The Scourge Of Racism
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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!
As the Lord led me to write in the two-part post, Revelation’s Seven Churches In Time under the category, Bible Prophecy, starting January 5, 2020, He fully commended only two of those churches whose faithful individual members had stood and would stand to the end. Besides having the Lord’s full commendation, these two churches also share in common persecution stemming from the same source He identifies as “those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not,” (Revelation 2:9, 3:9, NKJV). However, one church He urges to “Be faithful until death” to gain a crown while the other is to remain faithful so no one takes theirs (Revelation 2:10, 3:11, NKJV).
In the midst of another growing wave of irrational anti-Semitism around the world, because of love for my Lord Jesus Christ who as I stated in a recent post is Jewish forever (Matthew 1:1-17; Luke 3:23-38; Revelation 5:1-5, 22:16) and His people the Jews,1 I confess some discomfort at the prospect of being lumped in with those who hate them just for the cause of putting this post into its proper historical context and trumpeting the glorious prophetic end that results. Nevertheless, it is in the pure joy of celebrating that near at hand glorious prophetic end that I proceed; trusting that the Lord who has set me on this course will vindicate me in motive and His purpose.
Indeed, as the resurrected Lord Himself presents in messages to His two faithful churches, the Jews were vigorous persecutors of 1st century A.D. Christians. This is as He foretold and warned His Jewish disciples about when He was persecuted and about to be put to death by their religious leaders in Israel (John 15:18-16:4). Though the Gentile Roman Governor, Pilate, gave the order for His crucifixion, it was the Jewish religious leaders that had plotted, instigated and advocated for it (John 11:45-53, 18:1-14, 28-19:22)! Even so, He voiced His love for them all from the cross (Luke 23:34). After His death, Jewish leaders sought to cover up His resurrection (Matthew 27:62-28:15).
In fulfillment of prophecy, the risen Lord commanded His disciples turned apostles to proclaim the Gospel about Him “to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” which He reiterated just before His ascension back to Heaven and after being queried by them about the restoration of Israel’s kingdom (Isaiah 49:5-6; Luke 24:44-49; Acts 1:4-8). Only a short time after persecuting Christ to the death, the Jewish religious establishment started in on His apostles to root out and destroy the growing number of Jews becoming Christians if at all possible (Acts 4:1-22). The whole rest of the Book of Acts documents the persistent opposition of Jews to the Gospel across the Roman Empire.
By the time of Christ’s end of the 1st century Revelation that gives us the one and only post-ascension description of Him in His glory (Revelation 1:9-18);2 after the Temple and Jerusalem were destroyed and they scattered to the nations in A.D. 70 by the Romans as He foretold (Mark 13:1-2; Luke 21:20-24), Jewish opposition and persecution of Christians is still strong as the Lord’s messages to the faithful churches at Smyrna and Philadelphia demonstrate. Part of the reason for their opposition to this day is divine judgment and part is the unbelief common to all mankind until the illumination of grace and salvation through faith (John 6:41-45, 12:37-41; Romans 9:6-11:10).
In declaring that those opposing the Gospel and Christianity “say they are Jews, and are not, but lie,” the Lord is not denying their natural descent from Abraham. He echoes what He spoke while on earth and later taught through the apostle Paul that a Jew God regards for now is one spiritually through new birth by the Holy Spirit of first importance (John 8:37-43; Romans 2:17-29, 4). Labeling them in their opposition to the point of blasphemy at Smyrna and Philadelphia as “a synagogue of Satan,” identifies its ultimate evil source and portrays their base of operations (John 8:44-47; Revelation 2:9, 3:9, NKJV). That opposition would stir up and be joined by Gentile authorities leading to the suffering, arrest, imprisonment and martyrdom of many Jewish and Gentile Christians.3
Dominant in the first generation of Christianity as it was spread by the apostles, Jewish Christians in the centuries that passed thereafter seemed to nearly disappear so small did their numbers become as a minority among Gentile churches.4 Many, of course, tried to maintain ties to their Jewish community to include the synagogue, but to this day continue to endure the hostility and rejection the Lord Jesus apparently addresses in His message to the church at Philadelphia. For while all of what He says is encouraging to any Christian seeking to be faithful under similar circumstances as I have personally experienced, the Lord’s message to the church at Philadelphia I am convinced of Him has special significance to those of His Jewish heritage.
