“Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: so shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:3-6 (KJB)
Mercy
Sending Forth Mercy and Truth
“Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in Thee: yea, in the shadow of Thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.
I will cry unto God Most High; unto God that performeth all things for me. He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth His mercy and His truth.
My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.
Be Thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; Thy glory above all the earth.
They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit before me, into the midst whereof they are fallen. Selah.” Psalm 57:1-6 (KJB)
Against You Only
“Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of Thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Thy sight: that Thou mightest be justified when Thou speakest, and be clear when Thou judgest.
Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.” Psalm 51:1-5 (KJB)
Fulfill The Royal Law
“If ye fulfil the royal law according to the Scripture, ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself,’ ye do well: but if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For He that said, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ said also, ‘Do not kill.’ Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.” James 2:8-13 (KJB)
Show Me Your Ways, O LORD
“Unto You, O LORD, do I lift up my soul. O my God, I trust in You: let me not be ashamed, let not my enemies triumph over me. Yea, let none that wait on You be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause. Show me Your ways, O LORD; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth, and teach me: for You are the God of my salvation; on You do I wait all the day. Remember, O LORD, Your tender mercies and Your lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old. Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to Your mercy You remember me for Your goodness’ sake, O LORD.” Psalm 25:1-7 (KJB)
My Heart Shall Rejoice In Your Salvation
“How long will You forget me, O LORD? For ever? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death; lest my enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved. But I have trusted in Your mercy; my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing unto the LORD, because he has dealt bountifully with me.” Psalm 13:1-6 (KJB)
For the Sake of Your Mercy
“O LORD, rebuke me not in Your anger, neither chasten me in Your hot displeasure. Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak: O LORD, heal me; for my bones are vexed. My soul is also sore vexed: but You, O LORD, how long? Return, O LORD, deliver my soul: oh save me for Your mercies’ sake.” Psalm 6:1-4 (KJB)
Have Mercy…, and Hear My Prayer
“Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: You have enlarged me in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.” Psalm 4:1 (KJB)
You LORD, Are A Shield For Me
“LORD, how are they increased that trouble me! Many are they that rise up against me. Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah. But You, O LORD, are a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.” Psalm 3:1-3
Patience and Comfort of the Scriptures
“For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” Romans 15:4 (KJB)
I will let another speak today. the commentary of Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown…
“For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning — “instruction”
through, etc. — “through the comfort and the patience of the Scriptures”
might have hope — that is, “Think not that because such portions of Scripture relate immediately to Christ, they are inapplicable to you; for though Christ’s sufferings, as a Savior, were exclusively His own, the motives that prompted them, the spirit in which they were endured, and the general principle involved in His whole work – self-sacrifice for the good of others – furnish our most perfect and beautiful model; and so all Scripture relating to these is for our instruction; and since the duty of forbearance, the strong with the weak, requires ‘patience,’ and this again needs ‘comfort,’ all those Scriptures which tell of patience and consolation, particularly of the patience of Christ, and of the consolation which sustained Him under it, are our appointed and appropriate nutriment, ministering to us ‘hope’ of that blessed day when these shall no more be needed.” See on Rom_4:25, Note 7. (For the same connection between “patience and hope” see on Rom_12:12, and see on 1Th_1:3).” From the JAMIESON, FAUSSET, AND BROWN COMMENTARY
Sin, The Law, and Grace
“What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.” Romans 6:15 (KJB)
There were some in Paul’s day who were accusing him of teaching that if one is saved by grace alone then one can live how ever they please; and the apostle is correcting this mistaken gross idea.
Sadly it is a notion of many of today’s professing “Christians” that “I can go ahead and do this thing, I can live with this girl or this guy without marriage to see if it works out or not; I can divorce my wife or husband, and marry this other one; and God will forgive me”. Put what ever element of sin into the equation you choose, and it has probably been thought, and acted upon.
If a man or woman who professes Christ can do such a thing, then live with the enjoyment of their act, they will not enjoy God. There, in fact, cannot be forgiveness.
Verse 14 of this chapter of Romans says, “For sin shall not have dominion over you”.
