“Say to the people of Israel: ‘As I live,’ says the LORD GOD, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked TURN FROM HIS WAY AND LIVE. TURN, TURN FROM YOUR EVIL WAYS! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’” (Ezekiel 33:11) One of the saddest stories in the Bible is the story of the Jews REJECTING THEIR OWN MESSIAH. After spending millennia desperately waiting and anticipating His arrival, most Jews didn’t recognize Jesus.
Jesus came into the world when Rome ruled the Jewish people WITH AN IRON HAND. There were many in Palestine (In AD 135, Roman Emperor Hadrian expelled the Jews from Jerusalem and as an insult to the Jews renamed Israel to “Syria-Palestina.” “Palestina” took its name from the enemy of the Jews, the ancient Philistines) who were proclaiming that the coming kingdom, predicted in the Old Testament, would come by means OF A MILITARY OVERTHROW. Jesus came upon the scene and proclaimed God’s kingdom was at hand but SAID IT WOULD BELONG TO THE MEEK, not the strong. His ministry was one of mercy, not judgment. “For God DID NOT send His Son into the world TO CONDEMN THE WORLD, but that the world through Him might be saved.” (John 3:17)
The Jews wanted the Romans TO BE CONDEMNED for their cruelty! This message of Jesus’ was revolutionary. He told the people to GO the extra mile, to TURN the other cheek, to SUBMIT rather than resist. Meekness is often associated with being WEAK AND WIMPY—a doormat to walk all over. For this reason, MEEKNESS MAY BE AMONG THE MOST MISUNDERSTOOD WORDS IN THE SCRIPTURES! But the Savior referred to Himself as “meek and lowly in heart” (Matthew 11:29). As His disciples, shouldn’t we also TRY TO BE MEEK? Meekness is STRONG, not weak; ACTIVE, not passive; COURAGEOUS, not timid; RESTRAINED, not excessive; MODEST, not self-aggrandizing; and GRACIOUS, not brash. A meek person is not easily provoked, pretentious, or overbearing and readily acknowledges the accomplishments of others.
Jews believe in ONE GOD and that God is THE ONLY BEING WHO SHOULD BE WORSHIPPED. When Jesus said, “I and My Father ARE ONE.” Then the Jews took up stones again TO STONE HIM.” (John 10:30-31) After Jesus had miraculously raised Lazarus from the dead, the Jews said, “If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation…Then, from that day on, they plotted TO PUT JESUS TO DEATH.” (John 11:48, 53)
Remember though, the covenant God made with Abraham, “In blessing I will BLESS YOU, and multiplying I will MULTIPLY YOUR DESCENDANTS as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore…In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have OBEYED MY VOICE.”(Genesis 22:17-18) God said concerning this promise, “Thus says the LORD, Who gives the SUN for a light by day, The ORDINANCES of the MOON and the STARS for a light by night…If those ordinances DEPART FROM BEFORE ME, says the LORD, Then the seed of Israel shall also CEASE FROM BEING A NATION before Me forever.” (Jeremiah 31:35-36) As long as the sun shines God will keep His promise, today if you touch Israel, you touch the apple of God’s eye (Deut. 32:10).
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham