Podcasts about Sidon

JUNE 22 | III The Advancement of the Kingdom | Mark 3:7-19Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed. When they heard about all he was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon. Because of the crowd he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him, to keep the people from crowding him. For he had healed many, so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him. Whenever the impure spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” But he gave them strict orders not to tell others about him. Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons. These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter), James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder”), Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

JUNE 22 | III The Advancement of the Kingdom | Mark 3:7-19Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed. When they heard about all he was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon. Because of the crowd he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him, to keep the people from crowding him. For he had healed many, so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him. Whenever the impure spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” But he gave them strict orders not to tell others about him. Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons. These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter), James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder”), Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

JUNE 22 | III The Advancement of the Kingdom | Mark 3:7-19Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed. When they heard about all he was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon. Because of the crowd he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him, to keep the people from crowding him. For he had healed many, so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him. Whenever the impure spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” But he gave them strict orders not to tell others about him.Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons. These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter), James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder”), Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

JUNE 22 | III The Advancement of the Kingdom | Mark 3:7-19Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed. When they heard about all he was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon. Because of the crowd he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him, to keep the people from crowding him. For he had healed many, so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him. Whenever the impure spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” But he gave them strict orders not to tell others about him. Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons. These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter), James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder”), Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

JUNE 22 | III The Advancement of the Kingdom | Mark 3:7-19Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed. When they heard about all he was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon. Because of the crowd he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him, to keep the people from crowding him. For he had healed many, so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him. Whenever the impure spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” But he gave them strict orders not to tell others about him. Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons. These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter), James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder”), Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

JUNE 22 | III The Advancement of the Kingdom | Mark 3:7-19Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed. When they heard about all he was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon. Because of the crowd he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him, to keep the people from crowding him. For he had healed many, so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him. Whenever the impure spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” But he gave them strict orders not to tell others about him.Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons. These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter), James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder”), Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

JUNE 22 | III The Advancement of the Kingdom | Mark 3:7-19Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed. When they heard about all he was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon. Because of the crowd he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him, to keep the people from crowding him. For he had healed many, so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him. Whenever the impure spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” But he gave them strict orders not to tell others about him. Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons. These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter), James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder”), Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

JUNE 22 | III The Advancement of the Kingdom | Mark 3:7-19Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed. When they heard about all he was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon. Because of the crowd he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him, to keep the people from crowding him. For he had healed many, so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him. Whenever the impure spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” But he gave them strict orders not to tell others about him. Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons. These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter), James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder”), Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Today's shout-out goes to David Sindelar from Roswell, GA. David, your partnership with us through Project23 is helping open ears and loosen tongues with the truth of the gospel. This one's for you. Our text today is Mark 7:31-37: Then he returned from the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him. And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. And Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”— Mark 7:31-37 Jesus returns to the Decapolis—Gentile territory again. This time, a man is brought to him. He's deaf and mostly mute. And the people beg Jesus to lay his hand on him. What happens next is strange—and intimate. Jesus pulls him away from the crowd. He touches his ears. He touches his tongue. He looks up and sighs deeply. Then he speaks a single word: “Ephphatha”—Be opened. A word that the man didn't even hear and couldn't speak opened his ears and loosened his mouth. In an instant, everything changes. The man hears. The man speaks. His world expands from silence to sound. From isolation to community. This miracle isn't just about healing—it's about how Jesus heals. He doesn't heal from a distance. He gets close. He touches. He sighs. It's personal. It's intentional. And it's full of compassion. And the crowd? They can't stop talking: “He has done all things well.” That's still true. Jesus still does all things well. He doesn't just fix what's broken—he restores what's been lost. And he can do that in your life, too. Maybe your ears aren't physically shut today, but maybe you've shut your ears to the sound of God's voice. Maybe your mouth still works, but you've been silent when you should speak. Let Jesus touch those places. Let him open what's been shut. Let him loosen what's been stuck. Let him restore what's been silenced. Let him come close and touch you spiritually. Hear him say, "Be opened." Because when Jesus speaks “Be opened” over your life, you will never be the same. #BeOpened, #JesusHealsDeeply, #AllThingsWell ASK THIS: What part of my life feels spiritually “deaf” or “mute”? Where do I need Jesus to get personal with my pain? What have I been too afraid to speak aloud? Do I truly believe Jesus still does all things well? DO THIS: Take 10 minutes alone today and ask Jesus to touch the part of your life that feels shut down or stuck. PRAY THIS: Jesus, open the parts of me that have gone silent. Touch what I've hidden, and restore me to wholeness with your gentle power. Amen. PLAY THIS: “Same God” – Elevation Worship.

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Today's shout-out goes to Ted Tulibaski from Perham, MN. Ted, your partnership with us through Project23 is helping open ears and loosen tongues with the truth of the gospel. This one's for you. Our text today is Mark 7:24-30: And from there he arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And he entered a house and did not want anyone to know, yet he could not be hidden. But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. And he said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.” But she answered him, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs.” And he said to her, “For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.” And she went home and found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.— Mark 7:24-30 Jesus enters Gentile territory—Tyre and Sidon—away from the Jewish crowds. He tries to lay low. But one woman finds him. A woman with no status in Jewish society. She was a Gentile. A Syrophoenician. An outsider by birth. According to every religious and social system—she didn't belong. She had no reason to approach a Jewish rabbi. No social footing. No spiritual leverage. But she had a desperate need—and a bold faith. And Jesus seems to test that faith with a hard statement: “It's not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs (Gentiles).” But instead of recoiling, she leans in. “Yes, Lord. But even the dogs (Gentiles) eat the crumbs under the table.” It's not a demand. It's a confession. She knows she doesn't deserve anything—but she still believes Jesus has more than enough to meet her needs. And that humility moves Jesus. Her faith—not her status—is what leads to healing. This is a challenge for all of us—especially in a culture obsessed with status, labels, platforms, and recognition. Jesus isn't impressed by credentials. He's not persuaded by accomplishments. He doesn't bend to social influence. He's moved by our faith—humble, honest, surrendered faith. So don't let your status—high or low—define your approach to God. Come like this woman. Come as you are. Come boldly, and believe that even the crumbs from Jesus are enough to change everything. #FaithOverStatus, #JesusRespondsToFaith, #SurrenderedFaith ASK THIS: Do I rely on status more than faith when approaching God? Where do I feel like an outsider spiritually or socially? How does this story challenge my pride? What “crumb” from Jesus am I afraid to ask for today? DO THIS: Come to Jesus today without pretense. Drop your credentials, your insecurities, and your excuses. Just come in faith. PRAY THIS: Jesus, I lay aside everything I think makes me worthy. I come in faith, believing You're more than enough for my deepest need. Amen. PLAY THIS: “Run to the Father” – Cody Carnes.

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Today's shout-out goes to Aaron Knox from Cartersville, GA. Aaron, your partnership with us through Project23 is helping take the Word across cultural lines and into hearts that need hope. This one's for you. Our text today is Mark 7:24-30: And from there he arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And he entered a house and did not want anyone to know, yet he could not be hidden. But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. And he said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.” But she answered him, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs.” And he said to her, “For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.” And she went home and found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.— Mark 7:24-30 This encounter feels uncomfortable—at least at first. Jesus is in Gentile territory, far from Jewish crowds. And a Syrophoenician woman interrupts his rest. Her daughter is possessed. She's desperate. And Jesus' initial response sounds harsh: “It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.” Dogs being a derogatory word for "Gentiles." But this isn't rejection. It's a test. Jesus often used parables and tension to expose faith—and this woman steps into that tension. Her reply is both humble and bold: “Even the dogs (the Gentiles) eat the crumbs.” She doesn't deny her unworthiness. She just believes Jesus has enough power for people like her. And that's the moment everything shifts. Jesus heals her daughter from a distance. No touch. No spectacle. Just a word. This moment isn't about geography—it's about grace. It's not about heritage—it's about heart. This woman broke every cultural rule to get to Jesus. She didn't belong by lineage, but she belonged by faith. Sometimes, we feel like outsiders, too. Too broken. Too far gone. Not spiritual enough. But Jesus responds to desperate faith, not spiritual credentials. So, what barriers have you let stand between you and Jesus? Pride? Past shame? A sense that you're not worthy? This woman didn't let cultural boundaries, religious expectations, or social discomfort hold her back. And Jesus didn't just heal her daughter—he honored her faith. Don't let that thing, or anything, keep you from falling at Jesus' feet. Jesus, I know I don't deserve anything—but even your crumbs are enough for me. Give me the boldness to bring you my full need. Amen. #DesperateFaith, #JesusCrossesLines, #EvenTheCrumbs ASK THIS: What has stopped me from pursuing Jesus with desperate faith? Do I believe Jesus has enough power for my need? Where have I let shame, culture, or fear keep me distant from him? What would it look like to throw myself at Jesus' feet today? DO THIS: Push through the discomfort and pray boldly for what you need. Don't let man-made lines keep you from Jesus. PRAY THIS: Jesus, I know I don't deserve anything—but even your crumbs are enough for me. Give me the boldness to bring you my full need. Amen. PLAY THIS: “Come to the Altar” – Elevation Worship.

Send us a textActs 12:20-25Now Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon, and they came to him with one accord, and having persuaded Blastus, the king's chamberlain, they asked for peace, because their country depended on the king's country for food. On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and delivered an oration to them. And the people were shouting, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!” Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last.But the word of God increased and multiplied.And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had completed their service, bringing with them John, whose other name was Mark.Support the show

Daily Dose of Hope June 12, 2025   Scripture - Matthew 11:20-30   Prayer: Holy God,  We are weary.  We are tired.  We need you.  You are great and mighty.  You are merciful and loving.  How we need that right now!  Lord, speak to us today.  We need to hear your voice.  We pray that your voice will be louder and clearer than all the other voices that crowd our thoughts.  Lord, in these next few moments of silence, please speak to us...  God, we give you all the glory.  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, a Deep Dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we finish up Matthew 11.   There is so much substance in this chapter. I feel like there is no way for me to even brush the surface. Let's start with the woe on unrepentant towns.  Jesus is denouncing certain areas in the northern region of Galilee, including Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum, because even though they saw many of his miracles and heard his teaching, they didn't repent.  Jesus is saying if he had done the same miracles in Gentile cities like Tyre and Sidon, they would have already repented and believed.  Jesus is speaking harsh words here.  The cities that should have responded well and come to believe have largely rejected him.  Jesus has not met their expectation of the Messiah, but that does not absolve them of guilt.  They will very much be held accountable, as will all of us.   And then, there is this discussion that the Father is revealed in the Son.  Those who think they are really smart and learned might reject Jesus but we must have faith like little, vulnerable children.  Humility is an asset in God's Kingdom.    Where I really want to focus today is on the last few verses.  Jesus says, Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.  Is he simply talking about people who are physically weary? That's certainly part of it. Think about the culture at the time of Jesus. Most people were poor and they worked really, really hard. This whole idea of rest would have been very appealing to them. But it goes much deeper. We know from scripture that the Pharisees were kind of obsessed with following the law and the manmade traditions they had created. In fact, they had created hundreds of additional rules that they felt were necessary to follow the law well. God's law, Torah, was certainly fine and it was a good thing to keep Torah. But this group took it to the extreme, creating an additional burden on people to follow. Matthew 23:4 said, “They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden.” This created constant striving, but always failing, never being able to be good enough. Their souls were being worn down and worn down and worn down. And Jesus said, “NO–come to me all of you who are experiencing this soul weariness, all of you who are tired and need rest–physical rest, emotional rest, and spiritual rest.”   We live in a culture where being stressed out is the norm (we almost wear it like a badge of honor). People are tired and weary. The truth is that life can wear you down. Once we overcome one challenge, there seems to be another right around the corner. I know that many of you are dealing with really serious difficulty like health problems, broken relationships, and significant financial issues.   But the weariness of life is not just about the big burdens, is it? Sometimes, it is the everyday busyness of life that wears us down, the feeling of running on the hamster wheel, the getting up and dealing with the same stress day end and day out. The end result of all this weariness isa kind of restlessness. And yet, this isn't the kind of restlessness that just goes away by watching TV or going on vacation. Could it be that our need for rest is different than we think it is? Is rest simply the freedom from work OR is it something very different? True rest is impossible apart from Jesus Christ. We can never be at rest in our soul apart from Jesus. This restlessness of our soul is truly what ails so many of us. No amount of money, no amount of power or prestige can keep you from this restlessness. No one can escape it.   So what in the world can we do? Well, Jesus gives us the answer. He says to take his yoke upon us. A yoke was essentially a wooden frame that was used to harness together a pair of oxen at their necks so that they could pull a plough or some other kind of load. It was kind of a balancing device. Often a younger ox that needed to be taught to work would be paired with an older, more experienced ox.   This is a wonderful picture of our relationship with Jesus (or maybe I should say what our relationship with Jesus ideally looks like). The people that Jesus was speaking to would have known this–their yoke was hard. The Pharisees put this really difficult, ill-fitting yoke around their necks. But being yoked together with Jesus is so much better. The fit is better, it doesn't hurt so badly. When we allow him to walk alongside us, sharing our burden and yoke, the load does not disappear but is made lighter.   Being yoked together with Jesus does not mean we won't have to work, we will. We will still have problems, we will still have difficulty. But his yoke is not harsh or oppressive. Jesus' company is gentle. Just picture being yoked together with him as you plow a field. I know it might be a ridiculous thought for some of us non-farming people, but it is also a comforting thought. He wants us to attach ourselves to him. Not just hang around him every now and then. Not just go and have dinner with him once a week and then do it our way the rest of the week. No, he wants us to become permanently yoked with him, day in and day out. In doing so, our load will be lighter because he will share it with us. His peace and his comfort will walk alongside us and enable us to keep going.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Luke Looks Back Chapter 5 Study 5 - Luke 4:14-30 The Announcement of the Messiah We start off this study with a question. Question 1: Where was your hometown? What was, or is, memorable about it? Read Luke:4:14 to 23. Nazareth was the hometown of Jesus, where he grew up. It was a small village in the middle of the province of Galilee, mainly of Galileans but including some Jews from the far away province of Judea. The people of Galilee were often of mixed ancestry so there is likely to have been considerable antagonism between them and the purer blooded Judean Jews who regarded themselves as the only proper Jews. As a result Judean Jews of Nazareth, as the family of Jesus were, were most probably foreigners in their own community. The two slightly different peoples were probably not friendly to each other. That, not the best of places, was where Jesus spent most of his childhood days! Luke uses the story of what happened when Jesus read from the OT book of Isaiah in the synagogue there, to start explaining how we are to understand the ministry of Jesus. Jesus had to deal with a strong expectation among ordinary people that the Messiah would behave in certain ways. He had a major job to change that expectation. Jesus read just one and a half verses from Isaiah 6. We will read more verses to get the context of what he read. We may assume his listeners knew the passage well so that hearing the verses he read they would immediately remember the following verses. Listen carefully to the picture these verses give. Isaiah 61: 1 - 7. Question 2: What would those verses have made them think Jesus was going to do if he really was the Messiah? What would they have been expecting him to call on them to do? Like many of the other passages in the Old Testament that talk about the Messiah these verses would have made them expect leadership in a successful military campaign against the Romans. Brothers, called the Maccabees, had led Israel against the Syrians 200 years earlier with great success. If he succeeded the men would expect to have to join his army. Of course, we know that such a venture would have been hopeless. The Roman armies were exceedingly difficult to beat. Only the most warlike of peoples in other parts of the Empire had any success against them, and then not for very long. Question 3: The next half verse in Isaiah to the one Jesus read says 'and the day of vengeance of our God'. He stopped without reading that out. What would that have suggested to the people who listened to him? I think they would have found it a great puzzle, which is why they listened to what he said next so carefully. He seemed to be promising that he would be a mighty spiritual leader but not a war leader. They would have thought of 'the day of vengeance' as the day when their God would bring the world they knew to an end with the defeat of the hated Romans. Read Luke 4:24 - 30 Question 4: Jesus went on to remind them of the stories of the widow of Zarephath and Elijah (1 Kings 17: 2 - 10a the brook Kerith was east of Jericho, Zarephath was the other side of Israel near Sidon, a Phoenician city)) and of Naaman and Elisha (2 Kings 5: 1, Aram was another name for Syria ). Why did Jesus do that? What point was he making, apart from the obvious one of 'not in my hometown'? All these places were outside Israel. He was saying that as they rejected him he was going to go to other people outside Israel. They did not like that idea at all. Quite why he did that is a bit of a mystery. Question 5: If a politician, wanting to influence people and starting off an election campaign was nearly lynched - murdered by a mob - as Jesus was he would not be likely to get on very well. The story does not give a good impression of Jesus. Why does Luke tell us about this episode when he could so easily not have done so? What is it about the ministry of Jesus that Luke wants us to think about? Luke is expecting what he writes to be read mainly by Gentiles - Romans. He has emphasised that the 2 great prophets Elijah and Elisha helped Gentiles. Christian faith is for all peoples, not any special nation or people group. Probably the fact that Jesus was rejected by the Jews like this made him sound better to a Roman, like Theophilus! But, above and beyond that, Luke will have chosen this episode because it gives such a clear picture of what Jesus was going to do in his ministry. Question 6: It says, "Jesus walked right through the crowd and went on his way". What does that suggest? It tells us that Jesus had an unusual air of authority about him. Perhaps too, that angels protected him. Question 7: Looking now at the whole story - what 2 things is Jesus emphasising by what he says and does that are of fundamental importance in our understanding of God and of faith? He has appealed to the Scriptures of the Old Testament to establish who he is. And the Scripture he read emphasised the work of the Spirit both for preaching and healing. These are the 2 fundamental sources for our understanding too - the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit - though we have, of course, the tremendous advantage of having the writings of the New Testament as well as those of the Old. Click here to download as an audio mp3

The oracle concerning Tyre and Sidon continues but ends interestingly. The whole is coming under judgment. And even though the vineyards and lyres mourn, there will be songs of praise coming. Have a listen. Show Notes: Support 1517 Podcast Network 1517 Podcasts 1517 on Youtube 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts 1517 Events Schedule 1517 Academy - Free Theological Education What's New from 1517: Preorder Sinner Saint by Luke Kjolhaug The Impossible Prize: A Theology of Addiction by Donavan Riley Ditching the Checklist by Mark Mattes Broken Bonds: A Novel of the Reformation, Book 1 of 2 by Amy Mantravadi More from the hosts: Daniel Emery Price Chad Bird

To become a follower of Jesus, visit: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/MeetJesus (NOT a Morning Mindset resource) ⇒ TODAY'S DAILY SPONSOR: ANONYMOUS: Appreciation and thanks for blessing of this daily podcast in my life You can sponsor a daily episode of the Morning Mindset too, by going to https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/DailySponsor ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Mark 7:31–37 - [1] Then he returned from the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. [32] And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him. [33] And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. [34] And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” [35] And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. [36] And Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. [37] And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.” (ESV) ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ FINANCIALLY SUPPORT THE MORNING MINDSET: (not tax-deductible) -- Become a monthly partner: https://mm-gfk-partners.supercast.com/ -- Support a daily episode: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/daily-sponsor/ -- Give one-time: https://give.cornerstone.cc/careygreen -- Venmo: @CareyNGreen ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ FOREIGN LANGUAGE VERSIONS OF THIS PODCAST: SPANISH version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Spanish HINDI version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Hindi CHINESE version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Chinese  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ CONTACT: Carey@careygreen.com  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ THEME MUSIC: “King’s Trailer” – Creative Commons 0 | Provided by https://freepd.com/ ***All NON-ENGLISH versions of the Morning Mindset are translated using A.I. Dubbing and Translation tools from DubFormer.ai ***All NON-ENGLISH text content (descriptions and titles) are translated using the A.I. functionality of Google Translate. To become a follower of Jesus, visit: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/MeetJesus (NOT a Morning Mindset resource) ⇒ TODAY'S DAILY SPONSOR: You can sponsor a daily episode of the Morning Mindset too, by going to https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/DailySponsor ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ FINANCIALLY SUPPORT THE MORNING MINDSET: (not tax-deductible) -- Become a monthly partner: https://mm-gfk-partners.supercast.com/ -- Support a daily episode: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/daily-sponsor/ -- Give one-time: https://give.cornerstone.cc/careygreen -- Venmo: @CareyNGreen ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ FOREIGN LANGUAGE VERSIONS OF THIS PODCAST: SPANISH version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Spanish HINDI version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Hindi CHINESE version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Chinese  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ CONTACT: Carey@careygreen.com  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ THEME MUSIC: “King’s Trailer” – Creative Commons 0 | Provided by https://freepd.com/ ***All NON-ENGLISH versions of the Morning Mindset are translated using A.I. Dubbing and Translation tools from DubFormer.ai ***All NON-ENGLISH text content (descriptions and titles) are translated using the A.I. functionality of Google Translate.

