There are actually two storms recorded in scripture which Jesus calmed. Yet, there is only one of these storms Jesus rebuked, and only one was involved with Jesus’ walking on the water.

One of the miracles of Jesus calming a storm is found in three of the gospels: Matthew chapter 8, verses 23-27; Mark chapter 4, verses 35-41; and Luke chapter 8, verses 22-25.

This is on the heels of Jesus’ sermon on the mount, which likely lasted for days—about a week. He did not have to physically feed people at this time because there were towns on the northwestern portion of the Sea of Galilee near Mount Eremos. Capernaum was less than 2 miles away. And Gennesaret was about the same distance in the opposite direction.

When Jesus got into the boat, he went to sleep almost immediately. He was likely exhausted, and his body needed rest. The storm did not even wake him. The disciple, on the other hand, were quite concerned for their lives and woke Jesus. It is odd that they woke him but then acted surprised when he calmed the storm. After all, what were they expecting him to do if not calm the storm?

We need to ask, “Who was Christ speaking to when he said, ‘Quiet! Be still!’” The word for “quiet” here means “silence” or “hush.” The word for “be still” here means “to muzzle.” This would imply this storm was caused by Satan and Jesus was rebuking him and his actions. Satan had to immediately comply because he cannot go against a direct command.

There is another instance recorded in Scripture about an instance when Jesus walks on water and calms a storm. This instance is found in three gospels: Matthew chapter 14, verses 22-33; Mark chapter 6, verses 45-52; and John chapter 6, verses 16-24.

This incidence came on the heels of Jesus feeding the 5,000 men as well as women and children by multiplying five small loaves of bread and two fish into enough food to feed such a crowd and then even have leftovers! After this event, Jesus went to be alone and pray as the disciples left in a boat to head back to the western side of the Sea of Galilee.

When the storm came up, the disciples saw Jesus walking on the water and at first thought he was a spirit, but Jesus assured them who he was. Peter asked to come to him. Jesus agreed. Peter started walking on the water as well, but he got distracted and began to sink. Jesus helped him up and they both got into the boat and the storm immediately calmed.

This time, there was no rebuking of the storm. The storm calmed the moment Jesus stepped into the boat. Perhaps, as we just stated, the first storm was from Satan trying to cast doubt on their faith whereas this storm was an opportunity for them to exercise their faith.

Is there a reason for only Matthew to include Peter walking on the water? Matthew was an eyewitness of the event. Mark got his information from Peter who likely did not want to detract from the miracle of Jesus walking on the water. John was selective in the miracles he presented in showing Jesus as divine.

It seems the feeding of the 5,000 put all the people into a frenzy. Everyone started going all around the lake trying to find Jesus for more food or for healing. It seems Jesus’ teachings were not the main reason people followed him.

What about us? Are we searching for Jesus for what we want him to do for us? Or are we willing to be content and praise him for who he is? Perhaps we, like Jesus’ disciples, all need some self-reflection.

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

This miracle is found in the following passages: Matthew chapter 8, verses 28-34; Mark chapter 5, verses 1-20; and Luke chapter 8, verses 26-39.

It’s almost funny, but I’m sure Jesus’ disciples did not think so. Jesus had decided to go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. His disciples likely thought he was wanting to get to a solitary place away from the crowds for awhile as the other side of the sea was composed mostly of Gentiles rather than Jews and certain areas were rather barren and, thereby, a good place to “get away.” However, things did not go according to plan. On their way, a sudden storm came up and nearly capsized their boat. Jesus, being with them, calmed the storm and allowed them to arrive safely.

So, here they were, tired and dazed from the ordeal only to now be met with two disheveled, deranged, naked men run toward them and yelling at the top of their lungs. I’m sure their eyes were as wide as saucers. I know mine would have been!

These men were madmen. They were not in their right mind, were naked, had cuts all over them, had broken chains around their ankles and wrists, and were yelling at the top of their lungs, had long, mangled hair and long beards for no one could get close to them to help them. Trying to help was risking one’s own life. These men were uncontrollable.

They also had severe personality changes. We know this became the before and after pictures painted in these passages show them to be quite opposite to each other. When possessed, the men would strip off their clothes, yell, cut themselves, and be violent to others. Afterward, they were calm, clothed, and in their right mind.

One of the two stated his name was Legion. A legion of soldiers was typically 6,000 men. It is unclear if this was the name of just one of them or both together. Either way, they each were possessed with more than one demon. Those who have witnessed demon possession tell us that each demon has its own distinct personality and that the individual possessed begins to manifest the distinct personality of the demon by which he is possessed. If it is a feminine spirit, the voice will be a feminine one, if masculine then very manly.

They had anti-social behavior. They lived in solitude away from civilization and that is likely why they lived in the tombs as this would be a place not many would ever visit. They were also hostile to others. No one wanted anything to do with these men.

These two had keen spiritual insight beyond what most humans had for they instantly recognized Jesus and knew him as the Son of God or Son of the Most High. Even many humans did not identify Jesus in this manner. They asked if Jesus had come to torture them before their time. So, these demons who possessed these men knew their ultimate fate.

The demons also gave these men super-human strength. When caught and captured, they would break their chains and then go to solitary places. Hence, this is why they were around the tombs and away from civilization, which fit the characterization of them being anti-social.

These poor men were in a constant state of mental torment. They would shriek like wild animals and act insane. Likely their cutting of themselves with stones may have been partly to try and stop their mental pain using physical pain, or these demons caused these men to hurt themselves just for their own delight and show their control over these poor men. The mental torment by these demons must have been unbearable. No wonder everyone was afraid of these men.

These two possessed men seemed to totally ignore the disciples with Jesus as they directly approached Jesus himself. This was not an act of worship but an affront for him coming into their territory. Their acknowledgement of Jesus was done in a state of yelling and screaming.

It seems this was not a simple exorcism as had been in other instances. These men bowed before Jesus, but they were not worshipping him. It seems Jesus had told them to leave, and this is when they went into a fit for Jesus not to torture them and send them away. In Jewish thinking, demons were assigned to specific geographic areas, so they also asked that they might not be asked to leave the region. There are other scriptural passages that do seem to support this idea. Luke’s account adds that they asked not to be sent to the Abyss where others had been sent previously (2Pt 2:4).

Perhaps these demons were so afraid of Jesus sending them away to the Abyss they proposed an alternative. They knew Jesus would not allow them to enter another human, so they proposed to go into the herd of pigs: 2,000 of them. Of course, this would mean that each pig would be possessed by more than one demon.

Jesus granted their request. Why did the pigs then run headlong off a cliff and into the sea and drown.

1.           As the men, when possessed, were not in their right mind, these pigs were now not in their right mind either.

2.           Each pig had more than one demon inside them which likely caused much confusion.

3.           Pigs can swim, so they normally would not have died just because they jumped into the water. Yet, likely, because demons cause those they possess to harm themselves, this may have been part of that, or the pig became so distraught that it panicked and thereby was not able to think clearly enough to swim.

4.           Jesus likely used this as a topical lesion for those in this area as well as for his disciples as well:

a.           Jews considered pigs unclean, so it would seem natural for an unclean spirit to enter unclean things, or animal in this instance

b.           The Sadducees taught there were no such thing as a spirit, but this scenario totally demonstrated that spirits were absolutely real. While one could argue that the men were just insane (due to chemical imbalance of neurotransmitters), their state after encountering Jesus argues against that supposition because the men became calm while the pigs acted irrationally. Seeing such would have been truly revealing that these spirits were real.

c.           These Gentiles used pigs not only for food but for animal sacrifice to their “gods.” They would not have believed their gods were evil but were their protectors. This demonstrated that whom they served was not looking out for their best because the demons just took away part of their main livelihood.

d.           This forced these Gentiles to decide if their livelihood and their beliefs were more important than the lives and restoration of two of their citizens.

The response of the townsfolk is quite telling. Those who tended the pigs first ran back to town to tell them what happened to the pigs. When the people came to investigate, they then saw the men now completely sane and clothed. Seeing the men like this for some reason made these townsfolk afraid. So apparently this indicated Jesus was even more powerful than these two men had been. Perhaps the townsfolk couldn’t process that fact. To them, a demon-possessed man who had super-human strength should have had the upper hand. Perhaps these two men became demon possessed due to some of their religious rites and rituals.

These townsfolk had rather have a demon-possessed man in their town than Jesus, the one who had rid these men from their spiritual torment. When people are more afraid of what Jesus will do in their lives than what Satan does in the moment, they often push Jesus away.

At least one of these men not only wanted to go with Jesus, but to be with Jesus. Jesus told the man to go back to his townsfolk and tell all he met about what Jesus had done for him. This was just the opposite of what he told many Jews when they were healed.

In Galilee and Judea there were Messianic hopes which would have been quickly fanned into flames if the miracles of Jesus were too widely publicized too quickly. There was no such danger in the Decapolis, Greek cities on the eastern side of the Jordan, and thus the mercy of the Lord was to be heralded. This is exactly what this man did. He obeyed Jesus.

Spurgeon said of this passage: “He was told to publish what great things the Lord had done for him. He went and published what great things Jesus had done for him. Did he make any mistake? Oh, no! It is but another name for the same Person: for Jesus is the Lord; and when you speak of him as divine, and talk of him in terms fit only for God, you do but speak rightly; for so he deserveth to be praised.”

This passage should help us understand the reality of the influence of Satan in our culture. Our main warfare is not of flesh and blood but of a spiritual realm (Ep 6:12). The occult is real and can entrap people today just as it did to these two poor men. In the beginning we may think we are in control but like these two men showed, ultimately, they will become our master.

This also helps us to see the counterpart to demon possession is the filling (or control) of the Holy Spirit in our lives (Ep 5:18). Yet, contrary to demons wanting to torture us, the Holy Spirt wants to impart new life to us, help us become more godly, and have us exhibit the character of God in our lives. As the control of these demons were evident in these men, we should strive to have others see the control of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Which control do you desire? Only one yields true freedom.

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

Three examples of such a miracle are given in scripture: (1) a person who had just died only minutes before (Mt 9:18-19, 23-26; Mk 5:21-24; 35-43; Lk 8:40-42; 49-56); (2) a person who had been dead for a day or so (Jn 7:11-17); (3) a person who had been dead for over three days (Jn 11:1-57). Think about this as we go through these examples.

Jairus was a ruler in the synagogue at Capernaum. The ruler of the synagogue was the man chosen to care for the physical arrangements of the synagogue services. Today’s equivalent would be the president of the synagogue. They partner with the clergy, oversee the business operations of the synagogue, preside over the governance of the congregation, and serve as the chief financial officer and revenue generator.

This man’s daughter was likely only dead for less than an hour or so because she was sick when Jairus left to get Jesus and had just died when Jesus arrived at his house.

Surely, Jesus knew that the girl had actually died, so why did Jesus say Jairus’ daughter was only asleep? We don’t know for sure. Maybe he was indicating that weeping and mourning for someone who had hope was not necessary. Maybe he was indicating that there is no true death when the Messiah is involved, or her time of death will be so short it will be as if she had been asleep. Maybe he was mocking them for they were insincere in their crying and weeping.

It seems strange, and almost rude, that the mourners laughed at Jesus’ statement. Why did the mourners laugh? These were likely professional mourners. In rabbinic times, funeral processions were led by lamenting female mourners, often professionals. The Mishnah states that "even the poorest in Israel should hire not less than two flutes and one wailing woman" for his wife's funeral. Women also composed elegies that were chanted aloud. Prohibitions against women's voices being heard in public were relaxed for funerary rituals. Therefore, these mourners had no real invested interest in the family. This was just a job to them. Otherwise, they would have been incensed at his statement and not have resorted to laughter.

Why did Jesus tell Jairus and his family not to tell anyone what happened? Maybe he did not want his fame to spread within Israel too quickly as that would overshadow his greater message. Yet, we must realize that keeping such an act silent in such a close-knit group of people would have been nearly impossible.

Why did Jesus only have Peter, James, and John with him when he healed the girl? We don’t know for sure because Scripture doesn’t tell us. Maybe, though, he knew these three would be the leaders of the church after his ascension.

Another example was the raising of a widow’s son. This man was likely dead only a day or so because a body was typically buried as quickly as possible after death because the Jews did not embalm their dead. We don’t know of any necessary reason Jesus would have to go through Nain on his journey from Capernaum. Undoubtedly, he went there to meet this poor widow and decrease her pain. Even if that was not the case, learning she was a widow and no other male sons, this moved him to have compassion on the woman.

