All power belongs to the Lord Jesus

Contend For Our Faith

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

The Servant’s Commandments

Book of Mark Chapter 12

We should not forget that the Lord Jesus is in His last week before He faces His physical death at Mount Calvary.

Spiritually, Jesus is in every Saint of God at all times and will be forever!

Joh 14:19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.

Joh 14:20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

Joh 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

Another thing we must understand is, that the Word of God is a Book of Commandments and not a book of suggestions.

Many today are doing their very best to discredit the Word of God and the translation to English that we have today, the KJV.

In reality, just as our lesson states, we must contend for our faith.

Jud 1:3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

To contend, is to struggle in opposition to those who discredit the Word of God!

To contend, is to use earnest efforts to obtain, to defend, and to preserve the Word of God.

The Lord promises us that His Word will always be with us so, we must do our part to contend for our faith in the things He has said to us!

Mat_24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

We are judged according to the Word of God!

The Word of God will judge this world!

Joh_12:47 And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.

Joh_12:48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

Those that reject the Word of God will be judged by the same words they reject in the day of their judgment!

At the beginning of the last week before the murder of our Lord Jesus, the Sanhedrin had plotted how they might find things against the Lord Jesus.

The head of the Sanhedrin was always the High Priest of that day and he was a wicked man who held that position because he sided with Rome.

He was not in that position by the Laws of Moses, nether was the King of Israel at that time.

There were a few of the Sanhedrin who were not enemies of Jesus Christ but it was very few.

We know of Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea and there may have been others, but they all were afraid to speak up in favor of Jesus Christ.

*****Mar 12:13 And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words.

The Pharisees were strict religionists.

The Pharisees were a group that started out for the good of Judaism to save the Jewish religion by practicing the Jewish law in the strictest sense.

They felt that by carrying out every detail of the Jewish Law and by teaching others to do the same they could save Jewish religion.

They were the orthodox of their day!

They were strict literalists.

This caused the Jewish Law to be expanded into thousands of little rules and regulations by the Scribes.

These things became known as the Oral Law and these things grew to take more than fifty volumes of books to hold all those regulations.

They became zealous religionists.

They were self-righteous, heartless, and hypocritical!

These men were the main opponents of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Herodians were not religious at all. They were the political party of King Herod.

They supported Rome and compromised on everything they could to preserve their power and influence.

They had even allowed pagan temples in Judah.

They were made up of Sadducees and therefore they opposed all Messianic claims.

They insisted that taxes must be paid to Rome before tithes were paid to Jehovah God.

These are the people who thought they could catch the Lord Jesus Christ in His words.

Until the Lord Jesus Christ came as a Babe in Bethlehem, the average person did not know these things about any of these religious groups.

What a joke they were!

*****Mar 12:14 And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?

The Pharisees believed all loyalty should be shown to God, which is right, but it must be done in God’s way which they refused to do.

They were strongly against paying taxes to a foreign king!

They said paying taxes to a secular government was an infringement upon God’s right.

The Herodians, which most were Sadducees was that the state is supreme.

They believe that taxes should be paid to Caesar rather than to God.

These two groups were enemies to each other but joined together to get rid of the Lord Jesus Christ.

They actually thought that they could trip up Jesus using His own words.

This is a character of Satan and we have seen how Satan used a twisted-up version of the Word of God to try to trip up Our Lord Jesus.

Both of these groups hated Jesus.

This was no innocent question they had asked the Lord!

If Jesus chose the side of the Sadducees, He would be called a traitor and the people would have abandoned Him.

If Jesus chose the side of the Pharisees, He would have been labeled an insurrectionist, arrested, and killed.

This is the charge that was eventually used to murder the Lord Jesus.

They at first tried to use flattery to cause Jesus to think they were sincere, but Jesus knew what they were attempting to do because He knew it was hypocritical flattery.

They would never honor the Lord Jesus as the Messiah even if they knew for certain that He was.

We have already seen that selfish ambition can lead to all sorts of sin and we see it here.

We see that it was the religionist who were the greatest enemies of our Lord Jesus Christ, just as it is in America today and most of this world that reject the truth of the Word of God.

Religionists will cause you to go to Hell!

But we see the goal of religionist is to paint Christians as the enemy of government and cause the government to try to silence the Christian saying Christians are the true enemy of the state and we see this play out right before our eyes today right here in the America we love.

As Christians, we have no choice but to defend the Word of God at all costs, because we are commanded to do so or we sin against the One True God.

We can stand on the Word of God because we know that this battle is the Lord’s, and He will solve this issue also according to the Word of God.

Eph_6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Eph_6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

It is these same things that cause confusion in the general public which the government relies on along with the lies of religionists.

Deception is the main character that the Antichrist will use when he presents himself and he may be on the scene today and probably is.

First, everything they said about the Lord Jesus was very true.