The truly redeemed, born again child of God; the true Christian hates their sin, seeks every opportunity to put away sin, stay away from the sin that tempts them, does not seek it out. Neither can the Christian enjoy living in sin, letting sin have dominion over them.
If you call yourself a Christian, and can enjoy sinful acts, thoughts, and living, and you are not disciplined by the Lord, then, you are not His (Hebrews 12:7-8)
Let our prayer today be that of the Psalmist…
“Order my steps in Thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.” Psalm 119:133
Grace is not a license, and approval, from God or freedom from God to sin. It is, in fact, the freedom from sin, and the power to take authority over sin.
The Lions of Nineveh
“Where is the dwelling of the lions, and the feedingplace of the young lions, where the lion, the old lion, walked, and the lion’s whelp, and none made them afraid?” Nahum 2:11 (KJB)
Nineveh was the city to which God called Jonah to go about 100 years previous to Nahum’s prophecy. God sending Jonah, though a reluctant prophet, was God in His grace and mercy reaching out to a lost and condemned people.
Nineveh was a fierce people. At the time of Jonah God numbers the city with 120 thousand souls too young to know their left from their right hand (Jonah 4:11). That would be young children, babies. Yet, the whole city from the least to the greatest of the people repented and turned to the LORD due to Jonah’s preaching (Jonah 3:5).
Now a hundred years later they have returned to their old ways, against the LORD, and against the people of GOD.
Who are these “Lions of Nineveh?” The lion is a feared creature of the field, and the jungle. The roar of the old male is a fearful thing to hear to its prey, yet we have these “lions” in fear. Why? Because the LORD is about to show up in His wrath against the whole city. The lions are the king, the other rulers, and the young ones coming up in leadership.
The most fearful thing that people of all places, countries, cities, and provinces is that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God (Hebrews 10:31). It is by God’s grace we can fall into the hands of the loving Creator, God, Savior, and King Jesus Christ. He took the curse that was ours, dying on the cross, was buried, and He rose again; and He forever lives and reigns.
Call on His name, and He will deliver you from the bondage of sin and shame.
Jonah’s Anger
“But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, ‘I pray Thee, O LORD, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that Thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest Thee of the evil. Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech Thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.’ ” Jonah 4:1-3 (KJB)
I do not know, and yet I do know; I believe God was displeased with Jonah’s attitude; and he had to be disciplined. I am not sure by the end of the chapter and short book that Jonah had learned about mercy and grace.
The prophet Jonah was a patriot to the nation of Israel. It was the godly nation. It was the nation of God’s people. Here he is angry because God had mercy on a heathen people.
Let us who are saved by the grace of God through the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ; the only begotten Son of God; was buried, and He rose from the grave, always remember that God desires the whole world to know that He is the LORD God. That is stated again and again through out Scripture.
Let us rejoice that enemies of God and our faith become our brethren, and love the Lord just as we do. We too, were once enemies of God, and the cross of Christ (Romans 5:8-10).
Rejoice every time a soul is redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, who is Jesus Christ.
They Called Them to The Most High
“And My people are bent to backsliding from Me: though they called them to the Most High, none at all would exalt Him.” Hosea 11:7 (KJB)
The prophet is speaking of the people of Israel. Their hearts were set on turning from the Lord GOD. Yet, God in His great mercy and grace was set on redeeming them.
He called prophets who would teach them, deliver them, and warn them of the path of rejection and rebellion they were walking, living in.
I must be honest with you, that for me, and I believe every Christian; one of the easiest things for us to do is to go our own way. To worship God, and Him alone takes a devoted, undivided heart for God, and His only begotten Son Jesus Christ.
That is why it is a necessity to be a faithful student of the word of God – the Bible. We must be people who see it as our necessary diet for daily strength. When we get in His Word, and it through the Holy Spirit gets into us God makes us a different and powerful person for the glory of the Lord.
Father, turn Your backsliden people back to You. May we all turn our eyes upon Jesus Christ, His death on the cross for our sins, His burial carrying away all our sin, our shame, and condemnation, and His resurrection; and knowing that He lives is evidence that we too shall live with Him forever.
