Kiss The Son – Psalm 2

“Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, ‘Let us break Their bonds in pieces and cast away Their cords from us.’ He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall hold them in derision. Then He shall speak to them in His wrath and distress them in His deep displeasure: ‘Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the Lord has said to Me, You are My Son, today I have begotten You.’” Psalm 2:1-7

In Acts 4:25, Peter attributes Psalm 2:1-2 to God who spoke through the mouth of David. In Acts 13:33, Paul mentions the second Psalm and quotes verse 7 as being fulfilled in Jesus. In Psalm 2:7, God speaks of His begotten Son, and commands people to kiss His Son to avoid His wrath.

Hebrews 1:1-5 says that God spoke to us in these last days by His Son. God made the worlds through Him. He is the express image of God. He upholds all things by the word of His power. He purged our sin. He sits at the right hand of Majesty, and quotes Psalm 2:7, “You are My Son, today I have begotten You.” Hebrews 5:5 says that Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest but God said to Him, “You are My Son, today I have begotten You.”

God the Father says, “You are My Son, today, I have begotten You.” God spoke these words over Jesus during His baptism and during His transfiguration. John 3:16 says that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son so that whosoever believes in Him would not perish but have everlasting life.”

Why do the nations rage and plot against the Lord and His Anointed One Jesus the Christ? David is surprised at their folly, and angry with their rebellion.

In John 18:36, Jesus told Roman Governor Pontius Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight....” In John 15:24-25, Jesus said to His disciples, “If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’”

Jesus perfectly obeyed the will of His Father. His presence exposed sin that most people preferred to be undetected and unchallenged. Did Jesus have to live a holy life? Yes, because otherwise, He would have been unfit to be the perfect sinless sacrifice for our sins.

What about us? Do we need Jesus to convict us of our sins? The answer is yes.

Isaiah 59:1-2 says, “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save. Nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear, but your iniquities have separated you from your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.”

Psalm 66:18 says, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear.”

1 John 1:8-10 says, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.”

Sin separates us from God.

Christ’s death on the cross, says that sin is unacceptable to God. Sin is so bad that it cost God’s Son extreme pain to remove it’s curse from us. Isaiah 52:14 states that His appearance was marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men. He was a bloody mess.

Isaiah 53:6 says, “All we like sheep have gone astray. We have turned, every one, to his own way, and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” Jesus experienced excruciating pain for our sins. In fact, the word excruciating stems from the word for crucifixion.

Christ has bands and cords for us, but they are cords and bands of love. Jeremiah 31:3 says, “The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.”

The people referred to in Psalm 2 break asunder God’s bands and cords, because they want to be free to sin, but sin is slavery not freedom. We can choose to sin, but we cannot choose sin’s consequences. Romans 6:23 says that the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” The Lord does not want to condemn us. He wants to save us.

To oppose God is to oppose the One who loves us more than anyone else. To oppose God is to oppose the only One who can save us from hell and bring us to heaven. Not a good idea!

After the world has done its worst against God and His Christ, God will still be God. 1 John 2:17 says, “The world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”

In Matthew 16:16, after Peter professed to Jesus, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,” Jesus said in Matthew 16:17, “On this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” According to Revelation 19:10, the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy. This prophetic truth will never change no matter who tries to deny it or cover it up.

The second and third stanza of Luther’s hymn, “A Mighty Fortress is our God” goes like this: “Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing, were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God's own choosing. You ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He; Lord Sabaoth His Name, from age to age the same; and He must win the battle.” “And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us, we will not fear, for God has willed His truth to triumph through us. The prince of darkness grim, we tremble not for him; his rage we can endure, for lo! his doom is sure; one little word shall fell him.”

The attempts of Christ’s enemies are easily ridiculed. God laughs at them as a company of fools.

God says, “I have set My King.” Matthew Henry Commentary says, “The kingdom of the Messiah is founded upon a decree, an eternal decree, of God the Father. It was not a sudden resolve, it was not the trial of an experiment, but the result of the counsels of the divine wisdom and the determinations of the divine will, before all worlds, neither of which can be altered.”

In regards to His resurrection, Jesus said in John 10:18, “I have power to lay My life down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.” In regards to consistency, Jesus said in John 14:31, “As the Father gave Me commandment, so I do.”

In response to the obedience of His Son, God says in Isaiah 53:12, “Therefore will I divide Him a portion with the great, because He made intercession for the transgressors.” Revelation 11:15 says that the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of the Lord and of His Christ.

“Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron. You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel. Now therefore, be wise, O kings; be instructed, you judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.” Psalm 2:8-12

“You shall break them (those that oppose God’s kingdom) with a rod of iron. This was fulfilled in part after the chief priests, scribes and Pharisees persisted in unbelief and in bitter enmity against God’s anointed one, Jesus Christ. They were destroyed by the Romans. God foretold of the Romans in Daniel 2:40 when He spoke of an empire made of iron. In the year 70 AD, Roman Emperor Titus was like a rod of iron to Jerusalem. He slew 1.1 million Jews, enslaved 9,700 and reduced their temple to rubble.

1 Corinthians 15:24 says, “Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. Psalm 110:5-6 says, “The Lord is at Your right hand. He shall execute kings in the day of His wrath. He shall judge among the nations, He shall fill the places with dead bodies, He shall execute the heads of many countries.” Evil in this world has an expiration date. It will come to pass suddenly.

Christ is powerful. His enemies are weak before Him. He has a rod of iron to crush the cruel.

God commands kings to be wise and judges to be instructed. He commands them to serve His Son with fear and rejoice with trembling. In Philippians 2:12, God says, “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” Kings and judges should rejoice in Christ not reject Him.

God commands us to kiss the Son. Not with a betraying kiss, as Judas kissed Jesus, and as all hypocrites, who pretend to honor Him do, but with a kiss of adoration. With a kiss of agreement and appreciation! End the quarrel! Stop the fight! To love the Lord our God is the heartbeat of our mission here on earth. To proclaim His Son to people pleases Him.

Scripture tells us that idolators kissed their idols. In 1 Kings 19:18, God said to Elijah, “I have reserved 7,000 in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.” In Hosea 13:2, God says, “Now they sin more and more, and have made for themselves molded images, idols of their silver, according to their skill. All of it is the work of craftsmen. They say of them, ‘Let the men who sacrifice kiss the calves!’” If idolators kiss manmade gods which are not gods at all, how much more should we kiss toward the Son of God who gave His life for our salvation on Calvary’s cross.

Psalm 2:12 says, “Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.”

Last night, I listened to the conversion testimony of an Iranian official’s daughter. For the first 23 years of her life, she dutifully obeyed the laws of Islam. She recited prayers frequently daily, memorized large portions of the Koran, lived in isolation and under the threat of death if she disobeyed the rules. Her father promised her hand in marriage to a man she hated. Islam did nothing for her heart. Then, one day, Jesus appeared to her in a vision. And after that, He brought her into fellowship with Christians. Later, she found out that the Lord had appeared to her younger sister as well, and she led her sister to profess faith in Jesus as well. By the grace of God, and with the help of Christians, she escaped from those who would have killed her. She testified that she is just one of many Iranians who have had such experiences. Jesus saw how oppressed and unhappy her people were and came to their rescue in a miraculous way. Praise the Lord!

In Psalm 2:7, God says, “Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession.” Are we asking the Lord for the nations? Are we praying for them? The Lord has blessed me with maps of the nations of the world on my computer. He leads me to pray for the people of the nations that they would be an inheritance for Him who is worthy of them, that is, God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. Glory to God! 

Vibrant For Christ – Psalm 1

The Matthew Henry Commentary says of Psalm 1. “The Lord knows those that are His by name, but we must know them by their character.” “The character of a good man is here given by the rules he chooses to walk by.”

