"Because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes./ Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight."
God revealed 'these things' which owe to the quality of truth inherent in the heart of man. "Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them." (Ro.1:19-20). God fashioned hearts alike signifying God is knowable that there is no denying.(Ro.1:20) Soul is figuratively therefore called a man-child. Jesus called his disciples babes as he did another time 'little ones' as in this verse, "unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple"(10:42)
God breathed into man and made him a living soul so what may be known of God is not created in a higgledy-piggledy fashion but after the image of his Son. It is for this reason the Spirit instructs "That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith;" It is gradual and growth is not synchronized with physical age but with the grace of God operating in anyone. God knows the proud afar off but nigh like the Psalmist who was like a weaned child, not moved by the hustle and bustle of a world without."Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child."(Ps.132:2)
' Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:' was the will of God; so it gives soul of each believer a template for growth. In Trinity.Body. Spirit and Soul refer to it. God's will is expressed with a specific purpose.'A body has thou prepared me'. Spirit and Soul of God gives that body the wherewithal so a believer may grow unto perfection. "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."( 2 Co.3:18).In the vision of the Woman Clothed with the Sun is taken straight into the throne. "(Re.12:5)
Daniel interpreted what only the king would have seen and duly forgotten. God revealed it to him and he did ending with these words,"and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure."(Dan.2:45) Truth in his heart did not miss; neither did the Gentile king. The Spirit has laid down the truth as knowable. Before the gospel truth as revealed to him he felt prostrate before Daniel who stood there in place of Jesus Christ.
From heaven and from lower earths the Word of God serves as the eternal Law. (Ps.119:89) So what is the centre of the kingdom of God but the heart that God has fashioned alike? This is truth that man in unrighteousness treats as a trifle. As with city so is an ungodly man. Capernaum or Bethsaida are place names and interchangeable. There is only lingua franca by which man may find salvation. By believing in the Son whom God sent in the fulness of time.
Jesus upbraided the cities and pointed to the day of judgment and it is determined. "for God hath avenged you on her." We have a partial list of martyrs in 23:35 and in here it is complete, "For thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived./And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth."(Re.18:20-24)
This must occur in the generation of Jesus, "Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation." Notice the emphasis given in Matthew? In the light of it does it surprise the disproportionate mass killings all over the earth; it would seem that Satan is aware of his time running out and is a last ditch effort.
" And I saw heaven opened," The final battle begins from heaven since all those cities(the sea-18:21) as we know it are one big charnel house. "And there was no more sea"(Re.21:1)
"But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee."
vv.20-24 The Spirit gives us several place names, all of which are set in terms of a day of Judgment. What Jesus here implies that is this: rise and fall of world empires cities and persons come under the sovereignty of the Word . "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;"(Ro.1:18) God set his truth equally and also tries their actions. Capernaum in particular where Jesus resided ("Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not."-11:20) is set against Sodom which only had Lot who would rather merge with the local color that sound an alien. Jesus however lived In Capernaum, as 'I am the Truth.' In their indifference the townsfolk treated the article Truth in light esteem. Similarly Jerusalem in rejecting Jesus was judged and in 70 AD the ransacking of the city was not the end. The real judgment would be only which the Spirit refers as the day of judgment. This wrath that serve as coup de grace comes in Re.18:21. "Babylon has fallen" is holdall for every city come up for reckoning. "Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come."(Re.18:10). and as with the mode of narrative characteristic of the Spirit, Min-Max mode it includes all. "And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth." This stone is none other than the stone not cut with hands refers to the King's dream. "Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure."
"At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes./ Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight."
Compare this line with Lucan Gospel "In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight." Identical verses, is it not? But it tags altogether two different set of events to establish that heaven and the earth agree in the Son.
Seventy other disciples signify the end times while the twelve refer to the Son who was sent to the earth as the Word become flesh."And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one."(v.8) While what justifies the other Seventy is the Word. "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one."( 1 John 5:7) The Spirit conflates both in terms of the Word which validates this verse.
While studying the multiplying of loaves we see a similar tag. 12 baskets of broken remains is how Jesus testifies his work as the Word become flesh. ("And they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full."-14:20). As the Son his testimony is tagged by Seven.("And they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full,"-15:37) Jesus Christ as the Son, his deity is revealed. His humanity in terms of the tag 12 so he that sanctified and he that is sanctified are as one."For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,"(He.2:11-18). Principle of Association works for everyone born of God. 1 John 5:11-12
"Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight./ All things are delivered unto me of my Father."As the Word become flesh he is set as the true Light. The Spirit gives us the precise time when Jesus began his ministry. "The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up./From that time Jesus began to preach"(4:16-17). Isaiah inspired by the Spirit ('Wisdom is justified of her children') spoke and Jesus began his ministry prompted by none other than what his eye of faith saw. He as the true Light saw the people had caught on the great light breaking on them. It is similar to the starlight we see at the night sky the light of which must have taken some billion lightyears to reach us, just the same it is in the present. This is a good analogy to explain the word sent forth by God making connection. This does not come from observances but by faith comparing the spiritual with spiritual. So Jesus forthwith calls people and without a murmur they become his disciples.(4:18-23). It is God's time we are looking at, and the work of Gospel cannot be thwarted. In the key text we have the manner God set it all about. God and whomsoever the Son reveals him and it is about the Gospel of God the Spirit intends. It is thus God came upon Zacchaeus, the publican. Because of his short stature, he climbed up. " And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way./And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house./And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully." ( Luke 19:4-6). It is not by will of man but by the will of God that one is called into the Association.( John 1:12-13). All we bring into it is faith.
"Neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him."
The word sent forth by God shall prosper in the very thing it was sent.(Is.55:11). The Spirit is narrating events from the perspective of the Gospel of God that we need conclude the quality of the disciples that Jesus sent out to preach "And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand."(10:7). God the Sower has sown into the field and with the expression the kingdom 'is at hand' the Spirit is referring to the gathering of sheaves." This kingdom does not come with observation but it is within the heart which is knowable. The Pharisees wanted to know 'when' and Jesus replied ( Luke 17:20-21) Truth written in the heart is a witness and shall condemn those who go by appearances and those who walk by sight.
In understanding these chapters we need reorient our observation in terms of faith and the eternal Word. Firstly we shall take up the answer given Jesus to the disciples of John,"Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:/The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them." Before Jesus we read that Namaan was healed; raising the dead has been done before Jesus. "And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha: and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet."(2 Ki.13:21). Before the eternal Word the prophets like Elias, Elisha are interchangeable with Jesus in terms of the Power and Wisdom that Word become flesh signifies. John did no miracle but his testimony was true.( John 10:41-42). Jesus was reminding obliquely that John had missed how he was tied up his own ministry according to the Gospel. " For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee."(11:10)
Wisdom here figuratively signifies the house built by her and founded on Zion.(Pr.9:1) All her children were born for the Father's mansions and it is his Gospel that justifies them. Their generation covers only their circumstance in the visible world of flesh and blood. John's generation was was one such but John was sanctified at his birth because the eternal Word set him a sign, as the Messenger to the Son. As with John so with his disciples.
Jesus sent his disciples as sheep which is significant. God as the Shepherd of souls is one aspect of the word which is eternal. Jesus applied it to himself. "I am the Good Shepherd." He and his Father are one because it is the Power of God that makes salvation of his associates secure. "My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand./I and my Father are one."( John 10:11,28-30). All those who were called thus were in the divine Will even before the foundation of the world. The Spirit places the word 'behold' to indicate that the eternal Word had justified the Son who of God has become wisdom. Consequently Jesus sent them that the Power shall deliver them from all eventualities."Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves."(10:16)
"Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ."(Col.2:16-17).
Vv.15-17
The Word makes John interchangeable for Elias as every associate sent by the Gospel is stand in for other. This is what is meant by Wisdom is justified of her children. The v.15 used by the Spirit as a tag tells Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever". The same tag we find after mention of seven churches in Asia Minor.
Outpouring was not for a few but for every believer and it made the Association stronger as we see in the life St Peter. Before the Gospel the principle of Association arrayed every disciple as equal, "as sheep in the midst of wolves." So it was the Power of God in accordance with His holiness, so he was no respector of persons."Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."(18:18) This applied to St Peter as well.
When the Church of Rome makes him as the founder we have seen how the Power of God has been given an underhand swipe and relegated to play a lesser role. "Jesus warned of " Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." The emblem of Rome, the wolf served as a sign of the perilous times the early church was entering into.
Instead of the simplicity in Christ a new order was imposed by man's will, which shall also be cast aside before the Son of man be come." Churches of our times are preaching gospel to keep the congregation whose ears have become dull of hearing. What more could said of Satan who has played a trick on man who shall not be obedient?
"And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light./Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works."(2 Co.11: 14-15)
"It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord."
Simplicity in Christ is what sovereignty of the Gospel demands of every disciple and it is God's time that settles it. So Jesus commands, "And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved." Persecution does not stop with his life in the flesh and shall continue since the principle of Association is set in terms of the Gospel. It shall be thus 'till the Son of man be come.' But take courage the Gospel of Christ has already insured every disciple from evil. Redemption of soul it is called. "But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come." (vv.22--23) Be harmless as doves but wise as serpents to know the times.
Jesus explained from his own example, "Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them./But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister."(20:25-26). Simon Peter was as wrong as every other volatile in temperament and faulty in judgment who would get in and out of scrapes. In the night Jesus was taken he would follow Jesus to the High Priest not understanding his own weakness. So he gave a handle to the detractors of his master to deny him thrice when confronted. He was warned by Jesus and yet he went ahead. (26:34). It is to such a weak person Jesus entrusted his flock. "Feed my lambs' he said after resurrection because he was not counting on Simon Peter the man but the Power of God from above. St Paul for this reason would advise to put as judges in the church "set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church," since it is the Power of God that supplied the wherewithal and not the man. Simon Peter was adequate in his time.
