Passover or the Lord's Supper-3

We all know that Jehovah inspired every word of His message through His prophets and apostles. However, we have over 1500 years of the Church of Rome in total control of the ‘translations’ of the ‘oldest’ of both the Hebrew and Greek manuscripts. We have no original manuscripts only copies. Now with being said, we can be sure that most of our Bibles are true to the originals, but there are a few New Testament passages that create confusion and doubt. We should never forget that Satan schemes to detract worship from Jehovah and direct it to himself through the enormous amount of false religions, false prophets, and the traditions that have carried on for thousands of years. Just like the religious leaders in the time of Jesus, they followed their traditions and their laws while forsaking the commandments of Jehovah.

Let us continue with our study of real Passover with our eternal Passover Lamb of GOD.

We will have to keep a few things in focus as we continue. First, Satan doesn’t have to rewrite the entire Bible to deceive us.

Second, there are few real concerns over the Old Testament. Could this be due to the gospel is the most critical truth that Satan desires to destroy or hide?

Third, we must also remember that Satan destroys the ‘church’ from the inside. While we normally believe this to be through false preachers and teachers, we must also look at the Bible we hold in our hands. The subtle challenges are only visible to true students of the Bible, as most just carry on with ‘church’ traditions that they have grown up with and never challenge.

Leviticus 23:4  'These are the appointed times of the LORD, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at the times appointed for them. 

23:5  'In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight is the LORD'S Passover. 23:6  'Then on the fifteenth day of the same month there is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the LORD; for seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. 

23:7  'On the first day you shall have a holy convocation; you shall not do any laborious work. 23:8  'But for seven days you shall present an offering by fire to the LORD. On the seventh day is a holy convocation; you shall not do any laborious work.'" 

Because this may be complicated to easily understand we will make sure we take one element at a time and not gloss over those elements which are vital to our understanding. That is why we must once again understand the Feast of Unleavened Bread and its timing. While this is in total agreement with the study on Exodus 12, we need to see what more can we learn.

First, the Passover begins with the killing of the Passover Lamb.

Second, it must be killed by twilight as the next day begins at sundown.

Third, the lamb will be ready to eat after sundown which is the beginning of the feast.

Fourth, the feast requires that only unleavened bread be eaten for the entire 7 days. Also, no leaven or yeast is to be found in the house.

Fifth, the first and last day of the feast are holy days or Sabbaths. No work, no buying or selling either.

Sixth, trying to understand the cultural elements of the times brings us to the Day of Preparation. This day precedes every Sabbath, the weekly and the Sabbaths set apart in the feasts.

Mark 14:12  On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb was being sacrificed, His disciples *said to Him, "Where do You want us to go and prepare for You to eat the Passover?" 

Here again is our first challenge. If it is already the first day of the feast of Unleavened Bread, then the Passover meal would have been eaten the night before which is the same day!

14:13  And He *sent two of His disciples and *said to them, "Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him; 14:14  and wherever he enters, say to the owner of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is My guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?"' 14:15  "And he himself will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; prepare for us there." 

This is a very exact and specific retelling. Again, the emphasis is where to eat the Passover.

14:16  The disciples went out and came to the city, and found it just as He had told them; and they prepared the Passover. 14:17  When it was evening He *came with the twelve. 

Here is the second challenge. If this is indeed evening, then it is another day or the second day of the feast! Clearly, this cannot be the case. Since Jesus is our Passover Lamb, He needs to die on the day before the feast begins at sundown.

Why is this important you may think?

First, a careful reading of both Matthew and Mark reveals concerns and questions. We can just ignore them and go on with our traditions, much like they did in Jesus day. We can think that Jehovah made a mistake somewhere between Exodus, Leviticus, and the gospels. May that not be true!

Second, this calls into question how and when we celebrate the Lord’s Supper and His death and resurrection.

Homework for next week for those who have the time. Do your own research on Jerome and the Latin Vulgate. I will begin to introduce my findings next week on this important time in history.

More next Saturday.

Passover or the Lord's Supper-2

Last week we reviewed the Lord’s requirements for remembering both the coming out of Egyptian slavery and into His Promised Land and what He is now establishing for remembering Him. He is the true Passover Lamb who came to take away sins and offer forgiveness to all who surrender to Him as their High Priest and King. We will begin in Matthew.

Matthew 26:1  When Jesus had finished all these words, He said to His disciples, 26:2  "You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man is to be handed over for crucifixion." 

We are within two days of His illegal trial and death on a cross.

26:3  Then the chief priests and the elders of the people were gathered together in the court of the high priest, named Caiaphas; 26:4  and they plotted together to seize Jesus by stealth and kill Him. 26:5  But they were saying, "Not during the festival, otherwise a riot might occur among the people." 

As we have studied previously, the people feared the leaders even as the leaders feared them. The leaders feared being found out for who they truly were. They presented themselves as godly men who knew their Bible very well and made sure everyone followed what they taught. As Jesus taught, they taught their truth while denying GOD’s truth.

Mark 7:5  The Pharisees and the scribes *asked Him, "Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with impure hands?" 7:6  And He said to them, "Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: 'THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME. 7:7  'BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.' 

7:8  "Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men." 7:9  He was also saying to them, "You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition. 

Matthew 26:17  Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?" 

Remember, the Passover lamb would be killed in the late afternoon, but not be eaten until after sundown, which is now the next day.

26:18  And He said, "Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, 'The Teacher says, "My time is near; I am to keep the Passover at your house with My disciples."'" 26:19  The disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover. 26:20  Now when evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the twelve disciples. 

Clearly, Jesus in this passage has told His disciples to prepare the Passover meal and where it was to be held.

26:47  While He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, came up accompanied by a large crowd with swords and clubs, who came from the chief priests and elders of the people. 26:48  Now he who was betraying Him gave them a sign, saying, "Whomever I kiss, He is the one; seize Him." 26:49  Immediately Judas went to Jesus and said, "Hail, Rabbi!" and kissed Him. 

After the meal, Jesus took His disciples to the Mount of Olives where He prayed alone, as the disciples slept. Knowing exactly when He would be arrested, He went out to greet this large crowd. It is now close to midnight and the ‘people’ the leaders feared were all in bed.

26:50  And Jesus said to him, "Friend, do what you have come for." Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and seized Him. 

Jesus would be tried and convicted by dawn in an illegal trial. Trials aren’t held in the middle of the night. He would be brought to Pilate at dawn and be on the cross by 9 am. He would give up His Spirit at the 9th hour or 3 pm.

27:57  When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. 27:58  This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. 27:59  And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 27:60  and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the entrance of the tomb and went away. 

Here the Gospels don’t all agree on every detail. We will study this in the next study, but what is clear is that the day of His death was the Day of Preparation.

27:61  And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the grave. 27:62  Now on the next day, the day after the preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered together with Pilate, 27:63  and said, "Sir, we remember that when He was still alive that deceiver said, 'After three days I am to rise again.' 

So the ‘next’ day was the day after the Day of Preparation or a Sabbath. Every day, before a ‘Sabbath’ day whether at week end or surrounding a feast,was a day to prepare to rest from your work on the Sabbath. Since according to the Feast of Unleavened Bread begins after sundown following the killing of the Lamb, then Jesus was also killed on the Day of Preparation before the Feast began at sundown.

With all that being said, Jesus could not have eaten a Passover meal as described in Matthew. The Passover Meal is eaten after sundown. Jesus was in the tomb by sundown, which will be clearer in the other gospels.