Jesus is certainly the Master teacher being Master and Lord of this entire universe.

Jesus is certainly the most truthful person to have ever lived.

Jesus did certainly teach the way of God.

Jesus certainly did not care what men said about Him, they were already condemned.

Jesus certainly does not regard any man’s person; He never shows favoritism or partiality to anyone.

These men did not mean a word that they were saying.

The one thing they missed is, that Jesus cannot be fooled by anyone because He is God!

Psa 5:9 For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.

Pro 29:5 A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet.

Was it lawful to give tribute to Caesar or not?

*****Mar 12:15 Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may see it.

Mar 12:16 And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Caesar’s.

We must understand that our life in this world and our necessities, depend upon God.

This is seen in the fact that Jesus did not even have a penny.

If Rome was taking care of its people, then why did Jesus not have a penny.

We could ask this same thing today about America.

The fact that there are people starving in America shows that our government does not have its own people on their mind.

It is only shameful to our government that there are people starving in America!

Jesus was living in the state of Israel and Israel was under the rule of Rome.

It seemed that Jesus was a citizen of two governments, yet He still did not have a penny so what was the benefit of this?

We know that the life of Jesus rested in the hands of God just like it is for the Church here today.

Our government is not necessary for life, but God is!

Our government could help us, but it is not necessary because we do not live by bread alone.

We will not have an abundant life without the Lord Jesus Christ!

With the Lord we will have purpose!

Without the Lord we have no purpose!

What is God promise?

Deu 11:13 And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,

Deu 11:14 That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil.

Deu 11:15 And I will send grass in thy fields for thy cattle, that thou mayest eat and be full.

A penny was shown to the Lord Jesus.

Keep in mind that a penny in that day and time was the wages paid for a day’s labor.

*****Mar 12:16 And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Caesar’s.

Mar 12:17 And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. And they marvelled at him.

We know that governments are ordained of God.

Those governments are to provide law and order, community services, and protection for its citizens.

No man is an island within the state so, we are to pay a share to the state to provide these things.

Citizenship also has its own responsibilities.

In other words, we should pay our taxes simply because it is a command of God!

The Lord Jesus proves to us that when we are questioned by our government, we need to understand why they are asking a question before we respond to it.

Most of the time we just answer too quickly without thinking about the reason for the question.

With the image on this coin being of Caesar it was obvious that it belonged to the government of Rome.

We may owe taxes and other things to the government for services rendered, but we owe our worship to the Lord Jesus Christ the God of the Bible.

Our obligations are to God first and the things of God second.

In reality, the entire earth belongs to God, therefore all we possess belongs to the Lord, but the only portion that is valuable to God is our souls.

After this our bodies and our time have importance.

When we withhold these things from God, we are committing sin.

As we join the Church, which is also a command of God, then we owe the performance of our duties to the other members of the Church.

These are also things we owe to our families.

There are things a husband owes to his wife and vice versa.

As Christians we also have a dual citizenship.

We are citizens of Heaven.

We are citizens of this world.

If we use the benefits of the government, then we have an obligation to that government.

Rom 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

Rom 13:2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

As citizens of Heaven, we owe our Born-Again life to the Lord.

Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

These things are not that hard to understand.

The government is limited in its power but God is not limited in anything!

God is due the things that are His!

The Herodians in most ways worshipped the Roman government, but Jesus pointed out to them the fact of a spiritual world.

God is real and God’s rule is supreme and everlasting!

Act 17:24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;

Act 17:25 Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;

Act 17:26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

Act 17:27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

We are never to forget the Lord God who saved us.

Psa 100:3 Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Psa 100:4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

Having closed the mouths of the Pharisees, then came the Sadducees.

*****Mar 12:18 Then come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying,

Mar 12:19 Master, Moses wrote unto us, If a man’s brother die, and leave his wife behind him, and leave no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.

Mar 12:20 Now there were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed.

Mar 12:21 And the second took her, and died, neither left he any seed: and the third likewise.

Mar 12:22 And the seven had her, and left no seed: last of all the woman died also.

Mar 12:23 In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife.

Why is this world working so hard to discredit the Lord Jesus Christ?

Why is this world working so hard to discredit the Word of God?

If what the Lord Jesus says is true then:

All the teachings of evolution are lies.

All the teachings of climate change are lies.

All the insistence of transgender movement are lies.

All the man-made laws of the Pharisees are lies.

All the teachings of the Sadducees are lies.

All the teachings of a true interpretation of the Scriptures are the truth!

Then the Koran is wrong.

Then the books a of Hindu are wrong.

And it goes on and on with all false religions.

Every book on religion without Jesus Christ is wrong!

Guess what, the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ are true and He is God!

The Sadducees were the religious and political liberals in the day of Jesus Christ.

They were wealthy.

They were the aristocrats.

They were the governing class of leaders in Israel.

These things sound so familiar today here in America.

