OF THE MARRIAGE OF RUTH AND BOAZ WAS OBED, DAVIDS GRANDFATHER. A SHORT GENEALOGY CONTAINING SIMILAR INFORMATION ABOUT DAVID;S FAMILY TREE WAS MORE THAN ENOUGH TO WARRANT THE BOOKS PRESERVATION. THERE IS MORE THAN ENOUGH. THE AUTHOR GENTLY STRESSES RUTH'S MOABITE BACKGROUND (1:22; 2:2,6,21). AND HINTS THAT GOD ACCOMPLISHES HIS PURPOSES THROUGH EVENTS IN THE UNSPECTACULAR, EVERY DAY LIVES OF HIS PEOPLE.
 OTHER REASONS FOR WRITING