“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful.” Psalm 1:1

Sin invites by passers to walk with it, then, stand with it, and finally sit down with it.

Psalms 119:115 says, “Depart from me, you evildoers for I will keep the commandments of my God.” When I was a teenager, the Lord led me to say to a “friend” who wanted me to do evil, “I fear God, I do not want to go to hell.” After he departed from me, I realized he was not a true friend. He was a user and abuser. God spared me from him.

The devil advised our first parents to disregard God’s commandment. Revelation 12:17 says that Satan wars against those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. Revelation 22:14 says, “Blessed are they that do His [God’s] commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the city.”

Psalms 112:1 says, “Blessed is the man that fears the Lord, that delights greatly in his commandments.”

Proverbs 3:34 says that God scorns the scorners but gives grace to the lowly.

The godly don’t walk in the counsel of the ungodly. They prefer to walk with Jesus. They don’t remain where sinners sin. They don’t sit comfortably with those who scorn God’s Word

The Matthew Henry Commentary says, “The word which we translate ungodly signifies such as are unsettled, aim at no certain end and walk by no certain rule, but are at the command of every lust and at the beckoning of every temptation.”

The Heavenly Father teaches us to value our life. To protect and cherish it!

The devil wants us to destroy ourselves. Psalm 17:4 says, “Concerning the works of men, by the word of Your lips, I have kept away from the paths of the destroyer.” In Revelation 9:1-11, Apollyon, which means Destroyer, is the king of the bottomless pit. Psalm 106:36-38 says those who worship idols worship demons. In 1 Kings 18:28, idolators cut themselves with knives until their blood gushed out. In Mark 5:1-3, an unclean spirit made a man act so violently that people could not bind him with chains. In Mark 9:17-18, an evil spirit caused a man’s son to harm himself. In Matthew 17:15, the man said it caused his son to fall into fire and water often. Jesus casted the evil spirit out.

We should guard our relationship with God above all else.

“But his delight is in the Law of the Lord, and in His Law, he meditates day and night.” Psalm 1:2

In John 15:5, Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” Jesus is the living Word. As we abide in Him by meditating on His Word and aligning our lives with Him, He produces His fruit in us.

Psalms 34:8 says, “O taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the man that trusts in Him.”

Psalms 144:15 says, “Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the Lord.”

Luke 11:27-28 says that a certain woman from a crowd raised her voice and said to Jesus, “Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!” Jesus responded, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it!”

In Matthew 7:13-14, Jesus advised us, “Enter the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and many there be which go there. Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads to life, and few there be that find it.”

In John 14:6, Jesus is the way. No one comes to the Father except through Jesus.

“He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, which brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.” Psalm 1:3

The blessedness of the godly is illustrated by a fruitful and flourishing tree. God’s blessing produces tangible results. Isaiah 61:3 says that a tree of righteousness is a planting of the Lord. Psalms 46:4 speaks of a river whose water make glad the city of our God. God supplies strength and vigor to us by His Word and His Spirit. He keeps us green so we don’t wither.

“The ungodly are not so but are like the chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.” Psalm 1:4-6

On the flipside is the person who is careless about their relationship with God. Living to sin is not the example that Jesus set for us. Proverbs 21:17 says, “He who loves pleasure will be a poor man. He who loves wine and oil will not be rich.”

Jesus poured out Himself in love for people. God the Father was well pleased with Him. Jesus helps His followers to die to selfish ambitions so we can love God and our neighbor.

There is a way of escape from the deadly love of pleasure, and ungodliness. It is via repentance of sin, asking God the Father to forgive our sin and professing faith in Jesus Christ for salvation.

Meditation and alignment with God’s Word brings forth good fruit. Your vibrancy won’t wither. He will prosper your work.

JESUS is RISEN and WITH US – Matthew 28

“Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door and sat on it. His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. And the guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men.” Matthew 28:1-3

They were on their way to the tomb of Jesus when a great earthquake happened. Not a little tremor! I have experienced tremors twice. The ground felt like Jello for a moment. A great earthquake would have really shook things up. In a sense, this earthquake validates what God was doing! God was shaking things up.

This was the second earthquake in three days’ time. Matthew 27:50-55 tell us that there was an earthquake when Jesus yielded up His Spirit. “Rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised.” The Good Friday quake caused hard rocks to break into pieces.

Do we have any hard rocks in our lives that need broken up?

Graves were opened! This opening of graves was a good thing. Saints arose from the dead and appeared to many after Jesus’ resurrection. This created a dilemma for the ones trying to keep Jesus buried. Not only did Jesus resurrect from the dead, so did many others. People who died in the Lord, now appeared to many. Empirical evidence that Jesus was and is God’s Son.

An angel of the Lord descended from heaven. I see a connection between this angel and the earthquake. Jesus reveals three earthquakes in Revelation 6:12, 8:5, 16:18 that are connected to angels releasing judgments on earth. In a sense, the resurrection of Jesus is a judgment. The present delusional world condemned Jesus, but God raised Him from the dead. His resurrection affirmed that He is God’s Son and the Savior of the world. His resurrection means Jesus is true.

That great stone that so proudly stood against Jesus, became a perch for a glorious angel. The angel’s countenance was like lightning. Extremely bright! His clothing as white as snow. When the guards saw him, they shook and became like dead men.

“But the angel answered and said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.’ So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy and ran to bring His disciples Word.” Matthew 28:4-8

The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid.” He didn’t say that to the guards. They needed to be afraid. The angel said to the women, “I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.”

Perhaps, they wondered what Jesus looked like. He had been beaten, bruised, bloodied and buried. In Isaiah 52:14, the Bible says, “His visage was marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men.”

The angel showed the women the inside of the tomb... EMPTY! WOW! No other founder of a religion left behind an empty tomb.

The angel said to the women, “Go quickly... How should they go? ...Quickly! This reminds me when David faced the giant Goliath. Scripture says that David ran at him. May the Lord help us to run with the Gospel. So many people need to hear it.

The angel told the women to tell the disciples of Jesus that He is risen from the dead. They became the first people to preach the Gospel after the resurrection. The angel told them, “Jesus is going before you into Galilee.” Galilee is a fishing area 80 miles from Jerusalem.

“And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, ‘Rejoice!’ So, they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.’” Matthew 28:9-10

How amazing to meet an angel! Then, while experiencing a mix of fear and immense joy, they met Jesus. They worshipped Him! Jesus greeted them with the word... “Rejoice!” He gave them permission to be happy! Leave behind sadness! It is a new day. It is a new beginning!

How did the women respond? They held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. They were happy to see Him! Jesus told them, “Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.” This is the same message the angel told them. It is the same message Jesus told His disciples during the Passover meal in Matthew 26:32, He told them, “After I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.”

“Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened. When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, saying, ‘Tell them, His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept. And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will appease him and make you secure.’ So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.” Matthew 28:11-15

How many people are being paid by corrupt officials today to spread lies about Jesus?

“Then the 11 disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.” Matthew 28:16-17

What is the significance of returning to Galilee? Galilee is the place where everything began for them. In Galilee, they left everything to follow Jesus. Returning to Galilee would trigger memories of those earlier days. Now, they could view His past miracles and teachings from a post-resurrection perspective. When the disciples saw Jesus, they worshiped Him.

“Some doubted!” Faith is a gift! It comes from God! Once, I heard a Jewish man say, “I hear everything you are saying about Jesus. It is like it is right here.” He put his hand about four inches in front of his eyes. His words reminded me of what Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 3:14-16, “Their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.” Those who doubted heard the right message, but they needed to turn toward Jesus for help to believe it. Conversion and salvation is of the Lord!