Today we call them Democrats and people like Soros and others who finance socialism and immorality.

The Chief Priest himself was usually a Sadducee in the times of Roman domination.

It was the Chief Priest who was the leader of the Sanhedrin and the Sanhedrin ruled the people on behalf of the Roman government and not the laws of God.

The Roman government made sure the Sadducees were placed in all positions of leadership in Israel.

What had Moses written?

Deu 25:5 If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband’s brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband’s brother unto her.

Deu 25:6 And it shall be, that the firstborn which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother which is dead, that his name be not put out of Israel.

This law assured that the line of that family would continue and that the property holdings would stay in the hands of that family as according to the Laws of Moses.

The Sadducees used this law to try to catch Jesus off guard.

Remember the Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection of the body.

1Co 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

If the Lord Jesus would not be resurrected, then He could not return to take us home to Heaven.

They were just mocking the Lord Jesus and He knew it, because they did not understand the truth of the Scriptures.

You cannot fool God!

You will not mock God for very long!

*****Mar 12:24 And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?

What is the major problem with those who are lost?

They do not understand the Scriptures and they cannot understand them without the Holy Spirit!

The resurrection is based on the Scriptures and the power of God!

The Lord Jesus tells those who deny the power of God that they are in error.

The Scriptures leave no doubt that there is a spiritual world and that a resurrection into that spiritual world will take place!

1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

1Th 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

1Th 4:16 For 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:

1Th 4:17 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.

1Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

People, even God’s people, do not study the Scriptures as they should.

So many, in this world just do not believe what the Word of God says.

So many, just do not take the Word of God literally for what it says.

Most all of this world believes the lies of evolution and deny the power of God.

They are ignorant of God.

Some do not believe God nor His power.

Some believe but they believe He is a weak God because they see so much evil in this world.

It is a fact that the Spiritual world is perplexing to the natural man and even to some so-called Christians.

Because of a belief in evolution, the world does not understand the makeup of mankind.

We are a body, a soul, and a spirit!

Not some descendant of an ape or any other animal.

It is the Word of God that reveals to us the reality of the spirit world and the fact that of the resurrection of our bodies will take place after our death, to join our soul that is already in Heaven or in Hell.

God offers us a chance to avoid Hell!

If we study the Scriptures with the help of the Holy Spirit, we will trust the Word of God and the Power of God!

This resurrection will take place!

*****Mar 12:25 For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.

The Sadducees did not know anything about the Scriptures!

Our future in the glory world will exceed all earthly relationships including marriage.

This future life will be like that of the angels and the Lord.

The Sadducees did not believe in angels.

There is nothing in Heaven that will resemble our present mortal existence!

1Co 15:40 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.

Our love will be perfected and that love will be directed toward the Lord first, and then to each other on a much higher plain than marriage.

Angels are already above that plain and angels do not marry and angels are not and have not been involved with humans in an immoral way no matter what some teach.

That would only show a weakness that God does not have.

Selfishness and sin will not exist.

Jealousy will not exist.

Immorality will not exist.

All the things that cause relationship problems will be non-existent!

All our relationships in Heaven will be eternal!

God will change our brief time we have together now, into an eternal time for us to be together.

Will we recognize each other?

1Co 13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

1Co 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

Yes, we will be known as we are known now but on a higher plane than resemblance and knowledge of each other.

It is that giving love that will prevail in Heaven!

1Co 15:42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:

1Co 15:43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:

1Co 15:44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

1Co 15:49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

We are mistaken and in error when we try to materialize Heaven!

We are mistaken and in error when we try to humanize eternal life!

Heaven is much more than just a glorified world!

With our glorified body we will be on a higher plane than even the angels.

If you can see it here in this lifetime, you will not see that thing in Heaven!

As touching the dead:

*****Mar 12:26 And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?

Mar 12:27 He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err.

We should understand that our resurrection is a living relationship that cannot be broken!

God’s relationships are with all His children that have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior!

There is no other way to have a relationship with God other than through the Lord Jesus Christ!

There are no other Gods!

God is eternal and God maintains active eternal relationships!

When we arrive in Heaven, God will say I have been expecting you at any moment because time is a human necessity.

Abraham, Jacob, and Isaac are not dead but more alive than they have ever been and so are all those who have gone on before us as believers in Christ Jesus.

God is the God of the living not the God of the dead!

God is not the God of decaying corpse.

There will be a resurrection!

Questions, questions, questions.

*****Mar 12:28 And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?

The Bible is a book of commandments and not a book of suggestions.

These scribes are sometimes called lawyers.

Maybe he was beginning to understand the truth of the Scriptures that he had made so many copies of.

Through the years the Jews had six hundred and thirteen commandments.

So to ask such a question would be reasonable.

So many people get stuck on commandments and miss the truth of the Scriptures.

One could say which commands are more important than the others.