To become a follower of Jesus, visit: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/MeetJesus (NOT a Morning Mindset resource) ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ ⇒Check out all of Carey's books - for adults and kids, fiction and nonfiction : https://CareyGreen.com/books ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ TODAY'S SCRIPTURE:   ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ FINANCIALLY SUPPORT THE MORNING MINDSET: (not tax-deductible) -- Become a monthly partner: https://mm-gfk-partners.supercast.com/ -- Support a daily episode: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/daily-sponsor/ -- Give one-time: https://give.cornerstone.cc/careygreen -- Venmo: @CareyNGreen ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ FOREIGN LANGUAGE VERSIONS OF THIS PODCAST: SPANISH version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Spanish HINDI version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Hindi CHINESE version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Chinese  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ CONTACT: Carey@careygreen.com  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ THEME MUSIC: “King’s Trailer” – Creative Commons 0 | Provided by https://freepd.com/ ***All NON-ENGLISH versions of the Morning Mindset are translated using A.I. Dubbing and Translation tools from DubFormer.ai ***All NON-ENGLISH text content (descriptions and titles) are translated using the A.I. functionality of Google Translate. To become a follower of Jesus, visit: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/MeetJesus (NOT a Morning Mindset resource) ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ ⇒Check out all of Carey's books - for adults and kids, fiction and nonfiction : https://CareyGreen.com/books ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Mark 7:24–30 - [24] And from there he arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And he entered a house and did not want anyone to know, yet he could not be hidden. [25] But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet. [26] Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. [27] And he said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” [28] But she answered him, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” [29] And he said to her, “For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.” [30] And she went home and found the child lying in bed and the demon gone. (ESV) ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ FINANCIALLY SUPPORT THE MORNING MINDSET: (not tax-deductible) -- Become a monthly partner: https://mm-gfk-partners.supercast.com/ -- Support a daily episode: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/daily-sponsor/ -- Give one-time: https://give.cornerstone.cc/careygreen -- Venmo: @CareyNGreen ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ FOREIGN LANGUAGE VERSIONS OF THIS PODCAST: SPANISH version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Spanish HINDI version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Hindi CHINESE version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Chinese  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ CONTACT: Carey@careygreen.com  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ THEME MUSIC: “King’s Trailer” – Creative Commons 0 | Provided by https://freepd.com/ ***All NON-ENGLISH versions of the Morning Mindset are translated using A.I. Dubbing and Translation tools from DubFormer.ai ***All NON-ENGLISH text content (descriptions and titles) are translated using the A.I. functionality of Google Translate.

Today’s devotional takes us deep into the compassionate heart of Jesus. In a world loud with noise and performance, Christ shows us a love that is deeply personal, quietly powerful, and beautifully intentional. Jennifer Slattery unpacks the healing of a deaf man in Mark 7 to reveal how Jesus doesn’t just care for the crowd—He cherishes the individual. This story is a powerful reminder that God sees you, values you, and offers healing not as a show, but as an intimate act of love. What You'll Learn: Why Jesus may have taken the deaf man aside before healing him How Christ’s actions protect dignity and demonstrate personal compassion The difference between public miracles and private moments of grace What this tells us about how God views you—not as a project, but as a person

April 25, 2025 - Equipped 2025 - Day 2 - 2:30PM Session   Looking at the life as a prophet, Ken reflects on how Isaiah wrote his inspired work.   Isaiah 20-23 -The Sign Against Egypt and Ethiopia 20 In the year that Tartan came to Ashdod, when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him, and he fought against Ashdod and took it, 2 at the same time the Lord spoke by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, “Go, and remove the sackcloth from your body, and take your sandals off your feet.” And he did so, walking naked and barefoot. 3 Then the Lord said, “Just as My servant Isaiah has walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and a wonder against Egypt and Ethiopia, 4 so shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptians as prisoners and the Ethiopians as captives, young and old, naked and barefoot, with their buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt. 5 Then they shall be afraid and ashamed of Ethiopia their expectation and Egypt their glory. 6 And the inhabitant of this territory will say in that day, ‘Surely such is our expectation, wherever we flee for help to be delivered from the king of Assyria; and how shall we escape?' ” The Fall of Babylon Proclaimed 21 The burden against the Wilderness of the Sea. As whirlwinds in the South pass through, So it comes from the desert, from a terrible land. 2 A distressing vision is declared to me; The treacherous dealer deals treacherously, And the plunderer plunders. Go up, O Elam! Besiege, O Media! All its sighing I have made to cease. 3 Therefore my loins are filled with pain; Pangs have taken hold of me, like the pangs of a woman in labor. I was distressed when I heard it; I was dismayed when I saw it. 4 My heart wavered, fearfulness frightened me; The night for which I longed He turned into fear for me. 5 Prepare the table, Set a watchman in the tower, Eat and drink. Arise, you princes, Anoint the shield! 6 For thus has the Lord said to me: “Go, set a watchman, Let him declare what he sees.” 7 And he saw a chariot with a pair of horsemen, A chariot of donkeys, and a chariot of camels, And he listened earnestly with great care. 8 Then he cried, “A lion, my Lord! I stand continually on the watchtower in the daytime; I have sat at my post every night. 9 And look, here comes a chariot of men with a pair of horsemen!” Then he answered and said, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen! And all the carved images of her gods He has broken to the ground.” 10 Oh, my threshing and the grain of my floor! That which I have heard from the Lord of hosts, The God of Israel, I have declared to you. Proclamation Against Edom 11 The burden against Dumah. He calls to me out of Seir, “Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?” 12 The watchman said, “The morning comes, and also the night. If you will inquire, inquire; Return! Come back!” Proclamation Against Arabia 13 The burden against Arabia. In the forest in Arabia you will lodge, O you traveling companies of Dedanites. 14 O inhabitants of the land of Tema, Bring water to him who is thirsty; With their bread they met him who fled. 15 For they fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, From the bent bow, and from the distress of war. 16 For thus the Lord has said to me: “Within a year, according to the year of a hired man, all the glory of Kedar will fail; 17 and the remainder of the number of archers, the mighty men of the people of Kedar, will be diminished; for the Lord God of Israel has spoken it.” Proclamation Against Jerusalem 22 The burden against the Valley of Vision. What ails you now, that you have all gone up to the housetops, 2 You who are full of noise, A tumultuous city, a joyous city? Your slain men are not slain with the sword, Nor dead in battle. 3 All your rulers have fled together; They are captured by the archers. All who are found in you are bound together; They have fled from afar. 4 Therefore I said, “Look away from me, I will weep bitterly; Do not labor to comfort me Because of the plundering of the daughter of my people.” 5 For it is a day of trouble and treading down and perplexity By the Lord God of hosts In the Valley of Vision— Breaking down the walls And of crying to the mountain. 6 Elam bore the quiver With chariots of men and horsemen, And Kir uncovered the shield. 7 It shall come to pass that your choicest valleys Shall be full of chariots, And the horsemen shall set themselves in array at the gate. 8 He removed the protection of Judah. You looked in that day to the armor of the House of the Forest; 9 You also saw the damage to the city of David, That it was great; And you gathered together the waters of the lower pool. 10 You numbered the houses of Jerusalem, And the houses you broke down To fortify the wall. 11 You also made a reservoir between the two walls For the water of the old pool. But you did not look to its Maker, Nor did you have respect for Him who fashioned it long ago. 12 And in that day the Lord God of hosts Called for weeping and for mourning, For baldness and for girding with sackcloth. 13 But instead, joy and gladness, Slaying oxen and killing sheep, Eating meat and drinking wine: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!” 14 Then it was revealed in my hearing by the Lord of hosts, “Surely for this iniquity there will be no atonement for you, Even to your death,” says the Lord God of hosts. The Judgment on Shebna 15 Thus says the Lord God of hosts: “Go, proceed to this steward, To Shebna, who is over the house, and say: 16 ‘What have you here, and whom have you here, That you have hewn a sepulcher here, As he who hews himself a sepulcher on high, Who carves a tomb for himself in a rock? 17 Indeed, the Lord will throw you away violently, O mighty man, And will surely seize you. 18 He will surely turn violently and toss you like a ball Into a large country; There you shall die, and there your glorious chariots Shall be the shame of your master's house. 19 So I will drive you out of your office, And from your position he will pull you down. 20 ‘Then it shall be in that day, That I will call My servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah; 21 I will clothe him with your robe And strengthen him with your belt; I will commit your responsibility into his hand. He shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem And to the house of Judah. 22 The key of the house of David I will lay on his shoulder; So he shall open, and no one shall shut; And he shall shut, and no one shall open. 23 I will fasten him as a peg in a secure place, And he will become a glorious throne to his father's house. 24 ‘They will hang on him all the glory of his father's house, the offspring and the posterity, all vessels of small quantity, from the cups to all the pitchers. 25 In that day,' says the Lord of hosts, ‘the peg that is fastened in the secure place will be removed and be cut down and fall, and the burden that was on it will be cut off; for the Lord has spoken.' ” Proclamation Against Tyre 23 The burden against Tyre. Wail, you ships of Tarshish! For it is laid waste, So that there is no house, no harbor; From the land of Cyprus it is revealed to them. 2 Be still, you inhabitants of the coastland, You merchants of Sidon, Whom those who cross the sea have filled. 3 And on great waters the grain of Shihor, The harvest of the River, is her revenue; And she is a marketplace for the nations. 4 Be ashamed, O Sidon; For the sea has spoken, The strength of the sea, saying, “I do not labor, nor bring forth children; Neither do I rear young men, Nor bring up virgins.” 5 When the report reaches Egypt, They also will be in agony at the report of Tyre. 6 Cross over to Tarshish; Wail, you inhabitants of the coastland! 7 Is this your joyous city, Whose antiquity is from ancient days, Whose feet carried her far off to dwell? 8 Who has taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city, Whose merchants are princes, Whose traders are the honorable of the earth? 9 The Lord of hosts has purposed it, To bring to dishonor the pride of all glory, To bring into contempt all the honorable of the earth. 10 Overflow through your land like the River, O daughter of Tarshish; There is no more strength. 11 He stretched out His hand over the sea, He shook the kingdoms; The Lord has given a commandment against Canaan To destroy its strongholds. 12 And He said, “You will rejoice no more, O you oppressed virgin daughter of Sidon. Arise, cross over to Cyprus; There also you will have no rest.” 13 Behold, the land of the Chaldeans, This people which was not; Assyria founded it for wild beasts of the desert. They set up its towers, They raised up its palaces, And brought it to ruin. 14 Wail, you ships of Tarshish! For your strength is laid waste. 15 Now it shall come to pass in that day that Tyre will be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king. At the end of seventy years it will happen to Tyre as in the song of the harlot: 16 “Take a harp, go about the city, You forgotten harlot; Make sweet melody, sing many songs, That you may be remembered.” 17 And it shall be, at the end of seventy years, that the Lord will deal with Tyre. She will return to her hire, and commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world on the face of the earth. 18 Her gain and her pay will be set apart for the Lord; it will not be treasured nor laid up, for her gain will be for those who dwell before the Lord, to eat sufficiently, and for fine clothing.   Isaiah 35-39 - The Future Glory of Zion 35 The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them, And the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose; 2 It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice, Even with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, The excellence of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord, The excellency of our God. 3 Strengthen the weak hands, And make firm the feeble knees. 4 Say to those who are fearful-hearted, “Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, With the recompense of God; He will come and save you.” 5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. 6 Then the lame shall leap like a deer, And the tongue of the dumb sing. For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, And streams in the desert. 7 The parched ground shall become a pool, And the thirsty land springs of water; In the habitation of jackals, where each lay, There shall be grass with reeds and rushes. 8 A highway shall be there, and a road, And it shall be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it, But it shall be for others. Whoever walks the road, although a fool, Shall not go astray. 9 No lion shall be there, Nor shall any ravenous beast go up on it; It shall not be found there. But the redeemed shall walk there, 10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, And come to Zion with singing, With everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness, And sorrow and sighing shall flee away. Sennacherib Boasts Against the Lord 36 Now it came to pass in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah that Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and took them. 2 Then the king of Assyria sent the Rabshakeh with a great army from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. And he stood by the aqueduct from the upper pool, on the highway to the Fuller's Field. 3 And Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder, came out to him. 4 Then the Rabshakeh said to them, “Say now to Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: “What confidence is this in which you trust? 5 I say you speak of having plans and power for war; but they are mere words. Now in whom do you trust, that you rebel against me? 6 Look! You are trusting in the staff of this broken reed, Egypt, on which if a man leans, it will go into his hand and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him. 7 “But if you say to me, ‘We trust in the Lord our God,' is it not He whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has taken away, and said to Judah and Jerusalem, ‘You shall worship before this altar'?” ' 8 Now therefore, I urge you, give a pledge to my master the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses—if you are able on your part to put riders on them! 9 How then will you repel one captain of the least of my master's servants, and put your trust in Egypt for chariots and horsemen? 10 Have I now come up without the Lord against this land to destroy it? The Lord said to me, ‘Go up against this land, and destroy it.' ” 11 Then Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah said to the Rabshakeh, “Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, for we understand it; and do not speak to us in Hebrew in the hearing of the people who are on the wall.” 12 But the Rabshakeh said, “Has my master sent me to your master and to you to speak these words, and not to the men who sit on the wall, who will eat and drink their own waste with you?” 13 Then the Rabshakeh stood and called out with a loud voice in Hebrew, and said, “Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria! 14 Thus says the king: ‘Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you; 15 nor let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord, saying, “The Lord will surely deliver us; this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.” ' 16 Do not listen to Hezekiah; for thus says the king of Assyria: ‘Make peace with me by a present and come out to me; and every one of you eat from his own vine and every one from his own fig tree, and every one of you drink the waters of his own cistern; 17 until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards. 18 Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, “The Lord will deliver us.” Has any one of the gods of the nations delivered its land from the hand of the king of Assyria? 19 Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? Indeed, have they delivered Samaria from my hand? 20 Who among all the gods of these lands have delivered their countries from my hand, that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem from my hand?' ” 21 But they held their peace and answered him not a word; for the king's commandment was, “Do not answer him.” 22 Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder, came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn, and told him the words of the Rabshakeh. Isaiah Assures Deliverance 37 And so it was, when King Hezekiah heard it, that he tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the Lord. 2 Then he sent Eliakim, who was over the household, Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth, to Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz. 3 And they said to him, “Thus says Hezekiah: ‘This day is a day of trouble and rebuke and blasphemy; for the children have come to birth, but there is no strength to bring them forth. 4 It may be that the Lord your God will hear the words of the Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to reproach the living God, and will rebuke the words which the Lord your God has heard. Therefore lift up your prayer for the remnant that is left.' ” 5 So the servants of King Hezekiah came to Isaiah. 6 And Isaiah said to them, “Thus you shall say to your master, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Do not be afraid of the words which you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me. 7 Surely I will send a spirit upon him, and he shall hear a rumor and return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.” ' ” Sennacherib's Threat and Hezekiah's Prayer 8 Then the Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah, for he heard that he had departed from Lachish. 9 And the king heard concerning Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, “He has come out to make war with you.” So when he heard it, he sent messengers to Hezekiah, saying, 10 “Thus you shall speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying: ‘Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you, saying, “Jerusalem shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.” 11 Look! You have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands by utterly destroying them; and shall you be delivered? 12 Have the gods of the nations delivered those whom my fathers have destroyed, Gozan and Haran and Rezeph, and the people of Eden who were in Telassar? 13 Where is the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah?' ” 14 And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord. 15 Then Hezekiah prayed to the Lord, saying: 16 “O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, the One who dwells between the cherubim, You are God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. 17 Incline Your ear, O Lord, and hear; open Your eyes, O Lord, and see; and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to reproach the living God. 18 Truly, Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations and their lands, 19 and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were not gods, but the work of men's hands—wood and stone. Therefore they destroyed them. 20 Now therefore, O Lord our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are the Lord, You alone.” The Word of the Lord Concerning Sennacherib 21 Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘Because you have prayed to Me against Sennacherib king of Assyria, 22 this is the word which the Lord has spoken concerning him: “The virgin, the daughter of Zion, Has despised you, laughed you to scorn; The daughter of Jerusalem Has shaken her head behind your back! 23 “Whom have you reproached and blasphemed? Against whom have you raised your voice, And lifted up your eyes on high? Against the Holy One of Israel. 24 By your servants you have reproached the Lord, And said, ‘By the multitude of my chariots I have come up to the height of the mountains, To the limits of Lebanon; I will cut down its tall cedars And its choice cypress trees; I will enter its farthest height, To its fruitful forest. 25 I have dug and drunk water, And with the soles of my feet I have dried up All the brooks of defense.' 26 “Did you not hear long ago How I made it, From ancient times that I formed it? Now I have brought it to pass, That you should be For crushing fortified cities into heaps of ruins. 27 Therefore their inhabitants had little power; They were dismayed and confounded; They were as the grass of the field And the green herb, As the grass on the housetops And grain blighted before it is grown. 28 “But I know your dwelling place, Your going out and your coming in, And your rage against Me. 29 Because your rage against Me and your tumult Have come up to My ears, Therefore I will put My hook in your nose And My bridle in your lips, And I will turn you back By the way which you came.” ' 30 “This shall be a sign to you: You shall eat this year such as grows of itself, And the second year what springs from the same; Also in the third year sow and reap, Plant vineyards and eat the fruit of them. 31 And the remnant who have escaped of the house of Judah Shall again take root downward, And bear fruit upward. 32 For out of Jerusalem shall go a remnant, And those who escape from Mount Zion. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. 33 “Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the king of Assyria: ‘He shall not come into this city, Nor shoot an arrow there, Nor come before it with shield, Nor build a siege mound against it. 34 By the way that he came, By the same shall he return; And he shall not come into this city,' Says the Lord. 35 ‘For I will defend this city, to save it For My own sake and for My servant David's sake.' ” Sennacherib's Defeat and Death 36 Then the angel of the Lord went out, and killed in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thousand; and when people arose early in the morning, there were the corpses—all dead. 37 So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and went away, returned home, and remained at Nineveh. 38 Now it came to pass, as he was worshiping in the house of Nisroch his god, that his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer struck him down with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Ararat. Then Esarhaddon his son reigned in his place. Hezekiah's Life Extended 38 In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, went to him and said to him, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live.' ” 2 Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the Lord, 3 and said, “Remember now, O Lord, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. 4 And the word of the Lord came to Isaiah, saying, 5 “Go and tell Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will add to your days fifteen years. 6 I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city.” ' 7 And this is the sign to you from the Lord, that the Lord will do this thing which He has spoken: 8 Behold, I will bring the shadow on the sundial, which has gone down with the sun on the sundial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward.” So the sun returned ten degrees on the dial by which it had gone down. 9 This is the writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick and had recovered from his sickness: 10 I said, “In the prime of my life I shall go to the gates of Sheol; I am deprived of the remainder of my years.” 11 I said, “I shall not see Yah, The Lord in the land of the living; I shall observe man no more among the inhabitants of the world. 12 My life span is gone, Taken from me like a shepherd's tent; I have cut off my life like a weaver. He cuts me off from the loom; From day until night You make an end of me. 13 I have considered until morning— Like a lion, So He breaks all my bones; From day until night You make an end of me. 14 Like a crane or a swallow, so I chattered; I mourned like a dove; My eyes fail from looking upward. O Lord, I am oppressed; Undertake for me! 15 “What shall I say? He has both spoken to me, And He Himself has done it. I shall walk carefully all my years In the bitterness of my soul. 16 O Lord, by these things men live; And in all these things is the life of my spirit; So You will restore me and make me live. 17 Indeed it was for my own peace That I had great bitterness; But You have lovingly delivered my soul from the pit of corruption, For You have cast all my sins behind Your back. 18 For Sheol cannot thank You, Death cannot praise You; Those who go down to the pit cannot hope for Your truth. 19 The living, the living man, he shall praise You, As I do this day; The father shall make known Your truth to the children. 20 “The Lord was ready to save me; Therefore we will sing my songs with stringed instruments All the days of our life, in the house of the Lord.” 21 Now Isaiah had said, “Let them take a lump of figs, and apply it as a poultice on the boil, and he shall recover.” 22 And Hezekiah had said, “What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the Lord?” The Babylonian Envoys 39 At that time Merodach-Baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that he had been sick and had recovered. 2 And Hezekiah was pleased with them, and showed them the house of his treasures—the silver and gold, the spices and precious ointment, and all his armory—all that was found among his treasures. There was nothing in his house or in all his dominion that Hezekiah did not show them. 3 Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah, and said to him, “What did these men say, and from where did they come to you?” So Hezekiah said, “They came to me from a far country, from Babylon.” 4 And he said, “What have they seen in your house?” So Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shown them.” 5 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord of hosts: 6 ‘Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house, and what your fathers have accumulated until this day, shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left,' says the Lord. 7 ‘And they shall take away some of your sons who will descend from you, whom you will beget; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.' ” 8 So Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the Lord which you have spoken is good!” For he said, “At least there will be peace and truth in my days.”   Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_459QS0jW0   Duration 34:07

