And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid. And He took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto him, saying,
“Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of Man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn Him to death, and shall deliver Him to the Gentiles: and they shall mock Him, and shall scourge Him, and shall spit upon Him, and shall kill Him: and the third day He shall rise again.”
Mark 10:32-34
mocked
The Judgment that Evil Judges
And the men that held Jesus mocked Him, and smote Him. And when they had blindfolded Him, they struck Him on the face, and asked Him, saying, “Prophesy, who is it that smote thee?” And many other things blasphemously spake they against Him. Luke 22:63-65
We often hear the words, “Judge not” from many who make unrighteous judgments themselves. Yes, those of us who have been redeemed by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ often do make unrighteous judgments too, but let’s be honest. Is not telling others, “Judge not” itself making a judgment.
It usually comes from someone who does not agree with what has been said, whether it is right or wrong; according to Scripture; makes no difference.
The most unrighteous judgment ever made in the history of the world, and Adam’s race is seen in the verses above. The Righteous One being judged, mocked, smitten in the face, and blindfolded to be asked to “Prophesy…” is nothing short of evil and blasphemous.
To treat our blessed Lord that way is the epitome of evil; and of evil judgments. So the next time you hurl the words “Judge not” at someone who made a Scriptural judgment, a righteous judgment, remember the evil of your own heart, and your contempt for the Christ who as the Righteous Judge will one day judge you.
Remember believer, “There is therefore, now, no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus…” (Romans 8:1).
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.
The Fire and Hammer 