She had no husband and now, no son. Typically, the property would go to the next male heir in line. Therefore, she would be dependent upon more distant relatives who may have less of her interest at heart. While during this time, some women did have affluence, this was not typically true of those of agrarian societies with less Roman influence. Even if she was able to own the property, she would not be able to take care of it on her own. And if she sold it, she would have no place to stay. So it was a conundrum. It seems Jesus had a solution to her conundrum that no one would have ever thought possible. Only he could turn sorrow into profound joy.

Next is the resurrection of Lazarus, a close friend of Jesus. Why was Jesus away when his close friend died?

It seems Jesus often stayed with Lazarus, Martha, and Mary in Bethany when he came to Jerusalem because the distance between the two cities was only about two miles. He had been teaching in Jerusalem and had several disputes with the Jewish leaders. Discussion became so hot they threatened to stone him. He eventually left to go on the other side of Jordan so things could settle down somewhat. Likely, he considered two miles not far enough away for him to be confronted outside Jerusalem.

So, an important question: did Jesus let Lazarus die? Bethany beyond Jordan (also known as Bethabara) was only 15-20 miles away from the Bethany near Jerusalem where Lazarus lived with Martha and Mary, and this distance could be traveled in a day. If it took the men a day to travel and tell Jesus of Lazarus being sick, and then Jesus waiting two days, and then traveling a day to reach Bethany where Martha and Mary were, then it would mean Lazarus died shortly after the men left on their way to tell Jesus. Lazarus was likely buried on the same day of his death as the Jews did not embalm people, and this occurred in the Springtime when decay would start to settle in quickly. Jesus knew Lazarus was dead as soon as the men told him he was sick.

If Jesus knew this, why did he tarry two days before starting his trip to Bethany and arrive on the fourth day after Lazarus died? Jewish mysticism teaches that a deceased person’s spirit remains around the body for up to three days after death before departing. It was well-known in Israel 2,000 years ago that someone deceased could come back to life during this 3-day period but not afterwards.

The other two examples were within this time period. Jesus wanted to show that he was indeed the Lord of Resurrection. After the spirit left the body and even after decay had set in, he could restore one to perfect health.

How much faith did Mary and Martha have? More than some, but less than likely Jesus expected. They didn’t doubt he was the Messiah and could heal. They were just unsure why he did not do it for their brother who was so close to him. Yet, they obeyed his command even though they did not understand it. That is the definition of faith, is it not?

Again, the Jewish leaders’ hearts were only hardened against Jesus for this feat which was clear only someone from God could accomplish. What was Caiaphas, the high priest, really saying when he said the following to his fellow members of the Sanhedrin: “You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish?”

Caiaphas was a Sadducee and held the position of high priest for 18 years. Sadducees held the majority seat in the Sanhedrin, the Jewish high court, over which Caiaphas ruled while he served as high priest. In terms of theology, Sadducees denied the afterlife and any existence of the spiritual world (angels, demons, etc.). Because of these things, they were often at odds with Jesus due to His teachings about humility, heaven, and his own deity.

In addition to his role as high priest, Caiaphas came under the direct authority of the Roman governor (he served under two: Quirinus and Gratus). The governor wielded power to appoint a high priest of his choice. This is why Annas worked hard to keep the high priesthood within his family after he was removed from that position. Caiaphas was his son-in-law. The governor could also use self-serving political influence and take custody of the high priest’s sacred vestments.

Caiaphas therefore had an incentive to keep the Pax Romana, the Roman peace, and help squash any and all insurrections of any kind. He was saying they had to have Jesus killed so that Rome would not take vengeance on them or the people as a whole. Therefore, that is why they plotted to have him arrested. His words, while intending to be their plot became the prophecy of why Jesus actually came to earth so he could die and unite all unto himself.

And what of your reaction? Will you be like Martha and Mary who had enough faith to follow Jesus’ instructions even when they did not understand them only to have joy beyond their imagination, or will you be like Caiaphas who saw only a means to and end in using Christ rather than acknowledging and serving him? He’s waiting for your response. Trust me; go for the joy.

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

As we mentioned in a previous post, there were three types of miracles the Jewish leaders taught that only the Messiah would be able to do: (1) cast out a mute demon, (2) heal a man born blind, and (3) heal leprosy. We have already seen how he did the first two. In this post, we’ll see how he did the third.

The healing and cleansing from leprosy is found in three of the gospels: Matthew chapter 8, verses 1-4; Mark chapter 1, verses 40-45, and Luke chapter 5, verses 12-16. In these passages, Jesus encounters a man with leprosy who asked Jesus to heal him. Jesus does and tells the man to go to the priest so he could be pronounced clean and then enter back into society.

Then, Luke records another encounter for us in chapter 17, verses 11-19. Here there are ten lepers. They do not approach Jesus, but yell to him from a distance asking for healing. They head to the priest and are healed along the way. One of them returns and falls at Jesus’ feet praising and thanking him.

What about the healing of leprosy was considered so profound? In the Torah, it appears that God alone inflicts leprosy on a person:

“Then the LORD said, ‘Put your hand inside your cloak.’ So Moses put his hand into his cloak, and when he took it out, the skin was leprous—it had become as white as snow” (Ex 4:6).

“The LORD replied to Moses, ‘If her father had spit in her face, would she not have been in disgrace for seven days? Confine her outside the camp for seven days; after that she can be brought back.’ So Miriam was confined outside the camp for seven days, and the people did not move on till she was brought back” (Nu 12:14-15).

“They confronted King Uzziah and said, ‘It is not right for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the LORD. That is for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, who have been consecrated to burn incense. Leave the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful; and you will not be honored by the LORD God.’ Uzziah, who had a censer in his hand ready to burn incense, became angry. While he was raging at the priests in their presence before the incense altar in the LORD’s temple, leprosy broke out on his forehead. When Azariah the chief priest and all the other priests looked at him, they saw that he had leprosy on his forehead, so they hurried him out. Indeed, he himself was eager to leave, because the LORD had afflicted him. King Uzziah had leprosy until the day he died. He lived in a separate house—leprous, and banned from the temple of the LORD. Jotham his son had charge of the palace and governed the people of the land” (2Ch 28:18-21).

And in the Tanakh, it stated that no person had ever healed an Israelite from leprosy; only God himself had sone so. Because of this, the priest to whom these men presented themselves must have been taken aback to hear their stories of healing by Jesus as it was his belief that only God could heal leprosy. Unfortunately, we don’t have a record of his reaction.

Jesus was the only person who would touch an unclean person and not be afraid of becoming defiled himself. Why? One reason could be because of what the Law said about the sin offering.

“Whatever touches any of the flesh [of the sin offering] will become holy, and if any of the blood is spattered on a garment, you must wash it in the sanctuary area.” (Lv 6:27).

Did you catch that? As far as I know, this is the only thing that makes something else holy. Normally, the Law stated that anything unclean would make something it touches unclean. Here, it is just the opposite. That is why they had to be so careful about handling the sin offering. As Jesus was our sin offering, it seems what he touched became clean. In this instance, the leprosy (being an uncleanness of the skin) became whole (cleanness of skin). I find that remarkable.

There are some translations which state Jesus was “indignant”? The NIV is one of the few who translates the word to “indignant” rather than “having compassion.” There has been much debate about this. However, Jesus did have compassion or else he would not have healed. Yet, it may be that he could have become indignant because the man said, “if you will” which implied doubt on the man’s part that Jesus was willing. Jesus responded that of course he was willing and healed the man from his leprosy. If he was indignant, this did not mean he was not also compassionate. Otherwise, the man would not have been healed.

Leprosy was a very devastating disease. It wasn’t just the physical part where a person’s skin literally came off a person. It was that no one would touch a leper. Can you image going for years and years without any human contact or touch. For Jesus to touch him when he was a leper was probably more moving than we can ever imagine.

Why did Jesus give the healed leper a strong warning not to tell anyone except the priest? There are perhaps three important reasons to consider:

1)           Publicity over his healing might hinder Christ’s mission and divert public attention from his message to them. Such publicity is what, at times, forced Jesus away from the more populated areas.

2)           It was important that the priest pronounce the man to have obtained a genuine cure so that there might be no prejudice among the Jews against its being a real miracle. Possibly, if the man did not go at once to the priest without delay, evil-minded men might prejudice the priest and prevent his declaring the healing to be true because it was done by Jesus.

3)           Jesus did not want people focusing on the miracles themselves, but rather on the message he was proclaiming and the death he was going to die.

Why did the one leper come back to Jesus and the others did not? There are likely several reasons, but for this man who was a Samaritan, he had no priest to go to in order to show he was healed. The only place to go to have recognition of his cleansing was the one who had performed the cleansing. It is likely the others were Jewish and would go to the temple to receive their cleansing and be allowed back into society.

This does not excuse them from not returning to be thankful but could be one explanation for why this one man returned: not only because he was thankful, but he had no other person to present himself to for recognition of his cleansing.

So, we have seen Jesus perform three miracles that Jewish tradition stated that only their coming Messiah would be able to do. Yet, the Jewish leaders still did not believe him to be the Messiah. Why? Perhaps we should reverse that question and ask why do we not believe when we have this same level of evidence?

Ponder that and see if you can come to the same realization of who Jesus really is that his man did. What did he do? He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. Jesus is waiting for this moment from you so he can wrap you in his arms just as you are. He is the sin offering. His touch will cleanse you. Are you ready?

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

This miracle is found in the gospel of John chapter 9, verses 1-41. Jesus and his disciples come across a man who had been blind since birth. His disciples are curious to know if this man or his parents had sinned causing this man to be born this way. Jesus said the answer was neither. This surprised the disciples because they had always been taught that such an incurable infirmity must be due to sin. They had often heard their Jewish leaders say, “there is no death without sin and there is no suffering without iniquity.” Some teachers of the law taught that Scripture taught this. For the parents to be at fault, some Jewish leaders pointed to Exodus 20:5 (for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me) and Ezekiel 18:20 (the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against them). Yet, these phrases seem to be taken somewhat out of context to support this tenant. Regarding the unborn having sin, some rabbis thought it possible, while others thought it impossible. It’s not clear how widely held the prenatal sin view was, but apparently it was widely held enough to generate debate among themselves. Some argued that when it was stated about Jacob and Esau that they “struggled together” in the womb (Gn 25:33), it was implying they were trying to kill each other. Again, this seems to be an over interpretation of what the scripture is actually implying. So, it seems the disciples were wanting to understand from Jesus what the true answer to this debate was as they knew Jesus, of all people, would know the answer.

Instead, Jesus said this man was born this way so God could be magnified. Jesus made some mud using his own saliva, placed it on the man’s eyes, and then told him to go and wash his eyes in the pool of Siloam (in the southern part of the city of Jerusalem). The man did so and received his sight.

Jesus also made somewhat of a strange statement: night is coming when no one can work. What did he mean by this? The disciples were learning that they needed to make the most of their opportunities while they had the Light of the World (i.e., Jesus) with them. They needed to pay attention to him, to learn from him, so they could know him and faithfully represent him later. Today, we can’t “work while it is day” in the same way because Jesus is not personally here on earth. Yet, we still have been enlightened by him—he is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6). Like the disciples, we should look to him, and like the disciples were encouraged to do—and like Jesus did—we should also make the most of the opportunities afforded to us. Each opportunity is provided by God for his glory, so we need to consider how we can work while it is still day.

Why did Jesus make mud with his saliva? There was a belief that saliva had healing properties. Maybe Jesus was indicating that healing was in progress to the people around him. Or it may be because the act of creating mud was considered work by the Jewish leaders. Perhaps Jesus is again emphasizing that the Sabbath was created for man and not man for the Sabbath (Mk 2:27). Doing good is always appropriate for the Sabbath. If the Law allowed them to get a donkey out of the ditch on the Sabbath (Dt 22:4), why not their fellow man who is far more valuable?

Why did Jesus send the man to the Siloam pool? In some respects, it was a word play, for the word Siloam meant “sent” (Jn 9:7). Christ had been sent by God through his authority, and now Christ was sending this man in his authority.

This was the last great day of the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot). The previous seven days, the priests each morning went from the temple to the Pool of Siloam in the southern part of the City of David and gathered water in a golden vessel and brought it to the altar through the Water Gate in the Southern side of the Temple. The water was then poured down the side of the altar to signify the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

On this last day, the ceremony was not done. Yet, Jesus is now sending the blind man to the pool. Rather than the Holy Spirit being brought to the temple, the man is sent to the Holy Spirit for his healing.