Sowing and Reaping
“Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till He come and rain righteousness upon you.” Hosea 10:12 (KJB)
Well I am back. I never really went anywhere; just felt I needed to take a break from this blog, and focus on some other things.
The following is from a former post back in May of 2013. It is just a portion of that dealing with verse 12 of Hosea 10.
“The “Fallow ground” of verse twelve is land that had previously been plowed, but now left unused. God’s Word and His Spirit is the plow that is needed to break up the soil of a hard heart (See Matthew 13:3-9, 18-23). Hard hearts cannot yield crops of righteousness and mercy.
It is a prominent theme in Hosea that the children of Israel will reap exactly what they have sown. It is a law of God’s created order to reap what we have sown – and that, no matter the timeline, culture or society which we may live.
Hosea gives us three steps to heal the land:
- Break up your fallow ground (v. 12);
- Put God’s Word in your heart – “sow with a view of righteousness” (NAS v. 12);
- “Reap in accordance with kindness (NAS) referring to the breaking of their hard hearts through repentance and sowing the seed of God’s Word in their lives.
God gives Israel every opportunity to repent. It is God’s desire then to cleanse them, and make them a vessel of His grace. Judgment would come.” From BROKEN PIECES of May 04, 2013
There is a very relevant need for Christians of 2019 to realize the seeds we are sowing. We are in the time of year where in the agricultural world there is harvesting going on. That does not happen by accident. The farmers sow seeds to bring in a harvest, and when God blesses with good soil conditions, and rainfall these men and women have a great harvest when the time of harvest comes.
They sow seeds of what they desire to harvest. They desire to reap a harvest like the seed they have sown; and they will not reap any other type seed.
There is a real life lesson for us in this and it is found in the apostle Paul’s letter to the Church of Galatia…
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” Galatians 6:7-8
The only fruit worth the harvest is the fruit we bear because of Jesus Christ through His death, burial, and bodily resurrection. We can only do that through faith in Him; faith that works; not for salvation, but because of salvation by grace.
When and What GOD Has Spoken
“I the LORD have spoken it: it shall come to pass, and I will do it; I will not go back, neither will I spare, neither will I repent; according to thy ways, and according to thy doings, shall they judge thee, saith the Lord GOD.” Ezekiel 24:14 (KJB)
From John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible on Ezekiel 24:14…
“I the Lord have spoken it; it shall come to pass,…. What God has said shall be accomplished; his word shall not return void and empty, or be without effect:
and I will do it; being God omnipotent and unchangeable:
I will not go back; from his word, or the thing threatened and denounced; nothing should prevail upon him to act such a part:
neither will I spare; show any mercy or compassion, or abate of the punishment due:
neither will I repent; or change the course and method of Providence; but abide by the decree gone forth, and the sentence pronounced, and thoroughly execute it; a heap of words ascertaining the truth of what is predicted:
according to thy ways and according to thy doings shall they judge thee, saith the Lord God; that is, the Chaldeans shall judge and condemn thee, and execute my judgments on thee in a just and righteous manner, as thy evil ways and works deserve.”
It seems the Christian of 2019 wants to live on the promises of God from the Old Testament; but we tend to forget about those promises or warnings of judgment for neglecting His word, and turning from Him. Every word God has spoken will be done.
The LORD Gives Life
“Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
‘Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations, and say, ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD unto Jerusalem; ‘Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan; thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite. And as for thy nativity, in the day thou wast born thy navel was not cut, neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee; thou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled at all. None eye pitied thee, to do any of these unto thee, to have compassion upon thee; but thou wast cast out in the open field, to the loathing of thy person, in the day that thou wast born. And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee in thy blood, ‘Live;’ yea, I said unto thee in thy blood, ‘Live.’ ” Ezekiel 16:1-6 (KJB)
Ezekiel’s word from God for Israel is that “You were found by Me in a state of death, and dying. No one else took pity on you. There is no other god who found you, and gave you life. I said unto you, ‘Live’ and gave you My grace and mercy.”
The condition of every man, woman, boy, or girl who has ever been born is death. Apart from the grace of God, and the blood of the Lamb of God, who is Jesus Christ there is only death for all.