“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.’” Matthew 28:18-20

Jesus spoke of the Trinity when He called His disciples to baptize people in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Priests in the Old Testament washed in a basin before proceeding to do their priestly services for God and others. According to Revelation 1:8 and 2 Peter 2:9, Christ “has made us kings and priests to His God and Father.” We are “a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, proclaiming the praises of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.” Therefore, we do gladly accept and act on the Lord’s command to be baptized in the Name of the Triune God. As we do what He commands, He fills us with His Holy Spirit. Acts 5:32 says that God gives the Holy Spirit to those who obey Him.

Jesus commanded His disciples to make more disciples. The goal is to teach what Jesus taught.

Discipling requires reliance on the Lord. Sometimes, disciples take two steps forward and one back. They promise but don’t do. They say they understand but don’t. They hold onto bad habits and bad relationships. How often is God exasperated with people in the Bible? We should daily pray to God for our disciples and for ourselves.

With God all things are possible! Interestingly, it has been noted that the first two letters of the word GOD from left to right are G-O and the last two letters of GOD from right to left are D-O.

Nick Vujicic is a man who was born without limbs. He has spoken over 3,500 times in more than 84 countries. His work has reached millions of people globally. He has addressed 10 national governments and met 31 Presidents, Vice Presidents, and Prime Ministers. He has a saying that he often repeats, “When you put a GO in front of DISABLED, it spells GOD IS ABLED.”

The last prayer in the Bible is recorded in Revelation 22:20-21. The prayer is a response to Jesus saying, “Surely I am coming quickly.” The prayer is, “Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” Then, the last line of the Bible is a blessing: “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.”

The good news is that Jesus is alive and He is with us! G.K. Chesterton was once asked, “What would you do differently if you knew that Jesus, the Son of God, was standing right behind you.” Chesterton retorted, “He is!”

Before our Lord Jesus Christ ascended to heaven, He told His disciples, and by extension all of us who believe in Him, “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Knowing that Jesus is with us helps us to go forward each day despite facing great challenges. The Lord calls us to place our concerns in His hands, and His promise to us in Psalm 138:8 is, “The Lord will perfect that which concerns me. Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever!”

His Pain Our Gain – Matthew 27

“When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put Him to death. And when they had bound Him, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor.” Matthew 27:1-2

Have you ever seen a person in handcuffs or ankle chains? Once, I took a group of rowdy children to a county jail so they could witness what happens to lawbreakers when they are arrested and jailed. A young man had just been committed to the jailer. He had on an orange jumpsuit. He had chains on his ankles. His face was downcast. As we passed by prison cells, I asked them, “Do you see any TV screens or video games in their cell?” There was none.

Jesus was arrested and bound. He was led to stand before the governor of the land. He had healed, fed and gave people faith, hope and love. Corrupt leaders unjustly punished Him.

“Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the 30 pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, ‘I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.’ And they said, ‘What is that to us? You see to it!’ Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed and went and hanged himself.” Matthew 27:3-5

Judas betrayed the Lord for the sake of money. Not just once, but often. John 12:6 tells us that Judas “was a thief. He had the money box. He used to take what was put in it.” Whoever is in bondage to committing a particular sin over and over again should ask the Lord to grant him genuine repentance, and for deliverance from it. Sin is nothing to take risks with. It is deadly.

Judas was remorseful. He returned the silver to the Pharisees. The Greek word for remorseful (metamelomai) suggests regret or wishing things could be undone, which differs from repentance (metanoeo) which is a complete change of mind towards God. While he admitted his sin, his remorse led him to suicide rather to God’s forgiveness. [1] On top of thievery and betrayal, Judas failed to believe in God’s forgiveness. Romans 5:20 says, “Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more.”

“But the chief priests took the silver pieces and said, ‘It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because they are the price of blood.’ And they consulted together and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in. Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, ‘And they took the 30 pieces of silver, the value of Him who was priced, whom they of the children of Israel priced, and gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord directed me.” Matthew 27:6-10

God moved the evil chief priests and elders to purchase a “potter’s field” in which to bury strangers in. In so doing, they fulfilled Old Testament prophecy about the Messiah. Acts 1:19 says, “This ‘potter’s field’—whose Aramaic name was ‘Aceldama,’ or ‘field of blood’ was located outside Jerusalem. The potters excavated and gathered its high-quality, deep-red clay to make their ceramics. Removing these nutrients from the soil rendered the land barren. Unusable for farming, it was better suited to serve as a graveyard. Derived from the English Bible, the term ‘potter’s field’ survives even today—also called ‘paupers’ grave, common grave.’ It is used to describe a cemetery reserved for the disposal of unclaimed corpses, as well as the remains of unidentified and/or poor people.” [2]

God transformed betrayal money into charity money. The “potter” is the one who fashions vessels out of clay, pointing to God, who fashioned our own bodies out of the clay of the earth. The “potter’s field” points to a place where people who experienced little acceptance in this life, experience a place of rest in the life to come thanks to the love and mercy of God.

“Now Jesus stood before the governor. And the governor asked Him, saying, ‘Are You the King of the Jews?’ Jesus said to him, ‘It is as you say.’ And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing. Then Pilate said to Him, ‘Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?’ But He answered him not one word, so that the governor marveled greatly.” Matthew 27:11-14

Apparently, after Jesus told Pilate, “It is as you say,” the chief priests and elders, began shouting. Perhaps, the room was filled with shouts as the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room is during presidential press briefings. When the White House Press Secretary takes questions from reporters, they shout to gain attention.

Pilate was greatly amazed. He asked Jesus if He heard what they were saying about Him. Perhaps, the governor had never met an innocent man who refused to defend himself against false allegations.

“Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished. And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, ‘Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?’ For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy.” Matthew 27:15-18

Who do we release? A notorious criminal or an innocent man who does not agree with our ideology? Why did the chief priests and elders bring Jesus to Pilate? He made them jealous.

“While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, ‘Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him.’ But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. The governor answered and said to them, ‘Which of the two do you want me to release to you?’ They said, ‘Barabbas!’ Pilate said to them, ‘What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?’ They all said to him, ‘Let Him be crucified!’ Then the governor said, ‘Why, what evil has He done?’ But they cried out all the more, saying, ‘Let Him be crucified!’” Matthew 27:19-23

Pilate’s wife tried to stop her husband from taking part in the evil that was transpiring. She had no peace whatsoever about Jesus being condemned. She urged him to withdraw from this case.

Pilate must have assumed that though the chief priests and elders were dirty dealers that they would not choose evil Barabbas over Jesus. But no, they had Jesus derangement syndrome. No matter how bad choosing Barabbas over Jesus might ruin their reputation, they rallied the people to condemn Jesus. Pilate asked them, “Why, what evil has He done?” The ill-religious religious leaders even shocked a pagan with how wicked they were.

“When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, ‘I am innocent of the blood of this just man. You see to it.’ And all the people answered and said, ‘His blood be on us and on our children.’” Matthew 27:24-25

What was Jesus to Pilate? He was a just man. So, Pilate made a public demonstration of his position towards Jesus. He did not agree with their indictment. He made it clear that he wanted to release Jesus. The people willingly accepted the blame for slaying the Lamb of God

“Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified. Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around Him. And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ Then they spat on Him, took the reed, and struck Him on the head. And when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified. Now as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. Him they compelled to bear His cross. And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, which is to say, Place of a Skull, they gave Him sour wine mingled with gall to drink. But when He had tasted it, He would not drink.” Matthew 27:26-34

Crucifixion was a horrible form of torture, but that was not deemed enough pain for Jesus. He had already been beaten, spit on, slapped, bound and brought to trial, next, they whipped Him.