What is that answer? James writes:

Jas 2:8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:

Jas 2:9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.

Jas 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

Jas 2:11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.

Now Jesus will explain that royal law.

*****Mar 12:29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:

Mar 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

Mar 12:31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

It is that law of love, the love we will live by in Heaven that should be leading us now, if you have a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

These are the laws that will guide us in Heaven but on a much greater plain of love!

The Lord our God is one Lord!

This is the foundation of the first commandment and truly all commandments are based upon this first commandment.

The Lord our God, the God of all men is one God. He, through three persons, forms the unity of the One True God!

1Jn 5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

1Jn 5:8 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.

1Jn 5:9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.

We owe all our love to Him!

Deu 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:

Deu 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

Deu 6:6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:

The Lord Jesus quotes the first commandment as containing the principle of all commandments.

God simply says not to love pleasure but to love Him!

If we do not take time to seek the Lord, we will spend too much time feeding our body and satisfying our appetite for sin.

Without our love for God, we are no more than animals as evolution teaches.

With the love of God, we are more like the angels who serve God without questioning Him.

Those confined to man-made religion do not understand that we are to love God with all our heart.

The Lord must be the focus and concentration of our life!

The Lord must be the only subject of our devotion!

The Lord is the One God who come and will live within each believer!

Eph 4:6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

The Lord God is our Creator!

Isa 45:18 For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.

Our Lord God is to be loved!

A loving relationship involves commitment and loyalty!

True love does not allow lustful behavior.

It is lustful behavior that drives sin in our world today.

Abortion, HIV, and many other things and many other diseases are driven by lustful behavior and this behavior has consequences that foolish people think of as rights.

True love of God leads to a desire to be united and joined to God.

True love of God leads to obeying the Will of God.

True love of God leads to joy and delight in the duties of worship and of service.

This love is only possible through the Lord Jesus Christ!

It is Christ who reveals to us the Almighty, Incomprehensible, Creator!

It is the love of God that teaches us how to love one another!

This love should extend throughout all God’s creation.

This love extends to our families, our friends, our neighbors (all mankind), our countrymen, and our planet.

This love also extends to our enemies.

How can we lead a lost soul to the Lord if we cannot show love to them, our enemies?

A loving relationship involves trust and respect for all those God says to love.

Remember, this is a command of the Lord Jesus Christ and our love begins with Him.

The Lord Jesus demands that we love our neighbors as ourselves!

Love is an action word.

The Lord tells us to love the Lord God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind, and all our strength and we prove this to Him when we love our neighbors as ourselves.

God Himself demonstrated this command for us!

Rom 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

We can love ourselves once we realize that we are the object of God’s love!

In all these things showing the Love of God to others is showing God’s Mercy to us all!

How did this scribe react?

*****Mar 12:32 And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:

Mar 12:33 And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.

Mar 12:34 And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.

The religion of this scribe had been tied up into offerings and sacrifice and he had dedicated his life to these things and he had never given thought to the command of love even though he knew Scripture.

When we are settled on the fact of God’s love, then how can we not live for Him.

Jesus told this scribe that by understanding the love of God it gets us real close to salvation.

The thing lacking to him “accepting the work of the Lord Jesus” as the means of our salvation, and this love the Lord Jesus described to us, is our means of salvation and our only means of salvation.

If all those who are so tied up in religion would understand the love of God, they would not be far from salvation, lacking only faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Pro_3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

Remember, God looks into the heart and what He is looking for is to see if there is love in that heart.

Most of us have a filthy heart and the Lord Jesus is the only one who can solve this problem.

Psa_26:2 Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.

Rom_10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

We have to be open and honest in our relationship with God, to be part of His family and that family has the Lord Jesus Christ as the first-born Son.

Amen

The Authority of the Lord Jesus Christ

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

The Servant’s Authority

Book of Mark Chapters 4 and 5

Before we get to Chapter 5, we get to read about the authority and the deity of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ.

We read of the many parables that give us some of the truths of Heaven in ways we can understand.

The miracles the Lord did and the lessons He has taught us attest to the absolute authority of our Creator.

The four Gospels contain many Scriptures reflecting upon the absolute authority of the Messiah, our Savior.

Every miracle is backed up by Scripture such as, the miracle of healing the blind man.

Psa 146:8 The LORD openeth the eyes of the blind: the LORD raiseth them that are bowed down: the LORD loveth the righteous:

The water to grape juice in Cana. We should understand that the Lord Jesus would never make wine!

Isa 12:3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.

The feeding of the five thousand.

Isa 30:23 Then shall he give the rain of thy seed, that thou shalt sow the ground withal; and bread of the increase of the earth, and it shall be fat and plenteous: in that day shall thy cattle feed in large pastures.

The Lord’s authority over the animal world.

Isa 11:6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.
Isa 11:7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
Isa 11:8 And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den.

The raising of the dead.

