"And he sent away the multitude, and took ship, and came into the coasts of Magdala, The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven. He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times? A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed."
This is basically the same text that provided the lesson for Oct. 27. Jesus blasted the Pharisees and Sadducees (The leadership of the Jewish sects.), for their lack of faith in Him, then told them that the only sign they would receive was the example of Jonas, wherein Jonah refused to go to and warn the Ninevites, as God had commanded him, and subsequently was punished by his three day ordeal in the belly of a large fish. After the great fish vomited Jonah up on the beach, he traveled to Nineveh and warned them of God's impending wrath, causing some in the city to repent whereby the whole city was spared from total destruction.
Just as Jonas spent three days in the belly of the fish before going to Nineveh, Jesus knew that there could be no understanding of His ministry and Testament until He had fully accomplished it by completing His three day ordeal, His death, burial, and resurrection.
Just as Jonas spent three days in the belly of the fish before going to Nineveh, Jesus knew that there could be no understanding of His ministry and Testament until He had fully accomplished it by completing His three day ordeal, His death, burial, and resurrection.
Jesus also called those Pharisees and Sadducees "hypocrites" because they were capable of comprehending the changes in the weather, but were incapable, or better put, unwilling, to accept the great change that would be caused by the coming of the Messiah and the new law of grace through faith.
Just as Jonah warned the Ninevites and Jesus warned the Jews, God's word is warning us today of His impending wrath. The time to act is now.
All that is required to achieve eternal salvation is to accept Jesus Christ as who He really is, The Son of God, and believe that He, through His death, burial, and resurrection, took all sin, including yours and mine, to the grave and left them there. ~
No comments:
Post a Comment