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Knowing from eternity what awaited Him is one thing as the Lord led me to write about in my November 27, 2022 post, it is another thing experiencing the hatred, persecution and suffering that led to His death!1 Satan--who knows from experience the Bible narrative and its prophecies better than even the most studious of believers--sought to prevent Christ’s mortal entry into the world by destroying His godly lineage in advance. He could not (Genesis 3:1-7, 13-15, 4:1-8, 25-26, 17:1-8, 22:9-18, 25:19-26, 49:1-2, 8-12; Matthew 1:1-17; Luke 3:23-38; Galatians 3:15-18)! Undeterred because of his hatred for God and man, the devil did not stop trying to keep Christ from coming.
Being the Almighty God, the Father was undeterred from bringing His Son into the world in the face of Satan’s fierce hatred because of His love for and consequent desire to save mankind from eternal destruction (Jeremiah 32:26-27; John 3:16-21). In fulfillment of His Word spoken some seven hundred years before through the prophet (Isaiah 7:10-14), God sent “the angel Gabriel” to deliver His message of blessing and “favor” to a “betrothed” Jewish virgin named “Mary.” She was chosen by God for whom “nothing is impossible” to ‘“conceive’” in her ‘“womb’” ‘“a Son’” by the agency of the ‘“Holy Spirit,’” ‘“to be born’” and ‘“called the Son of God,’” (Luke 1:26-38, NKJV).
Only the apostle Matthew records how Satan persecuting Him before birth, might have destroyed the developing unborn Son in His mother’s womb. Discovering her condition however he did, Joseph, Mary’s “husband, being a just (or righteous) man” did not want to expose her to “public” scandal and the very possible condemnation of death by stoning required in the law under normal circumstances for not being a virgin or adultery (Deuteronomy 22:13-24; Matthew 1:18-19, NKJV).2 Stoning Mary to death would have also killed her unborn Child. But God intervened with Joseph by His angel in a “dream” as he wrestled with his troubling marital dilemma (Matthew 1:20a, NKJV).
The angel encouraged Joseph revealing the activity and purposes of God in Mary’s pregnancy. He was told not to fear embracing Mary as his wife because “that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit” validating her truthfulness and faithfulness. Furthermore, Mary would ‘“bring forth a Son’” and Joseph as His surrogate father given the honor of naming Him, ‘“Jesus,’” because ‘“He will save His people from their sins,’” (Matthew 1:20b-21, NKJV).3 Matthew goes on to also affirm Mary’s virgin pregnancy with Jesus, the Son of God, by the Father’s will and exertion of power to accomplish it “fulfilled” Isaiah’s prophecy (Matthew 1:22-23, NKJV). Too, he reports Joseph obeyed God’s message through the angel and kept his wife’s purity until her Son was born (Matthew 1:24-25).
1 Read the November 27, 2022, Christ The Lamb Slain Before Creation, under the category, Instruction.
2 Speaking of Joseph as “just” refers to his character which God plainly shows is important to Him with also Mary and all of the godly persons named in the Christmas narrative. He leads me to uphold His shaping and forming of the character of Christ in Christians as the nonnegotiable renewing work He does in us for the present and eternity in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics. It is available at your favorite internet bookseller or brick and mortar bookstore and the Strong Man Store. With the Lord’s leading, I also developed a companion curriculum drawn from the book, The Strong Man Of God Men’s Group Study and The Great Woman Of God Women’s Group Study for the equipping of the saints in the home and churches. Get the Leader Kits that contain a Soft Cover Edition of my book, a respective Leader Guide and Participant Workbook as well as CD-Roms featuring PowerPoint Teaching Assistance, Pledge Sheets and Evaluation Forms for both studies exclusively in the Strong Man Store.
3 As is commonly explained by most expositors the angel would have used the proper Hebrew and Aramaic for the Lord’s name, “Yeshua,” which means “Yahweh will save” or “the Lord is salvation” or quite literally to the point, “Savior!” Holy Scripture assures the Lord will respond to His name by whatever language is used to “call upon Him,” (Acts 2:1-6; Romans 10:11-13, NKJV).
