DISCIPLES OF JESUS MINISTRY
Where He leads us we will follow
Isaiah - humbled himself before God
Isa 2:1 This is another vision that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem:
Isa 2:2 In the last days, the
Isa 2:3 Many nations will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the
Isa 2:4 The LORD will settle international disputes. All the nations will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. All wars will stop, and military training will come to an end.
Isaiah was a tremendous prophet of God. He was faithful and true to the Lord in a time when it wasnt the done thing to proclaim that you were a servant of the living God. It wasnt the popular thing to do.
It was the same in Isaiahs time. However, in his era Gods own people would persecute and murder the prophets who were true to God and their calling. Therefore it was a very dangerous time in which the prophet Isaiah lived, because the people of God were now committing apostasy practicing those things that God had forbidden them to do.
Isaiah, himself was well aware of his own personal risks to his own safety but nevertheless he trusted in God because he knew there was more to the life he lived here on earth and knew that he would one day pass from this earthly existence to go to be with his God, our God who is in heaven. Such was the zeal of the man towards God our Father.
Isaiah came from a very influential family who had what you would call an upper class background in the city of
This great man of God had all of these tremendous privileges and responsibilities but it did not make him proud of himself quite the reverse. He knew what it felt like to be humble before God. I believe before God can do anything in and through our own lives we must humble ourselves before Him. Every little bit of self must be surrendered to God. God cannot use a proud man or woman who Lords it over others because of the position given to them by the Lord. They have become big headed forgetting who it was who gave them the position; they have become self righteous. We have all been there havent we? How does this start we like to hear the sound of praise from men and women in our ears before we know what is happening we are enjoying the adulation of the world and sadly Gods presence has left us without us even knowing.
The apostle Paul strikes the right note on this very difficult matter when in his epistle to the Colossians 3:22 he says,[ not with eye service as with men pleasers]
Let me give you an example. God has given to me a gift of being able to preach and teach His Word, but up until the last two years I had wronged Him because without realising it I had stolen some of the glory from Him thinking somehow the message from heaven and Himself had come from me. I would then seek praise from God people for myself because of the word preached robbing God of His glory. It took our gracious God and heavenly Father twenty eight years to get this very important and crucial message through to me. If it had been anyone else they would have given up on me. But we are speaking of God arent we. He in this instance showed His long suffering patience and compassionate merciful love towards me. He never gave up on me, continued to love me. He is merciful and compassionate towards His children, you and I; a great God.
This is the same God that Isaiah the prophet experienced and knew. What does God look for from us? he looks for a broken and contrite heart. Isaiah experienced the same emotions and feelings before God and one of fear in holy reverence towards and before Him. This is what God looks for from each and every one of us. I want you to know that this word Gods Word does not come from me. It comes from God and when God gives me His instructions to you His people. I apply it to myself as one of Gods people. I ponder over the words, I anguish myself over them; at times overawed by them. Sometimes, I would like to run away from it but because of the fire He has put into me I cant. Even for just today I would like you to see beyond me and hear and see what the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ would have to say to you so that you can go out glorifying and praising His holy name.
I was speaking about Isaiahs humility before God, a prerequisite that is demanded by God from all of us. God cant use the proud. He will only use those who are totally committed to Him in every day of their lives. We can see this in the life of Isaiah, listen to the words of this great godly man as he is confronted by a vision of the almighty God in all His glory. Then said I , Woe is me! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for mine eyes have seen the King; the Lord of Hosts I believe that what the Prophet here saw in a vision granted to him by the grace of God was the Father, Son and the Holy Ghost, all equally God. Our Saviour Jesus Christ as God the Son is here too, whether Isaiah recognized and knew of this we do not know, but what he did see brought him to his knees. The purity of a perfect righteous God in all His majestic glory radiated in holiness towards the earthly figure of the man, the prophet Isaiah. A force of light greater than the daylight itself and any other fire that has been seen by mortals including the flash of the atomic bomb that was dropped in the last world war. A fiery fire of the light within the vision, No wonder Isaiah felt so afraid and frightened I would have been too.