Passover or Lord's Supper-1

The first three gospels all clearly state that Jesus desired to eat the Passover with His disciples before He was arrested. But, in John it is also clearly stated that He ate an evening meal a day before the Passover meal was to be eaten. Which one is right? We will read thru these passages and come to a conclusion based on the Bible not on what we may have been taught over the years. First, what are the Passover laws as stated by Jehovah?

Exodus 12:1 Now the LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, 12:2 "This month shall be the beginning of months for you; it is to be the first month of the year to you. 

12:3 "Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying, 'On the tenth of this month they are each one to take a lamb for themselves, according to their fathers' households, a lamb for each household. 

This is quite clear. First, Jehovah is now creating the monthly calendar for His chosen people. The year doesn’t start in January but sometime in March/April. The span of time is due to the Jewish accounting for new moons and the beginning of a month. Since this is purely a lunar based calendar, there is no moon for leap years, as 29 1/2 days times 12 leaves days off for accounting for a full 365+ day year that we now use. Regardless, the year starts in the spring not in January. We will discuss how this happened in future studies in this series.

12:4  'Now if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his neighbor nearest to his house are to take one according to the number of persons in them; according to what each man should eat, you are to divide the lamb. 

Every family is to have a lamb or share a lamb. All are required to participate.

12:5  'Your lamb shall be an unblemished male a year old; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats. 

An unblemished male that is between 12-23 months old, as this still is a year old lamb.

12:6  'You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month, then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel is to kill it at twilight. 12:7  'Moreover, they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. 12:8  'They shall eat the flesh that same night, roasted with fire, and they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 

On the 14th of Nisan, before sundown the lamb must be killed and cleaned so it can be roasted and eaten after sundown. Jehovah begins and ends each day at sundown.

12:9 'Do not eat any of it raw or boiled at all with water, but rather roasted with fire, both its head and its legs along with its entrails. 12:10 'And you shall not leave any of it over until morning, but whatever is left of it until morning, you shall burn with fire. 

Nothing will be left as they will be on their way out of Egypt in the morning.

12:11 'Now you shall eat it in this manner: with your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste—it is the LORD'S Passover. 12:12 'For I will go through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments—I am the LORD. 

If it is cooked after sundown and then eaten, this may bring you to 9-11 pm in the evening, which is now the 15th day of Nisan.

12:13  'The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live; and when I see the blood I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt. 12:14  'Now this day will be a memorial to you, and you shall celebrate it as a feast to the LORD; throughout your generations you are to celebrate it as a permanent ordinance. 

We are all prone to forget things, especially commandments of Jehovah. We always remember to do the things we love to do. The blood over the door is symbolic of being in Christ, as we enter or become on in Christ through His blood. We cannot nor should not ever forget this.

12:15  'Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, but on the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses; for whoever eats anything leavened from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel. 

All New Testament believers understand that the leaven is really sin. Jehovah doesn’t hate yeast, but it represents sin then and now. The key to our study is this requirement to eat only unleavened bread.

:16 'On the first day you shall have a holy assembly, and another holy assembly on the seventh day; no work at all shall be done on them, except what must be eaten by every person, that alone may be prepared by you. 12:17  'You shall also observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this very day I brought your hosts out of the land of Egypt; therefore you shall observe this day throughout your generations as a permanent ordinance. 

As you see, there are more than 52 Sabbaths (days of rest and no work) in a year. Feasts usually begin and end with a holy day, a Sabbath.

12:18  'In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread, until the twenty-first day of the month at evening. 2:19  'Seven days there shall be no leaven found in your houses; for whoever eats what is leavened, that person shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is an alien or a native of the land. 12:20  'You shall not eat anything leavened; in all your dwellings you shall eat unleavened bread.'" 

No leaven in the houses and no leaven in any of the bread for a whole week.

12:21  Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said to them, "Go and take for yourselves lambs according to your families, and slay the Passover lamb. 12:22  "You shall take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood which is in the basin, and apply some of the blood that is in the basin to the lintel and the two doorposts; and none of you shall go outside the door of his house until morning. 

If you are ‘in’ Christ, you don’t have to worry either. But, they were to stay inside until morning. Why? Because there is death outside and if you want to live you must obey.

12:23  "For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the LORD will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to come in to your houses to smite you. 

Obedience is always required. Jehovah’s promises and blessings are tied to obedience.

12:24  "And you shall observe this event as an ordinance for you and your children forever. 12:25  "When you enter the land which the LORD will give you, as He has promised, you shall observe this rite. 12:26  "And when your children say to you, 'What does this rite mean to you?' 12:27  you shall say, 'It is a Passover sacrifice to the LORD who passed over the houses of the sons of Israel in Egypt when He smote the Egyptians, but spared our homes.'" And the people bowed low and worshiped. 

The best way to remember is to renew our memories in a celebration and a meal. We do this for birthdays and anniversaries. We need to do this for Jehovah as well.

12:28 Then the sons of Israel went and did so; just as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did. 

After experiencing Jehovah’s wrath upon Egypt, they were ready to obey. We need the same desire to obey.

More next Saturday.

Schemes of Satan-17

Sorry for last week as we had to bring my aging mother-in-law to VA. This is the second to the last study on the schemes of Satan, as next week should be the last. We will then study the contradictions, confusion, and challenges in the gospels as they pertain to Jesus last few days before the cross.

John 13:21  When Jesus had said this, He became troubled in spirit, and testified and said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, that one of you will betray Me." 13:22  The disciples began looking at one another, at a loss to know of which one He was speaking. 

The first challenge is that none of the disciples suspected any other disciple, but were concerned that it might be them! This is clearer in Mark.

Mark 14:18  As they were reclining at the table and eating, Jesus said, "Truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me—one who is eating with Me." 14:19  They began to be grieved and to say to Him one by one, "Surely not I?" 

13:23  There was reclining on Jesus' bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. 13:24  So Simon Peter *gestured to him, and *said to him, "Tell us who it is of whom He is speaking." 13:25  He, leaning back thus on Jesus' bosom, *said to Him, "Lord, who is it?" 

Neither Peter or John had a clue. What does this mean? First, Satan’s slaves, much like their evil master, are very good at deception. Even those who had been together with Jesus did not know who He was talking about.

13:26  Jesus then *answered, "That is the one for whom I shall dip the morsel and give it to him." So when He had dipped the morsel, He *took and *gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 

Jesus gave a very clear sign, yet even then they did not seem to know.

13:27  After the morsel, Satan then entered into him. Therefore Jesus *said to him, "What you do, do quickly." 13:28  Now no one of those reclining at the table knew for what purpose He had said this to him. 

This was far too important for Satan to delegate it to one of his thousands of demons or evil spirits. Also, the other disciples still could not bring themselves to think ill of Judas.

13:29  For some were supposing, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus was saying to him, "Buy the things we have need of for the feast"; or else, that he should give something to the poor. 13:30  So after receiving the morsel he went out immediately; and it was night. 

They even fashioned their own denial of the truth, much like many churchgoers who can’t come to the reality that their shepherd is a false shepherd.

Satan picked Judas. Satan inspired Judas to strike a deal with the ‘Jews’, and then he entered Judas to make sure it was down right.

We only see Satan taking on a person three times in Scriptures. Once when he attacked Job. Once when he tempted Jesus and now with Judas. You could say that Satan leaves nothing to chance.

Our final study on this next Saturday.

Schemes of Satan-16

Jesus last days on earth are quickly coming to a close. He is just days away from His cross. The ‘Jews’ are desperately trying to silence Him by killing Him. They fear the people but have no fear of GOD! Such is the state of religion in the world today.

John 12:12  On the next day the large crowd who had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 12:13  took the branches of the palm trees and went out to meet Him, and began to shout, "Hosanna! BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD, even the King of Israel." 