Sometime between the fourth and ninth months of her pregnancy, Mary, the virgin mother of Jesus Christ and her betrothed husband, Joseph, received word of an imperial edict that would require them to leave Nazareth. As Gospel writer, Luke, reports, “a decree went out from Caesar Augustus” Roman Emperor at the time, “that all the world (controlled by the Roman Empire) should be registered,” (Luke 2:1-2, NKJV). Consequently, the couple made their way to a Judean town named Bethlehem. They had to make this seventy to ninety mile trek because as members of the tribe of Judah and descendants of king David, both needed to register there (Luke 2:3-5).
Mary had just traveled to an unnamed “city of Judah” in the first trimester of her pregnancy to visit “Elizabeth,” her “relative” who like her, was the recipient of God’s grace and supernatural power. Elizabeth was enabled to conceive a son by natural means “in her old age.” Their joyous initial interaction is one for the ages (Luke 1:36-56, NKJV)! Now, fully showing in her pregnancy, Mary’s trip to Bethlehem in obedience to the decree of Caesar Augustus with thousands of others from all over Israel would not be as easy. Indeed, it was not intended to be since the inconvenience of the trip was not of God’s perfect, but His permissive will, foreknowledge and prophetic purpose.
Caesar’s census decree at that precise moment in history was of Satan as he continued persecuting and seeking for ways to destroy the unborn Son of God to keep Him from coming into the world!1 A census in and of itself is not evil for the Lord commanded Moses to number Israel as one means to collect an offering to Him designated “for the service of the tabernacle of meeting,” (Exodus 30:11-16, 38:25-26, NKJV). God also commanded Moses to take a census of the males twenty years old and over “who are able to go to war,” (Numbers 1:1-4, NKJV) and did so again after He had punished Israel with a plague that killed thousands (Numbers 25-26:4).
However, it is also written, “Now, Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel,” (1 Chronicles 21:1, NKJV). The king’s motive was the sin of pride for which God punished the nation (1 Chronicles 21:2-17).2 Having the title “Augustus” (meaning “exalted” as one divine), Satan easily moved Caesar in pride not only to know the number of Roman citizens throughout his empire, but non-citizens under subjection to press into his service and tax to finance his ambitions. The Jews chafed under Roman taxation this new census would facilitate and no doubt the burden of traveling to their ancestral regions to register Joseph and Mary now, found themselves doing as well.
Not able to cause the possible destruction of her unborn Son through miscarriage or otherwise during the perilous, untimely journey to Bethlehem, Satan waited in the shadows for an opportunity in the town when the time for Mary’s delivery came (Luke 2:6). The town overflowing with descendants of Judah and David made it very hard to secure a suitable place as the devil anticipated. In the place scholars debate was either a cave, stable or home where animals were sheltered because there was no other room for them, Mary lay in the agony of labor;3 vicariously embodying one of the major purposes of her people, Israel: to be God’s means of bringing His Son into the World (Romans 9:1-5)!
A “great” summary prophetic “sign” the apostle John was later shown affirms the foregoing truth (Revelation 12:1-2, NKJV). “Another sign” in the same prophetic review of messianic history depicts Satan as “a great, fiery red dragon” that “stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born,” (Revelation 12:3-4, NKJV). He was not permitted by God to do so as Mary “brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger,” (Luke 2:7; Revelation 12:5a, NKJV). Frustrated yet again, the devil could only look on powerlessly as God sent angels to announce to lowly Jewish shepherds what the nation had been waiting generations for--the birth of “a Savior, who is Christ the Lord,” (Luke 2:8-20, NKJV)!
1 Read the December 4, 2022 post, Christ Persecuted Before Birth, under the category, Instruction.
2 As the Lord leads me to address in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics, pride is the number one sin of men--saved and unsaved! Our enemy, Satan, knows just the right recipe of temptations to bring it out of us. Get my book and learn what God has provided for our victory more often than not as aspiring strong men of God in in the image of Jesus Christ! It is available at your favorite internet bookseller or brick and mortar bookstore and the Strong Man Store.
3 I invite every aspiring great woman of God in the image of Christ to get the Strong Man Of God Audio Resource, Christmas From Eve To Mary to hear three messages the Lord led me to preach celebrating human femininity as designed by Him! Learn more about this resource, listen to a sample and make your purchase exclusively in the Strong Man Store.