Remember, our Lord and Heavenly Father said no man could look upon God face to face and live. No wonder Isaiah was so afraid. God wants us to come humbly into His Presence and to seek His face, to stand in awe of Him or to prostrate ourselves before Him as we realize something of the awesome Presence of our God.
by Raymond McGough
Samuel
Samuel begins his prophetic ministry.,
While Samuel was trained as an assistant priest to Eli, he had no idea that God had a much greater role in mind for him. Samuel would prove to be the great transitional figure from the time of the judges to the Davidic monarchy. To do that, Samuel had to become a prophetic spokesman for the Lord. Only as a prophet could he function as kingmaker and conscience of
1Sa 3:2 And it came to pass at that time, while Eli was lying down in his place, and when his eyes had begun to grow so dim that he could not see,
1Sa 3:3 and before the lamp of God went out in the tabernacle of the LORD where the ark of God was, and while Samuel was lying down,
1Sa 3:4 that the LORD called Samuel. And he answered, "Here I am!"
1Sa 3:5 So he ran to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me."
And he said, "I did not call; lie down again." And he went and lay down.
1Sa 3:6 Then the LORD called yet again, "Samuel!"
So Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, "Here I am, for you called me." He answered, "I did not call, my son; lie down again."
1Sa 3:7 (Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, nor was the word of the LORD yet revealed to him.)
1Sa 3:8 And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. So he arose and went to Eli, and said, "Here I am, for you did call me."
Then Eli perceived that the LORD had called the boy.
1Sa 3:9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, "Go, lie down; and it shall be, if He calls you, that you must say, "Speak, LORD, for Your servant hears."' So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
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And Samuel answered, "Speak, for Your servant hears."
Samuel made himself available for the Lord to speak to him. His response to the Lord was Speak to me for I am listening once he knew that it was God who was speaking to him. This was the beginning of relationship for Samuel, for at first he did not really know God, he knew of God. Samuel learned at the feet of Eli, He listened to his spiritual leader and took his advice. He was not too proud to learn at the feet of anther, who mentored him.
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1Sa 3:13 For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knows, because his sons made themselves vile, and he did not restrain them.
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The message God delivered to Samuel concerning Eli's house was fairly short. God did reveal to him at this time how great a Prophet he would be in his day, and what a blessing he should be in
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He answered, "Here I am."
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Although this was a hard message for Samuel to deliver to Eli, and he was at first afraid to deliver the message, he gave Eli the word from the Lord in its entirety. Eli received the message well for it was a message from the Lord.
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We saw in this passage that Samuel needed the experience of Eli to understand God was speaking to him. In those latter verses we see that Samuel became known and established as a prophet of God. Samuel is an example of the office of the prophet in the Old Testament. In the Old Testament only a selected few could hear from God.
The gift of prophecy in the New Testament is a Holy Spirit- distributed gift through a person. The prophetic office is for edification, to enlarge and refresh the body, whether locally or beyond. All of us can expect God to speak to us in order to minister to others.
Act 2:16 But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
Act 2:17 "And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,
That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your young men shall see visions,
Your old men shall dream dreams.
Act
I will pour out My Spirit in those days;
And they shall prophesy.
1Co 14:1 Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.
1Co 14:2 For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries.
1Co 14:3 But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men.
1Co 14:4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.
1Co 14:5 I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification.
1Th
1Th 5:21 Test all things; hold fast what is good.
David and Bathsheba
DAVID AND BATHSHEBA.
DAVID'S SIN
David spent some time afar off from God. David was in the wrong place, he should have been in the battlefield. If he had been out in the battlefield, where the king was supposed to be, instead of hanging around the palace looking at naked women, this whole incident would have never happened. Bathsheba was summoned to the King's palace, she had to come to the palace or risk execution for defying the King. Bathsheba's bathing was not likely to be in a public place, but probably behind the walls of an enclosed courtyard. She did not expect that she would be seen, since the King was, after all, supposed to be out in the battlefield with her husband. David was it would seem abusing his power to satisfy his own lustful desires.
David didn't set out to commit the sins of adultery and murder. By the time he found out who Bathsheba was he was already lusting after her. Had she been unmarried, he would have been quite proper in pursuing her as a wife, and his inquiry would not have been improper. The lustful thoughts in his heart outweighed his good sense and integrity. By now, David's intentions have shifted from an interest in taking Bathsheba as a wife, to just plain taking Bathsheba.
We see though sin had its consequences:
2Sa 11:5 And the woman conceived; so she sent and told David, and said, "I am with child."
Oops.
David hadn't even considered that possibility.
David tried to cover up his sin and shift the responsibility to someone else:
THE COVER UP
2Sa 11:6 Then David sent to Joab, saying, "Send me Uriah the Hittite." And Joab sent Uriah to David.
2Sa 11:7 When Uriah had come to him, David asked how Joab was doing, and how the people were doing, and how the war prospered.
2Sa 11:8 And David said to Uriah, "Go down to your house and wash your feet." So Uriah departed from the king's house, and a gift of food from the king followed him.