Christ had just stated he is working while he is here on Earth. Who would be working when he is gone? The Holy Spirit. Perhaps this was a lesson for the disciples to ponder once he was gone from them.

Jesus did not go with the man to the pool. Who took him? We don’t really know. Maybe he knew his way around, but that’s traveling about a fifth of a mile. Also, Jesus was not there when the man received his sight. The miracle of sight would be its own witness for the man to proclaim to the people.

Why did the people not believe this was the man who had been blind and begged? Those who knew this man knew he had been born blind. They had been taught that one born blind could not be cured. Such a one was in sin and God would not heal such a man steeped in sin before he was even born. This is also why the Pharisees and Jewish leaders grilled him and his parents so. They also could not rectify that one born blind could now see. Rather than rejoicing in the miracle, they did all they could to deny the miracle.

They questioned the man relentlessly but did not believe him. They then questioned his parents and then brought the man back again. Not to understand, but how to discredit. They still tried to make the man feel like a sinner rather than rejoice with him. They said that the man who healed him was a sinner as well. The man quotes back to them scripture that they should know and reveals what they said about Jesus was untrue: “The Lord is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous” (Pr 15:29). This makes the Jewish leaders mad, and they tell this man that someone steeped in sin from birth has no right to tell the righteous (indicating themselves) they are wrong. They then forcibly excommunicate the man from the temple.

Jesus then meets the man a second time. This miracle affected this man deeply and he was willing to stand up to the Jewish leaders and point out their hypocrisy. He was ready for a true encounter with the Messiah. Jesus reveals himself and the man readily accepts him and worships him. Jesus does not stop him from doing so.

What did Jesus mean when he said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind?” The reference to those who see versus those who are blind is meant to explain this entire incident with the blind beggar and the religious critics. Those who admit their need, and trust in God, are those who will be granted sight—just as the blind man was given both sight and knowledge by Jesus in response to his sincere faith. Those who are arrogant and presume they already know, will be hardened by the presence of Jesus, instead. Despite their knowledge (“You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refused to come to me to have life” (Jn 5:39-40)), they allow their own prejudice to blind them (“The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2Co 4:4)), making them incapable of understanding what they don't want to understand, anyway (“Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own” (Jn 7:17).).

Jesus' statement here underscores an important principle: God holds people accountable not only for what they know but holds them absolutely accountable for it. Those who come to God in humility, admitting weakness and seeking truth, are met with grace and forgiveness. We see this in this man’s response to his encounter with Jesus:

When Jesus heard that the Jewish leaders had thrown the man out of the temple (i.e., excommunicated him), he found him, and said to him, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.” Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.” Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him (Jn 9:35-38).

This is a good example of the fulfillment of Matthew 7:7–8 – “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”

Those who think they are wise, who claim to have spiritual sight, will be judged accordingly (“Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly” (Ja 3:1)). This is especially true of those who, like the Pharisees, have knowledge and deliberately choose to ignore it.

Yet, can we today be too quick to judge here? Do we not at times act hypocritical? I think this is a good example for us to really look at our actions and see how they really align with Scripture. “If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them” (Ja 4:17). Truth is necessary even when it is sometimes hard to hear.

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

This miracle is found in the gospel of Mark chapter 1, verses 21-28, and in the gospel of Luke chapter 4, verses 31-37. Jesus went into the synagogue at Capernaum one Sabbath. A man who was possessed with a demon cried out loudly asking Jesus what he was doing there. Jesus commanded the demon to come out of the man and the demon had to obey. Everyone there were amazed, and Jesus’ notoriety increased greatly.

In the first century, synagogues were run by a chief ruler. This person would often open the service with various recitations, he would have a priest or Levite read a portion of the Torah, a portion from the prophets would be read in Hebrew and interpreted for the common people in attendance, and a sermon was then provided by someone. This was typically by the chief ruler but could also be a visiting rabbi or teacher. It seems Jesus often spoke at a synagogue as the chief rulers would allow him to do so since his fame was spreading throughout the land of Israel.

The word “synagogue” was formed from a combination of two Greek words (“ago” meaning to lead or bring along, and the preposition “sun” meaning together) and came to mean “to gather in, collect, or assemble.” The word synagogue in its earliest usages did not refer to a physical location or a physical building. First, Jewish individuals assembled and then once they began to build structures for their meetings, the word synagogue came to be applied to the building itself.

There were several activities these synagogues provided for their congregation. Activities included the reading and instruction of the law, the Torah, as well as providing hostel services such as lodging, food, and water for strangers.

Scripture indicates Jesus often healed people while he visited synagogues. The controversy of his work there wasn’t about his healing but about him doing so on the Sabbath. Healing on the Sabbath was a sacrilege according to some (Jn 15:1-18). There is one instance when the ruler of the synagogue angrily told the people to return to the synagogue on a day other than the Sabbath to be healed (Lk 13:14).

The same help the synagogue gave to its congregation and to those who were sick or needed help was also provided by the temple in Jerusalem. The temple of Jerusalem and the synagogues scattered throughout the land of Israel both seem to have attracted the needy in their respective communities. This may suggest why the Gospel writers often locate Jesus healing at a synagogue when he was not in Jerusalem, but when he was in Jerusalem, he healed at or near the temple instead of the synagogue. It seems appropriate contextually that Jesus first proclaims his mission to the needy at the synagogue and performs many of his acts of compassions on behalf of the needy at the synagogue — the ancient Jewish community center. He proclaimed at the synagogue in Nazareth, his hometown, the following: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Lk 4:18-21).

So, the synagogues were built as a geographical and symbolic extension of the Jerusalem temple. It allowed Jewish leaders to meet the Jewish people in their own communities more often than when the people visited the Jerusalem temple.

Many people, when they heard Jesus speak, would say he spoke with authority. Why was that? The scribes and Pharisees would quote from various authoritative Jewish scholars when they taught to drive home a point or an interpretation of scripture, like a textbook where references are provided to show that there are other authoritative sources saying the same thing as you or that supports your premise or conclusion. In the Old Testament, prophets had authority because they spoke, “Thus says the Lord.” Jesus spoke from his own authority and would say, “Verily I say unto you.”

Why did Jesus shut the demoniac down so quickly? Jesus did not give dignity to the demon by carrying on a conversation with it or allow it to manifest its nature further. Jesus rebuked the demon almost immediately, commanding it to be silent and to come out of the man. The demon obeyed, but only after one final rebellious act. The demon cast the man to the ground in a way that was so violent, it seemed certain the man would have been seriously injured. Yet in Luke’s account of this, he lets us know that no injury came to the man from this display. Jesus, not the demon, was in total control.

During this time in first century Judaism, exorcisms were not uncommon, but were typically a long, drawn-out process with formulas and protocols to follow, like first getting to know the name of the demon they were dealing with. It was believed that if they knew the name of the demon, the one performing the exorcism could use that name against the demon making it reveal something they could then use to force the demon out of the person. This was one reason the process was so lengthy as often the demon knew their tactics and did not want to relinquish their name to the one trying to exorcise them from the person they inhabited. The one doing the exorcism knew when they were successful when they noticed a quick, definite, and dramatic change in the person’s persona or speech.

Jesus did not do his exorcism in this manner. He cast out the demon in just one short sentence: “Come out of him!”

The brevity of the incident had a profound impact on those who watched. At the word of Jesus, demons obeyed. This demonstrated to the people there that Jesus had great power and authority.

There is another incident of this type where a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus for healing (Mt 12:22-23; Jn 11:14-20). This time, the people asked if Jesus was the Messiah after this miracle of healing but not after the miracle he performed in Capernaum. Why? Normally, a person who was mute all their lives would have to learn how to talk. That was not the case here. The man could talk coherently immediately.

This passage in John lets us know that it was the demon who was preventing the man from speaking. It was this kind of demon against which Judaism's methodology was powerless because he could not speak, so there was no way of establishing communication with this kind of a demon; no way of finding out this demon's name. Likely, this demon was using this thought of a mute demon being beyond help to stay in this man. So, within the framework of Judaism, it was impossible to cast out a dumb demon.

The rabbis taught, however, that when the Messiah came, he would be able to cast out this type of demon. As this was one of the messianic miracles that would prove who the Messiah really was, the audience turned to the leaders and asked them, “Is this him?” In other words, they were asking if Jesus was the long-awaited Jewish Messiah. After all, Jesus was doing the very things they had been taught from childhood that only the Messiah would be able to do. They never asked this question when Jesus casts out other types of demons. However, when he casts out a dumb demon, they raised the question because they recognized from the teachings of the rabbis that this was a messianic miracle.

There were two other messianic miracles that the Jewish leaders taught that the coming Messiah would be able to perform. One was the healing from leprosy. They taught that only the Messiah would be able to heal a Jewish leper. The other miracle was healing someone born blind. Healing someone who had gone blind was one thing since it was a matter of restoring what was lost. Yet, one born blind had no history to go back to when that person could see. In the posts to come, we’ll address how Jesus also fulfilled these types of miracles as well.

As you can see, Jesus Christ was more than a miracle worker. He went beyond expectation to remove any doubt of his authority and his purpose. Yet, as you can see, the Jewish leaders still did not believe. What about you? Do you still doubt even though you have read all he has done for you? More evidence is not what will make you believe. Yielding your will to him and believing him by faith will. Take the step. You’ll be so glad you did.

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

This miracle is found in the gospel of Luke in chapter 5, verses 1-11. Jesus was speaking to a group of people on the seashore near where Peter and his friends were returning from an all-night toil of trying to catch fish, but they had no success and were returning with no fish whatsoever. Jesus asked Peter if he could take him out a little from the shore so he could speak to the people. He later asked Peter to cast his net for a catch of fish. Peter reluctantly does so, and the number of fish he caught in his nets was so great, the boat nearly sank. This led to Peter recognizing that Jesus was, indeed, the Messiah for whom the Jews had been waiting.

Gennesaret is a small plain bordering the west shore of the Sea of Galilee between Capernaum and Magdala. The plain is about four miles long, running north and south along the seacoast, and up to about two miles wide. The name is also a small town in the area bearing the name Gennesaret. Some sources read “Gennesar.” Therefore, the sea was called by some Sea of Gennesaret rather than Sea of Galilee. The land here is level, rising gently from the level of the Sea of Galilee, which is 650 ft. below the Mediterranean Sea. Hills rise sharply on three sides. The main road from Capernaum to Tiberias runs through this area close to the seashore.

During the time of Christ, this plain was the garden spot of Palestine. The historian Josephus described this area as being beautiful and fertile with a climate ranging from hot to temperate. There were also several streams in this area providing plenty of water for irrigation. There was an abundance of wild trees and flowers, as well as important crops such as grapes, figs, olives, walnuts, rice, wheat, vegetables, and melons. The rabbis often spoke of this plain as “the Garden of God” and a “paradise.”

For Jesus to address large crowds and they hear him, it would suggest that Jesus was below the crowds and the crowds sat along the slope of the hillside. This is also why he often spoke from a boat slightly offshore. Sound waves are reflected off the surface of the water toward the shore because the sound waves are bent down back into the surface of the water and then reflected so the sound wave travels even farther. The sound waves hit the warm air above the lake, the upper part of the sound waves travels faster than the lower part, and so the wave gets bent downward back onto the surface of the water where it's then reflected back into the air--and the process repeats. When the sound waves arrive at the shore, the air at ground level is now warm (and the air above the ground is cooler). This makes the sound waves bend upward--up the hill. Thus, all the people seated or standing on the hillside can clearly hear what Jesus is saying. In addition, this area where Jesus spoke to them was away from the sounds of the nearby towns.

What was the purpose of this miracle? First, it seems likely Jesus knew Simon Peter would be there, so he picked this place not only for the better acoustics but for a specific person as well. Going into the boat also allowed Jesus to not be so pressed by the crowds and allowed him to use the water to help amplify his words for the people to hear better. Jesus also likely knew it would take something monumental to get Peter’s attention. It seems Peter tried to be polite, but he was also tired, so obeying Jesus’ request was irritating to him as he felt Jesus knew nothing about fishing whereas fishing was his specialty. He had toiled all night fishing with zero results. In Peter’s mind, he was likely asking himself what could Jesus possibly contribute to his fishing expertise?

