The prophecy of the Lord Jesus for our consideration and edification, written centuries prior to His earthly existence is
Prophecy #318
Description
Priest and King
Old Testament Prophecy
Zechariah 6:12-13
And say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Behold, the man whose name is the Branch: for he shall branch out from his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord. It is he who shall build the temple of the Lord and shall bear royal honor, and shall sit and rule on his throne. And there[a] shall be a priest on his throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.”’
New Testament Fulfillment
Heb 8:1
Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven,
If you are just joining this blog, or are a first time visitor, welcome to Considering the Bible. We would like to offer a document that provides over 350 prophecies of the Messiah found in the Old Testament for your consideration.
I make no claim to be able to comment on every one of these amazing prophecies in the future, but will occasionally bring one to the readers attention for their edification.
Hopefully you will follow “Considering the Bible” and begin an interaction with us
9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake.10 And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another.
Matthew 24. The mini – apocalypse, the passage that speaks of the end times, judgement, apostacy. Scary stuff, full of dramatic images and threats, with so many opinions on what the Lord was trying to communicate to His followers.
Some who follow this topic of Conditional Security on Considering the Bible may have wondered why this passage has not shown up in the series previously. It seems it is such a slam dunk passage to support the Conditional Security position, and it may well be.
Let’s take a look at it for a few moments.
Jesus is speaking to His disciples at this time, addressing the disciples questions about His coming, and the end of the age. The very first words out of His mouth need to be heeded – “See that no one leads you astray”
He warns His disciples first and foremost of deception in this topic of His future coming into His kingdom, and that they were to be vigilant in understanding the times to come. Just before the verses we are considering today, the Lord warns His disciples that there is only one Christ, and that self proclaimed substitutes would be many. The disciples will hears of many wars and rumors of wars – Don’t be worried. There is still time.
Christians will be persecuted, even hated by other for His names sake. Tribulation will be the believers experience, and this tribulation will result in death for some, with the nations, the heathen, those who are outside the faith, hating believers.
This persecution, or this tribulation the believer experiences will result in the falling away. Because of this hatred (from the nations), many will fall away, they will skandalizō, they will be offended, they will fall away.
Who are these “many” who will fall away? Context demands that the word “many” refer to those who would be delivered up to tribulation, those who follow as disciples.
Persecution will provide opportunity for followers to fall away. Yet does this mean a loss of salvation, the abandonment of the Christian life, the turning away from following Him? It appears that the two descriptors in verse 10 describe the non-Christian, in that the non Christian is allowed to betray one another, and to hate one another. Just the very verse prior, the nations are described as hating others!
The true believer, in following Jesus is faithful to those he knows, and loves those he comes in contact with. Is Jesus describing a believer when he decides to betray instead of exercising faith, to hate instead of to love? Is that the desciption of a believer?
This is a difficult passage to understand, but the warning seems obvious, for even in persecution, to follow Jesus is to be faithful, to be one who exercises sacrificial love to those he comes in contact with.
To those reading this post, don’t wait for persecution to come to your life to decide to love others and to be faithful. Live the Christian life each day, and pray for strength to follow when persecution does arrive, for we know we all must experience some persecution in our lives. Be faithful. Love those around you with a sacrifical love.
In doing so, we may be preparing for times that will provide greater challenge than we expect.
Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion. If you would like to receive daily posts from Considering the Bible, click on the “Follow” link below
The prophecy of the Lord Jesus for our consideration and edification, written centuries prior to His earthly existence is
Prophecy #317
Description
God’s servant
Old Testament Prophecy
Zechariah 3:8
Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who sit before you, for they are men who are a sign: behold, I will bring my servant the Branch.
New Testament Fulfillment
John 17:4
I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.
If you are just joining this blog, or are a first time visitor, welcome to Considering the Bible. We would like to offer a document that provides over 350 prophecies of the Messiah found in the Old Testament for your consideration.