Ac. 6:1-4 "And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration./Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables./Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business./But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word."
It was of uncertain times. Famines were breaking out and pagan world was giving over to a new period of restlessness. In the midst of it all the church has to be run smoothly, obviously. At what cost was the crux of their problem. In the Acts of the Apostles Ch.6 we read that what Jesus had warned them was fulfilled. The church had their first martyr in St Stephen.
The disciples were sent as sheep in the midst of wolves. The line of development of the early Church from Jerusalem after the day of Pentecost took to the city of Rome, under the aegis of a suckling wolf. How the Church of Rome became the Possessor of pomp and circumstance and would become a new power centre is a matter of history;Papal Rome took over for instance Tyrian purple as in the times Caesars where the color was reserved under pain of death for only senators. Now Church of Rome forbade it for laity. This exclusivity has nothing with simplicity in Jesus and for his associates. It was a telltale sign of the new normal:
Leaving off simplicity obviously played into the hands of Satan, the problem is in the mind which became corrupted. Gospel of Jesus and consequently his simplicity gave way to confusion and controversy and it has stayed on ever since.
"Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves./But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;"
The twelve disciples carried the simplicity that was in Christ Jesus. We only need look at his instructions to understand it. "Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses." They were to trust in him as the Guarantor for their mobility and upkeep and the Power of the Spirit that has held in reserve in heaven so whichever house or city that refused them were worthy of retribution, "Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city."((v.15). This simplicity in Jesus might have seemed to the casual as wanting in common sense but It behove his Father to set him as the Savior of mankind. This made the Man totally reliant on his Father, "And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him." Jesus was not there to be in the swim of things cutting a fashion plate but as the Word become flesh. Gospel of his Father was his Passport as he now was sending his disciples to preach it to the lost sheep of Israel. "AndthatI do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. "(John8:28-29)
The disciples consequently need not have bothered with their traveling arrangement or with their accommodation. Principle of Association entailed that they were under the same reins as their Master, which were held in heaven by the Power of God, a Spirit.
"But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ."(2 Co.11:3)This simplicity in Christ as we shall see became somewhat obscure in the dissatisfaction breaking among the nascent church.
"And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand."
One single theme to which Jesus bestowed the Power of his Father was the kingdom of heaven.. In this we can understand the significance of the Lord's Prayer,"Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven."(6:10) Every believer has a part as the anonymous boy who supplied loaves of bread and fishes to Jesus to feed the multitude had a part in the testimony of 12 baskets remaining. The Gospel of God is the everlasting Gospel so we have the angel in the last days sent, "to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people," (Re.14:6). He is rounding off the ministry of the Son as he did in his humanity. It is part of the Baptism by fire warning of the coming judgment. Fellowship of God with Man is based on everlasting covenant.
Jesus sending the twelve was on the basis of the same Fellowship of God with Man, where on the earth the Word made flesh stood as the Mediator. Similarly in heaven. The Number 12 established the primacy of the Gospel of God. Jesus Christ as the Way. Only by abiding in him it worked. In short apostles or the saints redeemed from the earth worked with the same Spirit freely received. This explains this verse,"And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors."(6:12)
As an apostle you are to take the lead"Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;/Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift."(5:23-24). You know the problem while the other has not conscience prick. Hence you make peace as sent by the Prince of peace.
Outpouring of the Holy Spirit gave volume to the body " For the promise is unto you, even as many as the Lord our God shall call."(Ac.2:39-41) 'Far ends of the earth' pressed into one body
5 ... Praise our GOD, all ye His servants, and ye that fear Him, both small and great.
6 And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord GOD omnipotent reigneth.
7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready.
8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of GOD.
The Power of God, a Spirit is given out not as a trickle. In the wilderness we read God doing so. "And I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone." (Nu.11:17). When God took some power from Moses to empower the seventy He did it with a liberal hand. God was creating a support system along side. "But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp."(v.26). This is inserted by the Spirit to explain this incident."And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us./And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us." The disciples were apostles just the same, they were to learn as they went along in obedience, and God took care in accordance with His holiness. Confusing their spirit for something else was a matter Jesus would patiently correct. In the same Lucan gospel we read of Jesus sending his disciples to the village of the Samaritans only to be refused."And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?/ But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of( Luke.9:49-50; 54-55)"
Principle of Association is not that of the same status or values but replication of the Fellowship of God with Man, where on earth the Word made flesh stood as the Mediator. The Number 12 established the primacy of the Gospel of God. Jesus Christ as the Way. Only by abiding in him it worked. In short apostles or the saints redeemed from the earth worked with the same Spirit freely received.
"For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you."