Far beyond plenty good enough. Jesus' compassion and power exceeded everyone's expectations when He healed a man who was deaf. Do not limit God, not in our prayers, not in our worship. But instead let Him answer in His way. Mark 7:31 Jesus travels through Tyre, Sidon and the Decapolis Mark 7:32 They bring to Jesus a deaf man who also has difficulty speaking Mark 7:33 & 34 Jesus takes him away from the multitude. Jesus then puts His fingers in the man's ears and puts His saliva on the man's tongue and said “Be opened” Mark 7:35 The man hears and is able to speak plainly Mark 7:36 Jesus orders them not to tell anyone, but the more He orders them, the more they continue to proclaim Mark 7:37 They say that He has done all things well and makes even the deaf to hear ant the mute to speak

Isaiah 23 is a prophecy about Tyre and Sidon. Tyre was the chief city of the Phoenician kingdom and closely allied with her sister city Sidon. These were settled by the Hittites who came from a powerful civilisation of the Hath-hi in Turkey. In the zenith of their power this kingdom rivalled the Egyptians and the Assyrians. The Phoenician's were the greatest maritime nation of that time sending their navies as far as the Tarshish of the west – Great Britain. Verse 3 says that Tyre was the merchant navy of the world. Verse 6 explains how the mantle of maritime supremacy was relocated from Tyre to Great Britain who in the history of the last few hundred years has ruled the seas. Verses 11-14 speaks of the loss of naval greatness would be taken from her by the LORD in modern times. Tarshish. Verses 15-18 says that there would be a revitalisation of Tarshish's powers after a 70 year epoch – the time of one monarch. We today are witnessing Great Britain reestablishing her old trading patterns with those nations of her commonwealth. This is at the close of the reign of Elizabeth 2 after a rule of seventy years.

In judgment against Israel and in mockery of Israel's monarchs, the LORD sends Elijah to Sidon, Jezebel's homeland. There, the LORD miraculously provides for His prophet through a poor widow who comes to faith in the one true God. When death strikes the widow's son, her regret comes to the surface, but Elijah quickly acts. Through the prophet, the LORD brings the child to life again, showing that the word of the LORD is true. This text is brought to fulfillment in the Lord Jesus Christ, not only when He helps a mother from this same region, but finally when He rises from the dead to life that has no end.  Rev. Bryan Wolfmueller, pastor at St. Paul and Jesus Deaf Lutheran Churches in Austin, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study 1 Kings 17:8-24.  To learn more about St. Paul Lutheran, visit  www.stpaulaustin.org. "A Kingdom Divided” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through 1-2 Kings. The division in the kingdom of Israel in this part of history was greater than a matter of north and south. The biggest division was between the people and their God. Yet even as the people rebelled against the LORD as their King, still He remained faithful to call them back to Himself through His prophets, working through history to send the good and gracious King, Jesus Christ. Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God's Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen. Submit comments or questions to: listener@kfuo.org

Joel 3:1-21 “For behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, 2 I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. And I will enter into judgment with them there, on behalf of my people and my herit-age Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations and have divided up my land, 3 and have cast lots for my people, and have traded a boy for a prostitute, and have sold a girl for wine and have drunk it. 4 “What are you to me, O Tyre and Sidon, and all the regions of Philistia? Are you pay-ing me back for something? If you are paying me back, I will return your payment on your own head swiftly and speedily. 5 For you have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried my rich treasures into your temples. 6 You have sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks in order to remove them far from their own border. 7 Behold, I will stir them up from the place to which you have sold them, and I will return your payment on your own head. 8 I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the people of Judah, and they will sell them to the Sabeans, to a nation far away, for the Lord has spoken.” 9 Proclaim this among the nations: Consecrate for war; stir up the mighty men. Let all the men of war draw near; let them come up. 10 Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears; let the weak say, “I am a warrior.” 11 Hasten and come, all you surrounding nations, and gather yourselves there. Bring down your warriors, O Lord. 12 Let the nations stir themselves up and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; for there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations. 13 Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Go in, tread, for the winepress is full. The vats overflow, for their evil is great. 14 Multitudes, multitudes, in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. 15 The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining. 16 The Lord roars from Zion, and utters his voice from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth quake. But the Lord is a refuge to his people, a stronghold to the people of Israel. 17 “So you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who dwells in Zion, my holy mountain. And Jerusalem shall be holy, and strangers shall never again pass through it. 18 “And in that day the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the streambeds of Judah shall flow with water; and a fountain shall come forth from the house of the Lord and water the Valley of Shittim. 19 “Egypt shall become a desolation and Edom a desolate wilderness, for the violence done to the people of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land. 20 But Judah shall be inhabited forever, and Jerusalem to all generations. 21 I will avenge their blood, blood I have not avenged, for the Lord dwells in Zion.

Join Matt & Jake in this enlightening discussion as they explore the biblical "Seed War" from Genesis to Revelation, starting with the powerful prophecy in Genesis 3:15. Dive deep into the enmity between the serpent and the woman's seed, and how this conflict unfolds throughout Scripture. They also unpack the prophecy of Tyre in Ezekiel, offering insight into its significance and prophetic fulfillment. From Genesis 10:15-19 and the lineage of Canaan to the final victory over evil, discover how God's plan of redemption is revealed in history and prophecy. https://itsyahushua.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/seed-war.pdf   Key Topics Discussed: Genesis 3:15 – The First Prophecy of the Messiah & the Seed War The descendants of Canaan in Genesis 10:15-19 and their role in Scripture The Prophecy of Tyre in Ezekiel and its end-time implications The battle between the seed of the woman and the serpent's seed from Genesis to Revelation How God's redemptive plan unfolds in the midst of the conflict between good and evil Scripture References: Genesis 3:15 – The first prophecy of Jesus and the ongoing war between good and evil. Genesis 10:15-19 – The genealogies of the Canaanites and their impact on the biblical narrative. Ezekiel Prophecy – The judgment and future of Tyre, and its significance in prophetic history. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and click the bell icon to stay updated with future discussions on Scripture, prophecy, and biblical insights! #Genesis315 #SeedWar #TyreProphecy #SabbathLounge #BiblicalProphecy #EndTimes #Ezekiel #Genesis #BibleStudy #ChristianFaith #Messiah #EndTimeProphecy #Canaanites #GodsPlan #ChristianPodcastFor more information see www.sabbathlounge.com Find us on iTunes, Spotify, TikTok, and Podbean. At Sabbath Lounge we are dedicated to eating clean, keeping the Feast, Sabbath, following Torah, and leading as many people out of Babylon as possible.   Find more information below: www.sabbathlounge.com    https://linktr.ee/Sabbathlounge   https://www.britannica.com/place/Tyre   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canaan_(son_of_Ham)   https://www.julianspriggs.co.uk/Pages/TableNations   https://genesis6conspiracy.com/   https://knowingscripture.com/articles/giants-in-the-land-a-biblical-theology-of-the-nephilim-anakim-rephaim-and-goliath   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ham_(son_of_Noah)#Family_tree   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ham_(son_of_Noah)   https://www.blueletterbible.org/.   https://classic.net.bible.org/dictionary.php?word=Archite   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perizzites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hittites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canaan#Canaanites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amorites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jebusites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sidon   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girgashites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_minor_biblical_tribes#Sinites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_minor_biblical_tribes#Arvadites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_minor_biblical_tribes#Zemarites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_minor_biblical_tribes#Hamathites   https://www.amazon.com/Ancient-Amorites-Amurru-Mesopotamia/dp/3330036745   https://www.blueletterbible.org/   https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/05/200528115829.htm#:~:text=The%20people%20who%20lived%20in,biblical%20texts%20as%20the%20Canaanites.   Canva AI Images https://www.biblestudying.net/phoenicians.pdf   https://www.lgic.org/en/phoenicians.php  

The steward must be replaced, and the Key of the House of David given to another. Tyre and Sidon receive bad news from the prophet. But how does Jesus talk about both things? Have a listen. Show Notes: Support 1517 Podcast Network 1517 Podcasts 1517 on Youtube 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts 1517 Events Schedule 1517 Academy - Free Theological Education What's New from 1517: Preorder Sinner Saint by Luke Kjolhaug The Impossible Prize: A Theology of Addiction by Donavan Riley Ditching the Checklist by Mark Mattes Broken Bonds: A Novel of the Reformation, Book 1 of 2 by Amy Mantravadi More from the hosts: Daniel Emery Price Chad Bird

I propose that Mormon demonstrates at least a couple of times how Nephi's prophecy about war and the fountain of filthy water are connected. It seems the river Sidon actually becomes the fountain and why it is filthy is a little morbid but I think Mormon saw this connection and wrote it into the record.

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every single day. And a big shout-out today to William Beaumont from Hampton, FL. William, thank you for being a part of this movement through Project23. You are making a difference. This one's for you. Today, we're looking at Mark 3:7-12: Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea, and a great crowd followed, from Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem and Idumea and from beyond the Jordan and from around Tyre and Sidon. When the great crowd heard all that he was doing, they came to him. And he told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, lest they crush him, for he had healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed around him to touch him. And whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” And he strictly ordered them not to make him known. — Mark 3:7-12 Jesus withdraws from the synagogue in our last text, but he doesn't withdraw from the growing mission. Word has spread. People are coming from every direction. Not just from one region (Galilee) but from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, Tyre, and Sidon. These were regions far and wide, Jewish and Gentile alike. And the scene gets chaotic. Mark describes it as "crushing." It was "mob-like." The crowd is so massive and enthusiastic that Jesus tells his disciples to keep water transport ready—just in case things they need to make a quick escape. Thus, Mark reveals that following Jesus wasn't always safe at times. It wasn't always peaceful. But it was always revealing. Why were they coming? Well, one part of the crowd came because they had heard what Jesus was doing. The healings. The power. The miracles. And they came—not necessarily because they understood who Jesus was—but because they wanted something from Jesus. They wanted relief, not necessarily repentance. They wanted his power but not necessarily his presence. But notice how those possessed by unclean spirits respond. The demons in them recognized Jesus. They fell before him and declared, “You are the Son of God.” They, unlike others, understood his identity, power, and authority, and they submitted to him. One group of people seeks what Jesus can do. The other group of people surrenders to who Jesus is. So today, ask yourself: Do you only come to Jesus when you seek something or to fully surrender to the King? ASK THIS: Why do I approach Jesus—seeking relief or fully surrendering to his lordship? Have I valued what Jesus does more than who he is? In which areas of my life am I holding back submission to Jesus? How can I shift from using Jesus to genuinely following him? DO THIS: Do this: Before you reach for Jesus' help again, pause and offer him not just your needs but your full submission. PRAY THIS: Lord Jesus, I come to you both for healing and for heart‑change. Teach me to lay down my agenda and fully submit to your authority. Amen. PLAY THIS: Need A Favor.

Join Matt & Jake in this enlightening discussion as they explore the biblical "Seed War" from Genesis to Revelation, starting with the powerful prophecy in Genesis 3:15. Dive deep into the enmity between the serpent and the woman's seed, and how this conflict unfolds throughout Scripture. They also unpack the prophecy of Tyre in Ezekiel, offering insight into its significance and prophetic fulfillment. From Genesis 10:15-19 and the lineage of Canaan to the final victory over evil, discover how God's plan of redemption is revealed in history and prophecy. https://itsyahushua.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/seed-war.pdf   Key Topics Discussed: Genesis 3:15 – The First Prophecy of the Messiah & the Seed War The descendants of Canaan in Genesis 10:15-19 and their role in Scripture The Prophecy of Tyre in Ezekiel and its end-time implications The battle between the seed of the woman and the serpent's seed from Genesis to Revelation How God's redemptive plan unfolds in the midst of the conflict between good and evil Scripture References: Genesis 3:15 – The first prophecy of Jesus and the ongoing war between good and evil. Genesis 10:15-19 – The genealogies of the Canaanites and their impact on the biblical narrative. Ezekiel Prophecy – The judgment and future of Tyre, and its significance in prophetic history. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and click the bell icon to stay updated with future discussions on Scripture, prophecy, and biblical insights! #Genesis315 #SeedWar #TyreProphecy #SabbathLounge #BiblicalProphecy #EndTimes #Ezekiel #Genesis #BibleStudy #ChristianFaith #Messiah #EndTimeProphecy #Canaanites #GodsPlan #ChristianPodcastFor more information see www.sabbathlounge.com   Find us on iTunes, Spotify, TikTok, and Podbean. At Sabbath Lounge we are dedicated to eating clean, keeping the Feast, Sabbath, following Torah, and leading as many people out of Babylon as possible.   Find more information below: www.sabbathlounge.com    https://linktr.ee/Sabbathlounge   https://www.britannica.com/place/Tyre   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canaan_(son_of_Ham)   https://www.julianspriggs.co.uk/Pages/TableNations   https://genesis6conspiracy.com/   https://knowingscripture.com/articles/giants-in-the-land-a-biblical-theology-of-the-nephilim-anakim-rephaim-and-goliath   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ham_(son_of_Noah)#Family_tree   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ham_(son_of_Noah)   https://www.blueletterbible.org/.   https://classic.net.bible.org/dictionary.php?word=Archite   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perizzites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hittites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canaan#Canaanites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amorites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jebusites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sidon   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girgashites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_minor_biblical_tribes#Sinites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_minor_biblical_tribes#Arvadites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_minor_biblical_tribes#Zemarites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_minor_biblical_tribes#Hamathites   https://www.amazon.com/Ancient-Amorites-Amurru-Mesopotamia/dp/3330036745   https://www.blueletterbible.org/   https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/05/200528115829.htm#:~:text=The%20people%20who%20lived%20in,biblical%20texts%20as%20the%20Canaanites.   Canva AI Images https://www.biblestudying.net/phoenicians.pdf   https://www.lgic.org/en/phoenicians.php  