This is both a quote from Psalms but also a fulfillment of prophecy about Jesus being the true Messiah.

Psalms 118:26  Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the LORD; We have blessed you from the house of the LORD. 

12:14  Jesus, finding a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written, 12:15  "FEAR NOT, DAUGHTER OF ZION; BEHOLD, YOUR KING IS COMING, SEATED ON A DONKEY'S COLT." 

This is another clear declaration of Jesus being the King and Messiah of Israel.

Zecariah 9:9  Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey. 

12:16  These things His disciples did not understand at the first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written of Him, and that they had done these things to Him. 

His disciples did not understand. The ‘Jews’ refused to understand. The people were easily led from one way to another. This is the same today. Religion keeps people from the truth. They go from one extreme to another, always seeking yet never coming to the truth.

12:17  So the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead, continued to testify about Him. 12:18  For this reason also the people went and met Him, because they heard that He had performed this sign. 

Signs, miracles, and His teachings did not bring many into truly believing in Him as their King. Many people today will quickly say the Jesus is the Son of God, but live a life completely devoid of any true relationship with Him.

12:19  So the Pharisees said to one another, "You see that you are not doing any good; look, the world has gone after Him." 

What will they do? In their minds, people following Jesus are not following them. This will not be tolerated. Religion keeps people from following Jesus. If you are not following Jesus, who are you following? Satan has created all the false beliefs, religions, and false teachers who deny Jesus but lead everyone to follow him. Most will fervrently deny that they are following Satan, but what is the only other choice?

More next Saturday.

Schemes of Satan-15

Jesus is preparing for His final days on earth as the Christ. He came in human form even as He remained fully GOD! He was in total control. He knew and knows the hearts and thoughts of every man/woman. What were on the minds of the Jews after He raised Lazarus? Since Bethany is only about 2 miles to Jerusalem, the word spread fast of this miraculous event.

John 12:1  Jesus, therefore, six days before the Passover, came to Bethany where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 12:2  So they made Him a supper there, and Martha was serving; but Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him. 

The other gospels tell of Jesus being at the home of Simon the leper in Bethany. It is hard to know if there were two suppers or just one with both Simon and Lazarus present.

12:3  Mary then took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 12:4  But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, who was intending to betray Him, *said, 12:5  "Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and given to poor people?" 

A denari is the wages for one day’s work. What would that be today? An annual year’s salary of just $48,000 would equate to around $200/day. That would put the cost of this rare and expensive nard at $60,000! It would appear that Lazarus was not a poor peasant but could afford such an expensive perfume. But, what is too expensive or rich for GOD?

12:6  Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it. 

Judas the betrayer was also a thief. He was so good at deception that none of the other disciples were even suspicious of him. Such are the servants of Satan who still deceive the world.

12:7  Therefore Jesus said, "Let her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of My burial. 2:8  "For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me." 

Once again Jesus made it very clear that He would soon die. But, who really believed this? Who really believed in Him?

12:9 The large crowd of the Jews then learned that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He raised from the dead. 12:10 But the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death also; 12:11  because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and were believing in Jesus. 

The crowd wanted to see Lazarus and Jesus. This was quite the attraction. But, it was all superficial attraction, soon to turn against Jesus. Well, this created a new problem for the Jews! So they decided to kill Lazarus as well! What had Lazarus done to deserve death? Well, people were flocking to see him and not to see the Jews. The Jews feared that their power and positions were in jeopardy.

Satan doesn’t tolerate anyone getting in his way. He has no care,concern, or love for anyone but himself. Therefore, he would have Lazarus killed and not think twice about it. But, Satan cannot overcome the will and plans of Jehovah! We soon discover just how Satan treats those who serve him.

More next Saturday.

Schemes of Satan-14

How much does Satan hate Jesus? You can get a small glimpse of this through his servants, the ‘Jews’. By saying the ‘Jews’ I don’t mean all the Jewish people, but the leaders, the elders, the priests. We will see in this passage.

John 11:38  So Jesus, again being deeply moved within, *came to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. 1:39  Jesus *said, "Remove the stone." Martha, the sister of the deceased, *said to Him, "Lord, by this time there will be a stench, for he has been dead four days." 11:40  Jesus *said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?" 

What caused Jesus to be deeply moved? He had known that Lazarus had been sick and died. No mention of His being moved as He tarried 4 days. No real expressed sorrow to either Mary of Martha. I believe He was moved as He knew the hearts of everyone there and just how few would truly believe in Him fully.

11:41  So they removed the stone. Then Jesus raised His eyes, and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 11:42  "I knew that You always hear Me; but because of the people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me." 11:43  When He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth." 

Jesus wanted His Father to be glorified. He wanted everyone to finally and fully believe that He had been sent by God the Father.

11:44  The man who had died came forth, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus *said to them, "Unbind him, and let him go."

He called Lazarus by name, just as He will call us individually by name in the final resurrection. Imagine, four days and out walked Lazarus bound in grave linens, linens similar to what would soon by wrapped around Jesus.  

11:45  Therefore many of the Jews who came to Mary, and saw what He had done, believed in Him. 11:46  But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them the things which Jesus had done. 11:47  Therefore the chief priests and the Pharisees convened a council, and were saying, "What are we doing? For this man is performing many signs. 11:48  "If we let Him go on like this, all men will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation." 

Their place means their positions of power and money. It wasn’t their nation, it wasn’t their people, and it wasn’t their Temple.

11:49  But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, "You know nothing at all, 11:50  nor do you take into account that it is expedient for you that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish." 11:51  Now he did not say this on his own initiative, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, 11:52  and not for the nation only, but in order that He might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. 

If God can make a donkey talk truth, He can make an evil high priest talk or foretell the truth as well. All priests must come from the family of Aaron. From within these men, one will be the high priest. All that had been lost as now it was an appointment by Herod. How do you get his favor?

11:53  So from that day on they planned together to kill Him. 11:54  Therefore Jesus no longer continued to walk publicly among the Jews, but went away from there to the country near the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim; and there He stayed with the disciples. 

It wasn’t His time. They were not in charge of His death, even as they continued to plan for His death. Satan is not omnitient, that is he does not know all things. He wanted Jesus dead that would in his mind, make him the king of the world.

11:55  Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up to Jerusalem out of the country before the Passover to purify themselves. 11:56  So they were seeking for Jesus, and were saying to one another as they stood in the temple, "What do you think; that He will not come to the feast at all?" 11:57  Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where He was, he was to report it, so that they might seize Him. 

The chief priests and the Pharisees were feared by the people. It was their power and threats that kept them in fear. However, they had lost all fear of God. By denying that Jesus was indeed the Messiah, the Christ, they thought they would just kill Him and get back to business as usual. Not once did they deny His miracles, which only made them more angry and envious.

Intimidating truth tellers, seizing truth tellers, and even killing truth tellers is just a few of their evil schemes. It has gone on for two thousand years and continues to this day. Religion and religous people hate GOD and all who believe in Jesus.

More next Saturday.

Schemes of Satan-13

Satan greatest scheme may be the fact that so many people don’t even consider him to be real or a real threat. Pastors don’t preach on his nature, character, and the depth of his hatred for Jehovah, Jesus, and all who are GOD’s children. Satan doesn’t even like his children as we will soon discover later in this series.

John 11:17  So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. 11:18  Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off; 11:19  and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary, to console them concerning their brother. 

By now, Mary and Martha may have even questioned whether Jesus would actually come. While waiting and hoping that Jesus would save their beloved brother, Lazarus died and was already buried.

11:20  Martha therefore, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went to meet Him, but Mary stayed at the house. 11:21  Martha then said to Jesus, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. 11:22  "Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You." 