2Sa 11:9 But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house.
2Sa 11:10 So when they told David, saying, "Uriah did not go down to his house," David said to Uriah, "Did you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?"
2Sa 11:11 And Uriah said to David, "The ark and Israel and Judah are dwelling in tents, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are encamped in the open fields. Shall I then go to my house to eat and drink, and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing."
Bathshebas husband, was out on the battlefield where David himself should have been. David called Uriah in from the battle, probably under the guise of a special project or task. He told Uriah to go down to his house, assuming of course that Uriah would have marital relations with Bathsheba while he was home, which would allow him to think that the baby was his, hoping to cover up the incident.
David didnt consider in this scheme that Uriah had such a sense of honor and loyaltythat he wouldnt go and enjoy the pleasures of home when his fellow-soldiers were camping in the battlefield. David even attempted to get him drunk, but Uriahs sense of duty and honor was strong enough to overcome all of Davids tactics.
David got desperate, and like most desperate men, did something really stupid.
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2Sa 11:15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, "Set Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retreat from him, that he may be struck down and die."
David sent word Joab, the leader of the kings army, to put Uriah in a place where he would be killed. Although he did not know why the king had ordered Uriahs death, Joab obeyed his kings command, believing the King must have good reason.
2Sa 11:16 So it was, while Joab besieged the city, that he assigned Uriah to a place where he knew there were valiant men.
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Because of the strategic moves that had to be made to place Urriah in the battlefront we see that many others died also.
A lot of innocent people get hurt while we are trying to hide the truth and trying to cover up . Joab thought that David would react poorly to the battle strategy that led to Uriahs death so when the messenger went to update David on the war, Joab gave him specific instructions that would tell David that the deed had been done.
2Sa 11:18 Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war,
2Sa 11:19 and charged the messenger, saying, "When you have finished telling the matters of the war to the king,
2Sa 11:20 if it happens that the king's wrath rises, and he says to you: "Why did you approach so near to the city when you fought? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall?
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2Sa 11:23 And the messenger said to David, "Surely the men prevailed against us and came out to us in the field; then we drove them back as far as the entrance of the gate.
2Sa 11:24 The archers shot from the wall at your servants; and some of the king's servants are dead, and your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also."
2Sa 11:25 Then David said to the messenger, "Thus you shall say to Joab: "Do not let this thing displease you, for the sword devours one as well as another. Strengthen your attack against the city, and overthrow it.' So encourage him."
There is nothing to say that David even flinched at the news. Davids focus was on hiding his sin, at any cost. Matters of state and ethical issues had been pushed down on Davids priority list. Now, with Uriah out of the way, David could make the cover-up complete.
2Sa 11:26 When the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband.
2Sa 11:27 And when her mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.
Bathsheba mourned for her husband, as was proper. Then, as a gesture of supposed kindness, the king took the poor widow in and made her one of his wives. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD. David thought the whole incident was covered. The only living person who possibly had knowledge of the entire truth and could testify against him was Bathsheba, and and her silence was probably motivated by fear for her own life. There also were some men who served the king, who had suspicions , but they remained loyal to the king. He only overlooked one little detail, he forgot you cant hide your heart from God.
CONDEMNATION AND REPENTANCE.
2Sa 12:1 Then the LORD sent Nathan to David. And he came to him, and said to him: "There were two men in one city, one rich and the other poor.
2Sa 12:2 The rich man had exceedingly many flocks and herds.
2Sa 12:3 But the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb which he had bought and nourished; and it grew up together with him and with his children. It ate of his own food and drank from his own cup and lay in his bosom; and it was like a daughter to him.
2Sa 12:4 And a traveler came to the rich man, who refused to take from his own flock and from his own herd to prepare one for the wayfaring man who had come to him; but he took the poor man's lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him."
2Sa 12:5 So David's anger was greatly aroused against the man, and he said to Nathan, "As the LORD lives, the man who has done this shall surely die!
2Sa 12:6 And he shall restore fourfold for the lamb, because he did this thing and because he had no pity."
Nathans parable was a close parallel to what David had done, and had covered up so skillfully. This should remind us that, no matter how hard we try, we cant hide from God. God knew what David had done. David couldnt hide.
2Sa 12:7 Then Nathan said to David, "You are the man! Thus says the LORD God of
2Sa 12:8 I gave you your master's house and your master's wives into your keeping, and gave you the house of
2Sa 12:9 Why have you despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in His sight? You have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the people of Ammon.
2Sa 12:10 Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.'
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2Sa 12:12 For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, before the sun."'