Isa 65:20 There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.

We should consider these things that only God can do, as we take a closer look at the miracle when the Lord raised a young female child from death.

*Mar 5:21 And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto him: and he was nigh unto the sea.

The Lord Jesus had now crossed by over the Sea of Galilee again, to a location near Capernaum which had become His base after he had left Nazareth again according to Scripture.

Mat 4:13 And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:
Mat 4:14 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,
Mat 4:15 The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles;
Mat 4:16 The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

We can find these things prophesied in the Book of Isaiah.

Isa 9:1 Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations.
Isa 9:2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.

We begin to see that the Lord Jesus could be no one else, but the Messiah come from Heaven!

There were so many things that the children of Israel had missed from the Old Testament, and much of the reason was that the Priests refused to teach the truth of the Word of God just like so many are doing today.

From this point to the end of this chapter, we will see how the support of the multitude will always change.

We will also see how those who should have supported Jesus refused to do so.

His friends said that Jesus had gone mad and insane.
We must believe Jesus and show our faith in Him.
We may have to go against our friends.

The religionists said that Jesus was demon possessed.
Religionist do not really know the truth of God.

His own family said He was an embarrassment to them.
We must surrender to Jesus regardless of what our families think of us!

These things will always be said about the true Christian and we will have to deal with them all our lifetime, without sin.

As soon as the feet of the Lord Jesus touched the shoreline one of the rulers of the local synagogue came running to Him.

The fame of our Lord Jesus had spread everywhere.

*Mar 5:22 And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet,
Mar 5:23 And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.
Mar 5:24 And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him.

We might ask ourselves, was it just his lucky day?

We know the Lord did not heal everyone He came in contact with, and we know He knew ahead of time who had ailments and who did not.

We must know there was a reason behind every move the Lord made, but we already know of His great compassion for all humans.

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Some people say that Jesus had to be very careful that He did not go against the teachings of the Old Testament, the Laws of Moses, and all the things written by the prophets but this is simply not true!

The Lord did not need to put forth effort, because these are all things that He just did because He is the True and Living God!

If Jesus had not done the things, He did then, He would be outside His character!

This father was desperate and he knew there was no other means to save his daughter than the Lord Jesus Christ!

But Our Lord will not do anything if there is a lack of faith!

1) This man exhibits humility and falls at the feet of Jesus.
2) This man exhibits believing, because he knows Jesus is omnipotent, has all power and the power to heal and bring new life.
3) This man boldly goes to the Lord Jesus in the face of all the people, many of whom would not react well, because he was a ruler of the synagogue.

None of the synagogues recognized the Lord Jesus as the Messiah.

The Lord Jesus went with him because these are the actions, we must all take to be saved! It is called faith!

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

The Lord Jesus will meet the needs of the desperate if they have that saving faith!

A crowd was gathered including the twelve disciples and they all went toward the place of Jarius.

*Mar 5:35 While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further?
Mar 5:36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.

Our lesson skips right over the woman who had an issue with her blood for twelve years, who just touched the robe of our Savior and was immediately healed.

This was also a message of faith from someone desperate for life!

Even though there was great rush for the Lord Jesus to get to this child before she died, the Lord Jesus did not have to rush and took the time to heal that woman.

If Jarius had the faith that he said he had, he would have known that there is no need to rush the Almighty God.

He is the giver and the taker of life!

Did Jesus know this child would die if He did not get there in time? Sure He did!

Though we cannot always understand why the Lord does what He does, we can understand that there is reason and purpose in every move that Jesus made while He was upon this world.

One of those was the fact that He wanted to establish His resurrecting power!

The Lord Jesus also wanted to show the difference between little faith and true faith.

True faith has no feeling of hopelessness!

True faith has nothing to do with fear and despair!

While the Lord Jesus Christ was still talking to that woman who did have that blood issue, someone from the home of Jairus came with some terrible news, his daughter had died.

Did the Lord Jesus cause this death? No

We can only imagine how Jairus felt having just witnessed the healing power of the Lord Jesus Christ, and realizing had Jesus not stopped to do this, that He may have made it to his daughter before she died.

Jairus was devastated and crushed and believed it was now too late to save her life.

We know that the Lord Jesus is never too late, but that He is always on time!

What did the Lord Jesus say to him? What happened to your faith?

“be not afraid, only believe.”

Fear is the exact opposite of faith!

Believing God eliminates fear!

Believing that God actually cares and will deliver us through all of our fears, is essential in our relationship with the Lord.

The Lord certainly cares about our feelings and our times of despair.

Without believing that God cares for us, will lead to fear!

We should understand that we will face things in our life that no other human being can help us with, but then there is Jesus who cares for us if we only trust Him.

For those who do not know the Lord in a personal way, they have no one to go to and they will be filled with fear and despair.

The Christian should never feel this way!