“Jesus was flogged with a Roman flagellum, a severe whip designed to tear flesh. It consisted of a handle with multiple leather thongs, embedded with metal balls (or lead weights) for deep bruising and sharp sheep bones or metal spikes at the tips to lacerate the skin. It was used to cause intense pain, significant blood loss, and deep lacerations, often pushing victims to the brink of death.” [3]

Previous to His blood loss due to beating, Luke 22:44 says that Jesus sweated drops of blood during His prayer time in Gethsemane. Hematidrosis is a rare medical condition during which the capillary blood vessels that feed the sweat glands break down. Blood released from the vessels mixes with the sweat; therefore, the body sweats drops of blood. [4]

Roman soldiers placed a crown of thorns on Jesus’ head and a robe on His back. The robe helped His blood to clot (similar to putting a piece of tissue on a cut from shaving). However, as they hit Jesus in the head, the thorns from the crown pushed into His scalp causing more bleeding. The soldiers also belittled Jesus by spitting on Him. Then, they ripped the robe off His back, which caused the wounds on His back to start bleeding again.

Due to severe blood loss, Jesus was unable to carry His cross all the way to Golgotha, so the Romans forced a man named Simon of Cyrene (Libya) to carry it for Him. Mark 15:21 tells us that Simon had two sons, Alexander and Rufus. Rufus and his mother are mentioned in Romans 16:13 as being believers in Christ. [5]

“Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet: ‘They divided My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.’” Matthew 27:35

For the Romans, gambling to win the garment of Jesus was a game to pass time while they waited for the condemned to die, but in fact, they fulfilled a prophecy recorded in Psalm 22:18.

“Sitting down, they kept watch over Him there. And they put up over His head the accusation written against Him: THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.” Matthew 27:36-37

“It was customary in the Roman Empire to post a written accusation or crime on the cross of a person being crucified. This sign, often called a titulus in Latin, was used to publicly declare the reason for the execution and to act as a deterrent to others. The sign served as a final, public branding of the criminal’s guilt, often indicating crimes like treason, theft, or insurrection.”

“The condemned person was forced to carry a sign or wear it around their neck on the way to the execution, which was then fastened to the top of the cross. Accusations focused on offenses against Rome, such as sedition.” [6] Jesus was indicted for being the King of the Jews.

“Then two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and another on the left.” Matthew 27:38

Isaiah 53:12 was written about 700 years before Jesus was born. The prophecy says, “He poured out His life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors.” The robbers were the transgressors with whom Jesus was numbered. Jesus also prayed for the transgressors while on the cross. In Luke 23:34, Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”

“And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, ‘You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.’ Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said, ‘He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is 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.’ Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing.” Matthew 27:39-44

Sadly, Satan has his blasphemers who mock and makes ugly gestures against Christ. Such people like to mock Christ when it appears to them that they have high ground against Him.

In a sense, one accusation against Jesus was true. They said, “He saved others. Himself He cannot save.” Jesus could not live a life of ease and pleasure and save people from sin. He had to give His flesh to become a living sacrifice for sinners so that all who looked to Him are saved.

“Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?’ that is, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’” Matthew 27:45-46

The sixth to the ninth hour is noon to 3 pm. Jesus quoted Psalm 22:1. By so doing, He verified that the words of Psalm 22 were written about Him. The sky was dark. Jesus experienced separation from the Father because He bore the sins of the world.

“Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, ‘This Man is calling for Elijah!’ Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink. The rest said, ‘Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him.’ And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up His spirit.” Matthew 27:47-50

The problem with mockers is that they don’t listen carefully to those they mock. Jesus said, “Eli, Eli” not “Elijah.” The chief priests, scribes and elders spoke from preconceived and misguided thoughts about Jesus.

John 1:18 says, “No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.” Jesus makes God understandable to people. To rightly understand and teach God’s Word, we must receive revelation and guidance from Jesus.

“Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.” Matthew 27:51-53

The veil between the holy and the holiest of holies was opened the day that Christ died for our sins. He made a perfect unblemished-by-sin sacrifice for the sins of the world. Now, Hebrews 10:19-20 says, “We have boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh.” Hebrews 6:19 says, “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil.” 2 Corinthians 3:16 says, “When one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.”

The veil to the Holy of Holies torn from top to bottom by an earthquake was one visible sign that God was doing something new through the death of Christ on the cross.

Another sign was graves opening and saints coming out and appearing to people in Jerusalem. Matthew Henry’s Commentary interprets the “rising of the saints as a powerful testament to the efficacy of Christ’s death and resurrection. The bodies of holy saints, having ‘slept’ (died), were brought to life to show that Christ’s resurrection is the firstfruits of the future resurrection of all believers. The appearance of these resurrected saints in “the holy city” (Jerusalem) served as a visible, physical testimony to Christ’s victory over death and the grave. Although the graves were opened at the moment of Christ’s death (Friday), the saints did not come out until after Christ himself rose (Sunday), demonstrating that He is ‘the firstborn from the dead.’”

“So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, ‘Truly this was the Son of God!’” Matthew 27:54

The crucifixion scene of Jesus was so striking that even a rough Roman centurion confessed that Jesus was the Son of God.

“And many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.” Matthew 27:55-56

Luk 8:2-3 says, “Certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities—Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others provided for Him from their substance.” Praise God that MANY women who had followed Jesus were there with Him at the cross.

“Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him. When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb and departed. And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.” Matthew 27:57-61

Praise God for Joseph of Arimathea! A rich disciple of Jesus! Luke 23:50-51 says that “he was a member of the council, a good and righteous man, who had not consented to their decision and action; and he was looking for the kingdom of God.” John 19:41-42 says that “in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. ...Since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.” Joseph’s tomb was in a convenient location. Joseph also enjoyed access and influence with Governor Pilate. When he asked Pilate for the body of Jesus, the governor granted his request.

Joseph is important to the story of Jesus because God used him to fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah 53:9 which says of Messiah, “He was assigned a grave... with the rich in His death, though He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth.” Joseph provided for Jesus a tomb in which His body would not need to be buried. It had a door. Jesus needed a door on His tomb because He was just a visitor. It was not His permanent address. Finally, in Luke 9:58, Jesus said that He did not have a place to lay His head. Jesus finally received a place to lay His head.

“On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, saying, ‘Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, after three days I will rise. Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, He has risen from the dead. So, the last deception will be worse than the first.’ Pilate said to them, ‘You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how.’ So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.” Matthew 27:62-66

Perhaps, Pilate thought that his involvement with Jesus was over when he washed his hands of Him. But no, first Joseph came to Pilate for permission to have His body. After Joseph left him, the chief priests and Pharisees showed up. They request Pilate to post guards outside the tomb of Jesus to prevent His body from being stolen. Pilate granted their request as well.

Were the chief priests and Pharisees able to keep Jesus in His tomb? No. Neither will modern corrupt political entities nor powerful religious orders keep Jesus buried today. Praise the Lord! Matthew 24:14 says, “This Gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”

His pain was for our gain. Think of it! Barabbas, a notorious criminal, was set free because Jesus took the punishment that he deserved. Romans 16:13 says that the wife and son of Simon of Cyrene believed in the Lord. A thief next to Jesus on the cross believed in Him and Jesus promised him same-day-paradise. A centurion confessed Jesus as God’s Son. Millions today enjoy a close relationship with God thanks to Jesus. “Thank You Jesus for giving Your life on the cross for our sins and for opening for us a way to be with God forever!”


[1] Puritan Board
[2] forwhatsaiththescriptures.org
[3] apu.edu/articles/the-science-of-the-crucifixion
[4] Ibid
[5] learn.ligonier.org/devotionals/Simon-carries-cross
[6] GotQuestions.org

JESUS CHOSE TO LOVE – Matthew 26

“Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, that He said to His disciples, ‘You know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.” Matthew 26:1-2

JESUS spelt love for us with the letters p-a-i-n. He was about to be crucified. HE chose to LOVE.

“Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, and plotted to take Jesus by trickery and kill Him. But they said, ‘Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.’” Matthew 26:3-5

The chief priests, scribes, and elders should have gathered to plan how to support the ministry of Messiah not to plot by trickery how to kill Him.

“And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table. But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, ‘Why this waste? For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor.’ But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, ‘Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me. For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always. For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this Gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.’ Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, ‘What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?’ And they counted out to him 30 pieces of silver. So from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him.” Matthew 26:6-16

The disciples were angry. ‘Why this waste?’ The oil might have been converted into money to give to the poor. The woman believed in Jesus Messiah. She anointed Him for His burial.

This was the moment Judas decided to betray Jesus. John 12:6 says that Judas did not care for the poor. He was a thief. He stole from the ministry’s money box.

Jesus said, “Wherever this Gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.” I had the privilege of telling disciples in Guangzhou, China, the story of this woman. I felt like electricity all over me as I did. Messiah used my life to help fulfill one of His prophecies. The Chinese disciples embraced Jesus and the love that this woman had for Him. Glory to God!

“Now on the first day of the Feast of the Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying to Him, ‘Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?’ And He said, ‘Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, the Teacher says, My time is at hand. I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples.’ So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover.” Matthew 26:17-19

The disciples asked Jesus where to prepare for the Passover meal. All indications from the Scriptures are that Jesus did not have a home or a ministry headquarters, but He did have connections. There was a certain man in the city who was happy to let Jesus and His disciples meet in his place.

“When evening had come, He sat down with the twelve. Now as they were eating, He said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.’ And they were exceedingly sorrowful, and each of them began to say to Him, ‘Lord, is it I?’ He answered and said, ‘He who dipped his hand with Me in the dish will betray Me. The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.’ Then Judas, who was betraying Him, answered, and said, ‘Rabbi, is it I?’ He said to him, ‘You have said it.’” Matthew 26:20-25

When Jesus announced that one of the disciples would betray Him, it turned the Passover into an exceedingly sad one. Most of the disciples asked, “Lord, is it I?” Judas addressed Jesus not as Lord but as Rabbi, that is, teacher. Jesus affirmed verbally and non-verbally that Judas was the one. “The giving of the dipped bread to Judas designated special honor, like a toast.” [1] Judas dishonored the Lord but Jesus lavished honor on him. In Matthew 5:44, Jesus taught us to love our enemies. He set this example for us.

John 13:2 says that the devil put it in the heart of Judas to betray Jesus. John 13:27 says that the devil entered Judas. The destiny of Judas was a horrible one. First suicide, and then, an eternity without God. Jesus said, “Woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.” The price of betraying Jesus is an eternity in hell because only by being IN Jesus Christ are one’s sins forgiven.

“And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body.’ Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.’ And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.” Matthew 26:26-30

Jesus explained to His disciples that He was making a new covenant in which His body and blood [not that of bulls and goats], would be the source of their forgiveness. He called the bread and the fruit of the vine His body and blood. Thus, Jesus instituted the replacement of Old Testament animal sacrifices with the sacrifice of Himself. 1 John 2:2 says that Jesus “is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” Propitiation means Jesus has become the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

“Then Jesus said to them, ‘All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.’ Peter answered and said to Him, ‘Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.’ Peter said to Him, ‘Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!’ And so said all the disciples.” Matthew 26:31-35

When Jesus prophesied that all His disciples would stumble and be scattered, Peter should have believed Him. Jesus even quoted Zechariah 13:7 to confirm what was about to happen. But Jesus did not stop there. He confirmed that He would be resurrected and meet them in Galilee.

Peter assumed he was more committed to Jesus than the others. However, after circumstances drastically changed, he denied the Lord three times.

“Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, ‘Sit here while I go and pray over there.’ And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. Then He said to them, ‘My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.’ He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, ‘O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.’” Matthew 26:36-39

The soul of Jesus experienced deep sorrow. He wanted His disciples to watch with Him. He fell on His face. He expressed His desire to the Father for a different plan than what was coming. Three times Jesus will ask for the cup to be taken from Him, but ultimately submit to drinking it.

Later, after Peter denied the Lord three times, in John 21:15-17, he professed love for the Lord three times. In 2 Corinthians 12:7-9, Paul pleaded with the Lord three times that a messenger of Satan might be taken from him, but the Lord said to him, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” I am glad that the Lord’s grace is sufficient to helps us remain faithful to Him when we are severely tested in ways that are similar to His.

Jesus chose self-sacrifice over self-preservation. He stuck with God’s plan rather than taking an off ramp to a different plan.

“Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, ‘What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.’ Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, ‘O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.’ And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy. So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. Then He came to His disciples and said to them, ‘Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.’ And while He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and elders of the people.” Matthew 26:40-47

In his book, “The Hour that Changes the World.” Dick Eastman wrote, “We constantly find Jesus praying. Prayer was more than a part of His life. It was His life.”

Eastman wrote, “Prayer sees God’s infinite power. Prayer surrenders our problems to God and asks for Divine intervention.” [2]

Jesus asked His disciples one question specifically related to the subject of prayer. While in Gethsemane, He asked them, “Could you not watch with Me one hour?” [3]

Eastman asks us, “Would you consider giving God a daily, sacrificial gift of time. Perhaps even as much as 60 minutes every day? It would be time spent with God in worship, prayer and Bible reading.” [4]

Eastman’s ministry has reached 800 Chinese cities since he began the one-hour prayer focus.

Jesus prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from Me.” What kind of cup was Jesus talking about? He was talking about a cup full of punishment for sinners. “This cup” had whipping, punches, jeers, spit, thorns and nails in it for Jesus because He took on our sins.

Scott Hahn called this cup, “The Fourth Cup.”

Before going to the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus ate the Passover feast with His disciples. The Passover feast is a meal of remembrance. God gave the Jews specific instructions to follow when they celebrated Passover. The Passover meal is essentially divided into four parts.

The first part of the feast is the welcome. The first part of the feast involves a dish of herbs and a cup. The first cup is the “cup of blessing or deliverance.”

The second part of the feast involves a retelling of the Passover story. God freed the Israelites from slavery. God led them through the wilderness into the Promised Land. The second cup is the “cup of remembrance.” The cup of remembrance is blessed and then drunk.

The third part of the meal is when the delicious lamb and unleavened bread are eaten. The participants also drink from a third cup. During the third part of the Passover meal, Jesus says, “This bread is Me.” Whenever you break this bread, you shall remember Me.” Then, Jesus took the third cup and said something the disciples had never heard before. He said, “This cup is My blood poured out for you and for many people for the forgiveness of sins.”

The fourth part of the meal involves the singing of a hymn. Traditionally, the words of Psalm 114-118 are sung. It’s a song called, “The Great Praise.” Psalms 114-118 recount God’s saving acts for His people. Freedom from Pharaoh! Entering the Promised Land! After singing, “The Great Praise,” the participants drank from the fourth cup. It is called the cup of consummation. Completion! Jesus and the disciples did not drink the fourth cup.

After they sang the hymn, they went to Gethsemane. While there, Jesus resolved to drink the fourth cup. He was the fourth cup. Jesus said to the disciples that He would not drink of the fruit of the vine until His mission was complete. Later, while hanging on the cross, Jesus said these words, “I thirst.” Jesus was offered sour wine and vinegar to drink. He refused to drink of it. Why, because that cup that was offered to Him was not the fourth cup. The body He sacrificed for us is the fourth Passover Cup. That’s why at the moment Jesus died, He said, “It is finished.” The only cup sufficient for our salvation was the cup of Christ’s life poured out for us.