David was reminded that God is bigger and smarter than him. Nathan, who hadnt been a party to any of this incident, recited back to David EXACTLY what he had done, in painful detail, and pronounced Gods judgement on the king. On top of that. Nathan risked his life bringing this accusation before the king. The king was the sole power-broker of government; he could have told one of the guards to kill Nathan on the spot. He could have denied his sin, and argued with Nathan and God He could have continued in his denial. The choice was Davids to make. Nathan knew the risk, yet also understood that obedience to God, even to the point of death, is better than long life of rebellion and disobedience.
2Sa 12:13 So David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD."
David confesses his sin before Nathan and the Lord. It is when we are truly honest with God that we find His mercy and grace. God showed His grace by forgiving David, and allowing him to live. For the rest of his days, when David opened his eyes in the morning, he knew that he was alive for one reason and one reason only: the sheer grace of God.
And Nathan said to David, "The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die. This changed the direction of Davids life, and deepened his relationship with God to a level he had never known before. Understanding Gods grace will have the same effect on us.
Psa 51:1 Have mercy upon me, O God,
According to Your lovingkindness;
According to the multitude of Your tender mercies,
Blot out my transgressions.
Psa 51:2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
And cleanse me from my sin.
Psa 51:3 For I acknowledge my transgressions,
And my sin is always before me.
This Psalm doesnt contain one single word of self-justification. David didnt try to blame Bathsheba for his downfall, or talk about the enormous stresses and responsibilities in the life of a great leader. He faced his sin head-on, and called it what it was, his sin.
Psa 51:4 Against You, You only, have I sinned,
And done this evil in Your sight--
That You may be found just when You speak,
And blameless when You judge.
His sin was first and foremost sin against God, and his first step of repentance is confession before God.
Psa 51:5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me.
David recognized his basic human depravity
Psa 51:6 Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts,
And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.
He finally came to the point of "truth in his inmost being," and was honest as regards his sins
Psa 51:7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Hyssop was used under Old Testament law for two rituals of purification. It was part of the purification of one healed of leprosy, and of those who had come in contact with a dead body. David saw his sin as a deadly disease that could be cured only by God himself. Only Gods Grace can purify us and forgive our sins.
Psa 51:8 Make me hear joy and gladness,
That the bones You have broken may rejoice.
Psa 51:9 Hide Your face from my sins,
And blot out all my iniquities.
Psa 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Psa 51:11 Do not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
Psa 51:12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,
And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
David genuinely repented before God. Repentance allows the broken to begin to heal, as God blots out our sin and creates a clean heart within us. David is thinking back to King Saul in verse 11, who failed to honestly repent of his sin of disobedience. As a result, God withdrew his Spirit from Saul, who lived out his days in misery and torment. David witnessed this chapter in Sauls life, and asked not only for forgiveness, but for a renewed relationship, and deliverance from the fate of Saul.
Psa 51:13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners shall be converted to You.
Psa 51:14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
The God of my salvation,
And my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness.
Psa 51:15 O Lord, open my lips,
And my mouth shall show forth Your praise.
Psa 51:16 For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it;
You do not delight in burnt offering.
Psa 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,
A broken and a contrite heart--
These, O God, You will not despise.
Psa 51:18 Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion;
Build the walls of Jerusalem.
Psa 51:19 Then You shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness,
With burnt offering and whole burnt offering;
Then they shall offer bulls on Your altar.
. Genuine repentance brings forgiveness, restoration and healing, and the end result of that cycle is action. David committed himself to serving God. It is not our works that bring about Gods favor; it is favor with God, through honest repentance, that makes one a willing servant.
2Sa 12:13 So David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD."
And Nathan said to David, "The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die.
2Sa 12:14 However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die."
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And the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife bore to David, and it became ill.
2Sa 12:16 David therefore pleaded with God for the child, and David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground.
2Sa 12:17 So the elders of his house arose and went to him, to raise him up from the ground. But he would not, nor did he eat food with them.
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And they said, "He is dead."
2Sa 12:20 So David arose from the ground, washed and anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he went to his own house; and when he requested, they set food before him, and he ate.
2Sa 12:21 Then his servants said to him, "What is this that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive, but when the child died, you arose and ate food."
2Sa 12:22 And he said, "While the child was alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, "Who can tell whether the LORD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?' 2Sa
The childs death does reveal an important truth; our sin affects not only ourselves, but also those around us. The long-reaching effect of a moment of sinful self-indulgence can be disastrous. We seldom pause to consider that factor in a moment of temptation. If we could see the results of our actions, wed say "no" more often. The judgement proclaimed in verses 11 and 12 came to pass, when in 2 Samuel
RESTORATION AND HEALING.
