Category: Christ’s earthly ministry

Jesus, Please Leave! #5

Friday, June 21, 2019

“And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts” (Matthew 8:34 KJV).

Friend, what would you do if the Lord Jesus Christ Himself happened to knock on your front door or ring your doorbell?

In Isaiah chapter 49, after the LORD God issues astonishing promises concerning Israel’s glorious future, a valid objection is raised. Verse 24: “Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered?” Satan boasts before God that Israel is now his people. Having broken the Mosaic Covenant with their idolatry, they are disqualified from being God’s people (see Exodus 19:5,6). They are Satan’s slaves, and he will not release them. Recall the rampant devil possession during Christ’s earthly ministry! The nation Israel is so thoroughly corrupted with pagan idolatry and false teaching. Indeed, legally, God cannot use them. They have entered into a binding contract, and have utterly failed to stay loyal to the God of their fathers. “Lawfully captive” to Satan, how can they be “delivered?”

Almighty God answers Satan: “[25] But thus saith the LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children. [26] And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.” 

God will save the children of Israel… somehow. The specifics are not clear to Satan, Isaiah, or anyone else at that time. Looking back, with a complete Bible in hand, we can see Jesus’ crosswork in veiled language in Isaiah 50:1-8. In death by crucifixion, Christ fights to redeem Israel from sin and Satan’s relentless grip. By shedding His sinless blood, He satisfies Father God’s justice, and pays Israel’s sin debt in full. Before this, He performs healing and exorcism miracles (as in today’s Scripture). Prior to Calvary, He demonstrates He can free Israel from the Devil’s clutches….

Jesus, Please Leave! #4

Thursday, June 20, 2019

“And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts” (Matthew 8:34 KJV).

Friend, what would you do if the Lord Jesus Christ Himself happened to knock on your front door or ring your doorbell?

Matthew chapter 12 provides the key to understanding exorcisms—the casting out of devils—in Scripture: “[22] Then was brought unto him [Jesus] one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw. [23] And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David? [24] But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.

“[25] And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: [26] And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? [27] And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges. [28] But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. [29] Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house. [30] He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.”

Verse 28 claims Jesus and His 12 Apostles performed exorcisms to show Israel God’s earthly kingdom was near. After all, Zechariah 13:2 said Messiah would remove the unclean spirits from Israel’s land. Exorcisms and physical healings were demonstrations of “the powers of the world to come” (Hebrews 6:5), “shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God” (Luke 8:1). When Jesus cast out the evil spirit in the context of today’s Scripture, how did Israel respond? In celebration and gratitude that Satan had been driven from them? No! Instead they asked Jesus to leave. They disallowed the very Man—the only Man—who could liberate them from satanic bondage….

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Can you explain Philippians 3:14?”

Jesus, Please Leave! #3

Wednesday, June 19, 2019

“And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts” (Matthew 8:34 KJV).

Friend, what would you do if the Lord Jesus Christ Himself happened to knock on your front door or ring your doorbell?

Mark chapter 5 records the event this way: “[7] And [one of the devil-possessed men] cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not. [8] For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit. [9] And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many. [10] And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country. [11] Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding.”

Notice, Jesus is called here, not merely “Son of God,” but “Son of the most high God” (verse 7). The title “most high” underscores God as “possessor of heaven and earth” (Genesis 14:19,22). Did you notice how the unclean spirit asked Jesus “not [to] send them away out of the country?” While God is the Creator, it is equally factual that a usurper exists in creation—Satan, the Adversary, the spirit being who said, “I will be like the most High” (Isaiah 14:14). The Devil desires all creation worship him: therefore, he polluted the nation Israel with false religion. When Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry began, the Israelites are not under God’s control.

These evil spirits know that their purpose (instructions given by Satan himself) is to occupy the land of Palestine. If God’s land is corrupted, it is unusable to Him. Thus, the devils beg Jesus to let them stay in the country, or land. He prefers to cast them out of the men (there were actually two men—see Mark 5:1-20). Christ allows the evil spirits to enter pigs, and they drive the pigs to drown into the sea (presumably the Sea of Galilee). Yes, this is all bizarre to us, but it is quite simple. The devil-possessed man pictures national Israel under Satan’s influence….

Jesus, Please Leave! #2

Tuesday, June 18, 2019

“And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts” (Matthew 8:34 KJV).

Friend, what would you do if the Lord Jesus Christ Himself happened to knock on your front door or ring your doorbell?