A great multitude with swords and clubs came from the chief priests and elders to arrest Jesus. They mischaracterized Jesus as a dangerous leader whereas He had done no evil. JESUS chose to LOVE.

“Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying, ‘Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him.’ Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, ‘Greetings, Rabbi!’ and kissed Him. But Jesus said to him, ‘Friend, why have you come?’ Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him.” Matthew 26:48-50

One of the few kisses that Jesus received on earth was from His betrayer. JESUS chose to LOVE.

“And suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. But Jesus said to him, ‘Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than 12 legions of angels? How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen thus?’ In that hour Jesus said to the multitudes, ‘Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me? I sat daily with you, teaching in the temple, and you did not seize Me. But all this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.’ Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled.” Matthew 26:51-56

John 18:10 tells us that Peter cut off the right ear of Malchus, a servant of the High Priest. Jesus told Peter to put his sword away. Jesus asked him, “Do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels.” Twelve legions is 36,000-72,000 angels. Jesus did not call for His angels because He was determined to fulfill what the Scriptures prophesied about Him. Then, Jesus healed the injured man’s ear.

Jesus demonstrated God’s love for Malchus during one of the darkest hours of His life.

ALL the disciples abandoned JESUS! JESUS chose to LOVE.

“And those who had laid hold of Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. But Peter followed Him at a distance to the high priest’s courtyard. And he went in and sat with the servants to see the end. Now the chief priests, the elders, and all the council sought false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death but found none. Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last, two false witnesses came forward and said, ‘This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.’ And the high priest arose and said to Him, ‘Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?’ But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest answered and said to Him, ‘I put You under oath by the living God: tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!’ Jesus said to him, ‘It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.’” Matthew 26:57-64

The so-called spiritual leaders sought false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death. They could not accuse Him justly, so they unjustly accused Him. JESUS chose to LOVE.

When His accusers demanded Him to say if He was “the Christ, the Son of God!” Jesus admitted that He was and prophesied of a very unhappy future for them, saying, “You will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” I imagine they will be watching, weeping and gnashing their teeth in hell when this comes to pass.

“Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, ‘He has spoken blasphemy! What further need do we have of witnesses? Look, now you have heard His blasphemy! What do you think?’ They answered and said, ‘He is deserving of death.’ Then they spat in His face and beat Him; and others struck Him with the palms of their hands, saying, ‘Prophesy to us, Christ! Who is the one who struck You?’” Matthew 26:65-68

They verbally and physically abused Jesus. As spit and blood ran down His face, they urged Him with a satanic aura of wickedness, “Prophesy to us, Messiah!”

“Now Peter sat outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came to him, saying, ‘You also were with Jesus of Galilee.’ But he denied it before them all, saying, ‘I do not know what you are saying.’ And when he had gone out to the gateway, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, ‘This fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth.’ But again he denied with an oath, ‘I do not know the Man!’ And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, ‘Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you.’ Then he began to curse and swear, saying, ‘I do not know the Man!’ Immediately a rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the Word of Jesus who had said to him, ‘Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.’ So, he went out and wept bitterly.” Matthew 26:69-75

Peter vehemently denied that He knew Jesus. The Good News is that Jesus forgave those who mistreated Him while hanging on the cross. In Luke 23:34, He prayed, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” Jesus forgave Peter and led many souls to God through Peter.

Praise God! What a Savior!

Have you ever questioned if Jesus could forgive the sins? I have. I need to consider the sacrifice of Christ for my sins daily to maintain my hope of being with God in heaven when my life is over.

Jesus gives faith, hope and love. He is wonderful!


[1] Enduring Word Commentary
[2] Dick Eastman, The Hour that Changes the World, Chosen Books Publishers, Grand Rapids, MI © 98, 02, p. 25
[3] Ibid, p. 18
[4] Ibid, p. 23; Matthew 26:40
[5] Ibid, p. 24

阿爸父 / Abba Father – Matthew 26:36-42

順服神是什麼樣子？ What does obedience to God look like? 

順服上帝有多重要？ How important is it to obey God?

耶穌必須在安慰還是服從之間進行選擇。 Jesus had to choose between comfort or obedience.

耶穌必須在自我保護或自我犧牲之間做出選擇。  Jesus had to choose between self-preservation or self-sacrifice.

耶穌必須在遵循上帝的計劃或製定其他計劃之間進行選擇。

Jesus had to choose between following God’s plan or making a different plan.

耶穌祈禱, “我父啊！如果可以，求你撤去此杯。然而，願你的旨意成就，而非我的意願。”

Jesus prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.  Yet not what I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39)

耶穌開始祈禱：“我的父親。” Jesus begins the prayer: “My Father.”

耶穌以親密的關係與上帝祈禱。 Jesus prayed in intimate relational terms with God.

他結束了祈禱，說：“然而，願你的旨意成就，而非我的意願。”

He concluded His prayer saying, “Not my will, but yours be done.” 

耶穌要去做神要他去做的事。 Jesus was going to do what God wanted Him to do.

我感到如此引人注目的是中間部分， “讓這杯從我身邊過去”（第39節）。

What I find so compelling is the part in the middle, “Let this cup pass from me” (v. 39).

耶穌說：“讓這杯離開我”是什麼意思？    What does it mean for Jesus to say, “Let this cup pass from me”?

耶穌在說什麼杯？ What kind of cup was Jesus talking about?

它是像徵性的杯子還是純粹的杯子？ Was it a symbolic cup or a literal cup?

這個杯子與服從有什麼關係？ What does this cup have to do with obedience?

杯子代表了上帝對罪的憤怒。 The cup represents God’s wrath against sin.

這是整個聖經中使用杯子形象的常見方式。

That’s the common way that the image of the cup is used throughout the Bible. 

先知哈巴谷和使徒保羅談到神的怒杯。

The Prophet Habakkuk and the Apostle Paul speak of the cup of God’s wrath.

上帝的憤怒杯充滿了對罪人的懲罰。  The cup of God’s wrath is full of punishment for sinners.

杯子裡有鞭打，拳打，，吐，刺和釘子供耶穌使用。

The cup had whipping, punches, jeers, spit, thorns and nails in it for Jesus.

耶穌說： “我 父 阿 ， 倘 若 可 行 ， 求 你 叫 這 杯 離 開 我.”     Jesus said, “Let this cup pass from Me.” 

Scott Hahn 將此杯稱為“第四屆杯”。 Scott Hahn called this cup, “The Fourth Cup.”

在去客西馬尼園前，耶穌與門徒們吃了逾越節的飯。

Before going to the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus ate the Passover feast with His disciples.

逾越節是紀念之餐。 The Passover feast is a meal of remembrance.

當猶太人慶祝逾越節時，上帝給了他們具體的指示。

God gave the Jews specific instructions to follow when they celebrated Passover.

逾越節餐基本上分為四個部分。 The Passover meal is essentially divided into four parts. 

盛宴的第一部分是歡迎。 The first part of the feast is the welcome.

盛宴的第一部分包括一盤藥草和一杯。 The first part of the feast involves a dish of herbs and a cup.

第一個杯子是“祝福或拯救的杯子”。 The first cup is the “cup of blessing or deliverance.”

盛宴的第二部分涉及逾越節故事的重述。  The second part of the feast involves a retelling of the Passover story.

上帝將以色列人從奴役中解放出來。 God freed the Israelites from slavery.

上帝帶領他們穿越曠野，進入應許之地。 God led them through the wilderness and into the Promised Land.

第二杯是“紀念杯”。 The second cup is the “cup of remembrance.”

紀念杯是有福的，然後喝醉了。 The cup of remembrance is blessed and then drunk.