2Sa 12:24 Then David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in to her and lay with her. So she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. Now the LORD loved him,
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The Lord sent word through Nathan that He had a special name for this special child: Jedidiah - which means "beloved of God." This child was Gods choice. It is important to note that the healing and reconstruction of this relationship did not happen immediately. It would appear that several years passed between the death of the first son and the birth of Solomon. It is also apparent that, although David had many wives, Bathsheba became his favorite. A marriage built on the healing grace of God always produces very special, intimate, bonded relationships.
God wants to have an intimate relationship with each of us, and goes out of His way to invite us into that relationship. The whole point of Nathans charge against David was not to punish him, but to restore him.
It doesnt matter what you or I have done, Gods healing, restoring grace is available to us, just like it was for David. All you have to do is be willing to face God and admit your sin with the same painful honesty that was Davids first step toward rebuilding his life.
Are you ready for a fresh start? Maybe you have yet to give your life to Jesus? Don't hesitate, the Father is in the business of forgiving and restoring. Your life can be healed, restored, and rebuilt, just like David's was. Like David, we have to be honest with God, and with ourselves.
Christians, if you have unconfessed sin that is interrupting your walk with God- repent, bring your sins to the foot of the cross. God wants to heal and restore you, he wants to rebuild your life. He wants you to walk closely in fellowship with Him.
How can we walk in Spirit- Filled lives if we let sin get in the way? God wants broken and contrite hearts. He wants us to be His willing Servants.
He poured out His grace and mercy in the sacrificial death of Jesus, His blood poured out for you. He will purge away your sins , cleanse you with hyssop and make you what as snow. Jesus uses clean empty vessels. Sin can stop us from fulfilling our purpose for Him.
Judas Iscariot
JUDAS ISCARIOT
Luk 22:3 Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve.
Luk 22:4 So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them.
Luk 22:5 And they were glad, and agreed to give him money.
Luk 22:6 So he promised and sought opportunity to betray Him to them in the absence of the multitude.
Luk 22:14 When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him.
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Luk 22:17 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, "Take this and divide it among yourselves;
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Luk 22:19 And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me."
Luk 22:20 Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.
Luk 22:21 But behold, the hand of My betrayer is with Me on the table.
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Luk 22:23 Then they began to question among themselves, which of them it was who would do this thing.
Mat 26:14 Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests
Mat 26:15 and said, "What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?" And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver.
Mat 26:16 So from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him.
Mat 26:47 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.
Mat 26:48 Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying, "Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him."
Mat 26:49 Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, "Greetings, Rabbi!" and kissed Him.
Mat 26:50 But Jesus said to him, "Friend, why have you come?"
Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him.
Act 1:16 "Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus;
Act 1:17 for he was numbered with us and obtained a part in this ministry."
Act 1:18 (Now this man purchased a field with the wages of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his entrails gushed out.
Act 1:19 And it became known to all those dwelling in Jerusalem; so that field is called in their own language, Akel Dama, that is, Field of Blood.)
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"Let his dwelling place be desolate,
And let no one live in it';
and,
"Let another take his office.'
Judas was numbered among the twelve apostles yet he betrayed Jesus. It is probably significant that Judas knew Jesus as His Master and His Teacher, but never acknowledged Him as his Lord. While the other disciples wondered what manner of man Jesus was, this man that could calm the sea by a word, Judas accepted him only as Rabbi.
The 12 disciples were called apostles (chosen sent ones) prior to the resurrection but they did not really become the apostles of the Church until the resurrection, for the church was not officially born until the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost. It was at this time that the apostles started their ministry of teaching, planting churches and doing miracles in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Judas was chosen by Jesus like the other disciples but his position was temporary for Jesus knew what was going on all along. He was given the job of treasury but he was secretly a thief. Jesus put Judas in charge of the very thing that would give either wings to his hearts corruption or for his repentance, money. Judas heard Jesus speaking on how money can corrupt and stop people from seeing the kingdom, if they make an idol of it, but it did not change him. The possibility for repentance was always there but it did not occur because he was not inclined to obey the words spoken by the Lord Jesus.
Joh 12:2 There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him.
Joh 12:3 Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.
Joh 12:4 But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, who would betray Him, said,
Joh 12:5 "Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?"
Joh 12:6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.
Joh 12:7 But Jesus said, "Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial.
Joh 12:8 For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always."
The above passage shows what his heart was like when he complained about the oil was poured over Jesuss feet by Lazaruss sister Mary.