So then, faithful born again Christians are not supposed to be struggling with why we would suffer persecution even to the death for being followers of Jesus Christ! Christ being our example in everything led me beginning November 27, 2022 to write consecutive posts through January 8, 2023 holding up His willingness in attitude from eternity to suffer persecution to the death and His experience of it for God’s cause of salvation. Completely identifying with Christ, our cause in profound gratitude to be saved and love for Him is to be willing to suffer persecution to the death if called upon as a witness to the world of the Gospel’s power to save and for the glory of God (Revelation 12:11)!1
Many of the professed Christians struggling with the biblically taught, prophetically foretold, historically demonstrated and currently ongoing reality of persecution for the faith to the death are sadly, impostors. Others are superficial and weak in the faith for various reasons including not being properly taught in the churches they attend. They are ready to fall away at the least bit of persecution related suffering “because of the word.” Still others are distracted and preoccupied with “the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches.” Not a few such as religionists who have their own “form” of Christianity are in fearful denial (Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23; 2 Timothy 3:1-12, NKJV).
Nevertheless, when the Lord granted and announced to His persecutors bent on killing Him ‘“this is your hour, and the power of darkness,’” this period of hatred driven persecution He foretold that began with Him commenced and has continued for His followers nearly two millennia (Luke 21:17, 22:53; John 15:18-19, NKJV). It will not end until His Second Coming (2 Thessalonians 1:3-10)! While the extent and severity of persecution has ebbed and flowed over the centuries, some observers suggest the uptick of martyrdoms in the 20th century was more than all of the previous centuries together!2 A number believe all forms of persecution this 21st century are the worst ever.3
However bad it is now, Bible prophecy assures us that even more hate-filled, intensely oppressive, violent, murderous and widespread persecution is coming upon the saints from among all nations (Matthew 24:9) and finally the Antichrist (Daniel 7:15-25; 8:23-25, 11:31; Matthew 24:15-22).4 Indeed, wherever Christians have been persecuted “for” His “name’s sake,” most frequently over the centuries up to now, it has involved various governing and religious authorities to include professed Christians just as the Lord warned (Luke 21:12, NKJV).5 Such times, He instructs, are an opportunity to testify with the Holy Spirit’s help requiring no need to worry about what to say (Luke 21:13-15).
Perhaps the most mentally and emotionally disturbing thing to consider is the Lord’s warning too, of being persecuted and betrayed to the death by family and friends (Luke 21:16). As I wrote in a previous post in this series, the Lord was persecuted by His brothers and betrayed to His death by a friend.6 I understand betrayal by friends to the death since most of us will have very few in a lifetime that are of the depth and caliber of Jonathan to David (1 Samuel 19-20). I have had my share of even professed Christian friends betray me for whatever motives. And while troubling to contemplate, having had family strife over Christ as He warns, I know betrayal is possible too (Matthew 10:34-39)!7
The faithful are to understand and take comfort in the fact evil mankind and the devil have been permitted their hour to persecute first our Lord Jesus and us afterward by God! So, we are to endure it as testing knowing that there is good that comes out of it for us including divine blessing and reward (Matthew 5:10-12; Luke 6:22-23; Romans 5:1-5, 8:18-39; 2 Timothy 4:6-8; James 1:1-8; 1 Peter 1:1-12, 2:18-25, 3:13-17, 4:12-19; Revelation 2:25-29, 14:9-13). They are all taking their best shot, but in the end, we remain standing even in spite of death because Christ who died and rose again immortal, enables us to do the same (1 Corinthians 6:14, 15:50-57; 2 Timothy 1:8-12)! Thus, if it must be, let us go out like and for Him as many of our brethren have done, are doing and will do.8
1 This is precisely the heart of every aspiring strong man and great woman of God in the image of Christ I write about in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics. It is available at your favorite internet bookseller or brick and mortar bookstore and the Strong Man Store.
2 Read the 2010 Christianity.com article by Dan Wooding, Modern Christianity.
3 See the 2023 World Watch List produced by Open Doors International and cited in a Christianity Today article. Also, read the November 29, 2020 post the Lord led me to write discussing the rising persecution of Christians in our own nation entitled, Persecution Of American Christians Intensifying, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
4 Let it sink down into our hearts: this hour granted to evil men and demons to persecute the saints is moving toward its foretold climax (Revelation 13)!
5 Professed Christians among Catholics and Protestants in history have violently persecuted the Lord’s saints and prophets and martyred many as heretics wickedly going far beyond the authority of Scripture (Revelation 17:1-6).