Though we cannot help it, there is little need to mourn over the death of a Christian as they have returned to the God who created them!

There is very little mourning in faith!

If we mourn, let us mourn for those who do not know the Lord our Savior.

There is never a time that the Lord Jesus can do nothing!

There is never a time that God is twiddling His thumbs or even wondering what He should do next!

There was no need for the crowd to go any further because so many of them had no faith at all.

*Mar 5:37 And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.
Mar 5:38 And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly.
Mar 5:39 And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.

Here we see the first time that the Lord Jesus only took Peter, James, and John, with Him, to be witnesses of things not permitted to be seen by the other nine.

Jesus did the same thing at His Transfiguration.

Jesus did the same thing when He was under agony in the Garden of Gethsemane.

The thing that Jesus was about to do, to raise this child from the dead, did not need to have those that might have doubt in the same room!

We should understand that the family of this child would surely mourn for her, but most of those remaining were hired to mourn.

It was a belief of the Jews, that those that were hired to mourn would make it easier for those in the family.

Notice Mark writes that it was tumultuous and more like a commotion, but it also tells us that the child had already died before Jesus had arrived.

Jesus first words were: Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.

Jesus Christ is the Lord of Life because He is Life!

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

We will learn as Christians that a believing faith will be scorned by this world and we see this more today than at any other time in history.

We will also be abused and persecuted by those who have no faith!

*Mar 5:40 And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying.

The Lord let them have their laughter because He knew they were about to be silenced!

The Lord Jesus and Peter, James, and John, along with the two parents, entered into the room where the dead child was lying.

All the rest were deemed unworthy to witness the power of the Messiah.

The reason that no one sees the miracles that happen in today’s world, is the fact that there is no faith!

Even in the Church there is a great lack of faith today and the Church has lost its power!

It is no wonder we seldom hear of the miracles of God anymore.

The power of Jesus Christ over all evil spirits, over incurable sickness, and over death itself, demonstrates His deity and how He honors simple faith above all other of our characteristics.

Jesus walked over to the child to do what He came to do.

*Mar 5:41 And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.
Mar 5:42 And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment.

The Pharisees had concluded that the Lord Jesus had a devil living within Him.

The relatives of Jesus had said Jesus was a mad man and beside Himself.

The Lord Jesus had begun teaching by parables so people could see without perceiving and hear without understanding.

But the Lord Jesus proves He is the Master of all the forces in this life.

The Lord Jesus proves that He is not only the Master of Life, but also the Giver of Life!

Mark preserved the actual words that Jesus said here, no doubt getting them from Peter the eyewitness.

We all know that our children are special to us at any age and we know that they grow so fast, but that age just before they blossom into adulthood is truly a special time.

This young lady was twelve years old preparing to take on the world when for some reason, she had succumbed to death, but as we know Jesus changes things!

Straightway this child rose up and walked and all that were in the house of Jarius, were astonished.

The Lord said, feed this child for she is hungry.

*Mar 5:43 And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat.

By eating, she could prove to all that she was no spirit but had returned to normal existence.

Even when this child was restored to life, then she would have to return to the things of this life that sustained life, such as food and water.

It was for the sake of these parents that Jesus brought this girl back to life!

Her life in no way could change the providence of God for this world.

This is why God can answer prayer!

This child completed her growth in a home of saving faith and at death she returned to Heaven because this home had faith!

Amen

The Power of Jehovah

/ Bobby Mayfield / 1 Comment

Dry Bones Are Given New Life

Book of Ezekiel Chapter 37

As Christians we already know that Christ Jesus is the only hope for this wicked and evil world.

Rom 5:2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Gal 5:5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.

The three Christian statements of our “faith” are built upon “our faith”, “our hope”, “and our love” in all the promises of Jehovah God.

1Co 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

Why is the greatest of these, charity? What did Jesus say to us?

Mar 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
Mar 12:31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

To many people, these are hard lessons. To the Church, we know these words as the truth of God.

These things are the difference between life and death!

The Christians will certainly die, but this death is the doorway to eternal glory!

The lost world will certainly die, but this death is followed with eternal death. A death of eternal torment!

In our lesson today we can see the power of the Almighty God in the valley of dry bones.

*Eze 37:1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones,
Eze 37:2 And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry.

This valley of dry bones represents a place of death and destruction. A place where two great armies had met and death and destruction followed, their bodies left on the battlefield and never buried. Their bones so dry that they were brittle and broken easily.

In reality this passage represents the resurrection of the dead when the Lord returns with the souls that are in Heaven.

1Th 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, “even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him”.
1Th 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
1Th 4:16 For 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:
1Th 4:17 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.
1Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

The power of Jehovah God is unlimited, and He has given all His power to His Son, Jesus Christ!