THE SHOWDOWN on Mount Carmel is even more spectacular than we've been taught. The story is sensational on its surface: The prophet Elijah, one of the few prophets of God still active in the northern kingdom of Israel, tells King Ahab to his face that there will be no rain until Elijah says so. Then he flees from the king and hides out for three years. During that time, the prophet was fed by ravens at the brook Cherith somewhere east of the Jordan until the drought caused the stream to dry up. Then Elijah traveled to Phoenicia and lodged with a widow of Zarephath in the region of Sidon. Because of the famine, she was prepared to make one last meal and then starve to death with her son (or children, according to the Septuagint). Miraculously, the woman did not run out of flour or oil during the entire time Elijah stayed with her. The account of the miracle of Elijah bringing the widow's son back from the dead has a deeper meaning when you understand a little of the religion of the Phoenicians (who were Canaanites, which in turn is just a geographic designation for the Amorites in Canaan). The patron deity of Sidon was Eshmun, the Phoenician name for the Greek demigod Asclepius. The Greeks believed Asclepius was the half-divine son of Apollo, a healer of such skill that he was able to cure death. (This led Hades to complain to Zeus that Asclepius was disrupting the natural order of things, so Zeus killed Asclepius.) The point is this: God, through Elijah, demonstrated that He, Yahweh, was the one God who truly has power over life and death. Likewise, Elijah's confrontation with the prophets of Baal has a deeper meaning. This was a literal battle between Yahweh and the Baal worshipped by Jezebel and her pagan father, Ethbaal, king of Tyre. Ethbaal was a priest of Astarte, the Canaanite version of Ishtar, the Babylonian goddess of sex and war (which explains a lot about Jezebel). The kicker is that the Baal of Tyre was probably Melqart, which was the Phoenician name for Herakles—better known to us as Hercules. This explains some of Elijah's taunts while Jezebel's prophets danced, shouted, and cut themselves to summon their small-G god. It also helps us understand why Elijah had twelve vessels of water poured over the sacrifice and the wood on the altar. It didn't just represent the twelve tribes of Israel and make the sacrifice more difficult to burn, it mocked a libation (drink offering) ritual called yarid that is documented in Jewish and Roman texts and inscriptions as late as the 3rd century AD, when Emperor Diocletian performed the yarid at Tyre for Hercules! This also connects to Mount Hermon, where scholars Edward Lipiński and Charles Clermont-Ganneau noted, based on the site drawing by Sir Charles Warren in 1869 (when he discovered the Watcher Stone in a temple near the peak of the mountain), that the summit of Hermon is scooped out like a giant bowl—probably to receive these offerings. Lipiński wrote that this means the Watchers, led by Shemihazah, did not descend in the days of Jared, but in the days when the yarid was performed on the mountain. So, Elijah's actions on Mount Carmel were directed not just at Baal or Melqart/Hercules, but at the “sons of God” who long ago tried to take dominion of Earth away from the children of Adam and Eve. Sharon's niece, Sarah Sachleben, was recently diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer, and the medical bills are piling up. If you are led to help, please go to GilbertHouse.org/hopeforsarah. Our new book The Gates of Hell is now available in paperback, Kindle, and as an audiobook at Audible! Derek's new book Destination: Earth, co-authored with Donna Howell and Allie Anderson, is now available in paperback, Kindle, and as an audiobook at Audible! If you are looking for a text of the Book of 1 Enoch to follow our monthly study, you can try these sources: Parallel translations by R. H. Charles (1917) and Richard Laurence (1821)Modern English translation by George W. E. Nickelsburg and James VanderKam (link to book at Amazon) Book of 1 Enoch - Standard English Version by Dr. Jay Winter (link opens free PDF)Book of 1 Enoch - R. H. Charles translation (link opens free PDF) The SkyWatchTV store has a special offer on Dr. Michael Heiser's two-volume set A Companion to the Book of Enoch. Get both books, the R. H. Charles translation of 1 Enoch, and a DVD interview with Mike and Steven Bancarz for a donation of $35 plus shipping and handling. 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Matthew week 93 Central Christian Church 24 hours ago 3 min read Updated: 4 hours ago   Matthew 15:29 ESV   29 Jesus went on from there and walked beside the Sea of Galilee. And he went up on the mountain and sat down there.       Mark 7:31 ESV   31 Then he returned from the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis.         Mark 8:19-20 ESV   19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.” 20 “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.”       Acts 11:1-18 ESV   Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying, 3 “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.” 4 But Peter began and explained it to them in order: 5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, something like a great sheet descending, being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to me. 6 Looking at it closely, I observed animals and beasts of prey and reptiles and birds of the air. 7 And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.' 8 But I said, ‘By no means, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.' 9 But the voice answered a second time from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, do not call common.' 10 This happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven. 11 And behold, at that very moment three men arrived at the house in which we were, sent to me from Caesarea. 12 And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man's house. 13 And he told us how he had seen the angel stand in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter; 14 he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.' 15 As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. 16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' 17 If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God's way?” 18 When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”       Matthew 15:30-32 ESV   30 And great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and they put them at his feet, and he healed them,31 so that the crowd wondered, when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled healthy, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel.   32 Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion on the crowd because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.”       Lamentations 3:22 NIV   Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed,   for his compassions never fail.       Matthew 15:33 ESV   33 And the disciples said to him, “Where are we to get enough bread in such a desolate place to feed so great a crowd?”       Matthew 15:34 ESV   34 And Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven, and a few small fish.”       Matthew 15:35-39 ESV   35 And directing the crowd to sit down on the ground, 36 he took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 37 And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces left over. 38 Those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children. 39 And after sending away the crowds, he got into the boat and went to the region of Magadan.  

THE SHOWDOWN on Mount Carmel is even more spectacular than we've been taught. The story is sensational on its surface: The prophet Elijah, one of the few prophets of God still active in the northern kingdom of Israel, tells King Ahab to his face that there will be no rain until Elijah says so. Then he flees from the king and hides out for three years. During that time, the prophet was fed by ravens at the brook Cherith somewhere east of the Jordan until the drought caused the stream to dry up. Then Elijah traveled to Phoenicia and lodged with a widow of Zarephath in the region of Sidon. Because of the famine, she was prepared to make one last meal and then starve to death with her son (or children, according to the Septuagint). Miraculously, the woman did not run out of flour or oil during the entire time Elijah stayed with her. The account of the miracle of Elijah bringing the widow's son back from the dead has a deeper meaning when you understand a little of the religion of the Phoenicians (who were Canaanites, which in turn is just a geographic designation for the Amorites in Canaan). The patron deity of Sidon was Eshmun, the Phoenician name for the Greek demigod Asclepius. The Greeks believed Asclepius was the half-divine son of Apollo, a healer of such skill that he was able to cure death. (This led Hades to complain to Zeus that Asclepius was disrupting the natural order of things, so Zeus killed Asclepius.) The point is this: God, through Elijah, demonstrated that He, Yahweh, was the one God who truly has power over life and death. Likewise, Elijah's confrontation with the prophets of Baal has a deeper meaning. This was a literal battle between Yahweh and the Baal worshipped by Jezebel and her pagan father, Ethbaal, king of Tyre. Ethbaal was a priest of Astarte, the Canaanite version of Ishtar, the Babylonian goddess of sex and war (which explains a lot about Jezebel). The kicker is that the Baal of Tyre was probably Melqart, which was the Phoenician name for Herakles—better known to us as Hercules. This explains some of Elijah's taunts while Jezebel's prophets danced, shouted, and cut themselves to summon their small-G god. It also helps us understand why Elijah had twelve vessels of water poured over the sacrifice and the wood on the altar. It didn't just represent the twelve tribes of Israel and make the sacrifice more difficult to burn, it mocked a libation (drink offering) ritual called yarid that is documented in Jewish and Roman texts and inscriptions as late as the 3rd century AD, when Emperor Diocletian performed the yarid at Tyre for Hercules! This also connects to Mount Hermon, where scholars Edward Lipiński and Charles Clermont-Ganneau noted, based on the site drawing by Sir Charles Warren in 1869 (when he discovered the Watcher Stone in a temple near the peak of the mountain), that the summit of Hermon is scooped out like a giant bowl—probably to receive these offerings. Lipiński wrote that this means the Watchers, led by Shemihazah, did not descend in the days of Jared, but in the days when the yarid was performed on the mountain. So, Elijah's actions on Mount Carmel were directed not just at Baal or Melqart/Hercules, but at the “sons of God” who long ago tried to take dominion of Earth away from the children of Adam and Eve.

Join Matt & Jake in this enlightening discussion as they explore the biblical "Seed War" from Genesis to Revelation, starting with the powerful prophecy in Genesis 3:15. Dive deep into the enmity between the serpent and the woman's seed, and how this conflict unfolds throughout Scripture. They also unpack the prophecy of Tyre in Ezekiel, offering insight into its significance and prophetic fulfillment. From Genesis 10:15-19 and the lineage of Canaan to the final victory over evil, discover how God's plan of redemption is revealed in history and prophecy. https://itsyahushua.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/seed-war.pdf   Key Topics Discussed: Genesis 3:15 – The First Prophecy of the Messiah & the Seed War The descendants of Canaan in Genesis 10:15-19 and their role in Scripture The Prophecy of Tyre in Ezekiel and its end-time implications The battle between the seed of the woman and the serpent's seed from Genesis to Revelation How God's redemptive plan unfolds in the midst of the conflict between good and evil Scripture References: Genesis 3:15 – The first prophecy of Jesus and the ongoing war between good and evil. Genesis 10:15-19 – The genealogies of the Canaanites and their impact on the biblical narrative. Ezekiel Prophecy – The judgment and future of Tyre, and its significance in prophetic history. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and click the bell icon to stay updated with future discussions on Scripture, prophecy, and biblical insights! #Genesis315 #SeedWar #TyreProphecy #SabbathLounge #BiblicalProphecy #EndTimes #Ezekiel #Genesis #BibleStudy #ChristianFaith #Messiah #EndTimeProphecy #Canaanites #GodsPlan #ChristianPodcastFor more information see www.sabbathlounge.com Find us on iTunes, Spotify, TikTok, and Podbean. At Sabbath Lounge we are dedicated to eating clean, keeping the Feast, Sabbath, following Torah, and leading as many people out of Babylon as possible.   Find more information below: www.sabbathlounge.com    https://linktr.ee/Sabbathlounge   https://www.britannica.com/place/Tyre   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canaan_(son_of_Ham)   https://www.julianspriggs.co.uk/Pages/TableNations   https://genesis6conspiracy.com/   https://knowingscripture.com/articles/giants-in-the-land-a-biblical-theology-of-the-nephilim-anakim-rephaim-and-goliath   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ham_(son_of_Noah)#Family_tree   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ham_(son_of_Noah)   https://www.blueletterbible.org/.   https://classic.net.bible.org/dictionary.php?word=Archite   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perizzites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hittites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canaan#Canaanites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amorites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jebusites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sidon   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girgashites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_minor_biblical_tribes#Sinites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_minor_biblical_tribes#Arvadites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_minor_biblical_tribes#Zemarites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_minor_biblical_tribes#Hamathites   https://www.amazon.com/Ancient-Amorites-Amurru-Mesopotamia/dp/3330036745   https://www.blueletterbible.org/   https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/05/200528115829.htm#:~:text=The%20people%20who%20lived%20in,biblical%20texts%20as%20the%20Canaanites.   Canva AI Images https://www.biblestudying.net/phoenicians.pdf   https://www.lgic.org/en/phoenicians.php  

Matthew week 92   Matthew 14:30 ESV   30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.”       Romans 7:21-23 ESV   21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, 23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.       Matthew 15:13-14 ESV   13 He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. 14 Let them alone; they are blind guides.       Matthew 15:21 ESV   21 And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon.             Matthew 15:22 ESV   22 And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.”       Judges 10:6 ESV   6 The people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals and the Ashtaroth, the gods of Syria, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites, and the gods of the Philistines. And they forsook the Lord and did not serve him.       Matthew 15:23 ESV   23 But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.”       Matthew 15:24-28 ESV   24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” 26 And he answered, “It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.” 27 She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table.” 28 Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.       Genesis 12:3 ESV   3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”         Matthew 5:7 ESV   7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.       1 Timothy 1:13a ESV   13 though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy       1 Timothy 1:16 ESV   16 But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Military reporter Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. According to the Hamas health ministry, two IDF airstrikes early Wednesday hit the Karama School in Tuffah, a suburb of Gaza City, killing 15. Later in the day, an Israeli strike near a restaurant and market in the city killed at least 33 people, including women and children. Fabian reports on these two incidents and assesses where the IDF is currently heading in Gaza based on statements from IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir yesterday. A Hamas commander was killed in an Israeli airstrike in the southern coastal Lebanese city of Sidon early Wednesday morning. What was Khaled Ahmad al-Ahmad responsible for? Three Israeli soldiers were wounded in two attacks carried out by Palestinians in the northern and southern West Bank on Wednesday afternoon. Even as the fighting in Gaza is ramping up, we learn that the concentration of forces are still largely in the West Bank. As the army is searching for manpower, it apparently has no lack of woman power. Women still cannot enlist into all fighting units, but where they can, they’re showing up in record numbers. Fabian talks about this and a new rededicated unit -- where women can serve -- aimed at fighting drones along the northern border. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Hamas-run authorities say at least 48 killed in series of IDF strikes in Gaza Hamas, Hezbollah commanders killed in IDF strikes in Lebanon 3 soldiers wounded, 2 seriously, in West Bank attacks Ultra-Orthodox incensed as IDF chief orders boost in community’s conscription IDF sees continued surge in female combat recruits amid Gaza war Revived air defense battalion to aim new weapons at drone threat in north Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and video edited by Thomas Girsch. IMAGE: Soldiers stand near an Israeli army mobile canon at a position by Israel's border with the Gaza Strip, on May 6, 2025. (Jack GUEZ / AFP)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Acts 12:1-24 About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. 2 He killed James the brother of John with the sword, 3 and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread. 4 And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people. 5 So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church. 6 Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. 7 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands. 8 And the angel said to him, “Dress yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” 9 And he went out and followed him. He did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. 10 When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel left him.11 When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.” 12 When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. 13 And when he knocked at the door of the gateway, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer. 14 Recognizing Peter's voice, in her joy she did not open the gate but ran in and reported that Peter was standing at the gate. 15 They said to her, “You are out of your mind.” But she kept insisting that it was so, and they kept saying, “It is his angel!”16 But Peter continued knocking, and when they opened, they saw him and were amazed. 17 But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Tell these things to James and to the brothers.” Then he departed and went to another place. 18 Now when day came, there was no little disturbance among the soldiers over what had become of Peter. 19 And after Herod searched for him and did not find him, he examined the sentries and ordered that they should be put to death. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and spent time there. 20 Now Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon, and they came to him with one accord, and having persuaded Blastus, the king's chamberlain, they asked for peace, because their country depended on the king's country for food. 21 On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and delivered an oration to them. 22 And the people were shouting, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!” 23 Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last. 24 But the word of God increased and multiplied. Key Words: Violent Hands, Prison, Prayer, Rescue, Angel, Word, Glory Keystone Verse: But the Word of God increased and multiplied. (Acts 12:24) Download Bulletin

Last week we talked about Paul the Apostle as he boarded the boat to Rome. And we talked about Paul's health and how he was in bad shape. We said that the Roman Centurion, Julius, looked at Paul and saw that he needed medical care...and he allowed Paul to go to his friends in Sidon. Now if Paul made a run for it...Julius would have been executed! But somewhere along the journey...the Holy Spirit had made Julius' heart tender. Paul had most likely spent time talking with him. And the Lord grew a trust and respect for Paul in Julius' heart. Tonight...we pick back up where we left off. Paul is about to board the boat again...but this time... a storm's coming.

Elijah’s story reminds us that God’s provision often shows up in the most unexpected places—and through the most unlikely people. Whether it’s ravens delivering meals or a desperate widow offering her last meal, the message is the same: God is faithful, even when the method doesn’t make sense. ✨ Key Takeaways

The Faith of a Canaanite Woman21 Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.”23 Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”25 The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said.26 He replied, “It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to the dogs.”27 “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table.”28 Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.

To become a follower of Jesus, visit: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/MeetJesus (NOT a Morning Mindset resource) ⇒ Join the MMM Prayer Team: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/PrayerTeam ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Mark 3:7–12 - [7] Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea, and a great crowd followed, from Galilee and Judea [8] and Jerusalem and Idumea and from beyond the Jordan and from around Tyre and Sidon. When the great crowd heard all that he was doing, they came to him. [9] And he told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, lest they crush him, [10] for he had healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed around him to touch him. [11] And whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” [12] And he strictly ordered them not to make him known. (ESV) ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ FINANCIALLY SUPPORT THE MORNING MINDSET: (not tax-deductible) -- Become a monthly partner: https://mm-gfk-partners.supercast.com/ -- Support a daily episode: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/daily-sponsor/ -- Give one-time: https://give.cornerstone.cc/careygreen -- Venmo: @CareyNGreen -- Support our SPANISH TRANSLATION: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/supportSpanish -- Support our HINDI TRANSLATION: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/supportHindi -- Support our CHINESE TRANSLATION: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/supportChinese  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ FOREIGN LANGUAGE VERSIONS OF THIS PODCAST: SPANISH version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Spanish HINDI version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Hindi CHINESE version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Chinese  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ CONTACT: Carey@careygreen.com  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ THEME MUSIC: “King’s Trailer” – Creative Commons 0 | Provided by https://freepd.com/ ***All NON-ENGLISH versions of the Morning Mindset are translated using A.I. Dubbing and Translation tools from DubFormer.ai ***All NON-ENGLISH text content (descriptions and titles) are translated using the A.I. functionality of Google Translate.