6 Read the January 8, 2023 post, Christ Persecuted To The Death, under the category, Instruction.
7 See the two-part post beginning May 24, 2020, Persecution, Hatred And Betrayal, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
8 Christ with humble submission to God and resolute determination after prayer went to the cross and expects His faithful to follow His example in the face of our own cross (Mark 8:31-38, 14:32-50).
I open the New Year as the Lord leads continuing in this post to hold Him and His experiences up as our instructional example in having to endure persecution even to the death according to His Father’s will and purposes. As post titles beginning November 27, 2022 reflect, Christ was the Lamb slain prior to creation and persecuted before and to His birth along with shortly after as a young Child. This post briefly chronicles Christ’s persecution to His death on a Roman cross. We know this was all for our salvation, but what many are struggling with at this hour is why His followers must also suffer persecution as He? The Lord and His apostles provide instruction that is biblical Christianity to us.
While we know nothing about Satan’s persecution in attempts to tempt Christ to sin, corrupt, compromise or kill Him between His Childhood and the beginning of His ministry as an Adult, we know plenty from that point on thanks to New Testament writers. For example, no temptation was successful since commenting on the whole of His life the writer of Hebrews says He “was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin,” (Hebrews 4:15, NKJV). God the Father’s protection kept Satan from killing His Son during His formative years as it did through the three years or so He preached, taught and ministered throughout Israel starting “at about thirty years of age,” (Luke 3:23a, NKJV).
The launch of the Lord’s ministry followed His baptism by John the Baptist and being purposely “led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil” at the conclusion of “forty days and forty nights” of fasting from food (Matthew 3:13-4:2; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13, NKJV)!1 After His wilderness temptations, He “returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee” to begin His ministry (Isaiah 9:1-2; Mark 1:14-15; Luke 4:14-15, NKJV). Coming to “Nazareth, where he had been brought up,” the Lord Jesus offered His biblical credentials as the Messiah in its “synagogue on the Sabbath day;” reading from “the book of the prophet Isaiah,” (Isaiah 61:1-2a; Luke 4:16-21, NKJV).
It did not go well as those who knew the Lord from Childhood were incredulous of His claim to be the Messiah, then infuriated by His rebuke of their unbelief. They next put hands on and tried to kill Him by throwing Him “over the cliff” “of the hill” “their city was built” on. But He miraculously passed right “through the midst of them” escaping and “went His way,” (Luke 4:22-30, NKJV). This violent attempt to kill Christ was followed by several more as those in unbelief “persecuted” and “sought to kill Him,” (John 5:1-18, 8:48-59, 10:22-39, NKJV). Persecutors included His brothers and among those who would kill Him, Israel’s religious leaders (John 7:1-9, 11:38-57).2
Ultimately behind all the persecution and every attempt to kill the Lord Jesus was Satan as he in pure hatred had been seeking to do from before, at and after His birth. For he fully knew Christ was the foretold “Seed” of the woman that would crush him (Genesis 3:15, NKJV).3 According to the Lord, Satan is also a “murderer” and has been “from the beginning.” This is how it is that the Jews of that time sought to kill Him when they did since they carried out “the deeds” and “desires” of their “father the devil” as do all murderers (John 8:37-47, NKJV). However, no one could harm the Lord “because His hour had not yet come,” (Psalm 31:14-15; John 7:25-32, 40-52, 8:13-20, NKJV).
Even so, the Lord Jesus was fully aware of what was going on and foretold His impending suffering, death and triumphant resurrection to His disciples (Luke 9:18-22). And indeed, it came; the Lord’s hour ordained from eternity. It arrived by way of betrayal by a disciple possessed of Satan, “Judas, surnamed Iscariot,” (Luke 22:1-23; John 13:18-30, NKJV). He called this man ‘“Friend’” as he led “troops” out to arrest the Lord; ‘“betraying’” Him ‘“with a kiss,’” (Psalm 41:7-9; Matthew 26:47-50; Mark 14:43-46; Luke 22:47-51; John 18:1-3, NKJV). Consistent with His words about laying down His life saying, ‘“No one takes it from Me,’” the Lord surrendered to the throng (John 10:15-18, 18:4-11, NKJV).4 He told them too, it was their ‘“hour and’” Satan’s also--finally (Luke 22:52-53, NKJV).