We read today’s Scripture in its context: “[28] And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way. [29] And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?

“[30] And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding. [31] So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine. [32] And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters. [33] And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils. [34] And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts.”

Two men possessed with devils are living among the tombs along the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee. They are “exceeding fierce,” or violent savages. Notice how they prevent anyone from passing. As the Lord Jesus comes, the evil spirits speak through these men: “And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?” While Israel is largely ignorant of Jesus being the Son of God, Satan and his fallen angelic allies are well aware of that truth!! These unclean spirits reveal that they recognize Christ’s dominion over them….

Bible Q&A #620: “Why did Ezekiel, in Babylon, warn of Jerusalem’s fall?”

Jesus, Please Leave! #1

Monday, June 17, 2019

“And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts” (Matthew 8:34 KJV).

Friend, what would you do if the Lord Jesus Christ Himself happened to knock on your front door or ring your doorbell?

It is a sad commentary indeed. When Christ showed up in the midst of His own kinsmen, the Bible says, “And she [His mother, the virgin Mary] brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7). A few years pass, and the wise men have come from the east to worship young Jesus. “When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him” (Matthew 2:3). Was Israel ready for her Messiah? Of course not! Did the inhabitants of Jerusalem welcome its rightful King with open arms? Certainly not! Truly, rank unbelief led to outright refusal.

Over 30 years later, Matthew 8:20 reports: “And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath no where to lay his head.” In other words, the foxes and birds have homes where they are accepted and can rest. However, Jesus has been overwhelmingly rejected. In the very place where He should have settled “at home,” there was no room for Him! Did you know that, at the very beginning of His ministry, the convicted Jews attempted to throw Jesus off a cliff (Luke 4:28-31)?!

Doubtless, a believing remnant followed Jesus when He conducted His earthly life—Mary His mother, Joseph His step-father, Anna and Simeon, John the Baptist, the 12 Apostles, Mary Magdalene, Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimathaea, Lazarus and his sisters Martha and Mary, and so on. However, it was indeed a remnant, a “little flock” (Luke 12:32): most Jews refused to believe on Him. Their attitude culminated in John 19:15, “Away with him, away with him, crucify him…. The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar!”

Calvary’s cross is just moments away. Yet, we pause the narrative and go back in time, focusing on today’s Scripture….

Christian Prayer “Does Not Help” #3

Friday, May 31, 2019

“Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Matthew 15:7-9 KJV).

Indeed, the Lord’s words are true even now!

What was the nation Israel’s principal problem during Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry? He pinpointed it in today’s Scripture: “[they were] teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” Instead of holding to God’s Word—especially the Law of Moses, their chief Divine operating instructions—they had substituted it with manmade teachings. Having divorced themselves from God’s thoughts—and ultimately, His power—they were spiritually debilitated.

The physically blind, physically deaf, physically mute, and physically paralyzed who Jesus healed were perfect illustrations of Israel spiritually blind, spiritually deaf, spiritually mute, and spiritually paralyzed. They were unable to see God’s truth, unable to hear His words, unable to speak His words, and unable to walk in His ways. Their manmade teachings were the very reason why they ultimately crucified Him on Calvary. Had they maintained and believed God’s pure Word—the Old Testament Scriptures—they would have seen and trusted Jesus as Messiah. Since they abhorred the Scriptures, they despised the God-Man to whom those very verses pointed.

Even now, repeating the gross chief sin of Israel, Christendom has largely pushed aside the Bible. They quote occasionally (provided it supports their denominations), but their doctrines are overwhelmingly devoid of God’s Word. Hence, their tenets are shallow, their prayers are powerless, and their rituals and ceremonies are repulsive. They have no idea what God is doing today, for they have not handled His Word His way. Instead of “studying… rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15), they have muddled the various directions God has issued through time individually.

What is the remedy? The Lord’s spokesman to us Gentiles today is the Apostle Paul (Romans 11:13). Friend, do you want effectual prayers, those that actually carry eternal value? Try Ephesians 1:15-23, Ephesians 3:11-21, Philippians 1:9-11, and Colossians 1:9-13. These model Pauline prayers highlight what God is doing in this the Dispensation of Grace. If you pray according to them, never shall you be able to say, “Christian prayer does not help!”

Brethren, to the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, we now close 8 full years of “333 Words of Grace!” Thank you for praying for us thus far, and by God’s grace, we now aim for another 8 years!