Return of the Man-Child (8)  (audio) David Eells – 4/16/25  Father, in Jesus' Name, we thank You so much, Lord, that we can fellowship around Your Word. We know and trust in Your Word that is going to reveal to us those things that we need to know for the days to come and things that will enable us to cooperate with You in this process of sanctification and holiness, and also in the ministry of the Lord. We thank You that the Lord Jesus is coming in His people in order to fulfill in His Church that which You stated You would do from the beginning. We thank You, Lord, that You have taught us that what has been shall be, so that we can see how history repeats and see how wonderfully You have told us in the Word exactly what You are going to do. In the name of Jesus, Amen.  Well, we left off in Matthew 4, where we saw wonderful things that God is going to repeat in our day. The Lord had told me that everything that happened in the Gospels and in the Book of Acts would be repeated in our day, except that the cast of characters would be multiplied many times over, as more people are born into the world. The same thing has happened in history, but now it just happens with more people.  Let's pick up right after Jesus was anointed and had been tempted of the devil. Note that the Bible speaks about a “great light” that He was going to bring into the world, especially the world of God's people. (Mat.4:12) Now when he heard that John was delivered up, he withdrew into Galilee; (13) and leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali: (14) that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying, (15) The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, Toward the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, (16) The people that sat in darkness Saw a great light, and to them that sat in the region and shadow of death, To them did light spring up. What could this light be other than the Lord Jesus Himself? Not only that, but what the Lord Jesus was sharing with people was the command to repent and believe.   Light is necessary in both of these areas if we want to walk in the Kingdom of God. We are walking out of one kingdom and into another. We are walking out of the kingdom of the world, much like walking out of Egypt, and we are walking into the Kingdom of God, which means under His Lordship and guidance. I believe the next verse begins with a revelation of that. (Mat.4:17) From that time began Jesus to preach, and to say, Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.  That just happens to be a perfect quote from John the Baptist, who said, Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Mat.3:2). Of course, John went on in verse 7 to say to the Pharisees, who were coming to be baptized because it was a politically correct thing to do, (Mat.3:7) Ye offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? (8) Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of repentance (What does someone who has repented look like? What kind of fruit should they have?): (Mat.3:9) and think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father … Don't a lot of Christians say the same thing? “Hey, I'm a Christian; I had my experience with the Lord years ago and accepted Jesus as my personal Savior.” Yes, but do you have fruit worthy of repentance? I believe that the light is going to come to the Church, which has not even understood what repentance means. The first thing Jesus did was to take up where John left off. You notice that when we left off in verse 12, He realized that John was delivered up, and that's when Jesus came into this particular area of the country where they said they saw great light. Like John, He said, “Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Repentance is necessary for the next revelation, which is the Gospel of the Kingdom. For those who repented, Jesus shared the Gospel of the Kingdom, the Good News of the Kingdom of God.  My friend Xavier once went to share with an apostate preacher who was living in fornication. He had the “greasy grace” that says, “It's okay; the Lord will forgive me. That's what the Gospel is all about, right? Forgiveness.” But no, that's not it. That's just a part of the Gospel. There is forgiveness, and then there is sanctification. Forgiveness is just a way to have a relationship with God until sanctification has done its work. There was another man in this church who recognized that the preacher was a sinner, but he told Xavier, “It would be wrong for you to judge him.” Of course, Xavier was sharing verses with the man, and the truth is that, yes, there is judgment. There is judgment in the Church. John the Baptist was judging when he said, “Ye offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of repentance.” He wanted to see their repentance. He did not want to see somebody say they were sorry and then continue on in their debauchery. The word “repentance” is metanoia, which means “to change your mind; to go the other way.” We have the authority to do this. We have the authority to change our mind and go the other way because of what Jesus did at the cross. He took away our sins; He delivered us out of the power of darkness; He made us free from sin. (Heb.10:14) For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.  When Xavier and I spoke about this, here's one of the verses I shared with him: (1Co.6:9) Or know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? What Kingdom of God is he referring to? The Kingdom of God is where God rules over you. It's not some place you go to after you leave this earth. It's some place you enter into when you repent. Notice what he's saying. (1Co.6:9) Or know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived (there is much deception out there concerning this): neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with men, (10) nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. Where are you to inherit the Kingdom of God? Here and now. As a matter of fact, some people are waiting to go to Heaven to inherit the Kingdom of God. They will never see Heaven if they wait. You have to enter the Kingdom of God here and now, and you enter it through repentance and faith. Faith gives you the blood covering and repentance gives you the opportunity of entering the Kingdom. Without repentance, you cannot enter the Kingdom.  John the Baptist came in order to preach repentance to prepare the way for the coming of the Lord in their life. The Lord does not come into your life without repentance. If you received the first-fruits of Christ, which is a born-again spirit, and do not go on to get a born-again soul through your obedience to the truth (1 Peter 1:22,23), you are going to be an unprofitable servant. A “servant” refers to someone who has come to Him in one form or another. You will be an unprofitable servant who is good for nothing but to be cast out and trampled under the feet of men and cast into outer darkness. (Mat.5:13) Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men. (Mat.25:30) And cast ye out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. Now notice what he says in the next verse. (1Co.6:11) And such were some of you: but ye were washed (He is saying, “Some of you people were in these same sins, but you were washed.”), but ye were sanctified, but ye were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God. The Lord demands repentance for you to enter into His Kingdom, which is where He is King over you. That's how you enter His Kingdom.  If you look elsewhere in 1st Corinthians, Paul said somewhat of the same thing. (1Co.5:3) For I verily, being absent in body but present in spirit, have already as though I were present judged him that hath so wrought this thing. Paul judged him. Was he wrong in that he judged? No. Paul had the Spirit of God and what he wrote here was from the Spirit of God. He judged him because this man was in willful disobedience, had not repented of his sin, and had not believed the Gospel. If you believe the Good News that Jesus took away your sin, then your faith has power to walk away from anything. Everyone who believes can repent and walk away. Belief is not merely mental assent, like it is in most of the Church. (1Co.5:5) To deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh (I would say that's judgment! He is turning him over to the curse.), that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. People will repent when they are turned over to the devil. This is very common. If you want to know why you are living under that curse, you should question whether or not you are in willful disobedience or whether you have repented of everything and are walking by faith because the devil does a great job of bringing people to repentance. Many people come to the Lord because of what the Lord permits the devil to do.  (1Co.5:6) Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? (He means that, in the Body of Christ, there are people who are fornicators, liars, and thieves.) (1Co.5:7) Purge out the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump (“Purge out the old leaven”; in other words, get rid of them.), even as ye are unleavened. For our passover also hath been sacrificed, [even] Christ: (1Co.5:8) wherefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. (9) I wrote unto you in my epistle to have no company with fornicators; (10) not at all [meaning] with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous and extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world: (11) but as it is, I wrote unto you not to keep company, if any man that is named a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one no, not to eat.   Well, this parishioner who was not in the fornication, but was saying that you could not judge the pastor who was in it, was saying, “Hey, Jesus ate with publicans and sinners.” But Paul tells you here quite clearly, “If any man that is named a brother be” in one of these sins, no, not to eat with him. It is not only abstaining from eating with him physically, but spiritually, as well, because he's talking about keeping the Feast of Unleavened Bread. We eat when we study the Word of God. Jesus said, Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees (Mat.16:6). In other words, “Don't eat their leaven; don't partake of their doctrine.” Paul goes on to say, (1Co.5:12) For what have I to do with judging them that are without? Do not ye judge them that are within? So there was judgment; there was judgment from John the Baptist and judgment from Jesus, concerning people who are in willful disobedience and do not want to repent and believe the Good News that they don't have to walk in their sins anymore.  Clearly, there is judgment from the Bible, and that pastor and parishioner were trying to condemn Xavier for judging willful disobedience and lack of repentance when he was merely showing them what the Father had said in His Word. Look at what the Lord says in Ezekiel. (Eze.3:18) When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life … How is it judgment when you say, “Hey, that's fornication and you can't enter the Kingdom like that”? They say, “Oh, but I'm saved.” No, you're not saved, as long as you walk in willful disobedience. You are not in the Kingdom. “Be not deceived,” Paul said, but speak “to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life.”   (Eze.3:18) When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thy hand. So God is saying, “If you don't tell them they're sinning, if you don't tell them, ‘Look, you can't enter the Kingdom of Heaven (which has to be entered here, by the way), while you are in willful, outward immorality,' then I will require his blood at your hand.” It's the very opposite of what those people say. They do not want to repent, so they try to condemn the person who brings the message.  Notice, the Lord said, “When I say to the wicked.” We just read what God said to the wicked. You can tell anybody what God said to the wicked, whether you are judging or not. That's a moot point. The question is, are they going to enter the Kingdom by repentance? Or are they going to try to shift the blame over on you? The truth is, He says to have no company with them, to cast out the old leaven. If a person will not confess his sins but try to justify them or think that they are acceptable in the sight of the Lord because of the blood of Jesus, there is no hope for him. By the way, Jesus' blood does not cover willful disobedience. (Heb.10:26) For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more a sacrifice for sins, (27) but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which shall devour the adversaries. It says, If we walk in the light (Walking in the light is not walking in sin. Everyone would agree with that.) as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another (He tells you, “Don't have any fellowship with people walking in willful disobedience.” Period.), and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin (1Jn.1:7). That's a wonderful promise! If you will repent and believe and walk in the light, He will cleanse you of that sin. (1Jn.1:8) If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  If a person doesn't want to confess his sin and wants to justify himself and hold onto his sin and wants to blame you for condemning him or bringing Scriptures showing where the Father has condemned him, then this person is not going to have any part of the Kingdom of God. The Lord says it very plainly, and we have to tell him the exact truth here concerning this. The light of the Gospel has to come. The true light of what repentance actually means is going to be brought on the scene here pretty quickly, folks. The overwhelming majority of Christianity don't understand what repentance is. They don't have any hope that repentance could actually deliver them from their sin and that they will not have to worry about that sin or walk in that sin anymore because of what Jesus did at the cross. He took their sin and nailed it on that cross. You do not have it anymore. Repentance and faith are necessary.  Back to where we were in Matthew, we found that Jesus took up where John left off. The next thing He does is to go out and gather His disciples. (Mat.4:18) And walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brethren, Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishers. (19) And he saith unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you fishers of men. (20) And they straightway left the nets, and followed him. (21) And going on from thence he saw two other brethren, James the [son] of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. (22) And they straightway left the boat and their father, and followed him. Jesus has just begun His ministry here. The people whom He was going to were seeing a great light and He was gathering together His “elders” of the Church. He was raising up His forefathers of the Church, like Jacob raised up the 12 patriarchs, who were the elders of the Church. As you know, from here on out, He carried them with Him, demonstrating to them the truth of the Gospel by His works of healing, delivering, setting free, etc., so that they could live in the Kingdom of God.  In the Kingdom of God, all the promises come to pass; the Kingdom of God is where God rules. We pray; Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth (6:10). When God's Kingdom comes on Earth, it is as it is in Heaven. Is there any sickness in Heaven? Are there any demon-possessed people in Heaven? Is there anybody lacking in Heaven? The provision of God's Kingdom is total and complete in this earth, and we want to enter into it because that's where all of God's provision is. (Eph.1:3) Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly [places] in Christ. He's blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ.   As we enter into Christ, we have all these spiritual blessings that God has in His Heavenly Kingdom. He is gathering up His disciples, with whom He is going to walk, and send them forth into a much broader path than He could walk in. They, in turn, were going to raise up disciples who were going to do the same thing in a geometric progression that was going to bring a great revival. This is a type and shadow of the Man-child ministry that's coming, in whom Jesus is come to be manifested. Jesus raised up disciples in whom He was manifested here, and the same thing is going to happen in our day. Disciples are going to be raised up as forefathers to the Church of our day, except there will be many more because the Man-child is not an individual, but a corporate body.  It goes on to say, And Jesus went about in all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom (Mat.4:23). So He preached repentance, and then He preached the Gospel of the Kingdom. What is the Gospel of the Kingdom? Gospel means “Good News,” the Good News of the Kingdom. The Good News is that you can enter into God's Kingdom on Earth through repentance and faith. Well, God's Kingdom is where God rules in your life, and this is the Good News, that you can walk in obedience to God; you can walk in the Kingdom of God, under the leadership and rulership of God. The reason we know that you can do this now is because of what Jesus did at the cross. He made reconciliation: He took your sinful life and nailed it on that cross, and He gave up His Life. Do you believe it? Do you believe that He sanctified you on that cross? That He washed you on that cross? That He delivered you from sin on that cross? The Bible says in Romans 6:18 that He made you free from sin. He delivered you.   See, here is the great light that is going to come. Most of the Church believes that the only opportunity you have is forgiveness from God, and that is the beginning, but that is not the great revelation that God's people are going to get. They already know that. The great revelation is that the Bible is actually true. Jesus actually did deliver you from your sin; He actually did heal your body; He actually did deliver you from the curse; He actually did deliver you out of the power of darkness. Hallelujah! He did this. This is going to come as a sudden shock to a lot of people, but the Gospel is actually true; it's not just a nice saying, but it's actually true.  I want to backup a little here. (Mat.4:16) The people that sat in darkness Saw a great light (He was talking about His people), and to them that sat in the region and shadow of death, To them did light spring up. He's referring to walking in the light, which was what Jesus was about to show them. He was about to show them that they can walk in the light and be delivered of their sin, washed of all unrighteousness (1 John 1:7-9). This is the Good News that most of the Church has never heard. Oh, they have heard the Gospel, but they didn't realize it was really true. They never had any faith, only mental assent. Folks, He is talking about the nature of sin, about delivering you out of the power of darkness. It does not have any power over you. That is an awesome revelation that's going to come to the Church through the raising up of this Man-child ministry and disciples who walk in the steps of Jesus Christ.  Then Jesus went out to demonstrate this by “preaching the gospel of the Kingdom and healing all manner of disease.” Most of the Church does not understand that you have a right to healing, that you are not under the curse because you are a new creation. They don't understand that old things have passed away and all things have become new (2 Corinthians 5:17). They don't understand that you have been delivered of sin (Romans 8:2) and God accounts you righteous through your faith in Him (Romans 4:3), your faith in what the Bible says. It needs to be real faith. This is the light, the sudden revelation that a lot of the Church is going to get and that some of you have already received.   (Mat.4:23) And Jesus went about in all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of disease and all manner of sickness among the people. (24) And the report of him went forth into all Syria: and they brought unto him all that were sick, holden with divers diseases and torments, possessed with demons, and epileptic, and palsied; and he healed them. (25) And there followed him great multitudes from Galilee and Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judaea and [from] beyond the Jordan. He was demonstrating the Gospel that these people were not guilty anymore, demonstrating that God was forgiving them by healing them and delivering them of every curse that came upon them. Those curses came because of their disobedience to God and also because of the sin they inherited when they were born. They were born into sin. Some people say, “Well, God made me this way.” What does that have to do with anything? You were born in sin, you came into this world with the nature of sin, and so you say, “Because I was born this way, I'm supposed to keep it”? That will not float, folks. In the Kingdom of Heaven, you need to repent of this.  Let's read more of how Jesus demonstrated the Gospel. (Mat.8:16) And when even was come, they brought unto him many possessed with demons: and he cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all that were sick: (17) that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our diseases. He carried His disciples with Him and demonstrated to them how to minister and administer this Gospel of the Kingdom. Everyone who repented and believed could have these gifts because they were no longer under the curse, as they were no longer under sin. That's the Great News of the Kingdom. God not only forgave them, He washed and cleansed them, He healed them, He delivered them, and He took away every other form of the curse. It was just like the Passover. The Passover was the Death Angel, the Destroyer, passing over them because they actually had the blood upon the doorpost (Exodus 12:23). How do you get the blood upon your doorpost? The Bible is pretty plain about that. (1Jn.1:7) But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin. The blood of Jesus cleanses us of all sin. Walk in the light. You take those steps in the light because of repentance and God will wash you, cleanse you and deliver you.  We see here something that is going to be fulfilled in our day on a much larger scale. The Man-child ministry is going to go forth to deliver, heal, bless, and demonstrate the Gospel. Not only that, there will be the saving of souls who are in bondage to sin, which many of you have experienced, but many more are going to experience that. Do you know how we know this is going to be repeated? Because this was a repetition in itself; this had happened before. You ask, “When did it ever happen before?” Well, go back and look in the Old Testament because in Hebrews 3, the author compared Moses' house and Christ's house. There is a comparison because Moses was the Man-child in his day and he did the exact same thing that Jesus did, even bringing the same Gospel.   Let me show you how we can see that. I know that it's in the types and shadows, but when it's pointed out to you, you can see it. For instance, when Jesus was anointed, the Bible tells us that He was given the throne of David, His father (Luke 1:32). Jesus was to rule over Israel, and His anointing was compared with the anointing that David had to rule over Israel. That is what's happening to Moses here. (Exo.3:1) Now Moses was keeping the flock of Jethro (whose name means “His excellence”), his father-in-law … Why is Moses' father-in-law called “His excellence”? Because his father-in-law was also the Father of the Bride. Is that not still true today? Exactly so. Moses was keeping the flock. Remember, David was keeping the flock before he was anointed to be king. Moses was doing the same thing.  (Exo.3:1) Now Moses was keeping the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the back of the wilderness, and came to the mountain of God, unto Horeb. (2) And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned … Moses saw this sight and wanted to go investigate and when he did, he stepped onto holy ground, meaning he became holy. The Lord told him to take his shoes off, that he was standing on holy ground, and Moses did not want to be separated from holiness (Exodus 3:5). He was holy before God, and this is where he got his ordination to lead his people out of bondage in Egypt. As a matter of fact, the Lord said, And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land (Exo.3:8). “I am come down.” Is that not what the Lord said in Hosea 6:2-3? He said there that He would come as the latter rain on the morning of the third day, and that's exactly what's going to happen. The Lord is coming down to deliver His people out of bondage in Egypt, which is a representation of the world.  (Exo.3:16) Go, and gather the elders of Israel … That's the first thing the Lord told Moses to do, the same thing Jesus did. He gathered the elders of Israel. Who was Israel? Israel was Jacob and Jacob raised up 12 patriarchs, which is exactly what Jesus raised up, 12 patriarchs. So there you have it. It's a perfect parallel here. “Go and gather the elders of Israel.” Why? It's because they were to walk with Moses, just like those elders walked with Jesus. The Gospel had to be demonstrated; the power of God was demonstrated to them. They were to walk in the same path.   (Exo.3:16) Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, the Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, hath appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and [seen] that which is done to you in Egypt: (17) and I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt … There it is. He's going to deliver them from the curse of Egypt, the affliction of Egypt. He had said, “I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians.” Who are the Egyptians? The Egyptians are the old man, the old flesh, the bondage to the flesh. What He's saying is, “Look, I'm going to deliver you from the god of this world (that is, the old man, the flesh), and I'm going to deliver you from the curse because you've been obeying them both.” That is the Gospel of the Kingdom, which is what Jesus was preaching.  (Exo.3:17) And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite, unto a land flowing with milk and honey. These were the “ites” that represented the old man, the same thing the Egyptian represented, which was the one who had brought them into bondage. You are not supposed to be in bondage to your flesh anymore. The Lord has already delivered you at the cross; it has already been done. He has already accomplished it. That's the Good News of the Kingdom. Why is God bringing them into the Promised Land? He's doing it in order to put to death those people who were ruling in the land. The Israelite was to rule in the land, not these people. He brought the Israelites in there for the purpose of putting them to death. Most Christians today want to live with the old man, but when Israel did that and let the enemies stay in the land, they became thorns in their side for the rest of their life. So the Jews did not inherit all of the land the Lord gave them, and they lived under a curse, under warfare, because they did not obey God. He said, “You take up your sword and go in there. I will be with you. You put them to death and take their house to live in and raise up your crop, your fruit in that land” (Deuteronomy 7). That's the Gospel.  (Exo.3:18) And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, hath met with us (As if He had not been there all along! Actually, He came down in a much mightier way than He had ever done in the 400-odd years that they had been in bondage, and that's how He is about to come today. He's about to come in a more powerful way than any of us have ever experienced, for the purpose of delivering His people out of Egypt and out from under the god of this world.): and now let us go, we pray thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God. They had to serve God in the wilderness. Moses was taking the elders of Israel with him at this time, just as Jesus was, and demonstrating unto them the Gospel.  Here is the gathering of the elders again. (Exo.4:29) And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel. When Jesus gathered the elders, He was not gathering together the apostates. He started all over, which is what He is going to do this time as well. He is not going to the apostates, but He will start all over with some new, humble people who did not go to Bible school. He is going to raise them up. Paul is one of those who obviously went to Bible school, but He had to prove that He could do it, and He did. But what is represented by Moses and Aaron here? We're looking at a parallel of what Jesus did and now we see Moses and Aaron, but it had said earlier, And thou (Moses) shalt speak unto him (Aaron), and put the words in his mouth (Exo.4:15). Moses was to put the words in Aaron's mouth? That's a little like what the Lord does to us, which is what He's about to say. (Exo.4:15) … And I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do. (16) And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people; and it shall come to pass, that he shall be to thee a mouth, and thou shalt be to him as God.   Interesting. He is likening Moses to God, like Jesus was to God. Now let me say, if a Man-child comes in our day, Who is it Who is going to be with him, putting words in his mouth? Jesus, Who is God! Moses is being used of God, and Aaron is being used as his prophet to speak his words, to do his work, and to take the staff that he did to do the miracles. In this case, we're seeing Aaron as the Man-child and Moses as Jesus in the Man-child or behind the Man-child to do the works. (Exo.4:29) And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel (This is much like Jesus did; His Father God was in Him doing the works. Jesus was the spokesman, the mouthpiece; He gathered together His disciples and did the miracles, and Aaron is doing the same thing here.): (Exo.4:30) and Aaron spake all the words which the Lord had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people. So it was Aaron speaking the words and doing the works, just like Jesus did.  “Aaron” means “bright” or “illumined.” He represents the glory of God shining out of a person, like this says: (2Co.3:18) But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit. There are three glories: star glory, moon glory, and sun glory (1 Corinthians 15:40-41). It gets brighter and brighter and brighter. This is the shining forth of God in His people. He is coming in “Aaron,” His first-fruits. Jesus was called the first-fruits (1 Corinthians 15:20), and there is a first-fruits in our day. David also represented the first-fruits and Joseph, as well. It is not the only fruits, just the first-fruits. He is planning on doing this with His whole Body. (Exo.4:31) And the people believed: and when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel, and that he had seen their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped. This was a monumental time in their history because they were about to be delivered out of bondage to the old man, the Egyptian, Pharaoh, the god of this world, and to the curse they were under because they were serving them.  (Exo.5:4) And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, loose the people from their works? … Some people think you have to put up with your “works” the rest of your life, that there is nothing you can do about it because you're always going to be a “sinner saved by grace.” That is an anti-Christ gospel. They were setting the people free from their works, from their service to the old man and to the devil, who is the god of this world that ruled over them, like Pharaoh did. They were being set free and the devil did not like it. “Get you unto your burdens.” In other words, “Get back under the heavy weight of your burden.” (Exo.5:5) And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land are now many, and ye make them rest from their burdens. This is what the Lord brought us out of bondage for, to enter into His rest and to cease from our own works, the works of the flesh. We do not serve the flesh anymore. We serve the spiritual man now. This is the Gospel of the Kingdom, and it sets people free. Even the devil had to admit that they were setting them free from their works.  (Exo.6:9) And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel: but they hearkened not unto Moses … You cannot set someone free unless they believe the Gospel of the Kingdom. Moses came there to set the Israelites free. God ordained him on Mount Horeb, representing the Kingdom of God, to go and bring them out of bondage and take them to that mountain, too, but they had to believe him first because the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth (Rom.1:16). (Exo.6:9) … But they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage. God had to do a work in them before they could actually receive this light of the knowledge of the Kingdom. (Exo.6:10) And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, (11) Go in, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt … The word “Pharaoh” means “temple of the sun.” He was God to the Egyptians. They believed he was divinity, believed that he was the sun god. Pharaoh was not the Son of God and not even a close facsimile to the Son of God, but he was usurping God's position over the people of God.  The devil does that today. He usurps the position of the Son of God over the people of God, and they do not know that the one they're serving is the devil. They don't know that they're serving the old man that serves the devil, which is the Egyptian. We know that the Egyptian represents the old man because when the Israelites went through the Red Sea, Paul called it a “baptism.” In the baptism, the old man died in the Red Sea, and the Israelite came up on the other side; the new man, the spiritual man came up out of the water. The carnal man died and the spiritual man was made alive, so we know this parable is true. (Exo.6:11) Go in, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land. Do you suppose this Man-child is going to have this same authority to tell the devil to set God's people free? Well, Jesus was doing it. He commanded the devil to loose them; He commanded the sickness to come out of them; He delivered their mind from the fogginess of their fallen state. And, yes, this is what not only the Man-child but the witnesses and the elders who are raised up by the Man-child are going to do. They're going to have the authority to say, “Turn them loose, devil,” and it's going to happen.  (Exo.6:12) And Moses spake before the Lord, saying, Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumcised lips? Does the devil have to listen to you when you tell him to turn people loose if they do not believe? No. When you preach the Gospel and they believe it, only then do you have the authority to say, “Turn them loose, devil.” This is exactly what Moses complained of. He was saying, “Hey, they don't believe me yet, so why would Pharaoh listen?” (Exo.6:13) And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, and gave them a charge unto the children of Israel, and unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt. That was their ordination, their command from God, Who said, “Bring them out.   You have the authority to do this.” Jesus had the same authority, by the Isaiah 61 anointing, which Luke 4:18 also speaks about. (Isa.61:1) The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening [of the prison] to them that are bound. Who were they bound to? They were in bondage to their old man, in bondage to the devil, and they were living under the curse. Jesus took care of all three and that was all involved in the Gospel of the Kingdom. Now we know that Moses, too, was dealing with the Gospel of the Kingdom and trying to get those people to believe what he said. Praise the Lord!  (Exo.12:21) Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel (I'd like to point out to you that these elders were with him exactly as the disciples of Jesus, all the time, and he was demonstrating to them the Gospel. Actually, here is the Gospel in a nutshell.), and said unto them, Draw out, and take you lambs according to your families, and kill the passover. We're told that they had to eat all of the lamb (Exodus 12:8-10) and that the blood was to be put on the doorposts (Exodus 12:7), so that the Death Angel, the Destroyer, would pass over them and smite the Egyptians (Exodus 12:13). Jesus said, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, ye have not life in yourselves (Joh.6:53). Most of the Church is refusing to eat the body and drink the blood of Jesus Christ. The Bible says, The life of the flesh is in the blood (Lev.17:11). They are refusing the life of Christ through unbelief. Moses is not able to exercise any authority over Pharaoh because of their unbelief. Jesus was the bread Who came down out of Heaven (John 6:51) that gives life to the world, and that was His Body, the Word of God.  We are also told this: (Exo.12:15) Seven days (that is the last seven “days”) shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses (This is the house that we live in. There shall be no leaven, no polluting the pure Word of God.): for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel. This is a dire warning to God's people that during the Tribulation period, you cannot continue onward believing the doctrine of these apostate religions. (Mar.8:15) … Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod, too, because there are many who are worshipping the government. They're worshipping their country, their nation; they're pledging allegiance to a wicked, worldly nation. This is not to say that you aren't supposed to submit to them in every way, except when God tells you to do otherwise. Your allegiance is to the Lord, and you will bow to no one else. We see here that Moses was leading them to partake of the body and blood of Christ, and this was causing a Passover so that they did not have to live under the curse. Praise be to God!  (Exo.12:29) And it came to pass at midnight, that the Lord smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the first-born of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the first-born of cattle. (30) And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead. In every house there was one dead. So if we are the house, there has to be one dead, and that's the old man. He is the firstborn of Egypt, born of the flesh, born of the world. He is dead and we know that he is dead, and we are free because of what Jesus did at the cross because we were crucified with Christ. The Lamb was slain here, but the Bible says, we were crucified with Christ and it is no longer we who live, but it is Christ Who lives in us (Galatians 2:20). That is the new man and that is how faith in the Gospel works. We continue to believe what the Bible says, that, “Yes, this old man is dead. He was put to death, so I don't have to serve him anymore because he is dead, and he was crucified with Christ. Now the new man lives and rules in me.” That new man is Christ in you, the hope of glory (Col.1:27). We behold with unveiled face as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, and are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit (2Co.3:18). Like Aaron, who was the “brilliance,” the shining forth of the Lord in him, so the people of God will be.  (Exo.12:31) And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the Lord, as ye have said. Pharaoh finally gave up, and the devil is going to turn God's people loose. The god of this world, the sun god, the one who imitates the Lord and usurps His authority over God's people, is going to turn them loose, is going to obey the command of Moses. When does that happen? It happens when they, “the people,” believe they're no longer in bondage to Satan because the Gospel, the Good News of the Kingdom, is the power of God to save the one who believes. It's the power to save them from the old man, from the devil, and from the curse. You will be delivered of those three things when you believe and continue to walk in the faith of the Gospel that sets free.  (Exo.17:5) And the Lord said unto Moses, Pass on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thy hand, and go. (6) Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. Here, Moses was still demonstrating the power of God's provision for God's people. Jesus multiplied the fishes and the loaves, and here Moses was still demonstrating it with the authority and the power of God to the elders and the people. (Exo.18:12) And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took a burnt-offering and sacrifices for God: and Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law before God. Praise the Lord!   This is, once again, Jesus raising up His elders and the Man-child in our day, raising up the elders to be free from the bondage of Satan and free from the bondage of the flesh. The harvest started getting bigger and bigger, and more and more people started coming into the Kingdom, just as it was also said about Jesus. (Exo.24:1) And he said unto Moses, Come up unto the Lord, thou, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and worship ye afar off: (2) and Moses alone shall come near unto the Lord; but they shall not come near; neither shall the people go up with him. As you know, Moses went up on the mountain and was caught up unto the throne of God. This is the first mention of the 70 elders. He had already mentioned them, but now He refers to them as the “seventy.”  We have already discussed Jesus raising up the elders, but He also raised up the 70. (Luk.10:1) Now after these things the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself was about to come. (2) And he said unto them, The harvest indeed is plenteous, but the laborers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth laborers into his harvest. Obviously, the 12 were not enough. This was a great revival for many hungry people; there was a need. Even with Moses, his father-in-law Jethro had said, “You're going to kill yourself trying to serve all the people by yourself” (Exodus 18:14-18). Then Jethro gave Moses the wisdom from God to raise up elders unto the people to judge them, meet their needs, and so on (Exodus 18:19-26).   Jesus said, Go your ways; behold, I send you forth as lambs in the midst of wolves (Luk.10:3). (4) Carry no purse, no wallet, no shoes; and salute no man on the way. (5) And into whatsoever house ye shall enter, first say, Peace be to this house. (6) And if a son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon him: but if not, it shall turn to you again. (7) And in that same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the laborer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house. (8) And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you: (9) and heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. The Kingdom of God is where people are healed, delivered, prospered, blessed, delivered from sin, etc.  (Luk.10:10) But into whatsoever city ye shall enter, and they receive you not, go out into the streets thereof and say, (11) Even the dust from your city, that cleaveth to our feet, we wipe off against you: nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh. That is judgment; He brought judgment. These people brought judgment upon the ones who refused the Gospel. They cleaned their shoes off as a judgment against them. Don't believe that God did not do something about that because He goes on, (Luk.10:12) I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city. (13) Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which were done in you, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. (14) But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment, than for you.  God bless you, saints! Just remember, the Good News of the Gospel of the Kingdom is about to be preached with mighty power, and a great revival is going to go forth from it. God bless you! 