Here we have the hallmark of an apostle, who is sent out. The disciples raw as they come were sent out to preach the gospel. It was delivered from heaven and the Son in making it as doable established the standard of anyone who was thus designated. St Paul does not come under the 12 disciples here sent out to the lost sheep of Israel. But the Spirit set him apart nevertheless and we need understand that it occurred after the nation of Israel repudiated the Prince of Life. What began here is now widening the ripple beyond the reach of Israel, and includes the pagan world The number 12 designates the Gospel of God and in the key verse Jesus refers it as the Spirit of your Father. This power is specific. "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds."(2 Co.10:4-5). St Paul was equipped with the same power of the Gospel to demolish the strongholds of Satan.
This is what we have in.v.1 "He (Jesus) gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. Later we find that the disciples admitting failure and asked Jesus where did they go wrong."Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?/And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief."(17:19-20) An apostle is an associate with Jesus Christ working with the same power of God the Father. The disciples had nothing special separating them from their generation.("O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? -17:17). Jesus Christ did not err in selecting 12 disciples including "and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him." He was the Word made flesh setting them an example working with the same Power and it would raise him from the dead as well as dwell in every believer after his resurrection.(Ro.8:11)
Mat. 24:29 "... after the tribulation..." points us the beginning of the last week, week 70th Daniel 9:27 and the antichrist commits the abomination of desolation, we will have a 3.5 year countdown to the Post Trib Rapture. It will really be the first half of the last week that will be ruled by the satanic antichrist. The Dragon, who is mentioned in Revelation 13:11, will give to the Beast of sea-a GENTILE Beast- , his Power, and his Throne(in JERUSALEM), and great Authority, as is written in Revelation 13:2. Then will LITERALLY be fulfilled Luke 21:24:"Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled", combined with Revelation 11:2- ...the court which is without the temple, it is given unto the GENTILES: and the HOLY CITY shall they tread under foot forty and two months (i.e. by the first half of the lasts week, it because a GENTILE MAN BEAST will be enthroned in Jerusalem- Revelation 13:2, spiritually called Sodom and Egypt). Terrible. Very very terrible.
By the way, I remember that our Lord JESUS listed several and terrible events, events that will preced, for some time, the beginning of Daniel's prophetic fulfillment of the great tribulation, it is called a period of sorrows- Matthew 24:3-8. This prophecy of JESUS will take a period of time to be LITERALLY accomplished, of course, the most important thing is to know for sure that this period of pre-tribulation has already begun, it is already RUNNING, and we are living within it. What do you think?
On the other hand, I also remember the great tribulation is a consequence or the effect of Michael's coming, according prophecy of Daniel 12:1
The current Gregorian calendar all of western society uses was first implemented in October of 1582. It had never been used prior to that. And it actually took many centuries for it to fully replace the prior Julian calendar, which dated back to Julius Ceasar in 45 BC.
The Julian calendar was the first widely adopted calendar that approximated the Solar year cycle and that was adopted for both civil purposes and (the majority of) religious observances. However, the date for the observance of Easter is still based on a lunar calendar that more or less tracks with the Hebrew lunar calendar that still controls the observance of Jewish religious feasts.
Lunar calendars were used through most of human history. The lunar cycle is the reason we still divide years into months. The root word for month is the word for Moon in every language as far as I am aware.
Lunar calendars all try to maintain an approximate match between the 29.53059 day Lunar cycle and the 365.24255 day solar cycle.
The Hebrew Lunar calendar used alternating 30 day and 29 day months for an 364 day year during the typical 12 month year (these years can actually be 353, 354 or 355 days long). An additional 30 month known as first Adar is periodically added during leap years that occur 7 times during a 19 year cycle to maintain an approximate match between the lunar cycles and the solar year.
There is some evidence that the prophets and the pre-flood Era used a 360 day calendar year of 12 months with 30 days each to track time spans. This seems to fit Daniel and Revelation when they give the number of days that represent a 3.5 year period as 1,260 days (30 12 3.5 = 1,260). It also seems to fit the description of exactly 5 months between the beginning of the flood in the second month, on the 17th day of the month to the date the Ark came to rest in the 7th month, on the 17th day of the month as being 150 days long (5 30 = 150).
When someone who is a true believer dies he will be in God's presence when God is ready for him to be, so I don't understand the disunity in the church about "sleeping" or "not sleeping" when we die. Does the salvation of our soul depend on whether we believe one way or the other? No, so I ask again, why this disunity in God's church?
When someone who is a true believer dies he will be in God's presence when God is ready for him to be, so I don't understand the disunity in the church about "sleeping" or not sleeping when God ends our human existence. Why contend with this unless there's a part of it I don't understand.
"Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt? or is there any taste in the white of an egg?" v.6
Soul is neither in the material part nor in the spiritual shadow of life casting into the Land of the living. In a secular context we might define soul is betwixt and between the two realities where through our physical body 'through a glass darkly' we may look fore and aft. Job speaks of it in the following chapter, "Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling?/As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work:
So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me./When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day(7:1-4). The Psalmist had this hope,'when I awake, I am still with thee(Ps.139:18b)' and this,'For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.(Ps.30:5)'.