Joh 17:12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
There are two people in the Bible who are called the Son of Perdition, Judas and the Antichrist!! The Bible says that the Pharisees loved money and so did Judas, so they had something in common. This is why they were able to bribe Judas to betray our Lord.
Judas was one of the disciples, even one of the 12 who were appointed to be an apostle.
. Mar 3:14 Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach,Mar 3:15 and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons:
Mar 6:7 And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits.
Mat 10:1 And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.
Luk 9:10a And the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all that they had done
..
Judas was numbered among them.
How did Judas become one of the 12 see the power and all these miracles and then apostatize?
Joh 13:10 Jesus said to him, "He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you."
Joh 13:11 For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, "You are not all clean."
Judas it appears was never saved, he was not cleansed by the Word of God. He didnt drink in the teachings of Jesus, his heart was not changed. Judas a perfect example of those claiming to do miracles in Christs name and where Jesus turns to them saying he never knew them (Mt.7:21). Jn.17:12 tells us no one will be lost, but the son of perdition, who is Judas. It would appear he lost his position of apostle, not salvation for he was not saved. At the last supper Jesus even washed Judas feet, showing love to his enemy, but this not guarantee he would repent.
Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve. It is obvious that Judas had already been influenced by Satan which gave him full leeway to enter him. He knew the ministry of Jesus was drawing to a close. Judas loved money and so even though he was among the disciples and spent three years by Jesus side, he was easily influenced to become the one guilty of the greatest betrayal in history.
Joh
Joh 13:27 Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, "What you do, do quickly."
Joh
Joh 13:29 For some thought, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus had said to him, "Buy those things we need for the feast," or that he should give something to the poor.
Joh 13:30 Having received the piece of bread, he then went out immediately. And it was night.
Satan had the audacity to enter Judas at the last supper, right in front of Jesus. (See above verses) At the last supper we find Judas partook of the bread a symbol of Jesus body, Judas dipped with the bread with Jesus but he left before he could partake of the wine, a symbol of Christs blood shed on the cross.
Judas sold Jesus for 30 pieces of silver, which was the price of a dead slave. While the disciples slept as Jesus was praying in the Garden about his soon coming sacrifice Judas is awake betraying him. The devil never sleeps Judas used the most intimate way to show his betrayal, with a kiss.
Mat 27:3 Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
Mat 27:4 saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood."
And they said, "What is that to us? You see to it!"
Mat 27:5 Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself.
Judas is sorry for his betrayal but it was not a godly sorrow that would lead to repentance for salvation. Judas hung himself.
Mat 27:6 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."
Mat 27:7 And they consulted together and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in.
Mat 27:8 Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day.
Mat 27:9 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, "And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of Him who was priced, whom they of the children of Israel priced,
Mat 27:10 and gave them for the potter's field, as the LORD directed me."
Under Jewish law ill-gained money cannot be put in the temple treasury. The chief priests used the thirty pieces of silver for purchase of the Field of blood.
Mt. 27:3-10 tells us Judas hung himself. But Acts
There is no contradiction because Jewish law stated there is to be no dead body within the walls of
Psa 69:25 Let their dwelling place be desolate;
Let no one live in their tents.
Psa 109:8 Let his days be few,
And let another take his office.
Act
"Let his dwelling place be desolate,
And let no one live in it';
and,
"Let another take his office.'
When the original group of twelve disciples became eleven, the apostles sought someone to take Judas office.
Act
Act 1:24 And they prayed and said, "You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen
Act 1:25 to take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place."
Act
After drawing lots Matthias was numbered among the Apostles.
Judas recognized that Jesus was a good teacher, he was prepared to call him Master, but Jesus was never his Lord. He never gave his heart to Jesus. He never knew true repentance and He betrayed Him with a kiss. How sad that this man who walked by Jesus side for three years could betray Him in such a way. You either serve Jesus or serve Satan, there are only two choices.
Mat
Mat
If you dont know Jesus be sure to enter by that narrow gate today.
Obadiah addresses pride
INTRODUCTION
Obadiah means .Servant of Jehovah, and he was a Bible character we do not know much
about. There are 12 other Obadiah's. in the Bible, but we have very little information regarding this prophet.