Her belief was that Jesus could have healed him if He had only come sooner. “If you had been here…” Her belief and understanding of Jesus was incomplete, as was His disciples.

11:23  Jesus *said to her, "Your brother will rise again." 11:24  Martha *said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day." 

11:25  Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, 11:26  and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?" 

What was the depth of her belief? She, like Peter earlier, clearly stated that she believed He was the Messiah, the Son of GOD. But, what was her understanding of that profession. Many people today will acknowledge Jesus as the Son of GOD, yet scarcely give it much thought as to what they just declared.

11:27  She *said to Him, "Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world." 11:28  When she had said this, she went away and called Mary her sister, saying secretly, "The Teacher is here and is calling for you." 11:29  And when she heard it, she *got up quickly and was coming to Him. 11:30  Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha met Him. 

11:31  Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and consoling her, when they saw that Mary got up quickly and went out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 11:32  Therefore, when Mary came where Jesus was, she saw Him, and fell at His feet, saying to Him, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died." 

Now it was Mary’s turn to state the depth of her belief and understanding of the Son of GOD! Both believed He could heal, but neither believed He would raise him from the tomb.

11:33  When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled, 11:34  and said, "Where have you laid him?" They *said to Him, "Lord, come and see." 11:35  Jesus wept. 

11:36  So the Jews were saying, "See how He loved him!" 

11:37  But some of them said, "Could not this man, who opened the eyes of the blind man, have kept this man also from dying?" 

All the miracles and all the teaching, yet to most Jesus was a teacher and maybe a prophet that had the ability to open a blind man’s eyes. They seemed to believe He could have healed him, as did his sisters.

What has this all to do with the schemes of Satan? Satan attacks the ‘church’ from the inside. When people quickly proclaim Jesus to be the Son of GOD, yet don’t really consider what they just declared, this pleases Satan. All the false teachers are his servants. Many teach that Jesus never really declared that He was the Son of GOD or equal to GOD. They trample on His name when they deny His eternal deity and oneness with the Father.

Hebrews 10:29  How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? 10:30  For we know Him who said, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY." And again, "THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE." 10:31  It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God. 

More next Saturday.

Schemes of Satan-12

Why is the ‘church’ silent on the evil in our day and how Satan is deceiving the world? We need to know our High Priest and King and also our enemies. Too many are truly ignorant of his schemes but also ignorant about his evil nature. More on the nature of Satan at some future time. We are now entering Jesus’ last days before His crucifixion. This account of Lazarus is very revealing or should be.

John 11:1  Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 11:2  It was the Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. 11:3  So the sisters sent word to Him, saying, "Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick." 

Clearly, this family knew Jesus well. John even reveals a level of intimacy that suggests a very special relationship. Also, Mary and Martha knew where to find Jesus!

11:4  But when Jesus heard this, He said, "This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it." 11:5  Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 

Two things stand out! First, some sickness and all of His miracles are for the glory of God. Now they also relieve much pain and suffering, but that needs to be secondary to God’s glory. Second, once again we read of Jesus loving this family. No other family received this type of recognition.

11:6  So when He heard that he was sick, He then stayed two days longer in the place where He was. 

How merciful and compassionate is this? He stayed for another two days and then had to walk to Bethany! Was He not concerned about the suffering Mary and Martha were experiencing as their dear brother died?

11:7  Then after this He *said to the disciples, "Let us go to Judea again." 11:8  The disciples *said to Him, "Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone You, and are You going there again?" 

Just a few verses earlier, the ‘Jews’ picked up stones to stone Jesus! The disciples were very aware to the danger to Jesus and to themselves. They did not realize that Jesus was totally in charge of His life and theirs.

11:9  Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 11:10  "But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him." 

Jesus, as the the light of the world, was referring to Himself. He was emphasizing the importance of His remaining few days with them. Being in the dark is never a good thing. You can get lost, stumble and fall, run into dangerous animals or people or fall into a trap.

11:11  This He said, and after that He *said to them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I go, so that I may awaken him out of sleep." 11:12  The disciples then said to Him, "Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover." 11:13  Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that He was speaking of literal sleep. 11:14  So Jesus then said to them plainly, "Lazarus is dead, 11:15  and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe; but let us go to him." 

Jesus knew exactly when Lazarus died. He also knew that this soon coming miracle was needed by many, including His disciples. Jesus had raised people from the dead before, but His disciples still couldn’t quite understand what all of His miracles and teachings actually meant!

11:16  Therefore Thomas, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go, so that we may die with Him." 

Thomas, as with all of the disciples, had an unrealistic view of their own faith. They easily said they would not desert Jesus, even if it meant their own death. But, what did they eventually in the garden, at His trial, at His death, and after His death. They fled and hid in fear!

In that way we may also suffer from the same false assumptions of our own faith. Many of us are actually more like these disciples and ,therefore, unprepared for perceution from the forces and schemes of Satan.

More next Saturday!

Schemes of Satan-11

The gospel of John differs dramatically from the other three gospels. John spent most of this gospel on Jesus words and deeds or miracles. It is because of this that we find so many references to Satan’s opposition to Jesus. First we will start where we left off last Saturday.

John 10:19  A division occurred again among the Jews because of these words. 10:20  Many of them were saying, "He has a demon and is insane. Why do you listen to Him?" 10:21  Others were saying, "These are not the sayings of one demon-possessed. A demon cannot open the eyes of the blind, can he?" 

The lies of the ‘Jews’ didn’t make sense to many who tried to follow Him.

10:22  At that time the Feast of the Dedication took place at Jerusalem; 0:23  it was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple in the portico of Solomon. 

This feast is also known as Hannakah. It was originally celebrated due to the Maccabbees victory over Rome and restoration of Temple worship. It is better known today as the ‘Jewish Christmas’. There are no shepherds in the hills during the winter, which creates a problem. That will be handled later.

10:24  The Jews then gathered around Him, and were saying to Him, "How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly." 

Jesus had told them plainly before. He had also told His disciples but no one believed that fully. The ‘Jews’ were trying to trick Him into saying it in a manner that would give them reason to arrest Him. Remember, they had been trying to kill Him since John 5!

10:25  Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father's name, these testify of Me. 10:26  "But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. 10:27  "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 10:28  and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 

10:29  "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. 10:30  "I and the Father are one." 

Many false teachers proclaim that Jesus never declared Himself to be GOD. Clearly, this is not true. My Father, My sheep, My hand, and My Father’s hand. This is made abundantly clear when Jesus declared His oneness with His Father.

10:31  The Jews picked up stones again to stone Him. 10:32  Jesus answered them, "I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?" 

Again they try to silence Him by killing Him. Today, that is still the ultimate means of stopping any critical opposition. Remember, the ‘Jews’ never invalidated any of His miracles.

10:33  The Jews answered Him, "For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God." 

They fully understood what He had said.

10:34  Jesus answered them, "Has it not been written in your Law, 'I SAID, YOU ARE GODS'? 10:35  "If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), 10:36  do you say of Him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God'?  10:37  "If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; 10:38  but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father." 

The ‘works’ or miracles could only be done by GOD or thru GOD. These signs were to confirm that the Messiah had finally come to Jerusalem, not to reign like King David, but as the Passover Lamb. He came to offer His perfect life as a perfect sacrifice for our sins.

10:39  Therefore they were seeking again to seize Him, and He eluded their grasp. 0:40  And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was first baptizing, and He was staying there. 10:41  Many came to Him and were saying, "While John performed no sign, yet everything John said about this man was true." 

It was not His time. Jesus was in total control and remained in control through His death on the cross. The ‘Jews’ arguments were not totally believed. There is always a remnant who truly does believe. But what does it mean to believe in Him?