The only Man who ever lived without sin died for us all, that we might have life through His name. His name is Jesus.
May we not flaunt His grace through licentious, debaucherous, hate filled living which comes from death.
Paul the apostle tells us, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), and he also tells us that “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures…” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
The Lord GOD through faith in Jesus Christ is the only One who gives life. Call on His name.
Idols of the Heart
“Then came certain of the elders of Israel unto me, and sat before me. And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
‘Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face. Should I be enquired of at all by them? Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols; that I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from Me through their idols.’ ” Ezekiel 14:1-5 (KJB)
In the United States of America we love our cars, our houses, our freedoms, and just about anything else including sports and education. We far too often give more attention to those things than we do to the One who created us; and who has provided our eternal salvation.
Remember Ezekiel, and those “elders of Israel” who came to him were in Babylon; captives of Nebuchadnezzar. These men were coming to ask the prophet to seek God for them, but God knew their hearts.
“Should I be enquired of at all by them?” Did you catch that question from the LORD? That gets me to thinking of what prayers God will hear.
“The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” Psalm 34:18
“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.” Psalm 51:17
The broken heart is the one who realizes there is no help, no hope, no Savior but in the Lord. The contrite one is is one who is physically and mentally and spiritually collapsed. These are the sacrifices; the prayers God will hear.
The one’s who come to God in the pretense of worship, with feigned words and empty acts of reverence will not be heard.
Remember this. God knows your heart, and your mind. There is nothing about you that is a secret to Him.
Turn to the One [Jesus Christ] who died for your sins. Turn to the One who died on the cross, was buried and He rose again. Come to Him with a broken, contrite, and surrendering heart.
The Way of the Wicked Heart
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.
As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool.” Jeremiah 17:9-11 (KJB)
Let me get right to the point. There is no male or female who is without a wicked heart, until that heart has been changed through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ the perfect, sinless, Son of God; the only One who did not have a wicked heart.
Apart from the grace of God displayed on the cross that wicked heart can still make an appearance if we stray for walking with the LORD.
The part of these verses that caught my attention this morning was verse 11 dealing with the partridge; apparently a bird that could have been known for taking eggs of another bird, sitting on them, an leaving them at the first sign of trouble.
The wicked heart of Adam’s kind steals from others, and is shown to be a fool in his end.
God knows your heart. You may think you do. When you have seen some evil, wicked thing; you may have thought, or even said out loud, “I would never do anything like that”. That wicked heart you do not believe you have can show up suddenly, and openly, then the whole world around you will see. It is, in fact, your wicked heart that would lead you to think, and/or say such a thing.
O you of Adam kind will you give your heart, your soul, your mind to Jesus Christ? Do so today.
Exactly As GOD Said
“I gave My back to the smiters, and My cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not My face from shame and spitting.” Isaiah 50:6 (KJB)
This is a prophecy of the trial, pain, beating, the suffering of the sinless Son of God as He gave Himself as the propitiation for our sins. A prophecy given to the prophet Isaiah around 700 years before Jesus was even born in the manger.
From Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary on verse six…
“smiters — with scourges and with the open hand (Isa_52:14; Mar_14:65). Literally fulfilled (Mat_27:26; Mat_26:27; Luk_18:33). To “pluck the hair” is the highest insult that can be offered an Oriental (2Sa_10:4; Lam_3:30). “I gave” implies the voluntary nature of His sufferings; His example corresponds to His precept (Mat_5:39).
spitting — To spit in another’s presence is an insult in the East, much more on one; most of all in the face (Job_30:10; Mat_27:30; Luk_18:32).” From the Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary
O, come to Jesus Christ who loved us so much He gave Himself to redeem us to the Father God in Glory.
A Man Shall Look to His Maker
“Yet gleaning grapes shall be left in it, as the shaking of an olive tree, two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough, four or five in the outmost fruitful branches thereof, saith the LORD God of Israel. At that day shall a man look to his Maker, and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy One of Israel. And he shall not look to the altars, the work of his hands, neither shall respect that which his fingers have made, either the groves, or the images.” Isaiah 17:6-8 (KJB)
God has spoken of the judgment upon Damascus; and also Ephraim (the northern kingdom also called Israel), and Syria. The word of this text is to Judah.
