“Then began He to upbraid the cities wherein most of His mighty works were done, because they repented not:
‘Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.
And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.’” Matthew 11:20-24 (KJB)
Tyre
A Self Exalted King
“Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
‘Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; ‘Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty….” Ezekiel 28:11-12 (KJB)
Tyre was evidently a rocky island in the Mediterranaen sea. It was known as a place where the known world of the time traded; a place of commerce. The king of Tyre or Tyrus was arrogant, and exalted himself as God. This is an arrogance in the extreme, and definitely invites the judgment of the Lord GOD.
I pray as you read this you will read chapters 26 – 29 of the prophecy.
In God’s lamentation of the king it seems directed at the spirit of iniquity; the place from which the evil heart and mind really comes the person who was in the garden of Eden, and questioned the word of God, and caused the man Adam and his wife Eve to question the word too.
When we see evil in the world it can be traced to this vile, wicked, evil, serpent who also exalts himself over the throne of God (Read Isaiah 14). We see kings and rulers today who are trying to silence the word, the will, and the way of the Lord GOD, and kill all that profess the name of Jesus Christ who is the Son of the Lord GOD.
To you who are self exalted kings and gods; you will not succeed. You are doomed to the fires of Hell unless you repent of your sins, and turn to Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. He is the One who died, was buried, and rose again. He is the King of kings, and ultimately you will bow to Him.
To you who are not kings and/or rulers of any land or nation. If you think you are the master of your own fate; the captain of your soul; you are not. This One who died on the cross (Jesus Christ), was buried, and rose again is. Submit to Him, His Lordship, and call on His name.
Jesus Feeding the Gentiles
It is not often thought of or mentioned, but Jesus did minister to Gentiles while He was living on earth, and ministering to His people. After His leaving the area of Galilee He went into the area of Tyre and Sidon (Matthew 15:21). This is where He met the Canaanite woman, healed her daughter, and healed many of their sick (15:21-31).
Jesus has said, “I have come to seek and to save that which is lost”; and that means not only those of Israel, but of the Gentiles as well. We come now to that part of Matthew 15 where Jesus feeds a multitude of Gentiles.
Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way. And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude? And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes. And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full. And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children. And he sent away the multitude, and took ship, and came into the coasts of Magdala.” Matthew 15:32-39 (KJV)
Jesus it seems is still in the Gentile area of Tyre and Sidon. The reason I mention this is that there are many who would discredit this event entirely, because just a short time ago, (chapter 14) Jesus fed a multitude of 5,000; not counting women and children; and there were twelve baskets full left over. This is in a different location, a different multitude, and with a different purpose other than seeing to their need.
The feeding of the 5,000 seems to have ended His Galillean ministry. With that feeding it would not seem any reach of the imagination to say that there would have been a minimum of 15,000 people fed with 5 loaves of bread and two small fish.
In the case of the 4,000 there were seven loaves of bread and a “few fishes”. This feeding seems to also end His ministry to the Gentiles, at this time. It might also be noted that Matthew and Mark are the only two of the gospel writers who tell of this feeding. All the Evangelist tell of the feeding of the 5,000. Matthew may tell of it because He will be the King of kings, sovereign ruler of all nations, when He comes again. Mark may mention the Gentile feeding because He is a servant to all people.
The faith of the disciples seems to be very weak. They had witnessed the feeding of the 5,000, and yet wonder how Jesus will feed so many. Is it any wonder that Jesus charged them so many times, “O ye of little faith”.
In a time of struggling individuals and families in the USA, and around the world; with people losing their homes, and many losing their life savings; know this that Jesus can meet your needs. He is not a god in a box that will give you every whim and desire, but He will be with you through every trial and trouble. He will give you courage and strength and you will glorify His name. David, the Psalmist wrote, “I have never seen the righteous forsaken, nor His seed begging for bread” (Psalm 37:25). Jesus, God of creation can and will meet your needs, not wants, but needs. He desires that you trust Him, rely on Him and nothing or no one else.
“Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4). It is God’s desires the Psalmist is talking about, not our selfish desires. The things that God desires will become your desires when you delight yourself in the Lord. Jesus is the Good Shepherd of all who come to Him.
-Tim A. Blankenship
For Whom Has The Lord Come???
Within the Gospel of Matthew is a story of a Canaanite woman who came to Jesus (Matthew 15:21-28) requesting healing for her sick daughter. It is a somewhat compelling story, and a story of faith. The words of our Lord almost seem cruel, but instead are words for bringing out the faith of this Gentile woman.
Thus, in the eyes of the Jews of that day she had at least two strikes against her. First of all, she was a woman, and it was quite something for Jesus to even be speaking to her; secondly she was a Gentile. There are many people today who feel as though everything is against them; they could never be saved; they could never be forgiven their sins by God. There is, however, no one who is outside the forgiveness of our God and Lord.
I once spoke to a man who came up near me, setting on a park bench, in Springfield, MO., Nature Center. The man looked as though he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. An elderly man, and after speaking with him I found out that he was living alone, his wife had left him, he had fought in the Vietnam war, and felt as though, “God could never forgive me for what I have done”. I tried to assure him that God could forgive through Jesus Christ, and cleanse him of all his sin.
I told the man of David’s act of murder, of Saul of Tarsus and his rampage against Christians, and that these two men received the forgiveness that can be found only in Jesus Christ. He went away without Christ. Oh, how sad.
Matthew tells of this event in Jesus’s ministry, and shows us for whom the Lord has come. Jesus has said, “Know you not that I have come to do My Father’s business” (Luke 2:49). Jesus said, “I have come to seek and save that which is lost” (Luke 19:10). This Gentile woman needed Jesus, and needed His healing touch.
This Canaanite woman’s faith would not relent. She would not give up. Then, Jesus testing her faith, told her, “It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.” Her response was one of faith, and this reference is to the dogs which were house pets, not the mean and vicious ones which roamed the streets, and valleys. Jesus was not being mean, but showing much grace as He will to all who will come to Him believing.
The Lord witnessed her faith, and answered her request. “And her daughter was healed from that very hour”.
Will your request be from the Lord, “Heal me today”? We all are sick, and in much need of the healing, and deliverance from the sickness of sin and death. The only healing available for sin is the blood of Jesus Christ shed on the cross of Calvary. Call on Him today. He will not turn you away.
“Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.” Matthew 15:21-28 (KJV)
Wouldn’t it be great to enter the New Year of 2009 with a new outlook on life, forgiven and cleansed of all your sin? Call on the name of Jesus Christ and be saved.
-Tim A. Blankenship
The Fire and Hammer 