I make no claim to be able to comment on every one of these amazing prophecies in the future, but will occasionally bring one to the readers attention for their edification.
Hopefully you will follow “Considering the Bible” and begin an interaction with us
After my series on the parables, I found I was drawn to look into the miracles of Jesus in the Gospels. I have never studies the mighty works of Jesus as a focused effort before and am looking forward to finding nuggets of truth that we can be encouraged by.
I have provided a general introduction, with an opportunity to download two files for your reference in my initial post Signs and Mighty Works of Jesus – Introduction. I found that the format I used for the parable posts were useful to keep me on track, and will continue to use them for this series, with some minor tweaks. With that said, let’s take a look at
Jesus Restores Sight to Two Blind Men
Matthew 20:29-34
And as they went out of Jericho, a great crowd followed him. And behold, there were two blind men sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” The crowd rebuked them, telling them to be silent, but they cried out all the more, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” And stopping, Jesus called them and said, “What do you want me to do for you?” They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.” And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight and followed him.
Mark 10:46-52
And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.” And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.” And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.
General Observations
In our previous post we looked at Luke 18, where Jesus healed an anonymous blind man as He entered Jericho. In this post,we will meet Bartimaeus, presumably the beggar who stole the show in his interaction with the Lord. In Matthew’s account, as he refers to two blind men, some would claim a contradiction, yet Mark does not say that there was only one blind man, but that the story centers around Bartimaeus, one who may have been the dominant character of the two.
I have provided the following table, as in the last post, for the readers convenience in comparing the gospel narratives on blind men being healed near the city of Jericho.
Matthew 20:30-34
Mark 10:46-52
Luke 18:35-43
Two Blind Men
One Blind Man
One Blind Man
No names given
Named – Bartimaeus
No name given
Not defined – two men sitting by the roadside
A beggar
In the act of begging
Healed as Jesus left Jericho
Healed as Jesus left Jericho
Healed as Jesus entered Jericho
Let’s dig into the encounter Jesus and His disciples have as they leave the city of Jericho.
Questions to Consider
Who were the audience?
The audience hasn’t changed much from the earlier miracle as He entered Jericho, other than the crowd is described as “great”, implying numbers have been added to it (at least the formerly blind man may be joined to the crowd). The disciples were with Him. And of course, the two blind men who would recieve from the hand of the Master thier request.
Matthew speaks of the Lord’s motivation as “pity.” Compassion drove the Lord to heal these two men.
The impact of the call of Jesus upon Bartimaeus is somewhat startling, for upon Jesus’ call, as Mark 10:50 recounts Bartimaeus threw off his cloak, sprang up and came to Jesus.
He threw off his cloak. In my study, I have found that beggars in Israel, during the first century, were to wear cloaks that designated them as beggars, a requirement for a beggar to wear, so that the general population would know of thier “occupation”, or position in life. For Barimaeus to toss off the cloak indicates that he fully expected healing from the Son of David and rejected his prior life style.
This is faith in a nutshell. He gave up his prior life, even rejecting it, due to the hope he had in the Savior. And the response Jesus had for this exhuberant exhibition of faith? A question, a blank check offered to the blind man from the Son of David, the ruler of Israel and the nations.
What do you want me to do for you?
What was the message for the original audience?
For the blind men, pity, or compassion seems to be the motivation for the Lord to provide this mighty work for the blind men. Beyond this, I would like to suggest a possible additional reason that the Lord healed two blind men. You see, He had just reponded to a question previously with the very same response. As He asked the blind men “What do you want me to do for you?” (Mark 10:51), so He did in an earlier discussion with James and John, when they asked Jesus for positions above the rest of the disciples.
Consider the request of James and John.
Mark 10:36-37 36 And he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?” 37 And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.”
Jesus gives exactly the same response to the blind men, to Bartimaeus. Of course the motivation was completely different, for the two disciples were looking for position, glory, status and an advantage over thier fellow disciples. The blind men, on ther other hand, were reaching out to Jesus as the rightful King of Israel, calling Him Son of David, and asking for sight, not status.