Christians can, and need to learn much from the discipline of God upon His people of the Old Testament. One is that He will not allow His children to continue living in sin without some form of discipline, even judgment of our sin, to turn our hearts back to Him. Remember what the writer of Hebrews has written,
“…If you be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are you bastards (or illegitimate), and not sons” Hebrews 12:8
Commentary for Isaiah 17:6-8…
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary on verse 6 – 8…
“in it — that is, in the land of Israel.
two or three … in the top — A few poor inhabitants shall be left in Israel, like the two or three olive berries left on the topmost boughs, which it is not worth while taking the trouble to try to reach.”
Verse 7 – “look to his Maker — instead of trusting in their fortresses – (Isa_17:3; Mic_7:7).”
Verse 8 – “groves — A symbolical tree is often found in Assyrian inscriptions, representing the hosts of heaven (“Saba”), answering to Ashteroth or Astarte, the queen of heaven, as Baal or Bel is the king. Hence the expression, “image of the grove,” is explained (2Ki_21:7).
images — literally, “images to the sun,” that is, to Baal, who answers to the sun, as Astarte to the hosts of heaven (2Ki_23:5; Job_31:26).”
Look to your Maker today. He is the One who died on the cross for you, was buried, and He rose again. He is the soon returning King of kings, and Lord of lords. He is Jesus the Christ, Son of the Living God, God the Living Son.
The Gift of Suffering
For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake…” Philippians 1:29 (KJB)
A major automotive company has a commercial of a new medium size truck. In that commercial they show people doing many different things to show how the race of Adam puts himself through a lot of suffering, and all for the fun and adventure of it.
People go to gyms every day of the week to “work out” for the purpose of “staying in shape”, getting in shape, and to be physically fit. They do this then they have aches, and pains, and have even been overheard saying, “I have to go to the gym today.” Some run, many walk pushing themselves to their limit. They suffer with a goal in mind.
We often think nothing of suffering to gain our intended goal; but did you guess that; or did you know that suffering for Jesus Christ and His gospel is a gift from Him…
“…It is given in the behalf of Christ… to suffer for His sake…”
No one enjoys suffering. I am recovering right now from a whole day spent yesterday helping two of my sons put in laminate flooring in our house. We did two rooms. I am grateful to the men for actually doing it; I merely helped supplying the planks, doing saw work, etc. We got it done. The outcome is wonderful.
We could say that the outcome of our suffering for the name of Christ is marvelous, wonderful, and magnificent. When we suffer for the sake of Christ, He is glorified.
I cannot say that I have ever suffered too much for Christ. We do have brothers and sisters in Christ in countries like some of the nations of Africa, India, even Saudi Arabia, and many more. Hang on brethren in those nations. Continue in faith believing not only in Jesus Christ, but also in suffering for Him.
Lord Jesus, I pray that I too will be faithful in times of suffering for Your name. Amen.
Professors of Wisdom
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four footed beasts, and creeping things. Romans 1:22-23 (KJB)
Who are these Professors of Wisdom? They are the one’s who had the knowledge of God; that He is the Creator of all things, the seen and the unseen, the man and the woman; yet have chosen to reject Him (v. 21).
Who are these Professors of Wisdom? They are numerous in today’s world. they are the one’s who say that their form of “Science” is the truth, when science only means “to know”. We can only know from the evidence before us; that which God has given us.
Who are these Professors of Wisdom? It is those who choose to make God in their own image, and deny what the Scripture says of Him. When we deny the holiness, righteousness, and wrath of God and only see Him as a God of love, mercy, and grace we make Him into the God we want Him to be. This is not according to Scripture.
We take God in the entirety of what Scripture says of His character. We see God as holy, righteous, just, and judging sin; He is loving, merciful, and full of grace. By the way, I have not exhausted the words for His character. Search the Scriptures and you will see them.
God in His great mercy, love, and grace gave us the gift of His Son Jesus. Why? Because we were ones in that state of heart and mind. Jesus Christ took upon Himself all the sins of the world, and died a cruel, tortured death; He was buried, and He rose again. He is our only hope.