1 See the February 2, 2020 post, Ethnically Diverse Mankind Is Of God, under the categories Black History and God’s Creatures.
2 Not only do we have an amazing description of the glorified Jesus Christ in His Revelation, but an objective reading of it puts more of His Lion Persona on display than
in the Gospels. This is because His first coming as the Lamb (gentle and lowly) was about being approachable and sacrificing Himself to take “away the sin of the
world,” (Matthew 11:28-30; John 1:29, NKJV). Mission accomplished, glorified and reigning seated on His Father’s throne at His right hand, Lord King Jesus is a Lion
(strong and a warrior) firmly in charge; ruling, judging and about to bring the Kingdom of God to earth in power, great glory and divine wrath at His Second Coming
(Revelation 2:5, 16, 21-23, 3:3, 14-19, 6:12-17, 19:11-16)! He is that Lion and Lamb composite (Revelation 5:5-6) the Father wills to make us over to be in Christ’s
image as aspiring strong men and great women of God (Romans 8:29)! Learn more about this in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics. Get a print copy
or digital download at major internet booksellers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, ChristianBooks.com and Apple (digital only). You can also get a print copy in the
Strong Man Store.
3 Severe persecutions by Gentiles would continue until in a few centuries, Christianity became accepted in the Roman Empire and a growing number of Gentile nations
beyond though, they would not cease entirely; continuing somewhere on earth to this very hour to the end and shortly to go global as the Lord Jesus foretells (Matthew 10:22, 24:9).
4 To learn more about Jewish Christians after the 1st century read this Wikipedia article. Life in predominantly Gentile churches was difficult for the tiny remnant of Jewish
Christians over the centuries especially when in the arrogance of manmade religion, many of their ostensible Gentile brothers turned on, mistreated and persecuted
them as anti-Semites. Persecution became all the more intense when professed Gentile Christians joined with their wider community of unbelievers such as during
Spain’s inquisitions, Hitler’s ovens and Stalin’s gulags. To the world, a Jew was a Jew whether a Christian or not. Fear of certain reprisal is no doubt why in part Jewish
persecution of Gentile Christians became rare.
I have been thanking God for and will make the release of Pastor Andrew Brunson and our sister, Asia Bibi, from imprisonment for the faith this fall an important part of my Thanksgiving celebration. Brunson, an American Pastor, had spent two years incarcerated in Turkey after living with his family and shepherding a church there 23 years. He was freed after President Trump threatened sanctions. Bibi, a Pakistan native, was arrested and held on death row 8 years as a Christian for the charge of blasphemy against Islam. Prayerfully remember fellow believers suffering all over the world for the faith and give thanks for those God graciously delivers remembering next time, it could be you (1 Thessalonians 5:18; Hebrews 13:3, 23).1 Have a blessed Thanksgiving!
1 Read this article about the arrest of an American Christian anti-abortion activist and why.
I have heard from some white Christians over the years that they are tired of hearing about racism. I have also heard of others lately that do not care any longer to deal with it as a social justice issue. And while I can understand how the foregoing might be so from a sinful human perspective, has anyone considered that the Lord Jesus Christ could possibly be at the end of His forbearance to bring more severe judgment upon the guilty who tolerate and practice racism in His Church? After all, besides being sin from arrogant pride and spawning many deeds of transgression and iniquity, racism in the Church defies and disobeys a very direct and specific commandment of Christ as Lord!1
To be clear, the arrogance of racial bigotry and discrimination are nowhere supported in the Bible because they are sin; going as they do against the character of God and Law He gave to Israel as His chosen people charged to act like Him (Deuteronomy 10:12-22)! And though the Lord forbade Israel to intermarry with the surrounding pagan Gentile nations, as He leads me to explain in my book, The Scourge Of Racism, it was not about racism, but spiritual fidelity since all these nations engaged in idolatry among other ungodly practices (Exodus 34:10-17).2 In the New Testament, what had morphed into bigotry and discrimination in Jewish practice was rebuked (Acts 6:1-7, 10:1-11:18)!