Matthew 15:21-28-  The woman of Sidon whose daughter was possessed approached Jesus in boldness and desperation. But how she was tested! Can I be a dog, or an unworthy servant? If we find ourselves in DESPERATION, engage in EXALTATION, and accept HUMILIATION without OFFENSE, we will see His LIBERATION!

Luke 6:31 NIV Do to others as you would have them do to you.Proverbs 11:24 - 25 NIV One person gives freely, yet gains even more; anotherwithholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper; whoeverrefreshes others will be refreshed.Turn your Need into Seed.1 Kings 17:7-16 Eventually the brook dried up because of the drought. Then GODspoke to him: “Get up and go to Zarephath in Sidon and live there. I've instructeda woman who lives there, a widow, to feed you.” 10-11 So he got up and went toZarephath. As he came to the entrance of the village he met a woman, a widow,gathering firewood. He asked her, “Please, would you bring me a little water in ajug? I need a drink.” As she went to get it, he called out, “And while you're at it,would you bring me something to eat?” 12 She said, “I swear, as surely as yourGOD lives, I don't have so much as a biscuit. I have a handful of flour in a jar and alittle oil in a bottle; you found me scratching together just enough firewood tomake a last meal for my son and me. After we eat it, we'll die.” 13-14 Elijah saidto her, “Don't worry about a thing. Go ahead and do what you've said. But firstmake a small biscuit for me and bring it back here. Then go ahead and make ameal from what's left for you and your son. This is the word of the GOD of Israel:‘The jar of flour will not run out and the bottle of oil will not become empty beforeGOD sends rain on the land and ends this drought.'” 15-16 And she went right offand did it, did just as Elijah asked. And it turned out as he said—daily food for herand her family. The jar of meal didn't run out and the bottle of oil didn't becomeempty: GOD's promise fulfilled to the letter, exactly as Elijah had delivered it!God asks for what you are holding, not what you are missing.Your need is not just something to survive, it's something to sow.Proverbs 18: 20-21 NIV From the fruit of their mouth a person's stomach is filled;with the harvest of their lips they are satisfied. The tongue has the power of lifeand death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.If You want to change the satisfaction of your life, change the declaration ofyour lips.Luke 6:45b NIV For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.Trust God's timing - Don't give up!Galatians 6:9 So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time wewill reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up.

Joel 2:18-3:21 (NASB) 18 Then the Lord will be zealous for His land,And will have compassion for His people.19 The Lord will answer and say to His people,“Behold, I am going to send you grain, new wine, and oil,And you will be satisfied in full with them;And I will never again make you a disgrace among the nations.20 But I will remove the northern army far from you,And I will drive it into a dry and desolate land,Its advance guard into the eastern sea,And its rear guard into the western sea.And its stench will ascend and its odor of decay will come up,Because it has done great things.” 21 Do not fear, land; shout for joy and rejoice,For the Lord has done great things.22 Do not fear, animals of the field,For the pastures of the wilderness have turned green,For the tree has produced its fruit,The fig tree and the vine have yielded in full.23 So shout for joy, you sons of Zion,And rejoice in the Lord your God;For He has given you the early rain for your vindication.And He has brought down for you the rain,The early and latter rain as before.24 The threshing floors will be full of grain,And the vats will overflow with the new wine and oil.25 “Then I will compensate you for the yearsThat the swarming locust has eaten,The creeping locust, the stripping locust, and the gnawing locust—My great army which I sent among you.26 You will have plenty to eat and be satisfied,And you will praise the name of the Lord your God,Who has dealt wondrously with you;Then My people will never be put to shame.27 So you will know that I am in the midst of Israel,And that I am the Lord your GodAnd there is no other;And My people will never be put to shame. 28 “It will come about after thisThat I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind;And your sons and your daughters will prophesy,Your old men will have dreams,Your young men will see visions.29 And even on the male and female servantsI will pour out My Spirit in those days. 30 I will display wonders in the sky and on the earth,Blood, fire, and columns of smoke.31 The sun will be turned into darkness,And the moon into blood,Before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.32 And it will come about that everyone who calls on the name of the LordWill be saved;For on Mount Zion and in JerusalemThere will be those who escape,Just as the Lord has said,Even among the survivors whom the Lord calls. Chapter 31 “For behold, in those days and at that time,When I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem,2 I will gather all the nationsAnd bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat.Then I will enter into judgment with them thereOn behalf of My people and My inheritance, Israel,Whom they have scattered among the nations;And they have divided up My land.3 They have also cast lots for My people,Traded a boy for a prostitute,And sold a girl for wine so that they may drink. 4 Moreover, what are you to Me, Tyre, Sidon, and all the regions of Philistia? Are you repaying Me with retribution? But if you are showing Me retribution, swiftly and speedily I will return your retribution on your head! 5 Since you have taken My silver and My gold, brought My precious treasures to your temples, 6 and sold the sons of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks in order to remove them far from their territory, 7 behold, I am going to stir them up from the place where you have sold them, and return your retribution on your head. 8 I will also sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the sons of Judah, and they will sell them to the Sabeans, to a distant nation,” for the Lord has spoken. 9 Proclaim this among the nations:Prepare for holy war; stir up the warriors!Have all the soldiers come forward, have them come up!10 Beat your plowshares into swords,And your pruning hooks into spears;Let the weak man say, “I am a warrior.”11 Hurry and come, all you surrounding nations,And gather yourselves there.Bring down, Lord, Your warriors.12 Let the nations be awakenedAnd come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat,

Matthew 15:21-2821 Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.”23 Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”25 The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said.26 He replied, “It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to the dogs.”27 “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table.”28 Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.