His prophecy is the shortest book in the Old Testament, and one of the most difficult of the prophets to
assign a date to.Two dates have generally been considered by scholars: 845 B.C. and 586 B.C. Those who take the later date say Obadiah prophesied around the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. However, there is no mention in Obadiah.s prophecy of Jerusalem.s destruction, the burning of the temple and royal palace, the carrying off of the Hebrews to Babylon, and the remnant that went into Egypt. So based on these omissions and the fact that he alludes to Ephraim (a reference to the Northern Kingdom) as
still existing (v. 19), I would be inclined to see why the earlier date of 845 B.C is assumed by many scholars. Many scholars place this chronologically as the earliest of the minor prophets writings.
Oba 1:1 The vision of Obadiah.
Thus says the Lord GOD concerning Edom
(We have heard a report from the LORD,
And a messenger has been sent among the nations, saying,
"Arise, and let us rise up against her for battle"):
Oba 1:2 "Behold, I will make you small among the nations;
You shall be greatly despised.
Oba 1:3 The pride of your heart has deceived you,
You who dwell in the clefts of the rock,
Whose habitation is high;
You who say in your heart, "Who will bring me down to the ground?'
Oba 1:4 Though you ascend as high as the eagle,
And though you set your nest among the stars,
From there I will bring you down," says the LORD.
Oba 1:5 "If thieves had come to you,
If robbers by night--
Oh, how you will be cut off!--
Would they not have stolen till they had enough?
If grape-gatherers had come to you,
Would they not have left some gleanings?
Oba 1:6 "Oh, how Esau shall be searched out!
How his hidden treasures shall be sought after!
Oba 1:7 All the men in your confederacy
Shall force you to the border;
The men at peace with you
Shall deceive you and prevail against you.
Those who eat your bread shall lay a trap for you.
No one is aware of it.
Oba 1:8 "Will I not in that day," says the LORD,
"Even destroy the wise men from Edom,
And understanding from the mountains of Esau?
Oba 1:9 Then your mighty men, O Teman, shall be dismayed,
To the end that everyone from the mountains of Esau
May be cut off by slaughter.
Oba 1:10 "For violence against your brother Jacob,
Shame shall cover you,
And you shall be cut off forever.
Oba 1:11 In the day that you stood on the other side--
In the day that strangers carried captive his forces,
When foreigners entered his gates
And cast lots for Jerusalem--
Even you were as one of them.
Oba 1:12 "But you should not have gazed on the day of your brother
In the day of his captivity;
Nor should you have rejoiced over the children of Judah
In the day of their destruction;
Nor should you have spoken proudly
In the day of distress.
Oba 1:13 You should not have entered the gate of My people
In the day of their calamity.
Indeed, you should not have gazed on their affliction
In the day of their calamity,
Nor laid hands on their substance
In the day of their calamity.
Oba 1:14 You should not have stood at the crossroads
To cut off those among them who escaped;
Nor should you have delivered up those among them who remained
In the day of distress.
Oba 1:15 "For the day of the LORD upon all the nations is near;
As you have done, it shall be done to you;
Your reprisal shall return upon your own head.
Oba 1:16 For as you drank on My holy mountain,
So shall all the nations drink continually;
Yes, they shall drink, and swallow,
And they shall be as though they had never been.
Oba 1:17 "But on Mount Zion there shall be deliverance,
And there shall be holiness;
The house of Jacob shall possess their possessions.
Oba 1:18 The house of Jacob shall be a fire,
And the house of Joseph a flame;
But the house of Esau shall be stubble;
They shall kindle them and devour them,
And no survivor shall remain of the house of Esau,"
For the LORD has spoken.
Oba 1:19 The South shall possess the mountains of Esau,
And the Lowland shall possess Philistia.
They shall possess the fields of Ephraim
And the fields of Samaria.
Benjamin shall possess Gilead.
Oba 1:20 And the captives of this host of the children of Israel
Shall possess the land of the Canaanites
As far as Zarephath.
The captives of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad
Shall possess the cities of the South.
Oba 1:21 Then saviors shall come to Mount Zion
To judge the mountains of Esau,
And the kingdom shall be the LORD's.
The Edomites are the brothers of the Judeans. Those that are doing these terrible things, these neighbours the Edomites, they are descendants of Esau Jacob's older brother. Firstly we will glance at Genesis 25.
Gen 25:22 But the children struggled together within her; and she said, "If all is well, why am I like this?|" So she went to inquire of the LORD.
Gen 25:23 And the LORD said to her:
"Two nations are in your womb,
Two peoples shall be separated from your body;
One people shall be stronger than the other,
And the older shall serve the younger."