After beating, whipping and humiliating Him, they crucified my Lord. But just as He said, He rose again on the third day certifying our salvation and on the fortieth day ascended back to His Father after instructing His apostles (Isaiah 53; Luke 24:36-53; Acts 1:4-11; Revelation 12:5b). As He made clear, His followers face the same satanically driven persecution as He resulting in suffering and leading to death for many as has occurred from the first century until now, because we are identified with Him (Matthew 10:16-42, 24:1-9; Luke 9:23-26, 21:12-19; John 15:18-16:4; Acts 9:1-5; 1 Thessalonians 2:13-3:8; 2 Thessalonians 1:3-8; 2 Timothy 3:10-12). Also, with Israel, our spiritual mother, there is still more to come until Christ’s return because she bore Him (Revelation 12:6-17)!5
1 See the January 29-February 12, 2017 three-part series and especially part two, Jesus, Son Of Man, under the category, The Cause. Interestingly, Luke 4:13 says, “Now, when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time,” (NKJV). This plainly asserts that the devil was relentless in his persecution of the Lord.
2 The tragic historical conduct of Christianity the religion of men and its leaders awaiting God’s final judgment parallels that of first century Judaism’s religious leaders. Pro- fessed Christian religious leaders have also violently persecuted and murdered the righteous as opposition (Revelation 16:19b, 17:1-6, 18:1-19:4). Read Foxe’s Book of Martyrs.
3 Isn’t that amazing? More so than the unsaved and professed Christians he deceives to ignore or disparage it, Satan actually believes God’s Word! Read the January 9, 2022 post, Easier To Read Bibles, under the categories Bible Prophecy and Instruction to be reminded again of the truth: there is a war going on between God’s King- dom and Satan’s kingdom of darkness. All mankind is in play as participants on one side or the other! On whose side do you stand?
4 Here is the reason faithful Christians--every aspiring strong man and great woman of God in the image of Christ--does not take up arms to resist persecutors. He taught and set the example for how we are to conduct ourselves. The Lord led me to write about this in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics. Get your Soft or Hard Cover copy at your favorite internet bookseller or brick and mortar bookstore and the Strong Man Store.
5 Satan is the original anti-Semite. He hates and will violently persecute the Jews until Christ returns and rescues God’s elect remnant from among them (Isaiah 10:20-23; Micah 5:3-4, 7:14-20). Consequently, the historic and ongoing rise of anti-Semitism in the world at this hour should not baffle professed Christians that take God’s written Word seriously!
Having just spent time giving serious thanks to God for all of His blessings this Thanksgiving, the Lord again directs my attention to the persecution being suffered by my Christian brethren among many nations. Though I do not write a lot about the ongoing persecution of Christians, I stay regularly informed and prayerful for all. The aforementioned “all” includes not just the suffering faces of those in faraway lands such as North Korea and Nigeria, but increasingly, those enduring persecution in this Western hemisphere and our own nation. Truly, growing hostility toward and persecution of Bible believing Christians in America is a reality that can no longer be dismissed as only isolated.
As a supporter of similarly named, but organizationally unrelated Open Doors USA, our Ministry regularly receives their reports on what is happening among our persecuted Christian brethren around the world.1 Not only are our brethren suffering from family and community exclusion within the nations they live, but government harassment, arrests, unfair trials, incarceration, legally sanctioned mob violence and martyrdom. When the Christian men are targeted for incarceration or murder, it leaves their families to suffer. While Communist and Islamic run nations fill the list of persecutors, nations such as Christian Eritrea, Hindu India and Buddhist Bhutan are also prominent.2
It is about to get really real for those of us that profess to be Christians in America too. Intensifying opposition to the biblical faith once on the fringe of American society is going mainstream. Moral tenets of the faith once taken for granted as absolute and bedrock to American society are not only being challenged, but cast down as no longer acceptable. These are not just tenets governing marriage and family for example, but definitions of objective truth, right and wrong, good and evil as well as justice and injustice. In the wake of this swiftly moving river of moral upheaval, Christians that would dare stand firm for the moral tenets of our faith are suffering varying degrees of persecution.