Return of the Man-Child (7)  (audio) David Eells – 4/9/25  History happened once in the letter, and it is happening again in the Spirit. We've noticed a repetition of history on a larger scale in every type and shadow that we have looked at. The first revelation was according to the letter, but the way it is being fulfilled in our day is in the Spirit. Last time, we saw that Christ had been anointed with the power of the former rain, and we know that Jesus did not do a miracle or a sign or a wonder until after He had received this anointing of the former rain. It was power! I don't think a lot of people realize that when God gives you power, He tests you to see if you are going to use that power according to His Will or take it for your own use. In other words, you could abuse power and authority. Jesus was being tried here. The Bible says, He hath been in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without sin (Heb.4:15).  We'll continue our study in Matthew. (Mat.4:1) Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. So He had just been anointed with the power of the Holy Spirit to do all the wondrous works, and now He is being led by the Holy Spirit to be tempted of the devil. There is a purpose in temptation; there is a need for temptation, the Bible tells us. (Jas.1:2) Count it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall into manifold temptations; (3) knowing that the proving of your faith worketh patience. (4) And let patience have [its] perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, lacking in nothing. Temptation is a way to perfection, or as it's sometimes translated in the Scriptures, “maturity.” (Jas.1:12) Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he hath been approved, he shall receive the crown of life, which [the Lord] promised to them that love Him. Even Abraham was tempted or tried. (Heb.11:17) By faith Abraham, being tried … The word there is peirazo, the same word for “tempted.” And the same word occurs again further down in the text, in verse 37 – “they were tempted.” So Abraham was tempted   Does God tempt anybody? No, He does not. Temptation comes quite naturally to us because of our old carnal nature. (Jas.1:13) Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempteth no man: (14) but each man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. God tempts no man, but He does bring us through the trial to be tempted, so we can make a decision as to whether we're going to walk in the flesh or whether we're going to walk in the Spirit. The Bible says, if we walk in the light, as He is in the light … the blood of Jesus … cleanseth us of all sin (1Jn.1:7). Being tempted is a method by which you can have more of God because when you walk in the light or, in other words, when you walk after the Spirit, the Holy Spirit cleanses you of the very sin nature that you don't want anymore.   Temptation is God's method for giving you more of God and less of you. (Heb.11:17) By faith Abraham, being tried, offered up Isaac: yea, he that had gladly received the promise was offering up his only begotten [son;] (18) [even he] to whom it was said, In Isaac shall thy seed be called: (19) accounting that God [is] able to raise up, even from the dead; from whence he did also in a figure receive him back. Abraham was tried and God said, Now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, from me (Gen.22:12). Will God do these things with us? Will He try us? Yes, He will. First of all, when Jesus received power, He had to be tried before He started His ministry. I think everybody is tried. If God gives you a gift or power or authority, you are going to be tried to see if you're going to abuse what you've been given.  I'd like us to note the very next thing He speaks about. (Mat.4:2) And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he afterward hungered. (3) And the tempter came … What does fasting have to do with a trial? Remember, I'm not taking anything away from the letter. Jesus was fasting in the letter; He was physically fasting, denying Himself food. So far, we've seen that there is a spiritual manifestation now in the New Testament for the people who walk in the steps of Jesus. We are not doing away with the letter. We're still talking about literal fasting. But there is also a spiritual fast, and if you keep this spiritual fast, no matter how much the devil tempts you, you will win every time. Isaiah speaks about this spiritual fast.   Let me point out some things to you. (Isa.58:3) Wherefore have we fasted, [say they,] and thou seest not? [wherefore] have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find [your own] pleasure, and exact all your labors. In other words, there is selfishness in there – selfish desire and ambition. The old man is not only living, he is thriving in the midst of their fast. You can refrain from eating food and still be a big sinner, but you cannot do a spiritual fast and walk in sin. I will point that out to you. (Isa.58:4) Behold, ye fast for strife and contention, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye fast not this day so as to make your voice to be heard on high. (5) Is such the fast that I have chosen? the day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head as a rush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord? He is being rather critical of a natural fast that has no spiritual component, no spiritual focus.  Then Isaiah speaks about another kind of fasting. (Isa.58:6) Is not this the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke … What is “wickedness” and what is “the yoke”? It is the old man. Remember when the three Hebrews went into the fire and the only thing that burned up was their bonds (Daniel 3)? What do you think that means? It means the wood, hay and stubble, the old man, was burned up. That's what binds us; that's the “wickedness” and “the yoke” right there. Jesus came with the Isaiah 61 anointing to open the prison for those who were bound and to set the captives free. How does He do that? The old man has to die here. (Isa.58:6) Is not this the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? So there is a fast that breaks every yoke. God is about to tell you about His fast, not just their natural fast. They were failing to do anything but sin in the midst of their fast. (Isa.58:7) Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry … It is not just refraining from eating it; it is giving it to somebody who needs it. It is denying yourself.  First of all, a physical fast is to deny your physical self food. A spiritual fast is to deny your self food because “self” is a spiritual entity. It is a sinful, carnal entity, and if you do not feed “self”, “self” dies. How many of you know that you can refrain from feeding your body and still feed “self”? That's what God is talking to them about here. He is saying, “Okay, you are fasting, but it is not doing you any good whatsoever. Let me tell you about My fast.” It is a fast that actually does away with the bondage to the old man. It's not enough to not eat it; give it to somebody else. Deny your “self”; don't feed self. Instead, give.   (Isa.58:7) Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? We all like our privacy and our peace, but it is also a sacrifice to bring people into your house. For years, we have had people in need in and out of our house. It is a big sacrifice. You have to give up a part of you; you have to bend toward their needs. You have to resist your flesh, and that's a big temptation, especially if people come to live with you for very long. But the Lord is saying, “Deny yourself; don't feed the old man. Do something for the Kingdom here.”  Now let me say that there are a few verses in here that speak about the fast, and all the rest of the verses in this text are promises to those who do fast. Here is one promise: (Isa.58:8) Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thy healing shall spring forth speedily; and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall by thy rearward. (9) Then shalt thou call, and the Lord will answer (That is an awesome promise!); thou shalt cry, and he will say, Here I am. (And then here is a part of the fast:) If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking wickedly. Now that is a fast! It is denying feeding “self”. Self wants its way; self wants you to give it the reins and let it run. You have to pull back and say, “No. I deny self. I will not feed “self” today. I will not feed the flesh today.” Anytime you give the flesh its way, you are feeding it. When you are denying it, it is dying. Jesus said, Whosoever doth not bear his own cross (which is to die on), and come after me, cannot be my disciple (Luk.14:27). A fast is taking up your cross. It is not really something we should ever stop. In a literal fast, you have to stop, and it may not gain you anything. But it's good if you use it as a means to an end in the Kingdom. For instance, when you give your bread to someone else, it's good.  As we read on, we see another part of this fast. (Isa.58:10) And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry (In other words, in what your soul desires, make sure you are meeting someone else's need.), and satisfy the afflicted soul: then shall thy light rise in darkness, and thine obscurity be as the noonday; (11) and the Lord will guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in dry places, and make strong thy bones; and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. (12) And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places; thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations (Well, that's what we need today, folks; we need to go back and restore again the foundation that is fallen.); and thou shalt be called The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in. Here's another part of the fast: (Isa.58:13) If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day … Now we know that the Sabbath is not a day anymore, according to Hebrews 4. It is a sabbatismos, a continual ceasing from your works, which are the works of the old man, and entering the rest. In other words, it's denying the flesh; it's not feeding the old man. That is what the Sabbath is.  (Isa.58:13) If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, [and] the holy of the Lord honorable; and shalt honor it, not doing thine own ways (again, not feeding self), nor finding thine own pleasure (instead, attempting to please the Lord, meeting the brethren's needs and sacrificing yourself, etc.), nor speaking [thine own] words. That's an important one right there because the tongue [is] a restless evil (Jas.3:8), and the tongue can no man tame (8). Only the Lord can tame it if you give Him faith. (Isa.58:14) Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will make thee to ride upon the high places of the earth; and I will feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. That is an awesome promise of God's spiritual fast! There definitely has to be a fulfillment in the Spirit, and we can look at Jesus or the Man-child ministry as showing us how to do a spiritual fast.   I believe that the Man-Child ministry's corporate body is going to be tried in this question about power and authority, and I do not think that they are all going to overcome it. I have seen dreams and visions about this. But I believe that if we do this spiritual fast, we cannot fail. If you do what the spiritual fast calls for – if you do not feed your old man, if you deny yourself in the midst of trial – then you're not going to listen to Satan, and you're going to be an overcomer. As you read the Book of Revelation, all of the promises to the churches are for overcomers. There is no promise to people who are not overcoming. What are they overcoming? They're overcoming self and temptation because they're overcoming self. Notice that God is not necessarily doing away with the natural fast. He is saying, “Look, if you don't eat food, give it to somebody who needs it.”  I want to share a revelation with you about fasting. It says the exact same thing about the spiritual fast, and it was given to Hermas, who wrote The Shepherd of Hermas, which you can read on our site. At the end of the first century, the Shepherd came to Hermas and gave him revelations in the way of visions to give to the Church, which was just about to go into great tribulation, as we are in our day. In fact, they were going to face the Beast and the Harlot of their day and many of them were going to lose their lives. The Lord gave them an exhortation through Hermas. That exhortation was then sent throughout the early Church, and he gave them a revelation on fasting. Notice its similarity to what we just studied. Let's begin in similitude 5, chapter 54. (My comments are in parentheses.)  While I was fasting and sitting on a certain mountain, thanking the Lord for all that He had done for me, I saw the Shepherd (the Shepherd here is the Lord) sitting beside me and saying these things to me: “Why have you come here so early?” “Because, sir,” I said, “I am on guard duty.” “What,” said he, “is the guard?” “I am fasting, sir,” I said. “But what,” said he, “is this fast that you are keeping?” “Sir,” I said, “I am fasting just as I have been accustomed to do.” “You do not know how to fast to God,” he said, “and this useless fast that you are keeping for Him is not a fast.” (He called this fast “useless.” I'm sure Hermas was refraining from eating food, but the Lord called it a “useless fast.”) “Why, sir,” I said, “do you say this?” “I am telling you,” he said, “that this is not a fast you are keeping, but I will teach you what an acceptable and a complete fast to the Lord is.” “Yes, sir,” said I. “You will make me happy if I may know the fast acceptable to God.” “Listen,” said he. “God does not wish such a futile fast as this, for by fasting in this way, you do nothing for righteousness, (It can be, as we just saw in Isaiah 58, that they were fasting diligently, but getting nowhere and doing nothing but feeding the flesh because they were leaving selfish ambition alive.) but fast to God in this way: Do nothing evil in your life. (He is talking about a spiritual fast here. In other words, do not feed the flesh.) But serve the Lord with a clean heart, keeping His commandments, following His orders. (Again, do not feed the flesh. The commandments of God crucify the flesh; they do not permit it to live. That's why there is so much emphasis on ear-tickling doctrines out there, because they all permit the old man to live. If you obey God, the old man dies. It's like you're starving him. You're not giving him what he wants, so he dies.) And let no evil desire arise in your heart. (Do not listen to him; do not feed him; do not let him live.) Believe in God, because if you do these things and fear Him and abstain from every evil deed (in other words, not feeding the flesh), you will live to God. And if you do these things, you will complete a fast that is great and acceptable to the Lord.”  Wow! That is a spiritual fast! He didn't touch on the physical fast, but in one of the next chapters, he does talk a little bit about the physical fast and how it can tie into the spiritual fast. You can see here the spiritual fast, which was the most important. You can fast for the rest of your life for selfish ambition, and you will not do anything for the Kingdom. Your sacrifice is worthless before God. But, if you do a spiritual fast, you are going to grow in God. I am not denying that you can mix this with a physical fast, but if you do a spiritual fast, you will conquer the devil every time. The only thing in you that he can use to conquer you is your flesh, so if you do not feed your flesh, your flesh is not going to be able to conquer you. Let me go to chapter 56.  I said to him, “Sir, I do not understand these parables, nor could I comprehend them unless you interpret them to me.” “I will interpret everything to you,” he said, “and whatsoever I tell you, I will explain. Keep the commandments of the Lord and you will be pleasing to Him and be enrolled in the number of those who keep His commandments. If you do something good beyond the commandment of God, you will gain greater glory for yourself. (This is an important issue here. You can go beyond what God commands and God will give you good credit for that.) And you will be more honored before God than you would have been. If then, while keeping the commandments of God, you add also to those services, you will rejoice, and you will keep them according to my commandment.” I said to him, “Sir, whatever you command me I will follow, for I know that you are with me.” “I will be with you,” he said, “because you have such zeal for doing good, and I will be with all,” said he, “who have the same zeal. This fast,” he said, “is very good, if you keep the commandments of the Lord. So observe this fast which you are going to keep in this way: First of all, guard against every evil word and every evil desire. (Do not feed “self” and do not give “self” permission or the right to give in to evil thoughts or evil words. Otherwise, you are wasting your fast.) And cleanse your heart of all the vanities of this world. (In other words, there are a lot of things in the world that have no point in the Kingdom. The Bible says to lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race (Heb.12:1). And the sin? Some weights are not sin, but they hold us back. They themselves are not sin, but they keep us from doing things that are important in the Kingdom.)  (Many people do not take the Great Commission seriously. They figure they hired their preacher to do that, so they just live their lives the way they want to all week long and then at the end of the week, they go to church and call that “service.” No, actually we're called to be disciples of Jesus Christ and we're called to keep and to do the Great Commission and do the works of Jesus. (Joh.14:12) Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater [works] than these shall he do; because I go unto the Father. We are called to do His works, and if the Church had been doing that all along, just think how much of the world would have been taken into the Church by now. The Lord says to avoid the vanities of this world, which are not necessarily sin, but have this uselessness. There are so many things that Christians do that are useless. If you are really devoted to God, your hobbies ought to be His hobbies. Your loves ought to be His loves. You ought to be doing the things that are pleasing to your Father. Even as a child, Jesus said (Luk.2:49) Knew ye not that I must be in my Father's house? In other words, “be about my Father's work”? That's right; that's what we are here for.)   If you observe these things, this fast will be complete. And here is what you will do: When you have finished the above-mentioned, on that day when you are fasting, (Now he is talking about a physical fast.) you will taste nothing except bread and water, and you will be aware of the cost of your food you would have eaten on that day which you are going to keep. Having set it aside, you will give it to a widow, or an orphan, or someone else in need. And in this way, you will be humble-minded, so that from your humility, the one who receives may fill his soul and pray to the Lord for you. (So, here's a way that a physical fast can actually be a spiritual fast in denying yourself and then furthering the Kingdom, by not only refraining from eating, but giving it or the monetary equivalent to someone who needs it, or through sacrifice.) If then you complete the fast in this way, as I command you, your sacrifice will be acceptable to God. And this fast will be recorded, and the service done in this way is good and joyous and acceptable to the Lord. This is the way you shall observe these things with your children and all your house. If you observe them, you will be blessed, and as many as hear them and keep them will be blessed, and whatever they ask of the Lord they will receive.”  That is very interesting because Isaiah 58:7 basically says that, too, “to deal thy bread to the hungry,” give that which you would have eaten to the hungry. Then Isaiah goes on to talk about the same principle, but in many other ways that are dealing with “self”, such as using something that you would consider yours to meet the need of someone else. In this way, a physical fast can be a spiritual fast. I dare say that a lot of people who fast are sometimes too miserable to even pray and take advantage of their fast. Have you ever caught yourself doing that? I used to fast regularly and I still do, but I would catch myself and say, “Wait a minute! I'm not taking advantage of this sacrifice here. I need to be fasting and praying.” So I would remember and go back to praying and making my fast count for something. I was always giving, and a person who fasts should use it to further the Kingdom and bless God's people. Now, if you do that and the devil tempts you and you keep on fasting and denying self in order to let your Spirit man live, there is no way the devil can beat you.  If you look at the Book of Matthew, you see that Jesus received this great power from God and He was going to be tried by the devil to see if He was going to use that power wisely. (Mat.4:2) And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he afterward hungered. (3) And the tempter came and said unto him, If thou art the Son of God, command that these stones become bread. (4) But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. What kind of temptation is this? First of all, with “If thou art the Son of God,” the devil was tempting Jesus to believe that He was not Who He was supposed to be, and that is the Son of God. He was tempting Jesus to use His power to feed His flesh. Look at it in the Spirit, not just in the letter.   In what way can you use your power to feed your flesh? Well, for example, you could be in the prosperity doctrine. You can use your power and authority to live high above the average means of the people around you, to consume upon your flesh the things that would be detrimental to your spiritual health. (1Ti.6:9) But they that are minded to be rich fall into a temptation and a snare and many foolish and hurtful lusts, such as drown men in destruction and perdition. Many people fall away, according to Paul in 1st Timothy, because of their lusting after the things of the world. They use God's power and even their bodily efforts, which is again using God's power because ye were bought with a price (1Co.6:20), to live after the lusts of their flesh.  Now let's look at the next temptation. (Mat.4:5) Then the devil taketh him into the holy city; and he set him on the pinnacle of the temple, (6) and saith unto him, If thou art the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and, On their hands they shall bear thee up, lest haply thou dash thy foot against a stone. (7) Jesus said unto him, Again it is written, Thou shalt not make trial of the Lord thy God. What is the devil tempting Him with here? He's tempting Jesus with proving to others Who He is. Why do we have to prove to others who we are? Isn't that really something that should just be left up to God? There are people who abuse the power and authority that the Lord has given them to make themselves great in the sight of other people. That is a temptation, especially if you have power.   I see it today in people exercising power in such a way as to put on a show. You've seen it; you've seen the wave of the hand and half the audience falls down. What's the purpose of that? Who is getting the glory for that? When did Jesus ever do such a thing? Even when He healed someone and they were entering the town, He said, Go to thy house unto thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee (Mar.5:19), not “Remember me when you tell the story.” How many times did He disappear like the Lone Ranger after He did a good deed? That was because He was not looking for the credit for it. You do not have to prove who you are to anybody. As a matter of fact, it's better if you are pretty quiet about it. If you did not deny yourself or fast spiritually, if you did not deny the flesh its right to prove who it was, then to glory in the things done would just cause your flesh to grow.  Here is another temptation. (Mat.4:8) Again, the devil taketh him unto an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; (9) and he said unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. (10) Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. (11) Then the devil leaveth him; and behold, angels came and ministered unto him. What kind of a temptation is that? Well, the glory of the authority over the world. When we receive power from God, there is a temptation to use it to gain the glory of this authority. In these days, there are many people who run around calling themselves apostles or prophets or giving themselves great titles, none of which the early disciples did or used. But they do that in order to profit “self” and glory in the authority that they have. They count the numbers of people in their churches so they can glory about how big their church is. They talk about how many churches are under their authority or how many men are under their authority. They use power and authority to glory and to build “self”. Jesus was being tempted to see if He would abuse authority and power. Of course, God knew the outcome, but you still have to go through the temptation. It has to be proven. That was the whole gist of this temptation, from beginning to end.  I believe that the Man-child ministry will go through the exact same testing, and those people who are making somebody of themselves, taking advantage of other people because of their authority, plundering the flock because of their position, will not be qualified to be in the Man-child ministry. When you look at Jesus, when you look at His disciples, you see humble people. You see people who did not plunder the flock for the sake of themselves, to live high on the hog. You don't see fancy-dressed people who take positions of authority or who glorify self. Jesus and His disciples denied “self” in order to meet the needs of others; love caused them to pass up many of the things in the world that people take for granted. They didn't have time for the world or vanity because their ambition and their hobby was God's people, meeting their needs and serving them.   The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve. If Jesus did that, how much more should we? Glory to God! We are going to be tried. Everybody who is called to this latter rain ministry of restoring the Church will be tried and it's a fairly small number who will remain in the Man-child. We will be tested and tried to see if we will abuse that power. If we do, we will not be qualified. But Jesus overcame and, therefore, God sent Him to the Church. You say, “Well, why wouldn't He be qualified? He was the Son of God.” But when He came, He had to be made in all things like unto His brethren, and He came as a Spirit-filled Man in order to do the works of the Spirit and to be used of God. He could have come in all the omnipotence of God, but He didn't. Jesus became tired; He got weak; He had to eat. He came as a Spirit-filled Man and laid aside His omnipotence and, in some cases, omniscience, because He said that God knew things that He did not know and could not reveal in order to come and be as a man.  We know that He was God in flesh, but did you know that your spiritual man, “Christ in you,” is also God in flesh? Christ is God wherever He is, and He is God in you, in your heart. Before we can be trusted to be used of the Lord, we are going to be tried to see if we're going to be abusive of His power or authority. It doesn't matter if you are in the Man-child ministry or not. You are going to be tried, and if you fail, that does not mean you will not keep on being a minister or a preacher or having your title or your church; you just will not be doing it in God. There were lots of ministers around when Jesus came, but they were a bunch of apostates. In fact, He said, All that came before me are thieves and robbers (Joh.10:8). They had stolen the position that they had over the flock, and they were plundering the flock.   But Jesus had the kind of authority from God that they did not have. They had natural authority that was given to them, given to their title, given to their position. But Jesus' authority came only from God, and it came in the form of meeting the needs of God's people, of serving God's people and feeding them spiritually, of delivering them from demons and healing their bodies. I do not care what kind of ministry you have. You are going to be tried to see if the position of authority over God's people you have is abused or if the power that God gives you to use your supernatural gifts is abused. If it's abused for the purpose of aggrandizing yourself, then you are not qualified to do this for God. You might continue on in religion, and they may still give you a position and a salary, but you are not doing it in God.  We see that Jesus has overcome and it was obvious that anybody who took this position in the world to glory was worshipping Satan, not God. (Mat.4:10) Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God … The word “worship” is proskuneo and it means “to kiss toward.” It is an act of love toward God. If you love God, you're not going to aggrandize “self” and you're going to keep His commandments. You're going to be humble. You're going to know that you can do nothing without Him and that it is all by grace, and you're going to know that you don't deserve this position any more than anybody else does. It was given to you by grace. You cannot take it for granted.  (Mat.4:11) Then the devil leaveth him; and behold, angels came and ministered unto him. (12) Now when he heard that John was delivered up, he withdrew into Galilee. Here is Jesus coming right out of His temptation and going to Galilee. Luke tells you some things that are not told to us in Matthew, so I would like to look at that. (Luk.4:14) And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and a fame went out concerning him through all the region round about. Fame is something you need to be careful of. A lot of people fail when it comes to fame and they will lose their humility and begin to abuse their position and power. (Luk.4:15) And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all. This did not last long, but as soon as He was anointed and was tried and had overcome, God sent Him to the people of God. Where were they? They were in the synagogues, which were very apostate, as Jesus made clear to them. I am sure He was extremely graceful for a short while, but there were teachings He had to get out to them because He had an extremely short ministry. So He had to get around to some of these hard things. Well, in the beginning He was “glorified of all” and I can tell you He had to have been very weak to the weak (1 Corinthians 9:22) in order to get away with some of those teachings, being Who He was and having the power that He had, with the authority that He had. For Him to be accepted among these apostate synagogues, He had to be weak to the weak. I tell you, the first sermon when He was not as graceful, they wanted to kill Him.  (Luk.4:16) And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and he entered, as his custom was, into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up to read. (17) And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And he opened the book, and found the place where it was written, (18) The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, Because he anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor: He hath sent me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovering of sight to the blind, To set at liberty them that are bruised, (19) To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. (20) And he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down: and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on him. They were saying, “What's your point here, Jesus? What are you getting at?” (21) And he began to say unto them, To-day hath this scripture been fulfilled in your ears. Uh-oh. They believed that this text was written about the Messiah, and now Jesus is taking credit for being the Messiah, in a subtle way.  I think they're finally getting the point here; they're looking at Him and wondering. (Luk.4:22) And all bare him witness, and wondered at the words of grace which proceeded out of his mouth: and they said, Is not this Joseph's son? “Wait a minute now; we know this guy. We watched him grow up. He's nothing special. He's human like we are.” They were probably thinking all these things. (Luk.4:23) And he said unto them, Doubtless ye will say unto me this parable, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done at Capernaum, do also here in thine own country. (24) And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is acceptable in his own country. (25) But of a truth I say unto you, There were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when there came a great famine over all the land; (26) and unto none of them was Elijah sent, but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. (He had to even go to a Gentile, didn't he?) (27) And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian. Wow! They're really getting mad now, aren't they? (28) And they were all filled with wrath in the synagogue, as they heard these things; (29) and they rose up, and cast him forth out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might throw him down headlong. (30) But he passing through the midst of them went his way. There is no doubt this was supernatural. When you're on the edge of a hill and there's a crowd behind you that wants to kill you, how are you going to pass through the midst of them, unless it's supernatural? That's what I think happened here.  At any rate, the honeymoon was over, as they say. Jesus was basically telling them who He was and what He was sent to do. And they thought instead that He was glorifying Himself, but in this case, He was telling the absolute truth because He was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Matthew 15:24). He was pointing out to them, “There are a lot of Gentiles out there more righteous than you are.” Of course, that's still true today, and the opposite is still true for the Church. There are a lot of Jews out there more righteous than some Gentile Church folks. That's why God is going to turn back to the Jews once again at the end of the gathering of all the last Gentiles. But the honeymoon was over, and now they wanted to kill Jesus because He told them the truth, and the ministry that's coming is going to be the same way. There is going to come a time when the Man-child ministry will be weak to the weak and they will go into the apostate churches because now it's the Christians who are the lost sheep of the house of Israel, circumcised in heart and not in flesh (Romans 2:28-29). He called those believers the Israel of God (Gal.6:16) because they were sons of Abraham through faith.  So this time, the Man-child is going to go to the apostate church that is not willing to know the truth, not willing to know that Jesus is once again in their midst. You know, when Jesus sent out His disciples, He said, He that receiveth you receiveth me (Mat.10:40). Those disciples had Jesus in them because He had spoken His Word into their hearts and recreated His life in them. They were called “Christians.” They were anointed to go and serve, to teach, and to heal the sick and cast out demons. Jesus was in them. It will be the same with the last days' disciples of the Lord, who are going to go forth with the authority and the power of Jesus to do these things. But their teaching and even their very lives are going to be rebuked by the apostate church, especially by the apostate leaders. They're going to want to kill them, but they're not going to be able to do that with the Man-child ministry. It's not going to be possible. They will pass right through their midst and the apostates will not be able to kill them because their time is not yet (John 7:6). We will come a little later to the crucifixion and how that applies to the Man-child ministry, but for now, it suffices to know that these people are going to be hated by the Church, just exactly the way Jesus was hated by the Jews.  There was a first-fruits company that came out from among them and followed Jesus. John the Baptist pointed them out and said, He that hath the bride is the bridegroom (Joh.3:29). They followed Jesus, but they were in the minority. The rest of the Jews really loved their religion and respected their religious leaders, for whom Jesus had absolutely no respect because they were in total apostasy. And in these days, it's again going to be just as we've studied. Before the David ministry can come, the Saul ministry has to lose its life on Mount Gilboa to the Philistines (1 Samuel 31:1-6), meaning the old man has to put them to death. They were twice dead, plucked up by the roots (Jud.12). There will once again be a great falling away in our day of the Saul ministry, to make room for the Davidic Man-child ministry.   They are falling away as they are plundering the sheep and stumbling in everything we saw that the devil tempted Jesus in. They're falling right into temptation and they're loving and serving the devil; they're worshipping the devil and they don't even know it. They're living high on the hog, taking advantage of their position, glorying in the authority that has been given to them by the world. Remember, the devil said, “I'll give you all this if you just worship me.” He had this dominion, and it was under his authority to give it. It is under his authority, actually, to “prosper” people if they will serve the devil to obtain it. If you are prospering in the world while your brother is not and you are not paying any attention to him, misusing your position to aggrandize yourself, then you are worshipping the devil. It does not matter if you call him Jesus; you are still worshipping the devil.  So the Man-child ministry is coming to leadership. Remember what Jesus said as the Man-child of His day: (Joh.10:8) All that came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. Wow! There was a group who recognized Jesus when He came. They recognized integrity, sacrifice, and humility. The rest of them were all fawning over the apostate leadership, totally submitting to them and respecting them because they had no eyes to see nor ears to hear. This is where we are heading again. History is going to repeat on a larger scale this time. We know that the Man-child ministry is what it is because Jesus lives in their hearts. He is the One Who is doing the works! Even Jesus gave credit to the Father for doing the works in Him, and these people will give credit to the Lord for doing the works through them. Everything they have is by grace. The apostle Paul said, But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not found vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me (1Co.15:10). Amen. 