The Lord told Rebekah that she would give birth to two nations, see how there was even a battle between the twins in their mother's womb. Edom was the nation that came from Esau - and the Hebrew word 'Edom' means 'red'. In Gen 25:25 you see that the first came out red. Esau, when he came out of his mothers womb, was red, that's why they called him Esau. And then as you look down further: 'And Esau', verse 30, 'said to Jacob', when he came in from the field hungry, 'Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom'. Oh, he was red and he was ruddy and hairy all over, but he was given - he was christened this name Edom', 'Red', because he sold his birthright for a moment's earthly pleasure.
Now let's go back to Obadiah. God is speaking here about the pride of the Edomites - so let's think about this! We minimize pride in our livestoday , don't we? We have convinced ourselves adultery is the worst sin you could commit, homosexuality or sodomy is awful, murder is awful, theft is awful- we have all these 'top ten' of abominable sins in the sight of God, but what about the sin of pride, for it is the seed of all sin. And Obadiah speaks in his message about pride. Pride is the sin that turned an angel into a devil. Pride: the sin that depopulated the very realms of Heaven. Pride is the sin that emptied the beautiful, idyllic, peaceful Garden of Eden. Pride is the sin that brought the Saviour to the cross and made Him bleed and die as a necessity for our forgiveness. Pride is the sin that keeps the sinners heart closed to the salvation of God and keeps him on a road bound for an eternal hell.
Obadiah says to the Edomites, 'You're small, and I as the Almighty God have made you small, yet in all your smallness, in all your insignificance you are still so full of pride'. And if pride was the first sin, the first murder was of a brother. Here in Obadiah, we have a continuation of a family feud right from Genesis chapter 25 onwards, one of pride, of murder and of hate. God has a message of vengeance and is declaring vengeance upon these people of Edom, firstly because they were proud. 'Edom' is derived from the Hebrew word 'Adam'. And the Hebrew word 'Adam' is synonymous with the word 'man'. Do you see here this about the pride of mankind? We see a picture of the old Adamic nature rife with pride. The Edomites have allied themselves with Jerusalem's destroyers and enemies.
See in verse 3 "The pride of your heart has deceived you, You who dwell in the clefts of the rock" The Edomite nation, and their army, prided themselves in the fact that none of their enemies could get at them because they were in the cleft of the rock. This gave them a pride deep within their souls. Do you see a similarityto the pride in men and women today? How many think they have no need of God, they are doing alright just as they are? Isn't this a picture of the sinne, the unconverted sinner ambitious in all his ways?He
thinks his life is impregnable, that no one will take his life from him, he has pride in the depths of his being,
he has defiance, he hates those that love God and anything to do with God. Cruelty across our world is
rampant, yet he is deceiving himself, and the word of God says in Corinthians.
2Co 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
What does God have to say us as believers over pride?
2Ch 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
In verse 10 and 11 you see that it says that they stood on the other side, they did nothing, and through their passivity in doing nothing, the word of God accuses them of taking part in the crime. The Edomites made the mistake of rejoicing when they saw Jerusalem attacked. They should not have gloated or spoken proudly or helped to loot the city or cut off the fleeing Jews as they sought to escape or handed over to the enemy those who remained among them .
Phi 2:3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
1Jo 3:17 But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?
We are new creations in Christ so surely there is a lesson for us here? Let's not stand back in passivity when God wants us to take action on something. Let's push pride aside, let's learn something of the servant spirit that we see in our Lord's actions. Imagine our Lord and Savior bathing the feet of the disciples just prior to the crucifixion.
The day of Gods wrath on the nations was near, and Edom would be punished for her treatment of Judah.
Verse 17 and following - Israels future deliverance is foretold in this last section of Obadiah. Israel and Judah shall be a flame to devour the house of Esau completely.
.
The land of Edom will be given to the Israelites dwelling in the South (the Negev). Those on the coastal plains (Shephelah; the Lowland) will be given the land of the Philistines. The captives will once more possess portions of the land of the Canaanites. Saviors (or deliverers) will rule the mountains of Esau, and the Lord will reign over the entire kingdom.
Believers Bible commentary
Remember that we have to realise there is a war between the flesh and the spirit. Folks the Holy Spirit shoulds be in control of our lives. Christ has already won the battle over fleshly pride at the cross. We are on the victory side.
Gal 5:16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
1Jo 5:4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith.
Father, we know that we are new creations in Christ yet so often the old Adam rears his ugly head. But yet we know that as we are born again of the Spirit of God, we have a new nature. Teach us to humble ourselves and to count our brothers and sisters as better than ourselves. Show us your way in all things. Thank you for the cross, thank you that the victory is already won. Your word says "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith." increase our faith oh Lord and help us to walk in the Spirit.
In Jesus Name,
Amen