It seems Peter and Andrew were in some type of alliance with Zebedee and his sons James and John. This allowed them to share resources as well as profits and even their debts. Jesus knew this and used this fact to get not only Peter’s attention but that of James and John as well.

While Peter obeyed Jesus’ request, he did not obey with much enthusiasm. Yet, Peter’s obedience brought in a surprise catch—more than Peter could have ever imagined. There were so many fish in their nets that both the boat of Peter and Andrew as well as the boat of James and John could barely contain the quantity of fish without sinking. This definitely got Peter’s attention and broke down his stone exterior and began to reach his heart. The amount of money this catch brought them likely was enough to sustain them for quite some time and allowed Peter, Andrew, James, and John to follow Jesus without adding undue hardship to their families.

This story is a bookend to the beginning and the end of Jesus’ ministry and to the relationship between Jesus and Peter. We see something similar in John chapter 21, verses 2-15. Peter’s ministry with Jesus started with a net full of fish and Jesus encouraged Peter again after his resurrection to let Peter know his ministry will and should continue. In both instances, the number of fish was indicative of something extraordinary happening. While the nets began to break this first time, the net held the second time, perhaps signaling Jesus was strong enough to care for them as the disciples continued to move forward. Also, this second time, Jesus had bread and fish already cooked for them. This likely caused the disciples to think about the times Jesus fed the multitudes and let them know Jesus could still sustain them and multiply their efforts.

I think Peter was somewhat like Paul in personality and Jesus knew something dramatic was needed to get his attention. Yet, once he had his attention, he was most loyal.

Jesus also knows what makes us tick and creates circumstances to get our attention to let us know he is there for us. Are you looking for these circumstances? Do so, and you will see how great our Lord is to provide for us, sustain us, and multiply our humble efforts. We serve such a great God!

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

This miracle of Jesus is found in the gospel of John Chapter 4, verses 43-54. Those in Galilee were excited to see Jesus because of what he had done in Jerusalem. What did Jesus do in Jerusalem when he went there for Passover? Let’s follow the progress of the events:

1.                  After leaving Cana, Jesus, his family, and his disciples went to Capernaum and stayed a few days (Jn 2:12).

2.                  Near Passover, Jesus went to Jerusalem (Jn 2:13).

3.                  He made a whip of cords, drove out of the temple sheep and oxen, poured out the changers’ money, overthrew their tables, and told those who sold doves to remove them from the premises saying, “Don’t make my Father’s house a marketplace!” (Jn 2:14-16).

4.                  The Jews asked by what sign he could give to show his authority to do this. Jesus said, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days” (Jn 2:18-19). They did not understand him (Jn 2:20-22).

5.                  At the Passover Festival, he did many signs (Jn 2:23). We don’t know what he did, but he did not entrust himself to them because they were only interested in what he could do and not who he was (Jn 2:24-25).

6.                  Jesus met with Nicodemus (Jn 3:1-21).

7.                  Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, spent time with his disciples, and baptized (Jn 3:22).

8.                  Some went to John where he was baptizing north of there, and he was happy to hear what Jesus was doing (Jn 3:23-36).

9.                  Jesus heads back to Galilee because the Pharisees had gained an interest in what he was doing compared to what John had done regarding baptizing (Jn 4:1).

10.              Jesus goes through Samaria and meets the woman at the well in Sychar. He stayed there for two days, and many Samaritans believed on Christ without ever having observed a miracle from Jesus (Jn 4:2-42).

11.              He then left to go back to Galilee (Jn 4:43).

The person that meets Jesus with his request is a royal official. The name used for him was basilekos, meaning a nobleman, likely of Herod’s court. This person could have been Jewish or Gentile, yet Jesus’ response to him is what he had said to other Jews. Jesus rebukes him saying, “Unless you see signs and wonders, you will in no way believe.” He had just come from the Samaritans who had believed without a miracle. The nobleman was insistent in his request, so Jesus told him to go home because his son lived. This showed the power of Christ’s divine word. He did not need to be present for the healing to take place.

As the nobleman went back toward Capernaum, he found those who had come from his home looking for him because they had news that his son was indeed well. The man discovered his son recovered the very same moment Christ had told him his son was well. The distance from where this man met Jesus to his home was about 16.5 miles—more than a day’s journey. Some have said he was so confident in Jesus’ words that he waited a day to head home. But I don’t think so. He would have been anxious to get back home no matter his belief in Jesus’ words. The distance proves it would take him more than a day for his journey home. Because of the miracle of the nobleman’s son’s healing, the whole household believed in Christ.

It is interesting to note that this time, Jesus did not say not to tell anyone. It could be because Jesus had just returned from Jerusalem and from the temple; his waiting to introduce his purpose to the Jewish leaders was now past.

There are two types of miracles: signs and wonders. Often, a true miracle from God is purposeful, and not an unexplained matter of chance or coincidence.

A sign is a divine intervention to show Divine authority. Water to wine is a sign because of the symbolism that goes with it.

A wonder is something which causes people to marvel, be astounded or even terrified. A wonder is a special manifestation of God's power. The plagues in Egypt are examples of wonders as these had no symbolism except to prove God’s authority and that He is greater than any Egyptian god.

Why did John say this was the second sign (Jn 4:54)? He said it was the second sign in Galilee. As we read earlier, Christ did many signs in Jerusalem. We don’t know what they were, but these signs got the people excited but not necessarily caused them to believe in Jesus as who he said he was.

One of signs of the past which Jesus referred to when he spoke to Nicodemus was the bronze serpent which God had commanded Moses to build and place for the people to look at so they could be healed from the serpents’ deadly bites (Nu 21:9).

Why did Jesus refer to this passage from the past? He told Nicodemus, “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him” (Jn 3:14-15). Bronze was used to represent sin and judgment (the reason the altar in front of the tabernacle and temple was made of bronze). The serpent represented the serpents who plagued the Israelites because of their sin. By looking to the bronze serpent, they were symbolically transferring their sin to the serpent on the pole and believing that God would heal them. They were relying upon God for their physical salvation which was also a symbol of their spiritual salvation.

Jesus became that for us. Our sin was transferred to him on the cross. Our belief in what he did for us brings us our spiritual salvation. In Hezekiah’s day (770 years after Moses raised the bronze serpent in the wilderness), the bronze serpent was still around and revered. Yet, people had started worshipping the bronze serpent rather than worship God. They missed the point of the message he had provided them. Are we not doing the same today? We worship the sin rather than the one who can remove the sin for us.

Hezekiah called the bronze serpent Nehushtan – meaning “a thing of bronze” (2Ki 18:4). He reduced it to its literal meaning so that people could see that it was nothing to worship. It was just a piece of brass. The people should worship the one who had the power this bronze serpent was representing. To show their foolishness, Hezekiah broke it into pieces. This did two things: (1) the people could no longer worship it; and (2) this demonstrated that this image had no imbued power. It could have been a great memorial and topical lesson for people, but they revered it rather than the one to whom it was pointing toward. Perhaps this is also symbolic of Christ’s body being broken for us.

This miracle of Jesus also helps us know that distance is not something we need to be concerned with either. Jesus can be just as personable to us as he was then. We may not see him, but he can still do great things for us. Just like this nobleman, it only requires faith. He had the faith to believe in Jesus and what he could do. How about you? You do have that kind of faith? I hope so. It will take you into a relationship you’ve always hoped for. Look to the one who was lifted up for you to bear your sin and pay the sin debt required. No one else could have done that. How will you respond?

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

We find this very first recorded miracle of Jesus in John Chapter 2, verses 1-12. Just six days prior, John the Baptist sees Jesus and declares him, “the Lamb of God” (Jn 1:20). He also sees the Spirit of God descend upon Jesus in the form of a dove (Jn 1:32). The day after he baptizes Jesus, John again declares Jesus “the Lamb of God” and two of his disciples start to follow Jesus (Jn 1:37). Andrew was one of them and he brought his brother, Peter, to meet Jesus (Jn 1:41). The next day, Jesus leaves for Galilee and calls Philip to be a disciple. Philip gets Nathanael (whose hometown is Cana) and brings him to Jesus (Jn 1:43, 45). It is a three-day journey to Cana from where Jesus was baptized (the Jordan River near the Dead Sea).

While everyone is enjoying the festivities of the wedding, Mary, Jesus’ mother, comes to him with a major issue: the wine had run out! Why was this such as issue? Well, wedding feasts were typically a week-long affair. Hospitality was considered obligatory in this day and age of Jewish culture. To not be hospitable would be a strong insult to one’s guests.

It is believed this wedding is of someone related to Mary. Running out of wine would be an insult to their whole family and not just the mother and father of the bride. Therefore, Mary is asking Jesus to save the family an embarrassing situation. At first Jesus is hesitant, but his mother simply tells the servants to do whatever Jesus asks of them.

Jesus notices six stone jars nearby. These were not just ordinary stone jars, but jars used for ritual purification (Jn 2:6). Not just anyone would have such jars at their home. Therefore, it may be that this was a house of a priest. Cana was one of the cities where priests lived and then moved to Jerusalem when it was their time to serve as a priest at the temple in Jerusalem.

What was special about using these particular jars? Water in a stone jar would still be considered “living water.” Jewish law stated that water from a spring or from a cistern for collecting water is considered clean (Lv 11:36).

To go from water in stone jars of purification to wine in stone jars of purification was symbolic of how purification will be transferred from their current ritual purity laws to the blood of Jesus Christ which would purify going forward.

The wine was the best the master of the banquet had ever tasted (Jn 2:9-10). Jesus’ blood is also the best among bloods because only his can purify one from sin. Also, this points to the future wedding supper of the Lamb where all who have been redeemed by Him will be in attendance (Rv 19:9).

As stated, it is thought that this wedding may be of a relative of Mary’s. It would be consistent with this being a priestly family as it is believed that Mary’s mother was a descendant of Levi (the tribe from which the Jewish priests descended). We know that Mary’s aunt married a Levite and had Elizabeth who married Zechariah, a priest (Lk 1:5-7). Their son was John who became John the Baptist.

Some say that Joseph of Arimathea was Mary’s uncle. A couple of things may support this to some degree:

1.           Someone had to be with Jesus for three days at the temple when he was twelve. This could have been Joseph of Arimathea.

2.           The people didn’t seem to know Jesus when he was back in Nazareth, his hometown (Mt 13:55-56). This could be because he had been away with Joseph until he started his ministry.

There were over 7000 priests at the time of Christ. They could trace their lineage back to Aaron, the first High Priest. Only the priests could participate in making sacrifices at the temple. Most lived outside Jerusalem in towns and villages. They were divided into 24 priestly clans (1Ch 24:4; 2Ch 8:14) and would serve one week out of the year: light altar fires, attend to the offerings of incense and unleavened bread, and participate in the killing of the sacrificial animals.

There were over 9000 Levites at the time of Christ. They could trace their lineage back to Levi, the father of Moses and Aaron. These were not the same as the priests and were not from the lineage of Aaron himself. They were also comprised of 24 priestly clans and would serve one week of the year: guards, policemen, doorkeepers, singers, musicians, and servants of the temple. They were forbidden by act of death to enter the holy sanctuary or touch the altar of sacrifice.

The daily temple duties required about 1,000 chief priests, priests, and Levites. On feast days, all 24 courses were required to be in Jerusalem and perform duties at the temple. This meant that on Pesach (Passover), Shavuot (Pentecost), and Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles), there were approximately 18,000 temple personnel on duty at the temple.

While this was the first miracle we know of that Jesus performed, and a significant one, not too many knew about the miracle. Who did know? Mary, Jesus’ disciples, servants at the wedding, and the mother and father of the bride. It is unknown if they told others or kept this to themselves.

It seems, especially in the early part of Jesus’ ministry, Jesus was controlling how quickly his fame would get rolled out to the general public and thereby to the religious leaders. This particular miracle, I’m sure, sealed the faith of his disciples to him.

Jesus did have half-brothers and sisters (Mt 13:55-56). We know his brothers were also at the wedding (Jn 2:12) and then accompanied him to Capernaum where they stayed for a few days. We don’t know if they were told about this particular miracle, because it seems they did not accept Jesus as the Messiah (Jn 7:5) until after his death and resurrection (1Co 15:7). We do know they eventually did as Jesus’ half-brother James became a leader of the church in Jerusalem (Ac 15:13) and wrote the book of James, and another one of his half-brothers, Jude, wrote the book of the same name. This helps us to see that Jesus is patient with us to recognize who he really is, but then empowers us once we turn to him to be effective for him.