Two men, each of them in two different situations with two different results. Yet only one response from the Master. Might He be reminding James and John a wee bit of thier request, showing the result of good motivations in a request as being effective in getting the Lord’s ear? Both parties were looking to the Lord as the Son of David, One who would reign, yet the disciples were looking for position and advantage, while the blind men simply to see.
What is the message for us today?
There is an element in the Christian church that seeks to obtain authority over others within the church. I have been in enough congregations to recognize “believers” that seek to obtain office, to obtain leadership over others, to be in control and to have others perform according to thier wishes, desires and demands. Of course I cannot judge motivation, for that is the Lord’s arena, and I would happily recieve correction if I am wrong, yet the general condition of the modern church seems to be rifled with men and women who use church ministries to gain a type of political power. James and John may want to correct us on that attitude, and remind us that Jesus taught that those who seek greatness must be as slaves of all.
As for the blind men, the message today is a message of an upside down kingdom, where the blind see Jesus clearly, while those of us who claim to follow may be blind ourselves, as James an John were, to the type of Savior they followed.
What “type” of Savior do you follow? Is He primarily One who is doling out authrity over others, of providing power over others to the saints who seek it, or is He the suffering slave of all, the One who is calling us to follow in His footsteps, to be countercultural, to not be as the Gentiles who rule over others? To not mimic those who exercise authority over others?
How do you see the Savior?
Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion. If you know someone this blog may bless (or challenge), send them a link, so they may join us in our discussion
The prophecy of the Lord Jesus for our consideration and edification, written centuries prior to His earthly existence is
Prophecy #316
Description
Descendant of Zerubbabel
Old Testament Prophecy
Haggai 2:23
On that day, declares the Lord of hosts, I will take you, O Zerubbabel my servant, the son of Shealtiel, declares the Lord, and make you like a[a] signet ring, for I have chosen you, declares the Lord of hosts.”
New Testament Fulfillment
Luke 2:27-32
And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law,
he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,
“Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word;
for my eyes have seen your salvation
that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”
If you are just joining this blog, or are a first time visitor, welcome to Considering the Bible. We would like to offer a document that provides over 350 prophecies of the Messiah found in the Old Testament for your consideration.
I make no claim to be able to comment on every one of these amazing prophecies in the future, but will occasionally bring one to the readers attention for their edification.
Hopefully you will follow “Considering the Bible” and begin an interaction with us
For this series in Philippians, I am going to limit each post to one verse, and hopefully produce a short, succinct read for my friends who follow.
2:7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
Emptied Himself. I confess this phrase regarding the Son has always been a bit difficult for me to understand. Not the motivation to empty Himself, for this severe act of self humiliation can only be explained by a severe love for the one He humbled Himself for.
No – the motive, though extreme, and logically speaking unbelievable, can be on the surface somewhat taken in. The bigger problem I have, and it is only due to my incessant analyzing of matters that really should not be analyzed, is not the “why”, but the “what” of the text. What does it mean to empty Himself?
Looking at the Greek, the term is κενόω (kenoō) and is defined as “to make empty”. When I read that, it just doesn’t help.
Looking at a list of other translations though, and I get a sense that He “emptied” Himself by doing something. This helps, and let me explain why.
During our child raising years, I would often tell my children “no”, but provide no positive or alternative action to follow. Of course this would be a frustration to them, for it was only the removal or restriction of an action that was “demanded”. Creating a vacuum of ideas by saying no only, did not rest well within the family, and eventually the children sought other avenues without allowing the parents to comment.
My point is that vacuums are not meant to remain. In the act of emptying Himself, the vacuum created had to be replaced. Or maybe in a better sense, the emptying was caused by some other action. Some action He decided upon, caused the required “emptying” of the Son. What action might that be? Hummmmm.