God did not create man to be a mere phantom of His nature 'Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth upriches, and knoweth not who shall gather them(Ps.39:6). The world of flesh itself is vanity. How does it find its counterpoise? Whereas the soul that pleases God has its character as salt has. Savor is what distinguishes a worldly man from a child of God. "Ye are the salt of the earth (Matt.5:13)". In a grain of salt there are about 10 raised to the power of 16 (one followed by 16 zeroes or 10 million billion atoms) What is it made of? Chlorine is gas, deadly poison and sodium is metal which burns when it comes into contact with water. When these atoms are arrayed precisely and held in its its predetermined place,- by the nature of force working, that is chemistry for us, the crystal salt has savor.
"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!
"Because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes./ Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight."
God revealed 'these things' which owe to the quality of truth inherent in the heart of man. "Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them." (Ro.1:19-20). God fashioned hearts alike signifying God is knowable that there is no denying.(Ro.1:20) Soul is figuratively therefore called a man-child. Jesus called his disciples babes as he did another time 'little ones' as in this verse, "unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple"(10:42)
God breathed into man and made him a living soul so what may be known of God is not created in a higgledy-piggledy fashion but after the image of his Son. It is for this reason the Spirit instructs "That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith;" It is gradual and growth is not synchronized with physical age but with the grace of God operating in anyone. God knows the proud afar off but nigh like the Psalmist who was like a weaned child, not moved by the hustle and bustle of a world without."Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child."(Ps.132:2)
' Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:' was the will of God; so it gives soul of each believer a template for growth. In Trinity.Body. Spirit and Soul refer to it. God's will is expressed with a specific purpose.'A body has thou prepared me'. Spirit and Soul of God gives that body the wherewithal so a believer may grow unto perfection. "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."( 2 Co.3:18).In the vision of the Woman Clothed with the Sun is taken straight into the throne. "(Re.12:5)
Daniel interpreted what only the king would have seen and duly forgotten. God revealed it to him and he did ending with these words,"and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure."(Dan.2:45) Truth in his heart did not miss; neither did the Gentile king. The Spirit has laid down the truth as knowable. Before the gospel truth as revealed to him he felt prostrate before Daniel who stood there in place of Jesus Christ.
From heaven and from lower earths the Word of God serves as the eternal Law. (Ps.119:89) So what is the centre of the kingdom of God but the heart that God has fashioned alike? This is truth that man in unrighteousness treats as a trifle. As with city so is an ungodly man. Capernaum or Bethsaida are place names and interchangeable. There is only lingua franca by which man may find salvation. By believing in the Son whom God sent in the fulness of time.
Jesus upbraided the cities and pointed to the day of judgment and it is determined. "for God hath avenged you on her." We have a partial list of martyrs in 23:35 and in here it is complete, "For thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived./And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth."(Re.18:20-24)
This must occur in the generation of Jesus, "Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation." Notice the emphasis given in Matthew? In the light of it does it surprise the disproportionate mass killings all over the earth; it would seem that Satan is aware of his time running out and is a last ditch effort.
" And I saw heaven opened," The final battle begins from heaven since all those cities(the sea-18:21) as we know it are one big charnel house. "And there was no more sea"(Re.21:1)
"But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee."
vv.20-24 The Spirit gives us several place names, all of which are set in terms of a day of Judgment. What Jesus here implies that is this: rise and fall of world empires cities and persons come under the sovereignty of the Word . "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;"(Ro.1:18) God set his truth equally and also tries their actions. Capernaum in particular where Jesus resided ("Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not."-11:20) is set against Sodom which only had Lot who would rather merge with the local color that sound an alien. Jesus however lived In Capernaum, as 'I am the Truth.' In their indifference the townsfolk treated the article Truth in light esteem. Similarly Jerusalem in rejecting Jesus was judged and in 70 AD the ransacking of the city was not the end. The real judgment would be only which the Spirit refers as the day of judgment. This wrath that serve as coup de grace comes in Re.18:21. "Babylon has fallen" is holdall for every city come up for reckoning. "Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come."(Re.18:10). and as with the mode of narrative characteristic of the Spirit, Min-Max mode it includes all. "And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth." This stone is none other than the stone not cut with hands refers to the King's dream. "Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure."
"At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes./ Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight."
Compare this line with Lucan Gospel "In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight." Identical verses, is it not? But it tags altogether two different set of events to establish that heaven and the earth agree in the Son.
Seventy other disciples signify the end times while the twelve refer to the Son who was sent to the earth as the Word become flesh."And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one."(v.8) While what justifies the other Seventy is the Word. "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one."( 1 John 5:7) The Spirit conflates both in terms of the Word which validates this verse.