飯的第三部分是當美味的羊羔和無酵餅被吃掉時。

The third part of the meal is when the delicious lamb and unleavened bread are eaten.

參與者還從第三杯中喝水。 The participants also drink from a third cup.

耶穌在逾越節晚餐的第三部分說：“這餅是我。

During the third part of the Passover meal, Jesus says, “This bread is Me.” 

每當你把麵包弄碎時，你就會記住我。  Whenever you break this bread, you shall remember Me.”

然後，耶穌拿了第三杯，說了門徒們以前從未聽過的話。

Then, Jesus took the third cup and said something the disciples had never heard before.

他說：“這杯是我的血，為您和對許多人的贖罪之罪倒出。”

He said, “This cup is My blood poured out for you and for many people for the forgiveness of sins.”

門徒可能想知道耶穌為什麼要改變遵循傳統？  The disciples might have wondered why Jesus was changing the tradition. 

然後，他們到了逾越節餐的第四部分也是最後一部分。 Then, they got to the fourth and final part of the Passover meal.

餐的第四部分涉及唱讚美詩。 The fourth part of the meal involves the singing of a hymn.

傳統上，唱出的單詞直接來自詩篇114-118。Traditionally, the words that are sung come straight out of Psalm 114-118.

這是一首歌，叫做“偉大的讚美”。 It’s a song called, “The great praise.”

詩篇114-118是什麼？ What is in Psalms 114-118?

詩篇114-118敘述了整個歷史上上帝為祂的子民所做的一切拯救行為。

Psalms 114-118 recount of all of God’s saving acts for His people throughout history.

從法老的自由！ Freedom from Pharaoh!

進入應許之地！ Entering the Promised Land!

這是他們應該唱歌的讚美詩。 This is the hymn they were supposed to sing.

讚美詩之後，參與者應該喝第四杯，但他們沒有喝。 After the hymns, the participants were to drink of the fourth cup.

第四杯被稱為“完美杯”。 The fourth cup is called the “cup of consummation.”

決賽杯！ The cup of completion!

耶穌和門徒們沒有喝第四杯。 Jesus and the disciples did not drink the fourth cup.

他們唱讚美詩。 They sang the hymns.

他們去了客西馬尼園。 Then, they went to Gethsemane.

耶穌在花園裡時，必須對第四杯做出決定。 When Jesus was in the garden, he had to make a decision about the fourth cup.

耶穌不想逃避上帝的旨意。 Jesus did not want to escape from God’s will.

耶穌知道他將成為第四杯。 Jesus knew that He was the fourth cup.

耶穌對門徒說，在任務完成之前，他不會喝葡萄樹的果實。

Jesus said to the disciples that he would not drink of the fruit of the vine until the mission was complete. 

後來，當他掛在十字架上時，耶穌說：“我渴了”。 Later, when he’s hanging on the cross, Jesus said the words, “I thirst.”

士兵們給耶穌喝了酸酒和醋。 Jesus was offered sour wine and vinegar to drink.

他拒絕喝它。 He refused to drink of it.

為什麼，因為提供給他的那杯不是第四杯。 Why, because that cup that was offered to Him was not the fourth cup.

他為我們犧牲的身體是第四屆逾越節杯。 The body He sacrificed for us is the fourth Passover Cup.

這就是為什麼在他死掉並呼吸最後一刻的那一刻，那就是耶穌說：“完成了。”

That’s why at the very moment that He died and breathed His last, that’s when Jesus said, “It is finished.” 

唯一足以使我們得救的杯子就是為我們得救的基督身體的杯子。

The only cup that was sufficient for our salvation was the cup of Christ’s body poured out for us.

耶穌成為了我們救恩的第四杯也是最後一杯。 Jesus became the fourth and final cup of completion for our salvation.

他通過寬恕我們的罪過並賜給我們他的聖靈來改變我們。

He changes us by forgiving our sins and giving us His Holy Spirit.

Ready or Not the Lord is Coming – Matthew 25

In Matthew 19-23, Jesus purged the temple in Jerusalem. He healed the sick. He addressed the false teaching and malpractices of the scribes and Pharisees. In Matthew 24, while sitting on Mount Olivet outside Jerusalem, Jesus revealed signs to His disciples that will appear before He returns. Matthew 24 concludes with Jesus saying. “Who then is a faithful and a wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.”

In Matthew 25, Jesus provides us three parables for healthy spiritual growth. We begin with oil in our lamps. The oil represents the Holy Spirit. He is Christ in us. The Holy Spirit helps us to avoid bad investments and make good ones yielding added blessings. Finally, with multiplied blessings in hand, the Holy Spirit moves us to show compassion toward others.

In Matthew 25, the Lord describes the works of people who are led by the Holy Spirit, and the works of those who are not led by the Holy Spirit.

“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to 10 virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.” Matthew 25:1-13

In regards to oil, Jesus spoke of five virgins who are locked out of the kingdom of God because they had no oil in their lamps. They had time to get oil, but they chose to sleep instead. In the Scriptures, oil is symbolic of God’s Spirit. In other words, stay filled and led by the Holy Spirit!

In 1 Samuel 16:13, anointing with oil proceeded the coming of God’s Spirit upon David. “Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward.” The pouring out of oil on David was an outward sign of the inward work that the Holy Spirit did in David’s heart.

The Hebrew term translated, “Messiah” as well as the Greek term, “Christ,” means, “The anointed one.” The fact that the Holy Spirit is compared to anointing with oil associates Him with the Messiah.

In Acts 10:38, Peter said, “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power.”

Power for ministry is associated with the anointing with oil. Isaiah 61:1 says, “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.” [1]

We must have the Holy Spirit to produce the light of Christ to others. In Romans 8:9, Paul wrote, “If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.”

Jesus concluded this parable by saying, “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.”

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them and made another five talents. And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. But he who had received one went and dug in the ground and hid his lord’s money. After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. So, he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’ But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has 10 talents.’ For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 25:14-30

A talent weighed between 57 to 80 pounds. A talent of silver was about 6,000 days’ wages of a common laborer and a talent of gold was about 180,000 day’s wages, Two of the master’s servants yielded profits back to their master, while the third servant did not. The master said to the productive servants, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things I will make you ruler over many things. Enter the joy of your Lord.” But He called the third servant wicked and lazy and had him cast into the outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Without the Holy Spirit, people lack the unction to serve the Lord with gladness. I went to church almost every Sunday of my life but lived a very ungodly life until the Holy Spirit filled me.

One day, I was experiencing an intense internal crisis, I wanted to die. As I considered ending my life, the Lord said to me, “Don’t do that! Give your life to Me and I will use it to touch many people.” I surrendered my life to Jesus and He gave me the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit brought with Him a personal connection to God. I had a witness in my heart that when I prayed, God heard me. When I read the Bible, I enjoyed and understood it. He led me into circumstances that strengthened my faith in God. He filled me with love for God and love for people.

The Holy Spirit multiplied my ability to bear good fruit for God. He led me to enter a college where I could be discipled by people who knew the Bible well and who modeled the Christian life for me. He sent me out to share the Gospel with people. He sent me to China where I witnessed many miracles of God. Fourteen years ago, He led me to start blogging blessings that I receive from my morning Bible time. As of this moment, these blogs have been viewed 101,755 times by people from 162 countries. Glory to God! Apart from the Holy Spirit, none of this would have happened. The Holy Spirit helps me start each new day with inspiration.

When we resist the Holy Spirit, we are like the man who hid his talents. We produce nothing spiritually beneficial for God or others. In Acts 7:51, Stephen pinpointed the “WHY” religious leaders were about to stone him, he said, “You stiff necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you do always resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so do you.”

What happened to the third wicked and lazy servant? He was cast into the outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. He could have been filled until overflowing with the Holy Spirit, but he resisted the Holy Spirit’s filling and leadings.