Mat 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

We have the example of the resurrection:

Joh 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

Rom 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

Rev 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

If there is a resurrection of those when the Lord meets the Church in the air, then there is another resurrection of the dead to new life after the Church for those who are martyrs during the tribulation years, and then an end time resurrect for all those who will face the Lord Jesus at the White Throne of Judgment..

Rev 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

As Christians we now have that hope of eternal glory but to the lost, they live in hopelessness.

Rev 6:8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
Rev 6:9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them “that were slain for the word of God”, and for the testimony which they held:
Rev 6:10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

Rev 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Rev 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

All those who know the Lord will be raised to new life!

All those who reject the Lord will be raised to eternal damnation, a terrible, terrible, terrible thing that should cause us to reach out not only to our loved ones but to all that do not know the Lord in a personal relationship!

As we go along, we will see that this valley of dry bones represents the nation of Israel, who are dead to the truth of God, and dead to the reality of salvation by Jesus Christ.

So in this case, this passage represents a revival of the people of Israel that has not taken place as of yet!

*Eze 37:3 And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest.

Today there is more than half our world that do not believe in the resurrection of the body, because they reject the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

In the time of Christ there were influential, but very lost men known as Sadducee.

Mat 22:23 The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him,

Jesus said stay away from all who teach the sinful doctrine of the Sadducees and there are many of these unbelievers around today!

Mat 16:6 Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

For Ezekiel. either by vision or some other method, he would witness what the Lord calls the resurrection of those who sleep in Jesus, but also all those who will be resurrected from the dead to go to the White Throne Judgment.

Ezekiel replied, yes Lord you are powerful enough to do anything you choose to do!

The Lord also has the power to bring revival to a nation as we will witness in this passage, but a revival that has not yet taken place.

Rom 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
Rom 11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
Rom 11:27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.

We have to accept the fact that Judah was a captured nation and had lost all hope, but by Jeremiah they should have known that this captivity would only last 70 years and the Almighty God would change the power structure of this world once again, which He always has the power to do even in our day.

They should never have been hopeless, but we know they are still blind to the truth.

*Eze 37:11 Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.

The house of Israel had been taken captive, and were being forced marched to Babylon to be scattered all over the lands under the domain of the Babylon Empire.

They certainly thought they would never see their homeland again and were aware that they could lose their own lives at any moment.

These things took place because they had forsaken Jehovah and lived any way they wanted to.
They had forsaken the Laws of Moses and the statutes of God.
They had worshiped false gods and they were seeing the results of their sin.

The Lord God Jehovah showed Ezekiel in a vision or some other way, that restoring Israel to a godly nation is always within His powers in that day and today and at any time in the future as long as time last!

Hos 1:11 Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel.

Rom 11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
Rom 11:27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
Rom 11:28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes.
Rom 11:29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

As a child of Jehovah God there is never a time, I should feel hopeless!
There is never a time I should worry about my future because the promises of God are real.
There is never a time I should be afraid of what this world can do to me.
There is never a time I should sink into depression because my God is all powerful.

Even when my bones are lying in a grave or burnt to ashes while my soul is in Heaven, that body of flesh can be restored, except this time it will be made perfect and it will be a glorified body.

What did Ezekiel witness?

*Eze 37:12 Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.

This is a resurrection!

Job 19:25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
Job 19:26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:
Job 19:27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.

This is the great revival of the House of Israel!

Rom 11:15 For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?

What did Israel need to know on that miserable day? There was a promise of new life!

What should every lost soul know about the “Gospel”? There is a promise of new life and it is eternal!

I just wonder sometimes when our Pastor is behind his pulpit, if he ever feels like he is preaching to a valley of dry bones.

Ezekiel preached the words God that gave him and all of a sudden, those old dry bones began to come to life.

You see in the eyes of God, we will never be in a situation of hopelessness, because the worst thing that can happen is that we will go on home.

This place of earth is not our home and we should never forget that we are just strangers passing through this wicked and corrupt and evil place.

What is so great about have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ?

*Eze 37:14 And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.

We must never forget it is the Spirit of Jehovah that gives life!

Psa 104:29 Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.
Psa 104:30 Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.
Psa 104:31 The glory of the LORD shall endure for ever: the LORD shall rejoice in his works.

Our Holy God has the power to conquer death and the proof to the Church is the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Rom 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

What had Moses preached to the House of Israel?

Deu 30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

To be honest, when we choose to live a life of death, how can we complain when that time comes, yet we have a merciful God who will even allow a death bed confession.

As long as there is life in our bodies and have not rejected the Holy Spirit to a point that He will not convict us of our wrong, then we can still be gloriously saved, but it is a foolish thing to test God because He will not be tested. In fact today is the day of salvation for everyone because tomorrow my not come to the wicked!

Pro 27:1 Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.

2Co 6:2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

There is an accepted time for each of us to ask the Lord to forgive us our sins and come into our hearts and save us!

The Lord will never forget those who love Him, and the Lord will never forget His chosen people Israel.