While studying the multiplying of loaves we see a similar tag. 12 baskets of broken remains is how Jesus testifies his work as the Word become flesh. ("And they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full."-14:20). As the Son his testimony is tagged by Seven.("And they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full,"-15:37) Jesus Christ as the Son, his deity is revealed. His humanity in terms of the tag 12 so he that sanctified and he that is sanctified are as one."For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,"(He.2:11-18). Principle of Association works for everyone born of God. 1 John 5:11-12
"Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight./ All things are delivered unto me of my Father."As the Word become flesh he is set as the true Light. The Spirit gives us the precise time when Jesus began his ministry. "The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up./From that time Jesus began to preach"(4:16-17). Isaiah inspired by the Spirit ('Wisdom is justified of her children') spoke and Jesus began his ministry prompted by none other than what his eye of faith saw. He as the true Light saw the people had caught on the great light breaking on them. It is similar to the starlight we see at the night sky the light of which must have taken some billion lightyears to reach us, just the same it is in the present. This is a good analogy to explain the word sent forth by God making connection. This does not come from observances but by faith comparing the spiritual with spiritual. So Jesus forthwith calls people and without a murmur they become his disciples.(4:18-23). It is God's time we are looking at, and the work of Gospel cannot be thwarted. In the key text we have the manner God set it all about. God and whomsoever the Son reveals him and it is about the Gospel of God the Spirit intends. It is thus God came upon Zacchaeus, the publican. Because of his short stature, he climbed up. " And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way./And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house./And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully." ( Luke 19:4-6). It is not by will of man but by the will of God that one is called into the Association.( John 1:12-13). All we bring into it is faith.
"Neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him."
The word sent forth by God shall prosper in the very thing it was sent.(Is.55:11). The Spirit is narrating events from the perspective of the Gospel of God that we need conclude the quality of the disciples that Jesus sent out to preach "And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand."(10:7). God the Sower has sown into the field and with the expression the kingdom 'is at hand' the Spirit is referring to the gathering of sheaves." This kingdom does not come with observation but it is within the heart which is knowable. The Pharisees wanted to know 'when' and Jesus replied ( Luke 17:20-21) Truth written in the heart is a witness and shall condemn those who go by appearances and those who walk by sight.
In understanding these chapters we need reorient our observation in terms of faith and the eternal Word. Firstly we shall take up the answer given Jesus to the disciples of John,"Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:/The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them." Before Jesus we read that Namaan was healed; raising the dead has been done before Jesus. "And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha: and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet."(2 Ki.13:21). Before the eternal Word the prophets like Elias, Elisha are interchangeable with Jesus in terms of the Power and Wisdom that Word become flesh signifies. John did no miracle but his testimony was true.( John 10:41-42). Jesus was reminding obliquely that John had missed how he was tied up his own ministry according to the Gospel. " For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee."(11:10)
But wisdom is justified of her children."
Wisdom here figuratively signifies the house built by her and founded on Zion.(Pr.9:1) All her children were born for the Father's mansions and it is his Gospel that justifies them. Their generation covers only their circumstance in the visible world of flesh and blood. John's generation was was one such but John was sanctified at his birth because the eternal Word set him a sign, as the Messenger to the Son. As with John so with his disciples.
Jesus sent his disciples as sheep which is significant. God as the Shepherd of souls is one aspect of the word which is eternal. Jesus applied it to himself. "I am the Good Shepherd." He and his Father are one because it is the Power of God that makes salvation of his associates secure. "My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand./I and my Father are one."( John 10:11,28-30). All those who were called thus were in the divine Will even before the foundation of the world. The Spirit places the word 'behold' to indicate that the eternal Word had justified the Son who of God has become wisdom. Consequently Jesus sent them that the Power shall deliver them from all eventualities."Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves."(10:16)
"Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ."(Col.2:16-17).
Vv.15-17
The Word makes John interchangeable for Elias as every associate sent by the Gospel is stand in for other. This is what is meant by Wisdom is justified of her children. The v.15 used by the Spirit as a tag tells Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever". The same tag we find after mention of seven churches in Asia Minor.
Outpouring was not for a few but for every believer and it made the Association stronger as we see in the life St Peter. Before the Gospel the principle of Association arrayed every disciple as equal, "as sheep in the midst of wolves." So it was the Power of God in accordance with His holiness, so he was no respector of persons."Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."(18:18) This applied to St Peter as well.
When the Church of Rome makes him as the founder we have seen how the Power of God has been given an underhand swipe and relegated to play a lesser role. "Jesus warned of " Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." The emblem of Rome, the wolf served as a sign of the perilous times the early church was entering into.
Instead of the simplicity in Christ a new order was imposed by man's will, which shall also be cast aside before the Son of man be come." Churches of our times are preaching gospel to keep the congregation whose ears have become dull of hearing. What more could said of Satan who has played a trick on man who shall not be obedient?
"And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light./Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works."(2 Co.11: 14-15)
"It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord."
Simplicity in Christ is what sovereignty of the Gospel demands of every disciple and it is God's time that settles it. So Jesus commands, "And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved." Persecution does not stop with his life in the flesh and shall continue since the principle of Association is set in terms of the Gospel. It shall be thus 'till the Son of man be come.' But take courage the Gospel of Christ has already insured every disciple from evil. Redemption of soul it is called. "But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come." (vv.22--23) Be harmless as doves but wise as serpents to know the times.