Besides the “in-your-face” government policies and litigations to remove crosses and nativity scenes as public displays of Christianity to implement falsely believed constitutionally mandated church and state separation, some Christians have suffered being demoted or fired from employment because they had Bibles at their work stations or read them on breaks. And because many secular entities have a “corporate culture” now, that does not tolerate religious expression (though, they publicly trumpet “inclusion” and “diversity” as values), being hired a Christian with a social media presence may be very difficult and once hired, witnessing Christ to co-workers is out.3
American secular colleges and universities that have historically celebrated tolerating various viewpoints as a means in the process of vigorous, but polite debate to sharpen the thinking of young minds have in too many instances today, hung out the “not welcome” sign to a biblical worldview. Biblically conservative Christian students are routinely singled out and held up to ridicule for their faith. Christian professors do not escape either.4 The secular media regularly ignores and mocks Christians that hold to a biblical worldview being quick only to report on high profile “Televangelists” and “Megachurch Pastors” whose sins come to light, while social media giants resist them.5
As I have also commented in other posts, a number of American Christians have been purposely targeted and martyred in mass shootings such as the one at Columbine High School in 1999 along with churches as occurred in Charleston, SC in 2015 and Sutherland Springs, TX in 2017.6 In agreement with all other observers here, none of what American Christians have suffered to date compares with the daily egregious and violent persecution our overseas brethren endure--yet! Praying for “the persecuted church” like it is some disconnected entity that exists only in non-exceptional, often impoverished nations of the world is about to change as persecutors intensify their efforts in America.7 And why? It is their “hour and the power of darkness,” (Luke 22:52-53, NKJV).
For this reason, beyond seeking to sensitize us to the ongoing suffering of our brethren wherever they are as a primary reason for this post, exhorting faithful American Christians to spiritually, mentally and emotionally prepare for the kind of hatred fed persecution our overseas brethren experience is an important secondary reason since our Lord has warned it is to occur in “all nations,” (Matthew 10:16-39, 24:9, NKJV).8 Now, is the time to awake from arrogance and apathy to get ready for what our Lord foretells and assures will take place. Among the equipping resources available is my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics and related group studies.9 The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, "Who is on the Lord's side?"
1 The organizational parent of Strong Man Ministries is Open Door Communication Ministries, Inc. I was led by the Lord to found August 12, 1985. Read some of the
stories of persecuted Christians among the many countries on the 2020 World Watch List of Open Doors USA.
2 What many of our brethren overseas “normally” suffer from their persecutors has been intensified during the Lord’s Coronavirus judgment. As we are banding together
with other Christians to help and encourage one another here at home, the Lord would have us remember our suffering persecuted brethren in those faraway lands
with tangible support as well (1 John 3:16-18).
3 Sadly, our military as a work place is no exception. Read about the case of Chaplain Curt Cizek.
4 To learn more about the experience of Christians on American campuses read the following ACLJ, Beliefnet and IsChristianityTrue articles.
5 I can attest to the heavy-handed resistance of Facebook to biblically conservative ministries such as this one among the social media giants. “Likes” to our pages by
Christians mysteriously dwindle after I write blogs or make posts on their platform that are not politically correct, tolerant etc. which the Lord has had me call them on.
They want me to believe that just making better posts and spending more money to “boost” them will remedy the situation though, such has not been the case since
they also limit the reach of the same. For the record, I do understand a to be expected number of professed Christians that formerly liked our Facebook pages are sub-
ject to “unlike” them at any time as a show of disagreement with me. I get that, but not what Facebook is doing which lately has even taken away page likes whenever
someone has liked a post! I urge Christians that have liked our pages and those of other ministries to check back periodically especially if you have not received a post
in your newsfeeds for a time and re-like the pages if necessary. Also, enlist other Christians on Facebook to like our pages after you have done so.
6 Read for example, the June 8, 2014 post, And Then There Is The War, under the category, instruction. Revisit the cited respective church shootings at the following
links Charleston, SC and Sutherland Springs, TX.
7 See the November 12, 2017 post, God’s Throwaways?, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
8 Read the two-part post beginning May 17, 2020, Persecution, Hatred And Betrayal, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
9 A print copy or digital download of the book published by the Publishing Division of Open Door Communication Ministries, Inc. with fresh editing in 2019 for greater clari-
ty and updated web addresses in the footnotes is available at major internet booksellers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, ChristianBooks.com and Apple (digital only).
You can also purchase a print copy in the Strong Man Store. Too, leaders can teach, disciple and equip through The Strong Man Of God Men’s Group Study and The
Great Woman Of God Women’s Group Study also in the Strong Man Store.