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Military reporter Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. The Saudi Al-Hadath channel reports that the US has transferred a second THAAD battery to Israel amid rising tensions over Iran’s nuclear program. The battery was apparently delivered yesterday.We hear what the THAAD, or Terminal High Altitude Area Defense System, is an advanced anti-missile system, has recently been used for. Yesterday, Hamas released a propaganda video that shows hostages Bar Kupershtein and Maxim Herkin, in the first sign of life from both of them since they were abducted by terrorists on October 7, 2023. We hear the broad-strokes contents of the video. The IDF has detailed the initial findings from its investigation into the killing of 14 rescue workers in southern Gaza’s Rafah on March 23, when soldiers opened fire on a convoy of ambulances after mistakenly identifying it as a threat and buried their bodies. Fabian explains the findings, and highlights still unanswered questions. The IDF released footage from the entry of the 36th Division into the so-called Morag Corridor, located between southern Gaza’s Rafah and Khan Younis, last week. It marks the first time since the beginning of the war that ground troops are operating in the area. On Thursday, Israel Defense Forces spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin told reporters that the IDF has entered a “new phase” in its fighting. What is this new phase that Defrin is referring to? Hassan Farhat, who had headed Hamas’s forces in the western sector of Lebanon, was killed in an airstrike on an apartment building in Sidon. Likewise, the IDF and Shin Bet on Friday said a terror operative who oversaw the kidnapping and likely was also involved in the murder of Shiri Bibas and her two young sons, Ariel and Kfir, was killed in an airstrike in Gaza. We learn about these two Hamas terrorists and Fabian connects the Sidon strike to an earlier strike on a Hezbollah operative in Beirut. Please see today's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: US said to transfer 2nd THAAD missile battery to Israel as Iran nuclear tensions rise Hamas hostage video shows Maxim Herkin and Bar Kupershtein, in first signs of life IDF shares initial details from Gaza ambulance probe, says troops told UN of burial site Gazans flee expanding strikes in north, south as IDF says fighting entering ‘new stage’ Hamas says it won’t move hostages to safety, Israel responsible for their lives IDF widens ground operation in northern Gaza, kills top Hamas official in Lebanon IDF says it killed terrorist who led Bibas abduction, was likely involved in their murders Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Bodies of Palestinian first responders who were killed March 23, 2025, in Israeli military fire on ambulances lie at Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on March 30, 2025. (AFP)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today's Topics: 1, 2, 3, 4) Father Charles Murr joins Terry Gospel - Luke 4:24-30 - Jesus said to the people in the synagogue at Nazareth: “Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place. Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the sky was closed for three and a half years and a severe famine spread over the entire land. It was to none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon. Again, there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury. They rose up, drove Him out of the town, and led Him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl Him down headlong. But He passed through the midst of them and went away. Bishop Sheen quote of the day

Jesus said to the people in the synagogue at Nazareth:“Amen, I say to you,no prophet is accepted in his own native place.Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israelin the days of Elijahwhen the sky was closed for three and a half yearsand a severe famine spread over the entire land.It was to none of these that Elijah was sent,but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon.Again, there were many lepers in Israelduring the time of Elisha the prophet;yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.”When the people in the synagogue heard this,they were all filled with fury.They rose up, drove him out of the town,and led him to the brow of the hillon which their town had been built,to hurl him down headlong.But he passed through the midst of them and went away.

The pasuk in Parashat Vayakhel states that Hashem filled the hearts of Betzalel and Aholiav with wisdom to carry out the intricate work of constructing the Mishkan . Rav Shach asked: Why were these two individuals chosen over anyone else in Klal Yisrael ? He explained that when the people heard Moshe announce Hashem's command to build the Mishkan , no one wanted to take responsibility for such an overwhelming task. It seemed impossible. But Betzalel and Aholiav stepped forward, not because they already possessed the necessary skills, but because they believed in the mission. They understood that "it is not the capable who do, but rather those who do become capable." They wanted to take on the responsibility, and after Moshe appointed them, Hashem filled their hearts with the wisdom they needed to succeed. Their zechut has benefitted Kelal Yisrael for all generations. After David HaMelech killed Goliat, Goliat's brother sought revenge. A man named Elchanan ben Ya'areh struck Goliath's brother down with a weaving tool before he could cause harm. Rashi explains that Elchanan was a descendant of Betzalel, and in the zechut of Betzalel's weaving of the Parochet in the Mishkan , Hashem gave Elchanan the ability to eliminate this threat with the very same type of tool. Another powerful story is told about the father of Rabbi Aholiav Chiyun. He was 90 years old when his son was born. His wife, much younger than him, desperately wanted a child. She went to pray at the kever of Aholiav ben Achisamach in Sidon, and miraculously, they had a son. They named him Aholiav, attributing his birth to the zechut of Aholiav ben Achisamach. At four years old, however, the boy still had not begun to speak. His mother returned to the kever to pray again, bringing her son with her. Before she even finished her tefilla , he opened his mouth and asked her a question. She was so shocked that she nearly fainted. That boy later grew up to become a gadol b'Yisrael and was a chavruta of Chacham Ovadia Yosef in Yeshivat Porat Yosef . Betzalel and Aholiav stepped forward to do Hashem's will, and He gave them the ability to succeed. Their zechut continues forever. When a person is moser nefesh to do what is right, Hashem grants him special siyata dishmaya to accomplish it. Rabbi Goel Elkarif told a story that he heard directly from the person it happened to. Today, this man is a talmid chacham living in Yerushalayim. When he was in shidduchim , he was introduced to a girl with outstanding middot and deep yirat shamayim . However, no one told him that she suffered from a severe stuttering problem. When they met, he immediately noticed the issue. But because of his sterling character, he wasn't going to reject her solely because of it. They continued seeing each other. She was perfect in every way except for her extreme speech difficulty. With great emunah , he decided to move forward and got engaged to her. Amazingly, the day after their engagement, her stuttering disappeared completely and never returned. She had seen doctors, therapists, and specialists, but nothing had ever helped. Yet the moment she was engaged, the problem vanished. This chatan was moser nefesh to do what he believed was Hashem's will, and in return, Hashem gave him the greatest gift. Hashem can help us with anything. Our role is to do His will, and He will take care of the rest. Shabbat Shalom.

Read OnlineWhen Jesus and his disciples arrived at Bethsaida, people brought to him a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. Mark 8:22–23Bethsaida was one of the towns just north of the Sea of Galilee in which Jesus preached. Later in His public ministry, Jesus condemns the town of Bethsaida for its failure to convert. “Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes” (Matthew 11:21).It may be because of their lack of faith and immoral living that Jesus led the blind man outside of the city before He cured Him. And it appears that the people who brought the blind man to Jesus brought him not because of their deep faith, but because of curiosity. This might also be the reason that, once Jesus cured the man, He sent him to his home saying, “Do not even go into the village.” Thus, Jesus knew that this miracle would not lead to faith in the hearts of those living in Bethsaida. So, Jesus instructed the man not to return there.God has almighty power and can clearly do whatever He chooses, whenever He chooses. And what He often chooses to do is to exercise His almighty power only in the presence of those who already believe, or at least in the presence of those who have not yet rejected Him. When Jesus encounters people who have heard Him preach but have failed to come to faith, He refuses to perform any miracles in their presence.What this tells us is that faith must come first; then, God's Almighty power flows freely. Of course, the grace of the Word of God is always given to everyone. The seed of God's holy Word is always available to all. But it's important to distinguish between the sending forth of His holy Word of the Gospel and the sending forth of His transforming almighty power. The only way to receive the latter is to first accept the former. Unless we hear, accept and believe in His Word, we will not receive the grace of His transforming power.With that said, it must also be understood that God's “almighty power” cannot be reduced to miracles alone. We all know that physical miracles are not nearly as prevalent today as they were at the time Jesus walked the earth. But His almighty power is still at work today; and in a way that is even greater than when Jesus walked the earth. Today, His power is one that transforms us interiorly by the fullness of grace and the bestowal of the Holy Spirit. That is the true miracle that we must always seek and anticipate when we have heard the Word of God and responded with authentic faith. Reflect, today, upon your faith and your need for God's transforming power in your life. Do you see faith alive within you? If so, then you will most certainly encounter the power of God in your life and the transformation given by the Holy Spirit. If you do not see this power of grace and interior transformation at work, then ponder the image of Jesus leading the blind man outside of the city to exercise his power. Seek first to have faith, because if you do, our Lord will be able to remain close to you and will do miracles within your soul. All-powerful Lord, You choose to send forth Your almighty power upon those who have come to faith in You by receiving the Gospel You have sent forth. Please open my ears to hear so that I will choose to convert and believe and, thus, be disposed to be transformed by Your abundant grace. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: Andrey Mironov, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.