Jesus explained from his own example, "Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them./But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister."(20:25-26). Simon Peter was as wrong as every other volatile in temperament and faulty in judgment who would get in and out of scrapes. In the night Jesus was taken he would follow Jesus to the High Priest not understanding his own weakness. So he gave a handle to the detractors of his master to deny him thrice when confronted. He was warned by Jesus and yet he went ahead. (26:34). It is to such a weak person Jesus entrusted his flock. "Feed my lambs' he said after resurrection because he was not counting on Simon Peter the man but the Power of God from above. St Paul for this reason would advise to put as judges in the church "set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church," since it is the Power of God that supplied the wherewithal and not the man. Simon Peter was adequate in his time.
Ac. 6:1-4 "And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration./Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables./Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business./But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word."
It was of uncertain times. Famines were breaking out and pagan world was giving over to a new period of restlessness. In the midst of it all the church has to be run smoothly, obviously. At what cost was the crux of their problem. In the Acts of the Apostles Ch.6 we read that what Jesus had warned them was fulfilled. The church had their first martyr in St Stephen.
The disciples were sent as sheep in the midst of wolves. The line of development of the early Church from Jerusalem after the day of Pentecost took to the city of Rome, under the aegis of a suckling wolf. How the Church of Rome became the Possessor of pomp and circumstance and would become a new power centre is a matter of history;Papal Rome took over for instance Tyrian purple as in the times Caesars where the color was reserved under pain of death for only senators. Now Church of Rome forbade it for laity. This exclusivity has nothing with simplicity in Jesus and for his associates. It was a telltale sign of the new normal:
Leaving off simplicity obviously played into the hands of Satan, the problem is in the mind which became corrupted. Gospel of Jesus and consequently his simplicity gave way to confusion and controversy and it has stayed on ever since.
"Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves./But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;"
The twelve disciples carried the simplicity that was in Christ Jesus. We only need look at his instructions to understand it. "Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses." They were to trust in him as the Guarantor for their mobility and upkeep and the Power of the Spirit that has held in reserve in heaven so whichever house or city that refused them were worthy of retribution, "Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city."((v.15). This simplicity in Jesus might have seemed to the casual as wanting in common sense but It behove his Father to set him as the Savior of mankind. This made the Man totally reliant on his Father, "And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him." Jesus was not there to be in the swim of things cutting a fashion plate but as the Word become flesh. Gospel of his Father was his Passport as he now was sending his disciples to preach it to the lost sheep of Israel. "AndthatI do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. "(John8:28-29)
The disciples consequently need not have bothered with their traveling arrangement or with their accommodation. Principle of Association entailed that they were under the same reins as their Master, which were held in heaven by the Power of God, a Spirit.
"But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ."(2 Co.11:3)This simplicity in Christ as we shall see became somewhat obscure in the dissatisfaction breaking among the nascent church.
"And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand."
One single theme to which Jesus bestowed the Power of his Father was the kingdom of heaven.. In this we can understand the significance of the Lord's Prayer,"Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven."(6:10) Every believer has a part as the anonymous boy who supplied loaves of bread and fishes to Jesus to feed the multitude had a part in the testimony of 12 baskets remaining. The Gospel of God is the everlasting Gospel so we have the angel in the last days sent, "to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people," (Re.14:6). He is rounding off the ministry of the Son as he did in his humanity. It is part of the Baptism by fire warning of the coming judgment. Fellowship of God with Man is based on everlasting covenant.
Jesus sending the twelve was on the basis of the same Fellowship of God with Man, where on the earth the Word made flesh stood as the Mediator. Similarly in heaven. The Number 12 established the primacy of the Gospel of God. Jesus Christ as the Way. Only by abiding in him it worked. In short apostles or the saints redeemed from the earth worked with the same Spirit freely received. This explains this verse,"And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors."(6:12)
As an apostle you are to take the lead"Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;/Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift."(5:23-24). You know the problem while the other has not conscience prick. Hence you make peace as sent by the Prince of peace.
Outpouring of the Holy Spirit gave volume to the body " For the promise is unto you, even as many as the Lord our God shall call."(Ac.2:39-41) 'Far ends of the earth' pressed into one body
5 ... Praise our GOD, all ye His servants, and ye that fear Him, both small and great.
6 And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord GOD omnipotent reigneth.
7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready.
8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of GOD.
Get ready, get ready
The Power of God, a Spirit is given out not as a trickle. In the wilderness we read God doing so. "And I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone." (Nu.11:17). When God took some power from Moses to empower the seventy He did it with a liberal hand. God was creating a support system along side. "But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp."(v.26). This is inserted by the Spirit to explain this incident."And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us./And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us." The disciples were apostles just the same, they were to learn as they went along in obedience, and God took care in accordance with His holiness. Confusing their spirit for something else was a matter Jesus would patiently correct. In the same Lucan gospel we read of Jesus sending his disciples to the village of the Samaritans only to be refused."And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?/ But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of( Luke.9:49-50; 54-55)"
Principle of Association is not that of the same status or values but replication of the Fellowship of God with Man, where on earth the Word made flesh stood as the Mediator. The Number 12 established the primacy of the Gospel of God. Jesus Christ as the Way. Only by abiding in him it worked. In short apostles or the saints redeemed from the earth worked with the same Spirit freely received.