NOTE: Dear Saints, it is with great pleasure that I announce all 90 videos (over 104 hours of teaching) of our Old Testament Survey Project are now online and ready to watch! Click here. Praise our Lord Jesus Christ!

Christian Prayer “Does Not Help” #2

Thursday, May 30, 2019

“Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Matthew 15:7-9 KJV).

Indeed, the Lord’s words are true even now!

Christ was citing Isaiah 29:13, penned over 700 years prior: “Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:….” Whether in Isaiah’s ministry, or His own ministry, the Lord Jesus knew the reprehensible predicament of His nation Israel.

They paid Him “lip service:” they read Moses’ writings aloud, sang the psalms, and uttered elaborate prayers. Despite that “fair shew [beautiful exhibition] in the flesh” (Galatians 6:12,13), their innermost being lacked faith. They were not obeying the Scriptures by faith; instead of using that God-given religion to worship Him, they were worshipping the religion itself. While claiming to “love God,” they were unbelieving concerning His words. Their outward appearance was hypocritical, masking their true intentions. God was not fooled then, and He is not fooled today.

Frankly, religious tradition has so preoccupied so-called “Christian” people that their prayers are oftentimes doctrinally worthless. Of course, such prayers are also “useless.” They are recited with the assumption that they can manipulate or force God to agree with their every whim and grant their every wish.

Instead of opening His Bible, and approaching it “rightly divided” (2 Timothy 2:15)—rather than carefully noticing what verses are to and about them and what verses are not to and about them—they see anything and everything in Scripture as applicable to them. They claim prayer promises God never gave them, and then grow upset and disappointed when He does not react as they supposed He would! Such “unanswered prayers” constantly bother Christians and non-Christians alike. If this is how we handle Scripture, no wonder people loathe “Christian prayer” and rather seek help from “eastern religions!” Almighty God, the Holy Bible, and Christianity are not the problem. We in our carelessness are the problem….

Our latest Bible Q&A: “How was Moses ‘very meek?’”

Human Eyes Versus Divine Eyes #6

Saturday, May 18, 2019

“And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God. The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth” (Matthew 27:39-44 KJV).

It is the same event, viewed from two different perspectives. Which assessment is reality and which is folly?

Chapter 2 of 1 Corinthians: “[13] Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. [14] But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

Here is what God saw at Calvary. “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). Isaiah continues, “…[8] for the transgression of my people was he stricken…. [10] Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. [11] He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied.…”

According to Philippians 2:5-11, Jesus, the second Person of the Godhead, took a place of servitude to the first Person (the Father). Had the Son come down from the cross, He would have spurned His Father’s will (cf. Hebrews 10:1-22). His blood would have not been shed to pay for Israel’s sins—or ours. Scripture had to be fulfilled… and, glory to Almighty God, we through God’s eyes see that it was (Matthew 26:45-56)! 🙂

Human Eyes Versus Divine Eyes #5

Friday, May 17, 2019

“And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God. The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth” (Matthew 27:39-44 KJV).

It is the same event, viewed from two different perspectives. Which assessment is reality and which is folly?

First Corinthians chapter 1: “[18] For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God…. [20] Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? [21] For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. [22] For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: [23] But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; [24] But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God….”

Chapter 2: “[9] But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. [10] But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. [11] For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. [12] Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God….”

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Who were the ‘strong bulls of Bashan’ standing before Christ’s cross?”

Human Eyes Versus Divine Eyes #4

Thursday, May 16, 2019

“And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God. The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth” (Matthew 27:39-44 KJV).

It is the same event, viewed from two different perspectives. Which assessment is reality and which is folly?

Dear friends, sin causes us to have a misleading sense of reality. Jeremiah 17:9 attests: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Spiritual darkness and confusion corrupt our standards, to the degree that we cannot accurately evaluate our surroundings. Our heart tricks us. If left to ourselves (lacking or refusing Divine insight), we dwell in the dark as those of today’s Scripture.

Isaiah 55:8,9 declares: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” God (of course) is infinitesimally intellectually superior to us. With that limitless knowledge, He effortlessly lays out complicated paths to achieve His goals. We are simply too inadequate to understand His every move. Hence, if we depend on our sinful hearts, then we will ridicule Him. The equivalent is a child in his ignorance making fun of an adult’s planning. Is the child capable of appreciating mature reasoning? (Nay, and as long as we laud our incomplete astuteness, neither can we realize God’s wisdom!)

“Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?” Yea, 1 Corinthians 1:20 is correct. God has made foolish the “wisdom” of this world….