The text speaks of “taking the form of a servant” Maybe that is what I have been missing. The “form” of the Son, not necessarily the identity. He took the form of a servant, though He was in the form of God (verse 6). Form is the greek word μορφή (morphē), and has to do with appearance, or shape. He took the appearance of a servant, and lived in that appearance, relecting to His creation the character of the Godhead.
The greek word is used only one other place in the gospels, and that is in Mark 16:12.
Mark 16:12 After these things he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country.
After His resurection, He appeared in another form, and was unrecognizable to two men. (The parallel passage my be found in Luke 24:13 – 35) His identity had not varied, He is the Son, though a crucified Savior, yet His companions did not recognise Him for who He is.
He took on the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. His glory was left behind and He stepped down into His creation appearing as a servant, expressing God’s character in a way that would be understood by the creature. In one aspect of His self humiliation, His intent was to be understood, to identify with His creation, to live with them.
The passage speaks nothing of His not being God, but communicates the extent of His self humiliation, and His effort to communicate with His creation, with those who would understand (somewhat!) and those who would not understand (sadly).
In your day today, take the form of a servant. Humble yourself for the sake of the other. Any step down is a miniscule act in comparison to His act of love, but it is still a valid act of following Him.
Humble yourself, not only in thought and speech, but also in act and deed. We need to take this form of a servant, even though He has granted us the identity of children of God.
As children of God, act like the Son of God. Any other way of life gives the appearance we are not His children.
My wife and I are reading through the Psalms in our evening reading and occasionally a nugget of the Psalms jumps out of the page. Don’t you love it when, after years of reading the “Old Book” passages become alive, reinforcing old teachings or simply warming your heart.
This is the book of Psalms, and it is rich.
I pray I can communicate a portion of the blessing we receive from this wonderful book.
Psalm 50:1-3
1 A Psalm of Asaph. The Mighty One, God the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting. 2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth. 3 Our God comes; he does not keep silence; before him is a devouring fire, around him a mighty tempest.
The psalmist begins this psalm, immediately drawing the readers attention to who it is that is speaking.
It is the Mighty One, God, the LORD.
Mighty One – English translation of the hebrew אַיִל, transliteration ēl, primarily denoting strength, might and power.
God – English translation of the hebrew אֱלוֹהַּ, transliteration ‘ĕlōhîm, the plural of our first word, and denotes multiple gods, in this case speaking of the multiple persons in the Godhead, of which as believers we understand to be three, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
LORD – English translation of the hebrew הָיָה, transliteration Yᵊhōvâ, the proper name of the eternal, self existant God.
Asaph comes out identifying our God with three of the most majestic, power filled names available to describe Him. Whatever message Asaph records God as declaring, it is with the authority associated with these names.
In this psalm, God is calling all inhabitants to a court room, to a judgement hall in order for witnesses to be present during the proceedings. He is calling all of the earth, all inhabitants of the earth to witness the judgement that will be laid out.
God shall come, and God will not perform his judgement in a vacuum, but in the witness of many, in the witness of all. He will speak, and not keep silence. The envelope of judgement is typified as fire rolling out before Him, devouring all, consuming all before Him. A tempest encircles Him, a storm of horror, swirling violence whipping around Him, sweeping away all that is near. This is a terrifying picture that Asaph is rolling out for our sight. God is approaching in judgement, and it is everyones worst nightmare!
Asaph is delivering a psalm of judgement, a psalm that will not be likened to the comfortable, peaceful tone of Psalm 23, or of the many psalms that bring our hearts together in praise and wonder, but for much of this psalm we will, if we have breath in us, will not be comforted, but challenged to consider how our lives line up with our confession.
At first glance, as I consider the message of these court proceedings, there is a great temptation to turn away, to go on to another psalm, or look for an alternate topic, but the 50th psalm was given for our edification, encouragement and exhortation, in order for a cleansing to occur in our hearts. May God work in our hearts, bringing our confession and profession closer to each other.