"For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you."
Here we have the hallmark of an apostle, who is sent out. The disciples raw as they come were sent out to preach the gospel. It was delivered from heaven and the Son in making it as doable established the standard of anyone who was thus designated. St Paul does not come under the 12 disciples here sent out to the lost sheep of Israel. But the Spirit set him apart nevertheless and we need understand that it occurred after the nation of Israel repudiated the Prince of Life. What began here is now widening the ripple beyond the reach of Israel, and includes the pagan world The number 12 designates the Gospel of God and in the key verse Jesus refers it as the Spirit of your Father. This power is specific. "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds."(2 Co.10:4-5). St Paul was equipped with the same power of the Gospel to demolish the strongholds of Satan.
This is what we have in.v.1 "He (Jesus) gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. Later we find that the disciples admitting failure and asked Jesus where did they go wrong."Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?/And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief."(17:19-20) An apostle is an associate with Jesus Christ working with the same power of God the Father. The disciples had nothing special separating them from their generation.("O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? -17:17). Jesus Christ did not err in selecting 12 disciples including "and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him." He was the Word made flesh setting them an example working with the same Power and it would raise him from the dead as well as dwell in every believer after his resurrection.(Ro.8:11)
In the end, they will be destroyed completely by the return of Jesus Christ.
I believe IMHO we may see His return sooner than most can comprehend.
All signs show the stage is clearly being set to usher in the AC.
I'm posting a wild guess of 2030/2031 by what I've collected the past few years.
Nobody but the Father knows the day and hour but the year will be known for those who are watching
By the way, I remember that our Lord JESUS listed several and terrible events, events that will preced, for some time, the beginning of Daniel's prophetic fulfillment of the great tribulation, it is called a period of sorrows- Matthew 24:3-8. This prophecy of JESUS will take a period of time to be LITERALLY accomplished, of course, the most important thing is to know for sure that this period of pre-tribulation has already begun, it is already RUNNING, and we are living within it. What do you think?
On the other hand, I also remember the great tribulation is a consequence or the effect of Michael's coming, according prophecy of Daniel 12:1
The Julian calendar was the first widely adopted calendar that approximated the Solar year cycle and that was adopted for both civil purposes and (the majority of) religious observances. However, the date for the observance of Easter is still based on a lunar calendar that more or less tracks with the Hebrew lunar calendar that still controls the observance of Jewish religious feasts.
Lunar calendars were used through most of human history. The lunar cycle is the reason we still divide years into months. The root word for month is the word for Moon in every language as far as I am aware.
Lunar calendars all try to maintain an approximate match between the 29.53059 day Lunar cycle and the 365.24255 day solar cycle.
The Hebrew Lunar calendar used alternating 30 day and 29 day months for an 364 day year during the typical 12 month year (these years can actually be 353, 354 or 355 days long). An additional 30 month known as first Adar is periodically added during leap years that occur 7 times during a 19 year cycle to maintain an approximate match between the lunar cycles and the solar year.
There is some evidence that the prophets and the pre-flood Era used a 360 day calendar year of 12 months with 30 days each to track time spans. This seems to fit Daniel and Revelation when they give the number of days that represent a 3.5 year period as 1,260 days (30 12 3.5 = 1,260). It also seems to fit the description of exactly 5 months between the beginning of the flood in the second month, on the 17th day of the month to the date the Ark came to rest in the 7th month, on the 17th day of the month as being 150 days long (5 30 = 150).
"Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt? or is there any taste in the white of an egg?" v.6
Soul is neither in the material part nor in the spiritual shadow of life casting into the Land of the living. In a secular context we might define soul is betwixt and between the two realities where through our physical body 'through a glass darkly' we may look fore and aft. Job speaks of it in the following chapter, "Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling?/As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work:
So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me./When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day(7:1-4). The Psalmist had this hope,'when I awake, I am still with thee(Ps.139:18b)' and this,'For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.(Ps.30:5)'.
God did not create man to be a mere phantom of His nature 'Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth upriches, and knoweth not who shall gather them(Ps.39:6). The world of flesh itself is vanity. How does it find its counterpoise? Whereas the soul that pleases God has its character as salt has. Savor is what distinguishes a worldly man from a child of God. "Ye are the salt of the earth (Matt.5:13)". In a grain of salt there are about 10 raised to the power of 16 (one followed by 16 zeroes or 10 million billion atoms) What is it made of? Chlorine is gas, deadly poison and sodium is metal which burns when it comes into contact with water. When these atoms are arrayed precisely and held in its its predetermined place,- by the nature of force working, that is chemistry for us, the crystal salt has savor.
"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!