We understand this miracle to be his first miracle, but it is quite powerful even though it did not involve other humans. It shows how he can transform something inorganic (like water) into something organic (like wine), how something put into the jars new (water was drawn and placed in the jars) could come out aged (as this was some of the best wine the feast master had ever tasted—and he had tasted a lot of wine!), and at the same time represented how his blood would become the purification for us all. Quite the miracle, isn’t it! And he can do the same for us. Have you let him? If not, he is patiently waiting, just as he did for his brothers. You, too, can be part of his family. A simple step of faith can change everything.

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

Jesus is known for his miracles. There are at least 42 recorded in scripture, yet even what is recorded pales in the number he actually conducted (Jn 21:25). Of these 42 recorded miracles, Matthew records 64% of them, Mark records 55% of them, Luke records 55% of them, and John records 19% of them. This being the case, it is obvious that many of these were recorded by more than one gospel writer. Yet, each gospel records some unique ones as well.

There are five miracles recorded only by Matthew: 1-healing a sick and demon-possessed man: Mt 4:23-25; 2-healing two blind men: Mt 9:27-31; 3-healing a demon-possessed, mute man: Mt 9:32-34; 4-healing mute, blind, lame, and impaired individuals: Mt15:29-31, and 5-temple tax found in a fish’s mouth: Mt 17:24-27.

There are two recorded only by Mark: 1-healing a deaf and mute man: Mk 7:31-37; and 2-healing a blind man at Bethsaida: Mk 8:22-26.

There are six recorded only by Luke: 1-miraculous catch of fish: Lk 5:1-11; 2-raising a widow’s son from the dead in Nain: Lk 7:11-17; 3-healing a woman who had been crippled for 18 years: Lk 13:10-17; 4-cleansing ten lepers: Lk 17:11-19; 5-healing a man with dropsy on the Sabbath: Lk 14:1-6; and, 6-healing a servant’s ear which was cut off as he is arrested: Lk 22:50-51.

And, there are six recorded only by John: 1-turning water into wine at a wedding in Cana: Jn 2:1-11; 2-healing an official’s son at Capernaum: Jn 4:46-54; 3-healing a man at Bethesda: Jn 5:1-15; 4-healing a man born blind: Jn 9:1-41; 5-raising Lazarus from the dead in Bethany: Jn 11:1-45; and 6-another miraculous catch of fish: Jn 21:4-11.

That means 23 were recorded by more than one of the gospel writers. Of the 42 miracles recorded, only one of these were recorded by all four gospels: the feeding of the 5,000 men plus women and children (Mt 14:13-21; Mk 6:30-44; Lk 9:10-17; and Jn 6:1-15). And, finally, of all these recorded miracles of Jesus, only one appears negative in nature: he curses a fig tree, and it withers (Mt 21:18-22; Mk 11:12-14, 20).

So, what was the purpose of Jesus conducting these miracles? After all, it’s not like he healed everyone. So, how did he pick and choose? There are likely several reasons for him doing this. Here are a few thoughts about this topic. You may even think of more than I have.

1.      Jesus preached “the good news of the kingdom of God”(Lk 6:20). Many of the Jewish prophets had taught that the Messiah would bring in an age of wonder where many things would be restored: Isaiah was one such prophet who declared the eyes of the blind would be opened, and the ears of the deaf would be unstopped, the lame would leap like a deer, and the mute tongue would shout for joy (Is 35:5-6). He also declared the dead would live (Is 26:19). Isaiah also stated the Messiah would proclaim good news to the poor, bind up the brokenhearted, proclaim freedom to the captives, and release prisoners from their darkness. So, Jesus was doing all these things to help everyone realize that he was the one to whom Isaiah spoke and he could do all the things the prophets had taught about what their coming Messiah would bring them.

2.      It seemed some people had been born with an infirmity for this very time so Jesus could release them and demonstrate his power to everyone (Jn 9:1-5).

3.      More often than not, Jesus stated it was the person’s faith that had healed them: the woman with a bleeding disorder for 12 years (Mt 9:22; Mk 5:34), two blind men (Mt 9:29), healing the daughter of a Canaanite woman (Mt 15:28), healing a paralyzed man (Mk 2:5), healing blind Bartimaeus in Jericho (Mk 10:52), healing a Roman Centurion’s servant (Lk 7:9), the woman who washed Jesus’ feet with her hair (Lk 7:50), a leper (Lk 17:19), and others. It seems some healings did not take place because of their lack of faith (Mt 13:58).

4.      Many times, Jesus just had so much compassion for the people he could not help himself but minister to their physical needs as well as to their spiritual needs (Mt 9:36, 14:14, 15:32; 20:34; Mk 6:34, 8:2; Lk 15:20).

Over the next several posts, we will look at several of Jesus’ miracles in more detail and see what we can glean from them. I hope you join me. Until then, God bless!

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

In the last several posts, we have looked at examples of how God showed up in a big way. In the last post, I asked whether we expect him to show up for us today. Do you? Are you expecting him to show up in a big way?

Currently there are two main ideas that are currently prominent as to how God will show up for us today:

1.      Rapture (1Th 4:13-18; 1Co 15:51-52; also called Receiving of the Bride): God will come in the sky and receive to himself those who have placed their trust in him, and we will ever be with the Lord. This is the ultimate hope of all believers.

2.      Revival (Da 7:26-27; Mt 24:14; Rv 17): Before that ultimate hope of all believers is realized, God will send a final and most glorious revival which will sweep the whole earth.

Both of these events seem to be recorded in Scripture. Neither are direct, yet neither are they hidden. Yet, some believe in neither, some in one or the other, and others in both. I will not debate the Rapture in this post as the idea of a coming revival is somewhat newer to many than the idea of a Rapture. Let’s see if there is evidence for Revival to come first.

In Daniel Chapter 2, King Nebuchadnezzar had a vision of a statue composed of gold (head), silver (torso), bronze (loins), iron (legs), iron & clay (feet & toes). Then a stone came and crushed the statue to dust. God revealed to Daniel that Babylon represented the head of gold and other kingdoms would come after him. History tells us the silver portion of the statue was the reign of the Medes & Persians, bronze portion was the reign of Greece, and iron portion was the reign of Rome. So far, no kingdom has seemed to represent the iron mingled with clay. Yet, is it possible that iron mingled with clay is actually a representation of today?

Why do I suggest this? There is another vision given to Daniel in Chapter 7 that many biblical scholars say represents the same kingdoms as the vision given to Nebuchadnezzar. Yet, perhaps this is not about the entire statue, but about the feet alone to give more details for Daniel to understand this period of history that would be in his distant future but may be at our doorstep today. Perhaps we are even on its threshold with the door already open.

Why iron and clay? It means such a kingdom is authoritarian in its demands but lacks cohesion and stability to always carry them out.

Daniel was extremely curious about the fourth beast that God revealed to him in his vision in Daniel Chapter 7. Let’s look at part of how God interpreted the fourth beast that Daniel saw: “He gave me this explanation: ‘the fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on earth. It will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth, trampling it down and crushing it. The ten horns are then kings who will come from this kingdom. After them, another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings. He will speak against the Most High and oppress his holy people and try to change the set time and the laws. The holy people will be delivered into his hands for a time, times and half a time. But the court will sit, and his power will be taken away and completely destroyed forever. Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be handed over to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him’” (Dn 7:23-27, NIV).

Now, let’s think about what has been happening in our world over the last three years or so. The World Economic Forum has been very active, acting almost like a government even though it isn’t a government. Despite this fact, this organization has influenced and affected the entire world almost like the empires of old but has done so in a way totally different from any previous empire. One could say it has had a unique influence: almost as if it was higher than governments by utilizing its influence alone through various individuals trained in its philosophies. As this passage of Scripture above indicates, it has indeed crushed the entire world with many of its decisions and forced mandates for a little over 3 years now. It is strong in its claims and mandates (iron) but weak in maintaining complete control of the narrative (clay).

In addition, one of its top advisors, Noah Yuval Harari, has become very brazen and some say, even blasphemous, in his talks. He has given many talks, has several books, and has spoken at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. It is obvious his philosophy has shaped his view of history and the world at large. He seems to believe all religions are composed of myths without fact and truth. He speaks almost like a prophet would speak. While he seems to point out warnings and potential concerns of the fast rise of Artificial Intelligence, it seems the World Economic Forum and those around the globe who follow their polices are trying to enact the very things he warns about. Some of the things he has said include the following:

“And every technical problem has a technical solution. We don’t need to wait for the Second Coming in order to overcome death” (Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow, 2018, Harper Perennial, New York, 2018, p. 23).

“Many of the big changes in history were unlikely. If you think for example the rise of Christianity, if you go about the Roman Empire third century then you have so many different religions and cults and philosophies or whatever, you have this esoteric Jewish sect that believes that a Jewish preacher who was crucified by the Romans two hundred years ago is actually the Lord of the Universe and it’s a very tiny esoteric sect. Nobody would imagine that within a couple of decades this sect, Christianity, will take over the Roman Empire. But it happened.” (Chanel 4 News, Ways to Change the World, interview with Yuval Noah Harari, Will artificial intelligence create useless class of people? YouTube video, Oct 20, 2021).

“Biological knowledge multiplied by computing power multiplied by data equals the ability to hack humans. If you know enough biology and have enough computing power and data, you can hack my body and my brain and my life, and you can understand me better than I understand myself. You can know my personality type, my political views, my sexual preferences, my mental weaknesses, my deepest fears and hopes. You know more about me than I know about myself. And you can do that not just to me, but to everyone.” (World Economic Forum, Yuval Noah Harari: How to Survive the 21st Century – Davos 2020, YouTube video, Jan 24, 2020)

“The only thing God managed to create was organic beings, trees, giraffes, and humans. If we succeed, then very soon we will be beyond the God of the Bible" (Excerpt from a talk given by Yuval Noah Harari, Frank: The Voice of Free Speech, Clay Clark, Dec 19, 2022).

“Within the next century or two, we humans are likely to upgrade ourselves into gods and change the most basic principles of the evolution of life. Traditional mythologies depicted gods as powerful beings that could design and create life according to their wishes. In the coming two centuries we will probably learn how to engineer and manufacture various life forms according to our wishes. We will use bioengineering in order to create new kinds of organic beings; we will use direct brain-computer interfaces in order to create cyborgs (beings that combine organic and inorganic parts); and advances in machine learning and AI might even allow us to set in motion the creation of completely inorganic beings. The main products of the future economy will not be food, textiles, and vehicles but rather bodies, brains, and minds” (Our Nonconscious Future, written by Yuval Noah Harari, published in Britannica, 2018).

Yet, we also see he has not just warned about the effects of AI and transhumanism, he has begun to embrace the very things he has warned us about:

“Humans are now hackable animals. The whole idea that humans have this soul or spirit, and have this free will and no one knows what goes on inside me so whatever I choose, whether in the election or whether in the supermarket, this is my free will. That’s over.

“We are really upgrading humans into gods.

“The test of AI is not whether it is perfect, but whether it is better than humans.

“We don’t have any answer in the Bible what to do when humans are no longer useful.

“You need completely new ideologies, completely new religions, and they’re likely to give people visions based on technology and everything the old religions promised: happiness and justice and even eternal life.

“For the first time in history it is possible to completely eliminate privacy. It was just never possible before, and it is possible now. Something fundamental has changed. When dictators always dreamt about completely eliminating privacy, monitoring everybody all the time and knowing everything you do, and not just everything you do but everything you think, and everything you feel. Whether it’s a tyrant in ancient Greece or whether it’s Stalin, they always dreamt about it and never do it because it was technically impossible. Now it’s possible.” (Excerpts from various talks given by Yuval Noah Harari, Thrivetime Show: The Reawakening versus The Great Reset, Rumble video, 2022)

It seems Satan has tried to push up the timeline to bring about his One World Government before it is time for him to do so. Granted, he has tried this before, but he has been preparing this time for at least one-hundred years or more. He has been very subtle this time but is now becoming brazen again. Satan is trying to bring his time on his schedule and prevent this generation from accepting God as their Savior. While he has always tried to do this, this is the first time in history that standing for right is considered wrong and actively suppressed. We have reached a “do or die” moment in current history.

It would be in God’s character to bring a revival for a great harvest of souls before he gives Satan his time. Satan doesn’t want a revival and is doing all he can to ensure that doesn’t happen, but God is the one in control of the timeline.