Also, irrefutable as biblical evidence Christ and Heaven view racism as sin is His ‘“new commandment’” that the disciples making up His Church ‘“love one another’” as He ‘“loved’” us, (John 13:34, NKJV).3 What? Do you think the Lord is not serious about His commandment stated with the same force of authority as the Ten Commandments which also came from Him (Exodus 24:9-18)? The bigotry and discrimination of racism willfully transgress, sin against and pervert the Lord’s new commandment to His disciples that tolerate and practice it; His disciples who by His stated will are supposed to be identified as such by our ‘“love for one another,’” (John 13:35, NKJV).4
This means every professed Christian white, black and every other hue that practice racism is sinning against the Lord!5 Now, the racism of guilty professed white Christians is typically what is addressed when the subject comes up. This is one of the many not so small consequences for the guilty whites from the nation’s inception and over the centuries that have led out in tolerating and practicing the sin of racism. However, we black and Christians of other hues that are guilty get no pass from judgment as the usual objects of racism’s scourge without repentance since the Lord shows no partiality and judges each man as his deeds deserve (Romans 2:4; 2 Corinthians 5:9-11).6
Centuries of tolerating and practicing racism by disobedient real Christians and those as religious impostors have misrepresented Him as well as brought disgrace and shame on Christ and His Church. Only Satan could benefit from the failure of professed Christians to obey the Lord’s command to love each other and has; untold numbers of especially minority men want nothing to do with Christianity because its primary identifying mark, love, has been largely missing. So, is the Lord okay with this as even many evangelicals appear to believe judging by their slowness to address racism internally and how far down the moral issues list it is? After encountering the Lord in a recent time of fasting and prayer, I can assure of His grief; the end of His forbearance and longsuffering!7
1 Read the September 17, 2023 post, Racism A Two-Fold Scourge, under the category, Biblical Worldview. The historic culpability of the guilty majority white members making up the American Church in upholding the tolerance and practice of racism within and without its assemblies is inescapable to all but the most spiritually hardened of hearts in denial.
2 The Scourge Of Racism, Copyright 2023, ODCM Publishing Division, Portland, OR, p. 45. Learn more about the soon to be released book at this link.
3 Every aspiring strong Man and great woman of God in Christ’s image takes to heart His commandment understanding the role assignment He has given us as a servant of humanity. I write about this eternal role in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics. Get your Hard or Soft Cover or E-Book Edition in the Strong Man Store now, among internet booksellers and brick and mortar bookstores.
4 See the two-part post that begins March 8, 2015, Known By Our Love, under the category, Instruction. As this 2015 post affirms, the love the Lord speaks of is God’s. This reality makes His cause for “all” to be able to identify those who are truly His disciples by our love for one another the more frustrating when they also tolerate and practice racism! Of course, the post also stresses a significant reason racism can exist to the extent it does in His Church. It is because of the many false Christians as impostors practicing a manmade, counterfeit version of the real deal that is also tolerated.
5 Read the December 11, 2016 post, Professing Christian Racism Is Sin Too, under the category, Call To Repent.
6 The racism practiced by blacks and other hues is just as wicked as that of whites in the sight of the Lord! For this cause, no one can justify being a racist by saying some- one else is one too.
7 I was fasting and seeking the Lord on another matter this past September 13th. In the brokenness of my soul in His presence, He blended His grief over the state of His Church in America with my personal concern. I cannot stress enough how urgent it is for every professed Christian to watch our Strong Man Of God Online Rally, Return To The Lord. It is not about garnering views for the sake of boasting. It is about giving the willing the chance to hear the Lord’s heart for His professed people at this critical time in the history of our nation and world!
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.
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.
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