10:42  Many believed in Him there. 

The problem with the word believe is that it represents a process. This process does not always end in saving faith. Singing Hosannahs one day and crucify Him the next is not evidence of saving faith. What does it mean to truly believe is a subject for another time.

The schemes we found here include deadly persistence, constant attempts to entrap of ensnare Him, creating confusion among the sheep, and always looking for the right moment to kill Him.

More next Saturday.

Schemes of Satan-10

Why study the schemes of Satan? As mentioned many times before, we truly need to know them to not be deceived by them. Being deceived is never a ‘good’ thing. It often leads to harm, loss, or failure of some kind.

John 10:1  "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber. 10:2  "But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep. 10:3  "To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 10:4  "When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 10:5  "A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers." 

Clearly in this passage, Jesus is warning the people and condemning the ‘Jews’. True believers will soon discern that they have been listening to a false shepherd. False shepherds are thieves and liars. They have no real interest in the welfare of the flock, only to fleece them for their own selfish desires.

10:6  This figure of speech Jesus spoke to them, but they did not understand what those things were which He had been saying to them. 10:7  So Jesus said to them again, "Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 10:8  "All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 

As with most if not all of His parables, they were not understood by all. He is the door to the sheep fold, we must enter into His kingdom through Him. There is no other way! The wide road is full of thieves and robbers; killing and stealing any of the sheep that so foolishly respond to their call.

0:9  "I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 0:10  "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. 10:11  "I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. 

As Jesus made clear, He is the only way, the only door, the only truth, the only good shepherd, and the only way to eternal life.

10:12  "He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 10:13  "He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep. 10:14  "I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me,  10:15  even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 

Hired hands or pastors who consider this as their job look to how to improve their own sordid gain. Jesus did lay down His perfect life so we could receive eternal life.

10:16  "I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd. 

10:17  "For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. 0:18  "No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father." 

Jesus had a choice. Jesus had and has authority. Neither the ‘Jews’ or Pilate took Jesus’ life, He offered Himself for our lives. He died in the flesh so we could live with Him.

10:19  A division occurred again among the Jews because of these words. 10:20  Many of them were saying, "He has a demon and is insane. Why do you listen to Him?" 10:21  Others were saying, "These are not the sayings of one demon-possessed. A demon cannot open the eyes of the blind, can he?" 

So what schemes are in this passage? First, the professional pastors, priests, and popes lie, steal, and will kill. Second, they will try and lie about all truth tellers. They say we are crazy, they project thier demonic desires onto us, and they are not always together in all areas. They look confusing to us, but look reasonable to all who are perishing.

More next Saturday.

Schemes of Satan-9

One of Satan’s most evil ways is to never give up on silencing truth tellers. If one way doesn’t silence them, try another. If after a steady stream of silencing schemes don’t work, he will kill them. This is exactly what the Pharisees and ‘religious’ leaders want to do to Jesus and others who follow Him.

John 9:24  So a second time they called the man who had been blind, and said to him, "Give glory to God; we know that this man is a sinner." 9:25  He then answered, "Whether He is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see." 

This ‘man’ is GOD is the flesh. Who else can heal a man who was born blind. But, since He healed on the Sabbath, their oral laws would condemn Him. There is no rejoicing in this man’s ability to see. There is no praises to GOD. There is no wonder at this miracle. Only a lawyer’s type of interrogation to find a loop hole to condemn them both.

9:26  So they said to him, "What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?" 

9:27  He answered them, "I told you already and you did not listen; why do you want to hear it again? You do not want to become His disciples too, do you?" 

You see they are not really interested in the truth, just like our ‘legal’ system today. They can only allow their truth which keeps them in control of their people.

9:28  They reviled him and said, "You are His disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 9:29  "We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where He is from." 

They could easily determine where Jesus was from if they wanted to know the truth, which they did not want to have anyone know. By withholding this truth, they could keep on attacking Him and deceiving the people.

9:30  The man answered and said to them, "Well, here is an amazing thing, that you do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes. 9:31  "We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him. 9:32  "Since the beginning of time it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. 9:33  "If this man were not from God, He could do nothing." 

This once blind man knew more than all of these spiritually blind and demonically led leaders. He is right on a number of areas. One, He opened his eyes. Two, God does not listen to sinners, which all of them where. Three, no one has ever been healed from this blindness. Fourth, if He were not from GOD, He could not have healed him.

9:34  They answered him, "You were born entirely in sins, and are you teaching us?" So they put him out. 

This once blind beggar was now shunned and cast out of the Temple, i.e. the false Temple run by servants/slaves of Satan. GOD had removed His Spirit from this building 100’s of years earlier.

9:35  Jesus heard that they had put him out, and finding him, He said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" 9:36  He answered, "Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?" 9:37  Jesus said to him, "You have both seen Him, and He is the one who is talking with you." 9:38  And he said, "Lord, I believe." And he worshiped Him. 

Jesus again came to him. This is how all come to saving faith, by Jesus revealing Himself to us individually. He believed and worshipped Him; which confirmed his true faith.

9:39  And Jesus said, "For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind." 9:40  Those of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these things and said to Him, "We are not blind too, are we?" 9:41  Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, 'We see,' your sin remains. 

Jesus never sugar coated His condemnation of deceivers and false shepherds. By telling them very clearly that their sin remains, He was telling them that they were not in the kingdom of GOD. They would not enter in to His rest. They were still in direct opposition to GOD and serving their father the Devil.

More next Saturday.

Schemes of Satan-8

Why is it important to know the schemes of Satan? The first answer is so we are not among the many who are being deceived by Satan. As there are far more false teachers than true teachers, we all need to keep comparing their ‘truth’ to GOD’s truth. We cannot do that if we don’t try and become familiar with GOD’s Word. We all need to be more like the ‘Bereans’ who compared Paul’s teaching with GOD’s Word.

Acts 17:10  The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. 17:11  Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. 

Truth seekers need to be eager to examine the Scriptures so they are not being deceived by false teachers.

John 9:8  Therefore the neighbors, and those who previously saw him as a beggar, were saying, "Is not this the one who used to sit and beg?" 9:9  Others were saying, "This is he," still others were saying, "No, but he is like him." He kept saying, "I am the one." 

The people had a difficult time truly believing that this blind beggar could now see. It was just too much to take in and believe. We would have had the same reaction if we would have been there.

9:10  So they were saying to him, "How then were your eyes opened?" 9:11  He answered, "The man who is called Jesus made clay, and anointed my eyes, and said to me, 'Go to Siloam and wash'; so I went away and washed, and I received sight." 9:12  They said to him, "Where is He?" He *said, "I do not know." 

Again, this challenges all the false claims of ‘faith’ healers. When they can’t heal someone, they blame the victim for lack of faith.

Costi Hinn worked alongside of his uncle Benny Hinn for may years until GOD opened his eyes.

Founder / President Costi Hinn serves as the Teaching Pastor at Shepherd’s House Bible Church in Chandler, AZ. He is currently completing his doctorate at The Master’s Seminary, and the author of several books including, Knowing the Spirit (Zondervan, 2023), More Than a Healer, God, Greed, and the (Prosperity) Gospel, and Defining Deception. He has also co-authored a children's book alongside his wife Christyne titled, In Jesus' Name I Pray: TJ the Squirrel Learns the True Heart of Prayer (Harvest House Kids, 2022). Costi and Christyne live in Gilbert, AZ with their five children.

9:13  They *brought to the Pharisees the man who was formerly blind. 9:14  Now it was a Sabbath on the day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. 