It is once again only the apostle Matthew who relays the events that unfolded when “wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying,” ‘“Where is He who has been born King of the Jews,’” (Matthew 2:1-2a, NKJV)? Stargazers as part of their religion, these Gentiles had seen a very special star suddenly appear in the sky where they lived and concluded not just any king, but the King of the Jews had been born and came “to worship Him,” (Matthew 2:2b, NKJV).1 The text is clear these Gentile religious men made no small stir in the city of Jerusalem upon their arrival as they diligently sought to confer with any Jew in the know about the birth and whereabouts of their King.
Indeed, news of the persistent inquiring of the Magi reached the ears of Rome’s appointed king of the Jews, Herod. He and the entire city were disturbed by what these men asserted about the birth of God’s foretold, long awaited King of Israel and Anointed One (Isaiah 9:6-7, 49:1-13, 61:1-3; Jeremiah 23:5-8, 33:14-16). So “troubled” was Herod who understood the foretold King was also the Messiah, he “gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together” and “inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.” They correctly told him, ‘“In Bethlehem of Judea’” and quoted from Bible prophecy to substantiate their answer (Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:3-6; Luke 2:1-7, NKJV).2
Still frustrated at not being able to prevent Christ’s birth or kill Him immediately afterward, Satan seized upon Herod’s violent jealousy for his throne to have him deceitfully engage in a scheme to kill Him as soon as he learned His precise location in Bethlehem. “Secretly” summoning the Magi, Herod first determined when “the star appeared” they had seen. This would give him an approximate idea of how old the Child was. Then, he gave the information he had to the Magi and “sent them to Bethlehem” saying, ‘“Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also,’” (Matthew 2:7-8, NKJV).
Departing from Herod, the Magi started for Bethlehem as directed and shortly encountered again “the star which they had seen in the East.” When they saw it, they were filled with “exceedingly great joy” believing what even many professed Christians refuse to that this unique star which first appeared to them in their country then, disappeared, had now, reappeared and actually went ahead of them guiding them to “where the young Child was” because it was supernatural (Matthew 2:9-10, NKJV)! Natural stars do not behave like this. Entering “the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshipped Him,” (Matthew 2:11a, NKJV).
Don’t miss that; they fell down on their faces and worshipped Christ! As far as we know from Matthew’s account, none of the Jews from Jerusalem, their chief priests, scribes or Herod joined the Magi in their quest to locate and worship their King.3 Herod only deceitfully suggested he would if the Magi found Him and brought him back word. But these Gentiles came hundreds of miles by faith to worship the King of the Jews and did so; falling prostrate before Him! After this, they “opened their treasures” and “presented gifts to Him,” (Matthew 2:11b, NKJV).4 Warned by God in a dream, they did not go back to Herod, but returned to their own land a different way (Matthew 2:12).
God sent an angel to also warn “Joseph in a dream…” to ‘“take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod (and ultimately Satan behind this evil) will seek the young Child to destroy Him.’” Joseph did as he was told and took his family to Egypt fulfilling a prophecy when they returned after Herod’s death that clearly identifies Christ with His people, “Israel,” (Hosea 11:1; Matthew 2:13-15, NKJV). Meanwhile, feeling deceived when the Magi did not report back to him, Herod issued an edict to kill “all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old (the uppermost age Christ may have been from the Magi’s timeline) and under,” (Matthew 2:16, NKJV).
The reprehensible deed carried out, Matthew informs us it fulfilled a prophecy given by the prophet Jeremiah centuries before (Matthew 2:17-18, NKJV). Joseph was alerted to Herod’s death by the Lord’s angel in a dream when it occurred not long after his massacre of Bethlehem’s male children two and under. He then brought his family back to Israel from Egypt (Matthew 2:19-21). However, thinking of returning to Judea, he became “afraid” because Herod’s son as treacherous as he sat on his throne. After “being warned by God in” another “dream,” Joseph “turned aside into the region of Galilee” and back to “Nazareth.”5 This is where the young Child grew up into Manhood protected from Satan’s harm by God and His parents (Matthew 2:22-23; Luke 2:41-52, NKJV).
(Thank you for being a reader of the Strong Man Of God Blog in 2022. Lord willing, my next post will be on Sunday, January 8, 2023 when I will continue this current series of instructional posts that began on November 27, 2022. Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year to you and yours!)