“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Matthew 25:31-46

In this parable, the Lord clarifies what kind of “talents” He wants multiplied. We must rely on the Holy Spirit to feed the hungry, quench the thirst of the thirsty, welcome foreigners, clothe the naked and visit prisoners. When we serve the least of Jesus’ brothers, we serve Him.

The currency of heaven’s economy is Christ likeness.

The goats in this parable had a similar outward appearance to sheep but they, lacking the Holy Spirit, did not produce the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said to them, “Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”

The world praises the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) people. They do well for themselves, but the Lord sees nothing of Himself in them.

After Jesus returns with all His holy angels, He will sit on a throne of glory. All nations will be gathered before Him. He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides sheep from goats. He will say to the sheep on His right hand, “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”

In 2 Corinthians 6:1, the Lord urges us, “Do not receive the grace of God in vain.” God’s grace properly applied helps us to be more like Jesus!

The parables of Matthew 25 ask us, “Are you ready for the Lord’s return?” Jesus tells us what prepared and unprepared looks like. I hope and pray that we will all be ready.


[1] Blueletterbible.org

Be Ready for the Lord’s Return – Matthew 24

“Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said to them, ‘Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.’ Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, ‘Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?’” Matthew 24:1-3

Between Matthew 19-23, Jesus had been in the temple in Jerusalem. In Matthew 23, He spoke eight woes against the scribes and Pharisees because their teaching made their followers twice as fit for hell as they were. Now, afterwards, in Matthew 24, Jesus and His disciples sat on the Mount of Olives. They could see the temple from there.

King Herod had employed 10,000 workers to beautify the temple. Its gold roof reflected the sun’s rays. Its white marble walls appeared as snow. Its beautification ended in 63 AD. Its destruction occurred in 70 AD. It was set on fire by the Romans. They pulled its walls down to extract the gold that had melted into the crevices. Not one stone was left upon another.

The disciples likely assumed that the end of the temple would be the end of the world. Think of it! God-in-the-flesh just told them that the building which represented their faith would become rubble. They wanted to know when the end would be. Jesus did not give them a day or a hour. He revealed to them signs that would appear preceding that day.

“And Jesus answered and said to them: ‘Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My Name, saying, I am the Christ, and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.’” Matthew 24:4-8

The first sign was deception. In the Book of Judges, Kings, Chronicles and the Prophetical books of the Old Testament, deception proceeds demise. Demise proceeds divine intervention. Israel was deceived when they worshipped the idols of the people around them. Then, their nation experienced spiritual and physical decline. Famines, pestilences, disasters and wars humbled them. Then, they cried out to the Lord for help, and He intervened to help them.

In Joshua 23:11, Joshua warned the tribes of Israel, saying, “Take careful heed to yourselves, that you love the Lord your God.” In Jude 1:21, Jude warned the Church, saying, “Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”

In the Book of Revelation, there is deception, demise, and turning to the Lord before He returns.

In Revelation 7:9, 13-14, John saw “a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues... before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands.” An angel asked John, “What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?” John replied, “Sir, you know.” The angel told him, “These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”

“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My Name’s sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this Gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:9-14

There is a connection between the many false prophets and the sufferings of the saints. George Orwell wrote, “The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those who speak it.” In John 16:3, Jesus warned us saying, “They will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor Me.” There will be a spirit of lawlessness before the Lord returns. In 1 Peter 4:4, Peter wrote, “In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you.”

Despite the hatred, betrayals, the tribulations, and the martyrdoms, the Gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness, and then the end will come.

“Therefore, when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (whoever reads, let him understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.” Matthew 24:15-22

“Jesus tells us directly that to understand this subject, we must go back to Daniel the prophet. Daniel 8:13 speaks of ‘the vision … concerning the daily sacrifices and the transgression of desolation, the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled underfoot.’”

“The first fulfilment of the desolation happened when Roman armies destroyed the Jewish temple in 70 AD. This is why Jesus says in Luke 21:20, ‘When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.’ In Luke 21:24, Jesus uses the same words as Daniel: ‘Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.’”

“The final desolation spoken of by Jesus speaks of the rise of an evil religious power that will mingle paganism with Christianity. When ungodly men infiltrate and corrupt the church so that it serves the agenda of an evil empire, we know that the end is near. This is a good time to flee to more desolate places before the great tribulation begins.” [1]

In 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4, Paul prophesied of this event, writing, “That day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.”

There will be a deception by the antichrist, social demise, a crying out to the Lord by many, and then, the Lord shall return.

“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand. Therefore, if they say to you, ‘Look, He is in the desert!’ do not go out; or ‘Look, He is in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it. For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.” Matthew 24:23-28

Jesus continues with warning to beware of false christs and false prophets. They will do great signs and wonders for the purpose of trying to deceive even the elect. Who else better to target than the people who are in a relationship with Christ. They are recipients of truth and light from God amidst a deceived generation.

Jesus will not return in a similar manner as He came to earth the first time. He will appear as suddenly as lightning does. He shall judge the earth with righteousness. Great armies will fall before Him. He will call the birds to partake of the carcasses of the dead.

“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” Matthew 24:29-31

Jesus also revealed the darkening of the sun, moon and stars in Revelation 6:12-13.

Could the sign of the Son of Man appearing in the heaven be the moment that He raptures the Church? In 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, Paul prophesied, saying, “The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” Would not the rapture of some while others are left behind cause great mourning on the earth?

The Lord says that the angels will gather together His elect. In Revelation 14:15-20, the Lord reveals two harvests. During the first harvest, the Son of Man reaps the earth with a sickle but there is no mention of wrath. During the second harvest, the angels reap the earth and people are thrown into the winepress of God’s wrath.

1 Corinthians 15:51–52 describes believers being transformed “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.” In John 14:1–3, Jesus promised to return and “take you [His disciples] to Myself, that where I am you may be also.” 1 Thessalonians 5:9 states that “God has not destined us for wrath.”

“Now learn this parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors! Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My Words will by no means pass away.” Matthew 24:32-35

As figs flourish when spring comes, so end times signs flourish just before Jesus returns.

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” Matthew 24:36-44

The Church like Noah warns people right up until the time of the rapture. Some mock and others persecute them. Then, suddenly, believers are taken. As God provided a way of escape from His wrath for Noah and his family, so will God do for His bride the Church. As God got Lot and his family out of Sodom and Gomorrah before the fire fell so will He do for those who believe in Him and profess Him before He releases His wrath on the earth.

“Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 24:45-51

In Matthew 24:45, Jesus urges us to be faithful and wise servants who feed the souls who look to us for sustenance. Be like Jeremiah, Paul or Peter. In Jeremiah 25:3, he said, “For twenty-three years... the word of the Lord has come to me and I have spoken to you again and again, but you have not listened.” In Acts 20:31, Paul said, “Remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.” In 1 Peter 5:2-4, Peter said, “Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, you shall receive a crown of glory that fades not away.”

Jesus warns us not to beat our fellow servants. Don’t indulge in gluttony and drunkenness. Don’t be caught off guard when the Lord comes and be cut up and assigned to the place where hypocrites go. Hypocrites go where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.

At the end of Matthew 24, Jesus brings us back full circle to what He had said in Matthew 19-23 to the scribes and Pharisees. He warned them that they made their proselytes twice as fit for hell as they were. The scribes and Pharisees had digressed from serving God and others to demanding that God and others serve them.

In Matthew 25, the Lord will conclude His end times talk with three parables that have a similar theme. The theme is to be wise, be invested in the Lord and be kind to people because the Lord will return at an hour that you do not expect.


[1] amazingfacts.org/study/daily-devotional/what-is-the-abomination-of-desolation