Two things to consider. First, why did they bring him to the Pharisees? Was this required by them to make sure they could exert control? Did they really want to know all that went on in their sheep pen? Secondly, it was the Sabbath. They had added and added to the Law of GOD until it was unrecognizeable and was totally founded on their oral law.

9:15  Then the Pharisees also were asking him again how he received his sight. And he said to them, "He applied clay to my eyes, and I washed, and I see." 9:16  Therefore some of the Pharisees were saying, "This man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath." But others were saying, "How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?" And there was a division among them. 

9:17  So they *said to the blind man again, "What do you say about Him, since He opened your eyes?" And he said, "He is a prophet." 

So, they accused Jesus of being a sinner! Not all could go along with this, but they continued to try and discredit this man and blaspheme Jesus.

9:18  The Jews then did not believe it of him, that he had been blind and had received sight, until they called the parents of the very one who had received his sight, 9:19  and questioned them, saying, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind? Then how does he now see?" 9:20  His parents answered them and said, "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; 9:21  but how he now sees, we do not know; or who opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him; he is of age, he will speak for himself." 

So they called in his parent, but why? They couldn’t live with this miracle so they reverted to intimidation and potential punishment. This silences most witnesses. Just like the mob used to threaten witnesses with death.

9:22  His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone confessed Him to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue. 9:23  For this reason his parents said, "He is of age; ask him." 

The parents would not even stand with their son who had been miraculously healed! They feared the Pharisees more than they would praise GOD for this miracle! Of course, being turned out of the synagogue was certain banishment from all life as they knew. They would be shunned, friends would avoid them, business opportunities would be kept from them, and all fellowship would cease. This is a cost that most would not want to bear.

John 15:18  "If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. 15:19  "If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. 

15:20  "Remember the word that I said to you, 'A slave is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 

More next Saturday!

Schemes of Satan-7

Miracles are those things that can never truly be explained by naturalistic events. True life changing miracles are only done by GOD Himself, which is why Jesus could open the eyes of the blind, both physically blind and spiritually blind. But, how does the world of Satan respond to true miracles?

John 9:1  As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. 9:2  And His disciples asked Him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?" 

A common false teaching of the ‘Jews’ was the inevitable consequences of everyone else’s sin but their own. In Ezekiel we have read that everyone is only responsible for their own sin. Of course, a baby born blind could not have sinned and therefore been condemned by GOD to be blind.

9:3  Jesus answered, "It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him. 9:4  "We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work. 9:5  "While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world." 

So this is also difficult to understand. Why did GOD permit this baby to be born blind? According to Jesus, so that this miracle could be performed and GOD be glorified. We can never fully understand the infinite wisdom and goodness of GOD!

9:6  When He had said this, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and applied the clay to his eyes,  9:7  and said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is translated, Sent). So he went away and washed, and came back seeing. 

Making clay, which Jesus did, was also considered work.

9:8  Therefore the neighbors, and those who previously saw him as a beggar, were saying, "Is not this the one who used to sit and beg?" 9:9  Others were saying, "This is he," still others were saying, "No, but he is like him." He kept saying, "I am the one." 9:10  So they were saying to him, "How then were your eyes opened?" 

No one had ever seen or heard of a person born blind being healed. There is not one mention of any such miracle in all of the Old Testament. Also, not one of these prideful ‘Jews’ had ever performed such a miracle.

9:11  He answered, "The man who is called Jesus made clay, and anointed my eyes, and said to me, 'Go to Siloam and wash'; so I went away and washed, and I received sight." 9:12  They said to him, "Where is He?" He *said, "I do not know." 

Today’s ‘miracle’ workers often explain their inability to perform a real miracle because the person did not have enough faith. This man knew nothing of Jesus other than His name. What was his faith?

9:13  They *brought to the Pharisees the man who was formerly blind. 9:14  Now it was a Sabbath on the day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. 

Here is their problem. First, he was healed and everyone now knew it. Second, He healed on the Sabbath and according to their law, He worked!

9:15  Then the Pharisees also were asking him again how he received his sight. And he said to them, "He applied clay to my eyes, and I washed, and I see." 9:16  Therefore some of the Pharisees were saying, "This man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath." But others were saying, "How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?"

Is healing a blind man work for GOD?

Matthew 12:9  Departing from there, He went into their synagogue. 12:10  And a man was there whose hand was withered. And they questioned Jesus, asking, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"—so that they might accuse Him. 

12:11  And He said to them, "What man is there among you who has a sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out? 

12:12  "How much more valuable then is a man than a sheep! So then, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." 

12:13  Then He *said to the man, "Stretch out your hand!" He stretched it out, and it was restored to normal, like the other. 

2:14  But the Pharisees went out and conspired against Him, as to how they might destroy Him. 

Satan will kill all truth tellers if he cannot silence them or vanquish them for the public square. The ‘Jews’, as Satan’s slaves, will not lose power or respect from the sheep they are deceiving. False teachers do the same today.

And there was a division among them. 

Not all will agree with their hypocrisy, there will always be a remnant to question their authority.

More next Saturday.

Schemes of Satan-6

A scheme could be defined as a devious or deceitful plot or ploy. A device to do evil without being truly noticed. That is exactly how Satan operates in his world. Why do I say it is his world? Because GOD tells us that it is his world, even while it remains totally under GOD’s sovereign control.

1 John 5:19  We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. 

Ephesians 2:1  And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2:2  in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. 

Matthew 4:8  Again, the devil *took Him to a very high mountain and *showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; 4:9  and he said to Him, "All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me." 4:10  Then Jesus *said to him, "Go, Satan! For it is written, 'YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY.'" 

Revelation 12:9  And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

Clearly Satan has been given power over this world which is the main reason that the world is quickly falling into greater and greater depravity. Satan has indeed turned sin into a virtue.

John 8:48  The Jews answered and said to Him, "Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?" 

8:49  Jesus answered, "I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. 

Slander and character attacks are among Satan’s schemes as he seeks to discredit all truth tellers. They continually lie about Jesus until the people begin to believe their lies. This is the world of propaganda today.

8:50  "But I do not seek My glory; there is One who seeks and judges. 8:51  "Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he will never see death." 

8:52  The Jews said to Him, "Now we know that You have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets also; and You say, 'If anyone keeps My word, he will never taste of death.' 8:53  "Surely You are not greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets died too; whom do You make Yourself out to be?" 

Exactly, who did Jesus make Himself to be known as? He is the long-awaited Messiah of Israel. He is eternally GOD and therefore has no beginning or end. They all could know this but they don’t want to know it or believe it. Religion solely based on man’s traditions has no time to GOD in person.

8:54  Jesus answered, "If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, 'He is our God'; 8:55  and you have not come to know Him, but I know Him; and if I say that I do not know Him, I will be a liar like you, but I do know Him and keep His word. 

Once again Jesus challenges them directly. He calls them liars to their faces. He clearly calls GOD His Father and that He knows Him and keeps His word. There can be no confusion about this. Plus His miracles attest to it as well.

8:56  "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad." 8:57  So the Jews said to Him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?"  8:58  Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am." 

He now states He was before Abraham. This they cannot believe because to them He is just someone from poor parents in Nazareth. He may be a reasonable teacher, He may even be a healer, but He cannot be GOD!

8:59  Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple. 

Even though they cannot kill anyone, they still try. But, it was not His time and so He left them in their sins. Killing truth tellers is their last resort. They will no tolerate being called out, being exposed for their lies and hypocrisy, or any challenges to their power and positions.

That is exactly the world we now live in. Satan has deceived the whole world, except all true believers and followers of Jesus Christ. Has he deceived you?

More next Saturday.