1 How these men came to this conclusion only God knows for sure since scholars debate how much influence interaction with the Jews, their faith and Old Testament Scriptures had during the years they dwelt among them first as captives in the Medo-Persian Empire, then, voluntarily in large numbers over five centuries (see the book of Esther and Daniel 5:30-6:2, 28). One thing is certain, God had touched the hearts of these Gentiles deep enough to act on what they understood the star meant in being willing to make an over nine hundred mile journey for four months minimum not only to lay eyes on this Jewish Child King, but to worship Him (Psalm 117:1).
2 Read the December 11, 2022 Post, Christ Persecuted To His Birth, under the category, Instruction.
3 Like many professed Christian religionists to this day, the Jewish religious leaders and people read and knew what the Bible said, but did not in faith believe and act on it!
4 While their gifts to the young Child were a continuing act of worship, they were also God’s provision for the family to help support them through the difficult days He fore- knew they were about to experience.
5 Let every professed Christian take due note of the obedience and submission of Joseph to God through all the dreams presented to him. While dreams are easily debat- able, not God’s Word as it is written and still many refuse to obey and submit! Such ones are not aspiring strong men or great women of God in the image of Christ as I write about in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics since obedience and submission are character traits God forges in the willing. The book is available at your favorite internet bookseller or brick and mortar bookstore and the Strong Man Store.
It is tragic to hear of and know many professed American Christians that are not willing to accept the coming global persecution of Christians to the death plainly foretold in Old and New Testament Bible prophecy.1 Jesus Christ our Lord--God “the Word” made “flesh,” (John 1:1-3, 14, NKJV) is the most prominent voice of prophecy on this topic among the sons of men ever (Matthew 10:16-23, 24:9; Mark 13:9-13; Luke 21:12-19; John 16:1-3)! Yet, many will not hear Him. As a result, they are making no spiritual, mental or emotional preparation for what the Lord has forewarned us is coming in spite of the fact it is happening to genuine believers in many parts of the world right now.
Giving us a heads up through prophecy long ago recorded in His written Word is another manifest blessing of God’s grace. It is not intended to frighten or ward us off from being Christians though, some are departing from the faith from fear. No, God’s good intent is to keep it real with us and encourage our diligent preparation in the face of His warnings in advance as the Lord Jesus indicated during and at the end of some of His prophetic discourses (Matthew 24:23-25; Mark 13:23; John 16:4). Understanding and accepting God’s purposes in allowing His people to be persecuted to the death through faith in and love for Him will help our preparation.
Indeed, it is written of the Lord Jesus Christ our example in everything that He is “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world,” (Revelation 13:8, NKJV). The apostle Peter similarly writes of Him as God’s “lamb” “foreordained before the foundation of world,” (1 Peter 1:18-21, NKJV), while Paul indicates God’s “purpose and grace” were “given to us in Christ Jesus before time began,” (2 Timothy 1:8-12, NKJV). These amazing statements clearly tell us our Lord Jesus had knowledge and understanding of what awaited Him at a future time from eternity before there was ever a creation or such a thing as time! After these, He still had to wait millennia knowing His future before the time.
When Christ did come into the world armed with advance knowledge and understanding of His Father’s will of persecution, suffering and death on a Roman cross for Him, He came with the trail blazing attitude of the Strong Man of God He is (Hebrews 10:5-7)! He does not hide the truth of possibly having the same future from those who would become His followers He also expects to possess His attitude (Matthew 16:24-27; Mark 8:34-38; Luke 9:18-26; John 15:18-25).2 The Lord’s apostles fully understood Him and experienced persecution and suffering to the death. They wrote to instruct us we to follow are not intended to long be exceptions to the rule if as has occurred here in America, there should be a brief respite (Acts 14:19-22; Philippians 1:27-30, 2:5-8; 1 Peter 4:12-19).
1 See the October 23, 2022 post, Revenge Of Those Without God’s Mark, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
2 The attitude of Jesus Christ, the Strong Man of God is exactly what He through the book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics, commissioned me to write about to help professed Christian men know so they might possess it! The book is available at your favorite internet bookseller or brick and mortar bookstore and the Strong Man Store. I also developed a curriculum drawn from the book, the companion Strong Man Of God Men’s Group Study and Great Woman Of God Women’s Group Study for the equip- ping of the saints in the home and churches. Get the Leader Kits that contain a Soft Cover Edition of my book, a respective Leader Guide and Participant Workbook as well as CD-Roms featuring PowerPoint Teaching Assistance, Pledge Sheets and Evaluation Forms for both studies exclusively in the Strong Man Store.
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