How should we pray for God to manifest himself today? We should ask him to reveal himself as Jehovah Nigelah, the Lord who Reveals, and pray for God to reveal himself mightily in our time. We need him as El Emet, God of Truth. Let’s pray for his truth to be revealed and reign supreme. Pray for him to come as Jehovah Rapha, the Lord who Heals, and pray for God to heal us physically and spiritually so we can live for him. He tells us, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2Ch 7:14). And we should ask him to reveal himself as Elohim, God Eternal, and pray for God to reveal himself as the One True God to all the world.

Through all the examples presented, we have seen how God shows up when things become the darkest– but not necessarily in the way expected. This gives us hope for today because the characteristics of God manifest themselves when mankind has almost given up, and God loves us despite how we often seem to not even love ourselves. Satan has always tried to control the timeline, but God has never allowed him to do so.

I found this motivational saying: If you want something different, you gotta do something different. While this is a good saying to stir up an audience, and there is some biblical truth to it, perhaps the better question to ask is to rephrase it slightly: If you want something different, you gotta be something different. We should ask ourselves: How does God want us to change to accomplish that? And, what is God asking us to do that perhaps we are not doing?

Not only do the unsaved need revival, but the church as a whole also needs a revival. Many, many denominations not only exist, but so many of them are antagonistic to each other. Are we really performing as Paul stated the Bride of Christ should perform? He said in 1st Corinthians, “For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body . . . (1Co 12:13). And in Philippians, “Make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in Spirit and of one mind” (Pp 2:2). Are we as the Church really in one Spirit and like-minded?

So, how do we prepare for God to show up for us today? Well, whether you believe it is time for the Rapture or time for a great harvest of souls, our response should be the same: lift our fellow believers up to God in prayer and ask God to empower all his children. Let’s pray within the armor of God, resist the devil, and pray for God’s favor. We know our battle is a spiritual one and we fight such a battle on our knees. We should pray for God’s will to be done and not what we wish to have done and ask for our expectations to match his – and that we will be ready for however he manifests himself. Let our hearts be open to however he desires to work and whatever character of his he wishes to express.

Believe it or not, prayer is the most powerful weapon. Christ used it a lot. And if he needed to pray, then we most definitely need to do so. Let’s all be united in order to allow God’s will to work through each of us so we’ll be ready for him stepping into our world in a mighty way.

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

God had not spoken prophetically to Israel for nearly 400 years! Then he showed up in a big way fulfilling many prophetic announcements of his arrival. Was Israel ready? No, not really. It’s hard to realize you are living through fulfilled prophecy. Doing so tests all your preconceived ideas of what it would be like if you were to do so. But now, it’s not a thought process. It’s real. It tests the mettle of your beliefs. We find this awesome time of God becoming human in Matthew Chapter 1 and Luke Chapter 2.

His coming was on the heels of the Hasmonean Dynasty. Around 168 BCE, Antiochus IV Epiphanes of the Seleucid Empire of Persia suppressed the Jews greatly and went so far as to desecrate their temple in Jerusalem, and a priest by the name of Judas Maccabeus initiated a seven-year rebellion which gained momentum very quickly, known as the Maccabean Revolt. During this time, Jerusalem and the temple was regained with the temple being rededicated. This time became known as the celebration of Hanukkah where the amount of oil for the temple menorah was just enough to last a day, but it lasted for eight days giving time for more of the sacred oil to be prepared. After a seven-year battle, Judas was killed in battle and his brother, Jonathan, led the Jews to an eventual defeat of their enemies and was made not only High Priest, but king as well, initiating the Hasmonean Dynasty where the priesthood and kingship were merged for almost twenty-two years. Rivalry between sons for kingship brought Rome into their midst due to these siblings’ thirst for power, and Rome never left. Eventually, Rome took over the position of power and even controlled the power of the high priest by housing the ephod worn by the high priest within the Roman Tower of Antonia built adjacent to the temple.

Various religious sects emerged which diluted the truth of scripture even through the tradition of scripture became even stronger in their culture. While Scripture became a nationalistic symbol of the Jews, it became less about personal belief in God and more about the celebration of tradition surrounding those beliefs. Israel had lost their way both as a nation physically and spiritually. Now, God decided to step in and show the error of their interpretation of scripture as well as reveal to them how they had come to serve the Law rather than having the Law serve them and point them to God.

God revealed himself as El Hakavod, God of Glory. God revealed his glory to mankind through the birth of Jesus Christ just as the ancient prophets had foretold. He was Jehovah Ori, the Lord my Light. Jesus illuminated the way to the proper way to God. He was El Tamim, Perfect God. Jesus became the perfect sacrifice for mankind. He was El Nasah, God who Forgives. His action on the cross gives us forgiveness. He was Jehovah Tsidkenu, the Lord our Righteousness. We are declared righteous because of him taking our place. Christ, as our Messiah, restored what Satan took from Adam and gave us power to be the Children of God and joint heirs with Christ.

From this example presented today and all the examples presented in previous posts we have discussed, I think we can conclude that God is predictably unpredictable. He always showed up, and while he presented a side of himself that fit the occasion, he did not typically present himself as people expected or desired. Let’s do a quick recap:

Flood – God was decisive, appeared malicious at first glance, but we find him extremely gracious once we understand what was at stake and what Satan had actually done. We must see the why and not just the what.

Tower of Babel – Here God appears lenient—just the opposite of what we observed from him showing up at the Flood. Here, he let people continue but with new confinements. We see here that God wants the best for us.

Red Sea – God made the Israelites sweat it out to get them to realize their dependence on him. Our battle is not with those we can see but with those forces we can’t see.

Hezekiah – God even let others get destroyed to teach a valuable lesson to those who remained. God let Hezekiah help preserve his people but made him realize only through dependence on him would their victory be assured. Turning to God is not insurance but assurance. Through this example we see the powerful weapon prayer actually is for us.

Birth of Christ – Jesus did not come as the religious leaders had expected their Messiah to come and reveal himself. Jesus taught what they did not expect. He seemed practically anti-Scripture to them because they had applied their own desires to Scripture and not let Scripture formulate their ideas. We need to be on the same page as God and not vice versa.

Today – Do we have an expectation of how God will show up? Do we expect him to show up? Are we willing to be surprised and willing to change and adapt to how he decides to show up? We do not want to be like the Pharisees and miss the blessings that are in store for us.

Join me next time when we take these examples and apply them to our situation today. You may even be surprised at our findings. Please join me.

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, destroyed Samaria in 722 BC and took the northern kingdom of Israel as captives to Assyria. Then, eight years later, Sennacherib attacked Judah, the southern kingdom of Israel, and laid siege to all fortified cities, including Jerusalem. We find this in 2Kings chapters 18 and 19.

Hezekiah accomplished several mighty engineering feats to try and prepare for the coming invasion by Assyria. One thing he did was connect the Gihon Spring just outside the city wall in the northern part of Jerusalem to the Pool of Siloam in the southern part of Jerusalem by digging an underground pathway through solid rock so the spring could flow within the city. Then, even if surrounded, the people would still have water and thereby preserve life longer for them to try and defend themselves. He also built another wall outside the current one so it would encompass the Gihon Spring, and he reinforced the terraces of the City of David (the southern portion of Jerusalem). He also made weapons and shields.

This achievement by Hezekiah is still observed today: called Hezekiah’s tunnel. It still has water running through it, and one can observe where the two teams of miners met. Hezekiah had one team dig from Siloam north and another dig from Gihon south. Today, there is a plaque where the two teams met. It is amazing how much Hezekiah was able to accomplish without modern technology.

Another play Hezekiah instituted was bribery. This was something kings would often do: either bribe the attacker with monetary gain, or bride another nation to help come defend them from their attacker. Hezekiah had all the silver stored in the temple treasury (300 talents – 11.25 tons, worth about $70.8 MM in today’s value) taken out for part of the bribe and then stripped gold off from the doors of the temple (30 talents – 1.125 tons, worth about $8.4 MM in today’s value) to bribe and ask Sennacherib to leave (for a total value in today’s money of $79.2MM). Yet, Sennacherib did not leave but fortified his efforts.

Hezekiah took the letter he received from Sennacherib and laid it before God at the temple and pled for Jerusalem’s salvation. He also had the prophet Isaiah beseech God as well. Hezekiah realized that all the preparation he had made, which was brilliant, significant, and formidable would not be enough. He realized only God himself could save them. God answered Hezekiah’s prayer in a big way.

That night, 185,000 of Sennacherib’s men were slain (2Ki 19:35). The remaining fled and retreated to Assyria. God accomplished in one night what Hezekiah could not accomplish in months and months of preparation. Because Hezekiah had the faith to depend upon God rather than in all the work he had done to prepare for defense, God intervened in a way Hezekiah could have never conceived.

It seems God always works in ways that are above and beyond our way of thinking. He had a way prepared through our dilemma even though our efforts haven’t been able to conceive of a possible solution. God revealed himself as being Jehovah Nissi, The Lord Our Banner or Victory. God destroyed the power of Sennacherib in one night. He only needed a short time to accomplish complete deliverance for Hezekiah and all of Jerusalem. God became Jehovah Maginenu, the Lord our Defense. He demonstrated that he was on their side and would defend them by his own might. In addition, he was Elohim Aizar, God our Helper. He had led them out of Egypt and proved he would be with them in all situations if they just trusted in him.

God was revealing to Hezekiah how victories are won. God wanted Hezekiah, and all of Jerusalem, to understand that their struggle was not necessarily with man but with powers in the spiritual realm which only God can defeat (Ep 6:12). Prayer was their weapon to overcome these forces, and prayer is still our weapon today to overcome these forces that battle against us.

Are you fighting your battles this way, or are you, like Hezekiah, doing your best to prepare for the fight only to find all your efforts are fruitless? You cannot win. Yet, with Christ, all things are possible (Pp 4:13). Use your most powerful weapon imaginable: go to God in prayer.

Next time, we’ll see God show up in even a bigger and more personable way. Until then. God bless!

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

We find this experience in Exodus chapter 14. Only a short time earlier, the Israelites had left Egypt after the ten plagues had devastated the economy and spirit of the Egyptian people. The Egyptians had asked them to leave and even gave the Israelites gold, silver, and precious stones to bribe them to leave and never return. I can image the Israelites were on an all-time high. Just a few days before, they were being oppressed beyond comprehension, and now, almost overnight, they were free! Free! I’m sure they felt like they had to pinch themselves to believe their experience was real. Yesterday, they had been slaves with nothing. Today, they were free with more wealth than they ever dreamed!

After the Israelites left, Pharaoh realized he had just let go the slave force the Egyptian empire had relied upon for centuries. How was the empire now going to function? Despite their hatred for the Israelites, he realized their economy still needed them. So, he and his army went after them. The Israelites were now squeezed between the Egyptian army behind them and the Red Sea in front of them. Mountains stood on their right and left. They literally had no place to go. Without God intervening, they would be destroyed, or recaptured and go into an even more severe servitude than they had lived through previously. What the Israelites did not know was that God had forced them into this place where they now had to rely totally on him.

Israel needed to understand God was the Faithful One despite the time they had been in slavery. God needed to show the Israelites they could depend on him for all things and that doubt was the path to destruction, but faith was a path to salvation. Freedom does not come freely but comes with responsibility. God had plans to make them into an ambassador nation to reveal himself to the world (Ex 19:6). Therefore, the Israelites needed to learn how to rely on the Lord for all their needs. He could not only supply their needs but do so in ways they could not ever fathom.

God revealed himself as Jehovah Yishi, the Lord my Salvation. God held the Egyptians at bay at the same time he made a way through the Red Sea for the Israelites. He did something for them that was so extraordinary they could never have conceived of such as act. Never would them being able to escape the Egyptians by walking through the Red Sea on dry ground even be a considered possibility. They were experiencing a God who could save my impossible means. In addition, he showed himself to be Jehovah Ozi, the Lord my Strength. He demonstrated that only he had the power to get the Israelites out of their situation. God had put them in an impossible situation that human actions, thoughts, and abilities were unable to do or conceive. God demonstrated he was Jehovah Mazud, the Lord my Fortress. He had led them out of Egypt and proved he would be with them in all situations if they just trusted in him. If they rested in him, their fortress, they would be protected and safe. God was creating in them a mindset that with him they were safe from all foes and could become a nation to be his influence in the world. Satan has tried to thwart this plan ever since.