Believe Him.
Shall I Crucify Your King?
“And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, ‘Behold your King!’ But they cried out, ‘Away with Him, away with Him, crucify Him.’ Pilate saith unto them, ‘Shall I crucify your King?’ The chief priests answered, ‘We have no king but Caesar.'” John 19:14-15 (KJB)
In this scene Jesus is being tried for accused sins and transgressions; not actual charges, but false charges brought about by those who hated God, His word, and His Son.
Jesus is the King of the Jews. It was those who should have known the Scripture best which denied Him, were jealous of His successes, His power, and His followers. One of the chief priest even said that “One must die for our nation” (John 11:49-51).
Here stood the Man, the God-Man whose character, power, miracles, grace, mercy, holiness, and justness was clearly displayed by His life. He lived solely to do the business of His Father (Luke 2:49), from the early age of 12 years. He healed the sick, caused the lame to walk, cleansed lepers, raised the dead. Hey, He defied the elements by walking on water, speaking to storms and they ceased. He cast out demons.
How could these religious “Leaders” be so blind? Pilate asked them, “Shall I crucify your King?”. Their sad, and hateful words say it all about their dark hearts… “We have no king but Caesar?”
When citizens of a nation which is enslaved by another nation chooses the king of the occupying nation over their own king; especially like these do they are denying God. These Jewish leaders should have been looking for the coming of their Messiah; maybe they were, but were not expecting this Jesus; this suffering Servant of God; willing to die for the sins of the world.
For the Christian of 2019 are you aware of; are you alert to the words of your King? Jesus is your King. He has called us unto Himself, turning from sin to His righteousness, to live in holiness. Are we saying the same thing those religious leaders of His day said when we choose to go our own way, do our own thing? Are we not saying, “I have no king but Caesar/myself?”
The Green Tree, and the Dry
“And there followed Him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented Him. But Jesus turning unto them said,
‘Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for Me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, ‘Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.’ Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us;’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?’” Luke 23:27-31 (KJB)
This event and Jesus’s words are only spoken here in Luke’s account of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He has spoken similar words in teaching the disciples in Matthew 24 – 25, and in portions of Mark, and John; but not directly as a warning for those who are following behind Him as He goes to His death.
These “Daughters of Jerusalem” are not of those who love Him, and have spent time with Him for verse 49 of this same chapter says,
“And all His acquaintance, and the women that followed Him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.” v. 49
These were women of the city of Jerusalem who had heard of His mighty works, His authority in God’s words, and His deeds; but had never committed to Him. Jesus warns them of a time coming in the not distant future for them that would cause them to cry for the rocks and the mountains to fall on them, because the judgment was so severe.
If you would read the prophet Isaiah, and chapter 2 you would see some of these same words from the word of God spoken by the prophet.
Just to explain the “green tree” and the “dry”…. Jesus is the green tree and they were killing Him, He is alive. The dry was Israel or Jerusalem; a worse time was coming for them.
Why are these words important for the Christian of 2019? Do they have any importance for the unbelieving of 2019?
To answer the first question for the Christian it should be a wakeup call for us to be diligent in living for Christ, reading the Scriptures [Holy Bible], applying its teachings to our lives, praying for daily filling of the Spirit of God, and being a vibrant witness for Jesus to a lost and dying world. Remember the words of Jesus,
“…Lift up your heads; for your redemption draws nigh.” Luke 21:28
To answer the second, it is important for your life, your eternal soul that you heed the words of Jesus. Those women of Jerusalem had heard of Jesus, maybe even recognized Him as a good man, great teacher and prophet, but were experiencing great emotion about His death; but yet did not believe Him. Maybe one reading this feels badly concerning the illegal, manufactured, lying judgments brought against Jesus, and the sentence given this guiltless Man; yet, you have not called on His name for salvation. Will you do so today?
Jesus went on to the cross, laid Himself down on it, and died for our sins. He was taken down from the cross dead, and was buried in a borrowed tomb. Three days later He came out of that grave alive. You can trust Him. Believe Him. Receive Him.
The Fire and Hammer 