Schemes of Satan-5

Satan has been very successful in deceiving the masses for thousands of years. GOD has been warning His chosen people about the evils of idolatry, but most of the world has indeed fallen for his lies. This includes the nation of Israel today. They deny that Jesus is the long awaited Messiah and instead simply follow the traditions of men and doctrines of demons. We will now look at another of Satan’s schemes of deception.

John 8:1  But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 8:2  Early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and began to teach them. 

Even as they failed to arrest Jesus yesterday, He came back to the very same place this morning. Jesus often went to the Mount of Olives to pray to His Father, as He will do on the eve of His soon arrest.

8:3  The scribes and the Pharisees *brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the center of the court, 8:4  they *said to Him, "Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act. 8:5  "Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?" 8:6  They were saying this, testing Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground. 

Here is there evil plan. They said they caught her in the act of adultery, which is a violation of one of the 10 commandments. It also is punishable by death, as are most of the commandments.

Exodus 20:14  "You shall not commit adultery. 

Numbers 25:6  Then behold, one of the sons of Israel came and brought to his relatives a Midianite woman, in the sight of Moses and in the sight of all the congregation of the sons of Israel, while they were weeping at the doorway of the tent of meeting. 25:7  When Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he arose from the midst of the congregation and took a spear in his hand, 25:8  and he went after the man of Israel into the tent and pierced both of them through, the man of Israel and the woman, through the body. So the plague on the sons of Israel was checked. 

The second deceitful challenge to Jesus is that they did not also bring forth the man. If she was caught in the act, where is the man? You needed both to ascertian guilt.

Thirdly, under Roman rule, they were not allowed to kill anyone!

John 18:31  So Pilate said to them, "Take Him yourselves, and judge Him according to your law." The Jews said to him, "We are not permitted to put anyone to death," 

8:7  But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." 

8:8  Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. 

8:9  When they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the center of the court. 

They kept trying to get Him to answer their false, deceitful charges as they hoped He would say something to condemn Himself. If He agreed that she should be stoned, they would call the Romans out to arrest Him. If He did not, they would call the people out to condemn Him as disobeying the Law of Moses. So did Jesus self-incriminate Himself as they planned?

No, He said nothing! But, whatever He wrote made them all leave one by one, the oldest went first.

8:10  Straightening up, Jesus said to her, "Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?" 8:11  She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more."] 

Jesus did not let her leave without reminding her of her sin. But, He did not condemn her either. It would appear that He forgave her, as He knows the hearts of all.

Again the Jews tried to trick, trap, or draw Jesus into a situation that would give them the evidence they needed to condemn Him. Instead, they were the one condemned.

More next Saturda.

Schemes of Satan-4

One of Satan’s greatest deceptions is propagating the disbelief in his existence or presenting himself as an angel of light. The Mormons believe that Satan is Jesus’ brother, therefore, making him equal to Jesus! Some false teachers teach that Satan is just the image of evil not the reality of evil. The Bible clearly states that Satan is indeed real and a created being that has fallen from being in the presence of Jehovah. He is more evil and deadly than can be imagined.

Let us continue our study.

John 7:32  The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering these things about Him, and the chief priests and the Pharisees sent officers to seize Him. 

What were the charges? Did they need any charges? Could they legally seize Him? Since all of Israel was under Roman rule, this seems to be a grey area.

7:33  Therefore Jesus said, "For a little while longer I am with you, then I go to Him who sent Me. 7:34  "You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come." 

This has three meanings. The first it talks to His coming arrest and crucifixion. The second was His ascension. The third was both a warning and condemnation of the Jews.

7:35  The Jews then said to one another, "Where does this man intend to go that we will not find Him? He is not intending to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks, is He? 7:36  "What is this statement that He said, 'You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come'?" 

They did not understand but they also had no real desire to gain understanding. Their focus was getting rid of Jesus, not understanding or believing.

7:37  Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. 7:38  "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.'" 

7:39  But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. 

Without an understanding of the Holy Spirit, this teaching would be difficult to fully believe. But, when He leaves to return to Heaven, true believers will gain complete understanding. Satan understands this but believes he can circumvent this from happening by having Jesus crucified.

7:40  Some of the people therefore, when they heard these words, were saying, "This certainly is the Prophet." 7:41  Others were saying, "This is the Christ." Still others were saying, "Surely the Christ is not going to come from Galilee, is He? 7:42  "Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the descendants of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?" 

This shows how false teachers can introduce questions about Jesus’ deity, mission, and true identity. Jesus birth in Bethlehem is clearly recorded in the Temple, as were all the birth and family records for Israel. Why didn’t they do their research? They tell people what they want to hear, while withholding what they need to hear.

7:43  So a division occurred in the crowd because of Him. 

7:44  Some of them wanted to seize Him, but no one laid hands on Him. 7:45  The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, and they said to them, "Why did you not bring Him?" 7:46  The officers answered, "Never has a man spoken the way this man speaks." 

It was not Jesus’ time, but the guards couldn’t make themselves arrest Him. They were amazed by His teaching. Why did the Pharisees want to seize Him?

7:47  The Pharisees then answered them, "You have not also been led astray, have you? 7:48  "No one of the rulers or Pharisees has believed in Him, has he? 7:49  "But this crowd which does not know the Law is accursed." 

They just falsely claimed the high ground. If we don’t believe, that is all you need to know. What Law where they referring to? Their oral law, which they created above GOD’s Law.

7:50  Nicodemus (he who came to Him before, being one of them) *said to them, 7:51  "Our Law does not judge a man unless it first hears from him and knows what he is doing, does it?" 

One of their own had to speak up. But, they did not want to argue on his premises, so they instead attacked him. Discrediting a reknowned teacher on his poor understanding of the Scriptures. But, they were the ones in error. Jesus was first from Bethlehem, which they should have known. He lived in Nazareth until adulthood.

7:52  They answered him, "You are not also from Galilee, are you? Search, and see that no prophet arises out of Galilee." 

By focusing on Galilee they seemed to be totally discrediting Jesus ministry. Another scheme of Satan, as lies are his best tool of deception, he simply just shifts the argument to his lies. He knows that by simply letting the Jews state this lie as truth, no one would dare challenge them.

We all need to do our own research, as these schemes have been used within the ‘church’ for centuries.

More next Saturday.

The Schemes of Satan-3

As we continue to seek to uncover and understand the schemes of Satan, we must also develop our resistance to this demonic deception. We will continue to see these schemes even as we study Jesus life.

John 7:25  So some of the people of Jerusalem were saying, "Is this not the man whom they are seeking to kill? 7:26  "Look, He is speaking publicly, and they are saying nothing to Him. The rulers do not really know that this is the Christ, do they? 

How did the people know that the Jewish leaders were trying to kill Jesus? Possible reasons could include; trying to put fear into the hearts of the people, trying to silence Jesus and drive Him out of town, or making their plans known in defiance of Roman law.

7:27  "However, we know where this man is from; but whenever the Christ may come, no one knows where He is from." 

If both Matthew and Luke could include the genealogy of Jesus in their gospels, why couldn’t the Jews research the family records held in the Temple? Why? They did not want to know or the people to know anything that could lead to them considering Jesus as the promised Messiah.

7:28  Then Jesus cried out in the temple, teaching and saying, "You both know Me and know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know. 7:29  "I know Him, because I am from Him, and He sent Me." 

Jesus never held His mission, His position, or His oneness with the Father from them. In fact, that is the reason they wanted to kill Him. They did not want GOD interfering with their Temple business.

7:30  So they were seeking to seize Him; and no man laid his hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come. 

This points once again that Jesus was in total control of His life and death.