For who is a true Jew?

Rom 2:28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
Rom 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

God will bring every child of Israel back home who wants to be there, for even they will have to choose Jesus!

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Joh 14:7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

This truth is the same for all people!

*Eze 37:21 And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land:
Eze 37:22 And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all:
Eze 37:23 Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.

When Israel returned after the Babylon captivity, they did not come back perfect, but they were no longer idol worshipers!

They knew it was Jehovah who had rescued them just as He had from Egypt!

They had spent 70 years in captivity and all those who worshiped idols just as in the 40 years in the wilderness, where those who doubted the truth of God had died off.

In the time of Jesus they again rebelled against the truth of God and that whole generation was destroyed by Titus in 70 AD and Israel again has been scattered throughout this world but again they are making their way back home and one day soon their eyes will be opened to the truth of the Messiah!

The words of Jesus:

Luk_11:50 That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation;

Today Israel’s population is nearly 10 million people and they are growing by 10,000 each year since 1948.

We must remember the nation of Israel is home to all sorts of people and then there are the legitimate children of Israel.

God loves this nation He has delivered them from idolatry.
He has delivered them from false worship.
He has delivered them from wicked behavior.

God is striving for a personal relationship with these people just as He does with all unbelievers!

Jehovah loves personal relationships!

Jehovah has been dealing with Israel as a nation, but His intention now, is to get to know each of them in a personal relationship!

Just as He did with David, and Moses, and Abraham, and Sarah, and all His prophets in the Old Testament. Just as He did Adam and Eve who He walked with in the cool of the day.

Jer 30:24 The fierce anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have done it, and until he have performed the intents of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it.
Jer 31:1 At the same time, saith the LORD, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people.

Jer 32:37 Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely:
Jer 32:38 And they shall be my people, and I will be their God:

Zec 13:9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.

Psa 68:18 Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them.
Psa 68:19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.
Psa 68:20 He that is our God is the God of salvation; and unto GOD the Lord belong the issues from death.

Now remember our study of Chapter 34 of David.

Rev 22:16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

David will certainly be resurrected as will all the children of God who are asleep in Jesus, but he will not be king because we have only one king and that is King Jesus!

*Eze 37:24 And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them.
Eze 37:25 And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children’s children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever.

All the covenants of Jehovah are everlasting covenants, but they all have a fulfillment in the Lord Jesus Christ. When King Jesus sits upon the throne as absolute King and Ruler of Israel, He will also be the absolute King and Ruler of this entire planet because He already is. It will be at this time that the entire world will recognize our Lord as the Master of the Universe, in fact Master of the Cosmos!

King Jesus will also be that Great Shepherd of the souls of all His people.

1Pe 2:25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

These things will be eternal when we reach the New Jerusalem!

As one bone is connected to the next bone all the children of Israel will come to their respective families and respective tribes just 7 or more years after the Church is taken out of this world and is in Heaven.

True peace will come to this world and to Jerusalem the city of peace that has never before seen peace!

*Eze 37:26 Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore.

What are the steps of this great event?

The people of Israel will be gathered.
All the tribes of Israel will be united.
All of Israel will be purified.
The nation of Israel will be established under the rule of the Messiah.
Jehovah will make a covenant of “Grace” with the “Apple of His eye”.
This will be and everlasting, eternal covenant.

The Lord will place them and give them to the land He promised to Abraham.

The Lord will multiply them.

The Lord will set His sanctuary in the midst of them.

Where is God’s sanctuary?

Psa 102:19 For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth;
Psa 102:20 To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death;
Psa 102:21 To declare the name of the LORD in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem;
Psa 102:22 When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.

Remember the Church is with the Lord during all these things and the Church and the saved Israel, will be with the Lord throughout eternity!

*Eze 37:27 My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Eze 37:28 And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.

The fathers of the nation of Israel had a tabernacle built after they escaped from Egypt (type of the world of sin) a place of worship that they carried with them as they traveled in this wilderness of sin, but our Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ has brought with Him a better tabernacle, a Spiritual tabernacle, and a heavenly tabernacle so they can leave a world of sin and become holy, a people serving a holy God, and they will come to know the Joy of the Lord and become a blessed people forever!

Today the heathen are still mocking God because they have no fear of Him, but when our Savior appears in that Heavenly Sky returning to this earth in full view, they will see how foolish they have been and they will first try to destroy Him and next they will try to hide from Him and both these things are impossible.

Rev 6:14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
Rev 6:15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
Rev 6:16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
Rev 6:17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

We live in a foolish world that keeps denying our Creator, but on this day, they will not be able to deny Him!

The nation of Israel shall feel the full force of the Holy Spirit, and they will accept all the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ, and will be sanctified to serve our Holy God just as the Church!

1Jn 5:19 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.

This lost world will feel the wrath of our Heavenly Father, when they did not have to!

Amen

Let’s Pray