May we walk the walk we talk of.
Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.
The prophecy of the Lord Jesus for our consideration and edification, written centuries prior to His earthly existence is
Prophecy #315
Description
He would visit the second Temple
Old Testament Prophecy
Haggai 2:6-9
For thus says the Lord of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land. And I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of hosts. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the Lord of hosts. The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, declares the Lord of hosts.’”
New Testament Fulfillment
Luke 2:27-32
And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law,
he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,
“Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word;
for my eyes have seen your salvation
that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”
If you are just joining this blog, or are a first time visitor, welcome to Considering the Bible. We would like to offer a document that provides over 350 prophecies of the Messiah found in the Old Testament for your consideration.
I make no claim to be able to comment on every one of these amazing prophecies in the future, but will occasionally bring one to the readers attention for their edification.
Hopefully you will follow “Considering the Bible” and begin an interaction with us
4 Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. 5 The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.
Jesus is speaking to believers in the church of Sardis, a church Jesus declares to be dead. This church is warned that He will come as a thief, and that a few names will be worthy to walk with Him. Worthy of walking with Him. There is a quality of life that is expected from the Lord to maintain the fellowship we often claim we have, yet as John in other of his writings, clearly states that we are to walk in the light (not my light), that we are to love the brethren (all of em?), that in this love of the brethren, we are overcomers (1 John 5:1-2).
Paul also teaches us that we are to walk worthy of the Lord, as in Colossians and Ephesians.
Colossians 1:10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; Ephesians 4:1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,
Yes we are to walk worthy of the Lord – a high calling that we certainly need His strength for.
Though this is a great challenge, the verse this post will concentrate on is the “blotting” verse. What in tarnation is going on in this verse, where Jesus promises to “never blot his name out of the book of life”. What does that imply? He is speaking of those who are clothed in white garments, that have conquered, that are worthy, and promises them that He will never blot his name out of the book of life!
Who is He speaking of?
Is all of creation, every living soul, recorded in the Book of Life and those who do not believe in Jesus, do they get blotted out? It seems the book of Revelation does not allow for this interpretation, since John records twice that some names were never written in the book of life.
Revelation 13:8 and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain. Revelation 17:8 The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction. And the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast, because it was and is not and is to come.
Ok, so this restriction of names within the book of life needs to be clarified. Might it be that those who have believed in Jesus as Lord and Savior, are they those whose names are written in the Book of Life?
Philippians 4:3 Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
Ok, so if I understand the general teaching on the Book of Life, that is, that the Book of Life contains names of believers, workers in the gospel per Phillipians, then what is going on in Revelation 3:5? Are believers names are being blotted from the Book of Life?
Not specifically. Granted, the Lord states He will never blot the name of the believer/he who is worthy/ the one who conquers, out of the Book of Life, but that opens the implication of name blotting connected with unworthiness, does it not? Why would He bring up this topic of non-blotting, if there was not additional implication we need to understand?
Those who are worthy – Promise of never blotting out his name.
Those who are not worthy – no promise given.
Let us follow after Him, seeking His will. seeking His approval and finding the life that is worthy of the Lord.
Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion. If you would like to receive daily posts from Considering the Bible, click on the “Follow” link below
The prophecy of the Lord Jesus for our consideration and edification, written centuries prior to His earthly existence is
Prophecy #314
Description
From everlasting
Old Testament Prophecy
Micah 5:2c
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.
New Testament Fulfillment
John 8:58
Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”
If you are just joining this blog, or are a first time visitor, welcome to Considering the Bible. We would like to offer a document that provides over 350 prophecies of the Messiah found in the Old Testament for your consideration.
I make no claim to be able to comment on every one of these amazing prophecies in the future, but will occasionally bring one to the readers attention for their edification.
Hopefully you will follow “Considering the Bible” and begin an interaction with us
Considering the Bible 