John 10:17  "For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. 10:18  "No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father." 

Many falsely claim that Jesus never actually said that He was GOD, but that again is all just lies from Satan. Unfortunately it is the leaders who control the news, both then and now. They claim they give us the truth, but even that is a lie.

7:31  But many of the crowd believed in Him; and they were saying, "When the Christ comes, He will not perform more signs than those which this man has, will He?" 

While the Jews never denied any of the signs or miracles performed by Jesus, neither did these signs change their belief in Jesus. As mentioned before, miracles seldom led to ‘saving’ faith. Yet, it is the signs that Isaiah prophesied that would identify the Messiah.

Isaiah 35:5  Then the eyes of the blind will be opened And the ears of the deaf will be unstopped. 35:6  Then the lame will leap like a deer, And the tongue of the mute will shout for joy. For waters will break forth in the wilderness And streams in the Arabah. 

Which is the passage Jesus quoted to John the Baptist.

Luke 7:18  The disciples of John reported to him about all these things. 7:19  Summoning two of his disciples, John sent them to the Lord, saying, "Are You the Expected One, or do we look for someone else?" 

This is the only proof Jesus gave them.

7:20  When the men came to Him, they said, "John the Baptist has sent us to You, to ask, 'Are You the Expected One, or do we look for someone else?'" 

7:21  At that very time He cured many people of diseases and afflictions and evil spirits; and He gave sight to many who were blind. 

7:22  And He answered and said to them, "Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: the BLIND RECEIVE SIGHT, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the POOR HAVE THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO THEM. 

More next Saturday.

Schemes of Satan-2

Twice Paul was inspired to warn us of the schemes of Satan. Why? Satan is evil and deadly. His desire is to have the whole world worship him. In order to accomplish that, he must deceive everyone from worshiping the one true GOD. How well is Satan doing with his evil plans and schemes?

First, what did Paul write?

2 Corinthians 2:11  …so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.

Ephesians 6:10  Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 

6:11  Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 

6:12  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 

6:13  Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 

While Paul makes this very clear, why has the ‘church’ not informed us and warned us of Satan’s schemes? Paul stated that ‘…we are not ignorant of his schemes.’ But, I believe that we are ignorant of his schemes. So let us continue our study so we can be prepared and warn others.

John 7:14  But when it was now the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and began to teach. 7:15  The Jews then were astonished, saying, "How has this man become learned, having never been educated?" 

While the Jews were seeking to kill Him, He not only went into Jerusalem for the feast, but went into the Temple! As He once again began to teach, even the Jews had to acknowledge that His teaching was amazing. Where did He get this knowledge, they wondered?

7:16  So Jesus answered them and said, "My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me. 7:17  "If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself. 7:18  "He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who is seeking the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. 

What exactly is Jesus saying? First, He was sent and His teaching came from the one who sent Him. Second, He now states that there are only two possible sources of this amazing teaching, either from GOD or Himself. So since He already stated that His teaching is not His own, He is clearly stating that it is from GOD the Father, who sent Him.

7:19  "Did not Moses give you the Law, and yet none of you carries out the Law? Why do you seek to kill Me?"  7:20  The crowd answered, "You have a demon! Who seeks to kill You?" 

When truth confronts religion and its myriad of traditions, people have to make a decision. Most will respond like those above; You can’t be the truth so therefore You must have a demon. They deny all they heard and saw to defend their lifetime indoctrination. They can’t give it up as it would invalidate their entire lives.

7:21  Jesus answered them, "I did one deed, and you all marvel. 7:22  "For this reason Moses has given you circumcision (not because it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and on the Sabbath you circumcise a man. 

Joh 7:23  "If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath so that the Law of Moses will not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made an entire man well on the Sabbath? 

They are still remembering from John 5 when Jesus healed a man who had not walked in 38 years. They did not deny this miracle, but instead of praising GOD for this wonderful gift to this man, they focused all their attention on His violation of their Sabbath laws. How could they do this?

Jesus was indicting them, so they lashed back at Him. The Jews were not interested in healing or truth, but in retaining their power, positions, and control over the people. So one of Satan’s most powerful and dangerous schemes is how he not only discredits truth tellers, but convinces others to think of them as evil and demonically inspired.

Joh 7:24  "Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment." 

Clearly Jesus went right to the issue. Righteous judgement can only come through righteous people. The Jews were not righteous. They have wanted to kill Jesus since He had healed that poor man.

John 5:18  For this reason therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God. 

Jesus had made it abundantly clear that He called GOD His Father and was equal to Him. That is all the Jews needed to hear and they could think of nothing else, but how and when to kill Him. If He wouldn’t stop by Himself, if He would not keep quiet, the only option left to them was to kill Him. They were indeed like their father, as they are still today.

John 8:44  "You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 

More next Saturday.

Schemes of Satan and Persecution-1

I thought I should really reflect what we will be studying on how Satan plans to destroy Jesus and ultimately His Church. So I decided to focus on his schemes which are many and the ‘church’ is woefully ignorant of all of them. This means the ‘church’ will be deceived and fall away from the living GOD.

John 7:1  After these things Jesus was walking in Galilee, for He was unwilling to walk in Judea because the Jews were seeking to kill Him. 7:2  Now the feast of the Jews, the Feast of Booths, was near. 

The Feast of Booths is in late September to early October. It is one of the three required Feasts, that is, all males must come to Jerusalem to participate in them.

7:3  Therefore His brothers said to Him, "Leave here and go into Judea, so that Your disciples also may see Your works which You are doing. 

7:4  "For no one does anything in secret when he himself seeks to be known publicly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world." 

7:5  For not even His brothers were believing in Him. 

Jesus did have both sisters and brothers despite what the Church of Rome teaches. Now there comments are interesting. Jesus had been demonstrating His power over sickness with the royal official’s son, the man who had not walked in 38 years, and fed 5000 men plus women and children. Yet, his brothers were encouraging Him to show more and be very public in His signs and wonders. But, these same signs and wonders had not convinced them!

7:6  So Jesus *said to them, "My time is not yet here, but your time is always opportune. 7:7  "The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it, that its deeds are evil. 7:8  "Go up to the feast yourselves; I do not go up to this feast because My time has not yet fully come." 7:9  Having said these things to them, He stayed in Galilee. 

Jesus was in total control of His life and death. It was not His time, as He must die at Passover as the Passover Lamb of GOD. He is not the Easter Lamb of GOD. Also, some texts interpret this as His saying not yet. He did not lie and say He wasn’t going but eventually did go,

7:10  But when His brothers had gone up to the feast, then He Himself also went up, not publicly, but as if, in secret. 

7:11  So the Jews were seeking Him at the feast and were saying, "Where is He?" 7:12  There was much grumbling among the crowds concerning Him; some were saying, "He is a good man"; others were saying, "No, on the contrary, He leads the people astray." 

The Jews, the religious elite, were looking for Him, knowing that He would have to come to the feast as required. They were spreading lies about Him but the people couldn’t understand how He could be a false teacher.

7:13  Yet no one was speaking openly of Him for fear of the Jews. 

This is one of the ways Satan, through organized religion, keeps the people in fear. They held the positions and had for centuries. They threatened many to ignore Jesus or worse yet, think evil of Him. Jesus was the problem, or so they said. Religion keeps people in bondage to its traditions and its laws, while ignoring GOD’s Laws.

Controlling the message and the media while silencing all who speak truth, keeps the sheep in the pens of the false shepherds. Only GOD’s Word can set us free from all the false teachings of false teachers. If you don’t know what God has said, Satan will tell you!

More signs, more miracles, and more wonders don’t by themselves produce saving faith.

More next Saturday.