Next time, we’ll see how God can accomplish the impossible in hardly any time at all. Give God a day, and one’s world can change drastically. I hope you join me.

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

We find the story of the Tower of Babel in Genesis chapters 10 and 11. Nimrod rebelled against God and created a kingdom rather than having people spread throughout the world as God had commanded. It is believed that this biblical figure is the same historical figure as Gilgamesh. He and his wife created a new, separate, religion apart from God where they worshipped the stars, the Nephilim, and all the hybrid creatures these fallen angels had made. This was likely the start of all the mythologies of the various cultures we know about today and became the counterfeit to what God established. His wife, Semiramis (Summer-amat) became known as Queen of Heaven and her son as Tammuz, the sun god, as he was touted to be a resurrection of his father, Nimrod, who supposedly had manifested himself in the sun after his death and had impregnated Summer-amat via rays of the sun.

Satan again tried to establish his one-world government through Nimrod (Gilgamesh) and to unite the people through a polytheistic form of worship that was opposed to God. As counter to this, God confused their language so they would have to obey his requirement to spread throughout the world (Gn 11:9). Man had become arrogant and full of pride and wanted to do things their way rather than how God wanted things to be done.

God worked differently this time. He demonstrated himself to be Jehovah Royi, the Lord my Shepherd. He forced the people to separate into various languages and dialects so they would spread throughout the earth as he ordained. Shepherds sometimes must do something drastic to some of his sheep to force them to obey him and prevent the other sheep from following along with the sheep that is disobedient. This is what God had to do in this situation as well. He showed himself to be El Kanna, Jealous God, by limiting how one group of humans could force their will onto the entire population – at least for a time. He wanted their worship and praise and was making every opportunity for them to do that. God was also Jehovah Shalom, the Lord our Peace, as it would be quite some time for mankind to overcome their differences and be able to act globally again. God protected man from Satan’s influence and made Satan have to start over again on his plan. Satan was not as brazen this time as he was previously, but he was certainly not subtle either.

Tune in next time when we will see how God began to work with a group of people to portray his character to the world and how Satan did all he could to prevent that.

Until then, God bless.

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

We find the story of the Biblical world-wide Flood in Genesis chapters 6-9, and we find the purpose for the Flood in chapter 6, verses 1-10. Certain of Satan’s angels somehow married human women and had children by them (Gn 6:2). The Bible itself is somewhat cryptic of what actually occurred. This could be because the story was well known at the time, so the writer of Genesis (who is believed to be Moses), may not have thought detail was important.

At first glance, this chapter in Genesis sounds as if God is vindictive in his actions, and some have touted this to be the case, saying God was vindictive in the Old Testament, but loving in the New Testament. Yet, that can’t be the case. God states he doesn’t change (Ml 3:6) and that he is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hb 13:8). Therefore, something else must be going on here. One thing to consider is how words are translated from Hebrew into English. For example, the word translated “regret” in this passage actually means “a big sigh” in Hebrew. Now, if you have children, I’m sure you’ve given a big sigh yourself many times. That didn’t mean you were willing to get rid of your children but were deeply wounded and hurt by some of their decisions. I think that is how God was feeling here. While, granted, his actions were drastic, it would seem something bigger was at play here. We need to understand the why and not just the what. There are extra-Biblical sources, like the Book of Enoch, while not Scripture, which can at least give us a good flavor of what may have been happening during this time of Earth’s history.

The Book of Enoch tells us there may have been 200 angels involved in appearing on Earth and marrying human women. Their offspring became giants, called Nephilim (Gen 6:4). This extra-biblical source also states the height of these Nephilim when fully grown may have been up to 300 cubits (450 ft). That’s quite high: half the height of the Empire State building in New York City! Now, that could be an exaggeration, but this information certainly helps us see the gravity of the situation. With their large size came an extremely ravenous appetite. Mankind could not produce enough to feed them, so they ate birds, beasts, reptiles, and fish to satiate their hunger – including the animals’ blood. This turned the beasts of the earth violent.

Scripture also states these Nephilim became mankind’s heroes, men of renown (Gn 6:4). This would seem to imply they fought with each other, and humans looked up to them for their bravery and skill. The animal kingdom was originally designed to be one of peace and harmony, but Satan had now made it violent between beast of the animal kingdom and between men as well. Bloodshed became common whereas it was not supposed to be that way because God had set the world up to be a peaceful, accommodating place for humans. Satan polluted the creation God had made and turned it violent.

In addition, it seems Satan tried to remake mankind in his own image and changed humans from the way God had made them. He was infusing angel DNA into mankind’s genome. It seems the human genome was being subverted. Apparently only Noah and his family were the only ones left pure in their genome. The word “blameless” used in this passage can also mean “pure.”

The Flood was a way for God to not only bring judgment to the guilty but as a way to preserve humankind as God had made them.

Prior to the Flood, God had revealed himself utilizing three names. The first of these was Elohim. He was the Eternal God, the Creator, the Three-in-One. He was the one who had made everything. He also presented himself as Jehovah (or Yahweh). He was Lord, the Self-Existing One. He was without beginning or end. Uncreated. Omnipresent. Omniscient. Then, he was also Jehovah Elohim, the Lord God. He is the one who keeps his covenants.

Now, God was revealing himself through the manifestation of his characteristics. While these may have been announced in Scripture later, in hindsight we can see these traits being exhibited here as well. He was Jehovah Shaphat, the Lord Our Judge. He did away with all that Satan had made wrong. He wiped from the face of the earth those who had yielded to Satan and let their human genome become contaminated to be more like Satan. Yet, we see God was also El Rakhum, the Merciful God. He protected Noah and his family from judgment and allowed mankind to continue as he designed them. In addition, he presented himself as El Khanun, the Gracious God. He gave the people on the earth 120 years to repent and get ready for what was coming. God could have healed their bodies if they had repented, but, sadly, they did not. He demonstrated himself to be Jehovah Boray, The Lord the Creator. During the Flood, God re-sculpted the Earth through his judgment. The water canopy surrounding the earth collapsed producing a deluge, the waters under the earth broke forth to help produce enough water to cover the face of the entire earth. In addition, the continent(s) were further divided, producing large seas and oceans with mountains and valleys. The earth Noah and his family exited onto from the ark was very different from the earth they left to enter the ark. God also presented himself as El Amen, the Faithful God. He provided a promise which he will never go back on. The promises given to Adam were now given to Noah, and God promised to not destroy the world again by a Flood. The rainbow was given as a symbol for this promise.

In Satan’s first attempt to overthrow God’s efforts and set up his kingdom on the world, we see he was very brazen in his attempt. God was equally brazen in his response to Satan’s efforts so that he could preserve what he had created and given to Adam with a promise for his race to continue and for God to redeem them back to himself. Going forward we’ll see how Satan became less and less brazen in his efforts. Each attempt seemed to become more subtle, but just as deadly.

Join me next time when we’ll see how God showed up at the Tower of Babel. Until then, God bless!

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

Perhaps you consider this a strange question because God is always with us, so he always shows up. While true, there are grander times, so to speak, when we expect God to do something on a grand scale. When does he show up to do that?

Let’s look at a few Biblical examples and then see if we can apply what we learn from those.

God first showed up at Creation, right? Do we know when that occurred? The short answer is No, but some people have tried.

Here are five individuals who have attempted to do just that. Of course, there are some assumptions that must be made which many who make such predictions seldom seem to point out. Yet, surprisingly, they all came to the same general conclusion as they used the Bible as their main source of predictability.

James Usher was an Archbishop of the Church of Ireland in the 17th century. He arrived at the date of 4004 BCE for the year of Creation, and this seems to be the date most used by Christian scholars (but typically not Jewish scholars).

Then there is Sir Isaac Newton, English mathematician, physicist, astronomer, alchemist, theologian, and author, who also lived in the 17th century. He predicted the year of Creation to be very close to that predicted by Usher: 4000 BCE.

Then Johann Kepler, the famous German astronomer who lived in the 16th century, predicted 3992 BCE.

Then there was Venerable Bede who was a monk in Northumbria, Scotland who lived in the 8th century, and who dated Creation to occur in 3953 BCE.

Then there is Yose ben Halafta, a Rabbi in Sepphoris, Israel, in 2nd century who derived the year of Creation to be 3761 BCE, and this is the year the Jewish calendar typically goes by.

Many who try to predict when Christ will return abide by the notion that the six days of creation are symbolic of God working in 1,000-year intervals. They believe each day of creation to be an actual 24-hour day but believe the creation week to be a template for the time for the Earth to exist. This is based upon two scriptures (2Pt 3:8 and Ps 90:4) which state, “with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day,” and “a thousand years in your sight are like a day.”

If literal, then Earth will exist for 6000 years and then the Millennial Kingdom will represent the final 1000-year interval because it is symbolic of the Sabbath, a day of rest after Creation was accomplished. This thereby gives the total time of Earth’s existence to be 7000 years to match the creation week.

So, after 4,000 years following Creation, Christ was born, died, and rose again. Then after an additional 2,000 years, Christ will return and set up his earthly kingdom. If we take into account that Christ will return after 6000 years (meaning his second coming), then we have to take away 7 years for the length attributed to the Tribulation Period and then add a year since there is no year 0, to come up with a year of Christ appearing in the sky for the Rapture Event that ranges, based upon the five years for Creation which was just presented, from 1990 CE to 2233 CE – quite the span:

Usher: 6000-4004+1= 1997 – 7 = 1990 CE (a year in the past)

Newton: 6000-4000+1= 2001 – 7 = 1994 CE (a year in the past)

Kepler: 6000-3992+1= 2009 – 7 = 2005 CE (a year in the past)

Bede: 6000-3953+1= 2048 – 7 = 2041 CE (18 years from now)

Halafta: 6000-3761+1= 2240 – 7 = 2233 CE (210 years from now)

This indicates that, while, in general, it looks like they came up with roughly the same year for creation, when looking at more specific details, they are vastly different.

Knowing that the Rapture has not yet occurred, this means three of these dates are already incorrect. Of the remaining two, it means the Rapture could happen from 18 to 210 years from now. What does this mean? Either you believe the first three predictions of Creation were incorrect and the Rapture is close or far away, or it means we cannot go by dates – which the Bible has already told us (Mt 24:36).

Yet, what this can do for us is allow us to put a historical timeline together to help us see when various occurrences happened in history. This allows us to compare what happened in the Bible with other known extra Biblical events. This is very useful for our understanding of our history.

Also, knowing these dates can help us have a better understanding of the order of Biblical events. For example, if we break the timeline into 500-year gaps of time, we can memorize the following:

~4000 BCE– Creation (4004 BCE)

3500 BCE – Jared, father of Enoch (3544 BCE)

3000 BCE – Noah (2948 BCE)

2500 BCE – Shem (2446 BCE)

2000 BCE – Abraham (1996 BCE)

1500 BCE – Moses (1491 BCE)

1000 BCE – David (1060 BCE)

500 BCE – Return from Babylonian Captivity & Dedication of 2nd Temple (516 BCE)

0 – Birth of Christ (2 BCE)

500 CE – Bible Ratified (397 CE – Council of Carthage)

1000 CE – Schism (1054 CE) & Crusades (1095 CE)

1500 CE – Protestant Reformation (1517 CE)

2000 CE – World Economic Forum (1971 CE)

Now let’s look at some of these more specifically and see how God showed up. But before we do that, we need to understand that God didn’t show up and say, “I’m God. Listen to me.” No, he demonstrated various characteristics of himself and presented himself by using many different names to suit the occasion of what was going on at the time. God is multidimensional and has presented himself and his different characteristics over time. In hindsight, we can see that he had these characteristics even before he officially presented or announced a specific characteristic of himself. We want to see how God presented himself differently in each example we are going to go through. We will see that he rarely presents himself the same way twice and adapts how he will reveal himself to the situation at hand.

We now want to go through several examples of how God showed up and presented himself for the occasion. We’ll investigate the first example next time. I hope you join me to see how he showed up during the time of the Biblical Flood. Until then, God bless!

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

Last time we discussed how God took our place on the cross and reconciled our sin debt. He did not cover it up but took it away completely. It was nothing we did. It was all him. If you missed it. You can access it here: Christ Reconciled Our Sin Problem.

Did we gain anything else by this gracious act of our Messiah? Oh yes: I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power, and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way (Ep 1:18-23, NIV).

Did you catch that? Paul is telling us that we have the same power that raised Christ from the dead within us. What is within us with this power? The Holy Spirit.

Paul goes on to say: But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ep 2:4-10, NIV)).

His Holy Spirit will now be able to do great things through us because of what Christ has done for us on the cross. This is likely why Paul talks to us about the armor of God in Ephesians chapter 6. Let’s examine this armor:

We have the Helmet of Salvation: If you declare with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved (Ro 10:9, NIV). This is by the spoken word and accomplish by Christ.

We have the Breastplate of Righteousness: It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has been for us wisdom from God—that is our righteousness, holiness, and redemption (1Co 1:30, NIV). This is by words of wisdom from Christ.

We have the Belt of Truth: Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me (Jn 14:6, NIV). This comes from Christ who is the Word of God.

We have the Feet of Gospel of Peace: Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid (Jn 14:27, NIV). The words of Christ give us peace.

We have the Shield of Faith: Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer [author] and perfecter of faith (Hb 12:2a, NIV). Christ and his words give us the faith upon which we believe.

We have the Sword of the Spirit: Take . . . the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Ep 6:17, NIV). Paul then tells us to Pray in the Spirit.

This passage in Ephesians 6 is often used to portray the armor as a defense against Satan and his “fiery darts” as Paul stated when he talked about the Shield of Faith. While true, these verses seem to indicate that the main reason for the armor is one for offense more than it is for defense. These are all action verses and show that each piece is a representative of Jesus Christ and of the power of the spoken word.

So, if we are donning the armor, this means we as the warrior are within Christ. And if we were to look at ourselves in a mirror, we would see him and not ourselves because we are in him, and he is in us. This is just as he prayed with his disciples: that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me (Jn 17:21, NIV).

No wonder James said: The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective (Ja 5:16b, NIV). The spoken word is very powerful when spoken through inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Proverbs also tells us: The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who live it will eat its fruit (Pr 18:21, NIV). This seems to imply we need to be living within the armor of God for our words to be effective. Paul also tells us: Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold (2Co 3:12, NIV). Speaking through inspiration of the Holy Spirit allows us to speak boldly for the Lord. And, again, in Proverbs we understand the following: The wicked flee though no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion (Pr 28:1, NIV). We can be bold as a lion because the Lion of Judah dwells within us. This helps us to see how powerful our words are and that they should be under the control of the Holy Spirit.

We are commissioned as Paul tells us: Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power (Ep 6:10, NIV). If we live within Christ by donning his armor, then we can be strong in him and work through his power which he has bestowed to us as Paul tells us: The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds (2Co 10:4, NIV). Our words, if operated under the control of the Holy Spirit, can destroy strongholds. So, our words can be very powerful.

We have the same blessing as Paul gave the church at Rome: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Ro 15:13, NIV). Our hope is a tangible hope because it is secured in the promise of Jesus Christ and in the power given to us by the Holy Spirit. If we pray with the words of Christ (Scripture) and pray as the Holy Spirit urges us to pray, then we will be powerful and we will be effective.

Isn’t God awesome?! He has paved the way for us to have a hopeful, eternal future with him. And, he has given us his Holy Spirit so we can have the same power he utilized which can make us strong and effective, accomplishing great things for him. All we need to do is be yielded to him and his Spirit. Praise God!

Are you ready for your future—both now and in the world to come? You can be. Just reach out to him and he will never fail you.

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

Last time, we ended by asking if we really understood the sacrifice Christ made for us because of our sin problem. Today, let’s look at this more closely.

The apostle Paul tells us: God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2Co 5:21, NIV). What does that really mean? It means our past, present, and future sin was placed on Christ. All sin ever committed by anyone. Now, that’s quite the burden, isn’t it?

This also raises several questions we need to ask ourselves and to address:

•            What happened to that sin which Christ bore for us?

I know Christ bore the sin for us on the cross and paid the consequence of sin, i.e., death. Yet what happened to the sin itself? Is sin tangible that it must be placed somewhere? Did it just dissipate, or did something have to be done with it? I sort of look at this like someone paying an innumerable number of traffic tickets for someone. They are free to now go and drive again, but the tickets still exist, even though paid, right? They must be thrown away, filed, burned, or something to that effect.

•            Where did Christ’s spirit go when his physical body was dead?

We know he did not go to heaven because he later told Mary Magdalene he had not yet ascended to his Father (Jn 20:17). It’s very likely his spirit did not stay in the tomb. That would be akin to soul sleep which the Bible does not seem to support as it alludes to both the righteous (Gn 37:35) as well as the wicked (Ps 9:17) going to Sheol.

•            How did those in Sheol get to Heaven so Paul could say that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord? (2Co 5:8)?

Somehow, the righteous in Sheol had to be removed from there and taken to heaven. The psalmist David seems to state this event would happen (Ps 68:18).

It would seem Jesus went to Sheol on our behalf. He had to pay the price that we were to receive. What was Sheol like?

There are three parts to Sheol:

1.           Tartarus: where angels who birthed the Nephilim were bound (2Pt 2:4)

2.           Unrighteous Sheol: Mankind without faith in coming Messiah (Lk 16:23)

3.         Righteous Sheol: Mankind with faith in coming Messiah (Abraham’s Bosom; Lk 16:22)

The Old Testament doesn’t give a clear distinction of these, but we know Christ told of an unrighteous and righteous side to Sheol (Lk 16:19-31). Since he made Sheol, then it makes sense he would know how it was arranged. Some say this was only a parable. It may have been. But just because the story may have been fictitious, it is likely the details of Sheol (called Hades in the New Testament) would not be fictitious as he knew how Sheol was arranged.

If sin separates us from God, then sin must have been placed in the unrighteous side of Sheol. Peter tells us about Tartarus in 2Pt 2:4, and in 1Pt 3:19-20 seems to indicate that Christ visited there to let them know that their plan to reshape humans into Satan’s image had failed and he has been victorious: Christ made a proclamation to the imprisoned spirits—to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built (1Pt 3:19-20, NIV).

Paul seems to imply that Christ also entered the Unrighteous side of Sheol: Christ disarmed the powers and authorities and made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross (Cl 2:15, NIV). Christ disarmed (took back) the dominion Satan had stolen from Adam by triumphing over them by his death on the cross and bringing all the sin to where it was to belong.

As stated earlier, the psalmist also implies that Christ visited the Righteous side of Sheol to take from Sheol those who were held captive there: When you ascended on high, you took many captives (Ps 68:18, NIV). Due to Satan’s dominion over them even though they had faith in their Messiah, they were also in Sheol. While a different part of Sheol, the Old Testament still alludes to this place as foreboding. Christ brought them to heaven after his resurrection when he ascended to his Father to enter into the heavenly Holy of Holies.

So, it seems Christ went to Sheol for three days. He proclaimed to those on the unrighteous side why their fate is sealed. He preached to those on the righteous side what he just did for them and gave them the gift of redemption. He then brought the righteous home to the third heaven. Because of the disarming by Christ to Satan and his kingdom, he can now bestow on those in his Church other gifts for building up his Bride and make her strong and effective.

Christ received back from Satan the power he had stollen from Adam. As we just read, Paul tells us this in Colossians chapter 2: When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he had taken it aways, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross (Cl 2:13-15).

Christ was the only one who could have done this because only he had the power to give up his life and the power to raise himself from the dead: The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my live—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father (Jn 10:17, 18, NIV).

And in Revelation we see what was obtained from this disarming: I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades (Rv 1:18, NIV).

Christ told Peter that death would no longer have power over his bride, his Church (Mt 16:18). Death would no longer be a separator between him and those who believe in him. This is the reason the apostle Paul could say with certainty that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord for those who believe in him. Those who do not believe in him still go to Sheol until the second resurrection (Rv 20).

Isn’t it amazing what Christ saved us from having to experience? Our future will be a bright one! If you haven’t taken that step, it’s available. Just take it—talk to him. He’s waiting to hear your voice and develop a relationship with you. You will never be sorry you did.

Next time, let’s look at what else we gained from what Christ did for us on the cross. Hallelujah! His gifts to us are exceedingly great. Until next time. God bless.

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

Over the last several posts, we have been talking about four strange verses of hope. In case you missed the beginning of this series of posts, you can access it here: Strange Verses of Hope. We then mentioned that Adam rebelled in the Garden and lost out by inadvertently turning his kingdom over to the Adversary, Satan. Despite this, God gave Adam’s descendants hope. Today, I want us to look at this hope.

So, what then was their hope?

The Sacrifices and the Law were given for the hope of what was to come. I know that may sound the opposite of hope because the sacrifices were burdensome and the Law restrictive. But God is not about convenience, but of truth. Let’s look at the five types of sacrifices:

1. Burnt Offerings (Lv 1) – dedication of oneself to God

2. Grain Offering (Lv 2) – offering one’s best to God and recognize God as sustainer

3. Fellowship Offering (Lv 3) – God wants a relationship with his people

4. Sin Offering (Lv 4) – Atonement for one’s sin against God

5. Guilt Offering (Lv 5) – Atonement for one’s sins against one’s fellow man

These had to be repeated continuously and thereby pointed to the One who was to come who would fulfill them all. How do we know they recognized these offerings as the need for one to come?

We find this verse in the Gospel of John: The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (Jn 1:29). Not only John, but many Jews understood the purpose of the sacrifices and their prophetic meaning. The nation and the people had been waiting for this moment. John the Baptist was announcing that their wait was over!

Not only the people, but the Jewish leaders were waiting as well. But if they were waiting, then why did they reject Jesus as their coming Messiah? For one, he did not fit their preconceived idea of their coming Messiah. They believe their messiah could come and free them from all oppression, especially Roman oppression, set up a kingdom, and make Israel the pinnacle of kingdoms on this earth. But instead of doing this, Jesus criticized the Pharisees and Sadducees for their teachings which were leading Israel astray from the intension and purpose of the Law God had given. Rather than asking questions to clarify, they dug deep into their resistance. Sometimes, it is easier to believe in something knowing it will not come true in your lifetime. When it is fulfilled in your lifetime, you may have to make changes and realize that the way God is working is not how you thought he would work. These Jewish leaders fell into this trap. Unfortunately, they were not willing so realize God may be working differently than they had thought.

Now, let’s concentrate on what John meant when he said, “Lamb of God.” It means Christ became the ultimate sacrifice for their atonement. We need to understand the Hebrew and Greek words for atonement and what these words meant:

Old Testament: kipur (to cover)—This means the sacrifices did not take away their sin but just covered their sin for a time until they could be dealt with properly. They were taken out of view, but not taken away. These sacrifices and duties of the priests were symbolic of how their sins would be taken away sometime in the future, but these activities did not do that for them then and was the reason they had to be repeatedly performed.

As an example, I can give an incident from my childhood. Growing up, I hated green peas. While I love them now, I certainly did not then. One evening at dinner, my mother insisted that I had to finish eating my peas before I could get up from the dining table. Such a conundrum. What do I do? Well, it so happened that we also had mash potatoes that evening as well. I’m not sure why I didn’t eat all of them, as I loved mash potatoes, but it proved fortuitous for me that evening. I decided I would hide my peas under the mash potatoes. When my mother wasn’t looking, I would push a few peas under the potatoes. I couldn’t do them all at once, right? Can’t afford a suspicious mother. LOL. Well, when they were all under the mash potatoes, Mother let me get up from the table. Now, I had not complied with my mother’s demand, but they were no longer visible and thereby I was allowed to get up from the table. Now, I’m sure she discovered them when she cleaned the plate. But that is how kipur worked. The sins were just hidden but not taken away.

Now, sometimes, my father would eat my peas. This took care of the situation completely. They were not on my plate. They were gone. Not that I took care of them myself, but the problem was taken care of by my father. This is similar to the word used for atonement in the New Testament.

New Testament: katallage (to reconcile)

The writer of Hebrews gives us more information about this: He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption (Hb 9:12, NIV). And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all (Hb 10:10, NIV).

As my father did for me, Jesus did for all of us. His actions solved the sin debt for us—not just hiding the problem, but reconciling the problem—making it no longer a problem at all.

But do we fully understand this sacrifice Christ made for us?

This is what I would like for us to explore further next time. It may amaze you to know the extent and length Jesus did for us so that we don’t have to face the judgment and consequence of our sin debt. It was truly not an act of cover up, but an act of reconciliation for which we should all be entirely grateful.

Come join me next time. Until then. God bless.

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens