81 AMAZING Facts About Jesus That Many Don't Know

facts about Jesus some people believe that Jesus Christ was just a man or a brilliant teacher he was however so much more according to the Bible Jesus is one of a kind in both his person and his mission he wasn't just some spiritual person during his time on Earth he was both God's son and God himself God in human flesh number one Jesus's closest friend John is the name of the man who was Jesus's friend before hearing Jesus's call to follow him John had a successful career as a fisherman John worked in the fishing industry at both the wholesale and Retail levels we know he had contacts in Jerusalem which most likely included a retail business selling the fish he had caught in Galilee as a result he existed in Two Worlds the rural North and the urban city of Jerusalem in the South as such he stood out from the majority of the apostles who were all Northerners with Judas Iscariot being the only native Sor he was Jesus's cousin and brother of one of the other disciples James this closeness was evident at the cross when Jesus asked John to look after his mother John however was not just close to Jesus because he was a cousin he was also part of an inner circle along with James and Peter of those who were particularly close to Jesus he refers to himself as the disciple who Jesus loved intending to deflect attention from himself by not actually giving his name but supplying us with the Insight that of all the 12 John was nearest to Jesus John was the disciple who sat next to Jesus at the Last Supper as the two of them reclined to finish their meal this occurred during the Passover feast Jesus wanted his close buddy to be there with him as they experienced this lifechanging moment together Not only was John the disciple who was closest to Jesus but he was also the last of the original Apostles to live he composes his gospel as an older man reflecting on the life of Jesus with his own particular wisdom number two Jesus never wrote any of the books in the Bible Jesus never wrote a book not even the gospels aside from his life story more than onethird of the pages in the gospels are devoted to Jesus's death many Old Testament prophecies are about Christ and the Book of Revelation is a revelation about Jesus Christ it was however written by John of patmas also known as John the Revelator John the Divine and John the Theologian however this does not imply that he was unable to read or write Jesus possessed the ability to read and write the New Testament demonstrates these abilities in a Nazareth synagogue he opened the scroll of the prophet Isaiah and read from a portion of it in the story of the woman caught in adultery Jesus is seen writing on the ground all that we can know for sure is that Jesus could have written letters or books if he so wished why he did not leave anything for us in in whether it be a systematic arrangement of his teachings or his inner thoughts we simply do not know number three his family members were among his 12 disciples indeed at least five and probably seven of the 12 were Jesus's relatives however his brothers remained skeptical until after the resurrection when James and Jude not only became Believers but penned two of the books of the New Testament number four Jesus gets his name from an angel and coming to her the angel said greetings favored one the Lord is with you but she was greatly perplexed at what he said and kept carefully considering what kind of greeting this was the angel said to her do not be afraid Mary for you have found favor with god listen carefully you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son son and you shall name him Jesus Luke 1 number five we don't know how many Magie visited Jesus we're used to seeing three wise men accompanying Christmas nativity scenes this is most likely due to the fact that they brought three gifts gold frankincense and myrh the holy scriptures make no mention of the number of Magie who traveled from the East to pay their respects to the newborn king number six Jesus had several half siblings the gospels tell us that Jesus had Brothers Matthew 12:46 Amplified Bible while he was still talking to the crowds it happened that his mother and brothers stood outside asking to speak to him Matthew even names his brothers and mentions his sisters isn't this the Carpenter's son isn't his mother's name Mary and aren't his brothers James Joseph Simon and Judas aren't all his sisters with us where then did this man get all these things Matthew 1355 through 56 number seven Bethlehem means House of Bread Bethlehem is the name of the town that is mentioned in the bible as being the place where Jesus was born this is expressed with two words in Hebrew it is difficult to miss the importance of the names Beth and lehem which both mean home Bo and bread respectively not only did the prophet Micah for tell that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem but Jesus repeatedly referred to himself as the bread of life Micah for told that the Messiah would be born there John 6:35 Amplified Bible Jesus replied to them I am the bread of life the one who comes to me will never be hungry and the one who believes in me as Savior will never be thirsty for that one will be sustained spiritually number eight Luke gives us our only view of Jesus in his Adolescence in the return Caravan from Passover in Jerusalem Joseph and Mary became separated from Jesus when they figure out Jesus is missing they both rush back to the ancient city in a panic they don't find him for 3 Days Luke 2:46 and when they finally discover him he's not frightened or upset in the way that an average youngster would be in this situation the things that they find out are incredible 3 days later they found him in the court of the temple sitting among the teachers both listening to them and asking them questions all who heard him were Amazed by his intelligence and his understanding and his answers when they saw him they were overwhelmed and his mother said to him son why have you you treated us like this listen your father and I have been greatly distressed and anxious looking for you and he answered why did you have to look for me did you not know that I had been in my father's house Luke 2:46 to 49 Amplified Bible number nine Jesus grew up as a carpenter Joseph was known as a carpenter Jesus must have learned the trade because he's identified by the crowd in his hometown as a carpenter too Mark 63 Amplified Bible is this not the carpenter the son of Mary and the brother of James and Joseph and Judas and Simon are his sisters not here with us and they were deeply offended by him and their disapproval blinded them to the fact and their disapproval blinded them to the fact that he was anointed by God as the Messiah the gospel also mentions carpentry in Matthew 13:54 to 55 saying coming to his hometown he began teaching the people in their synagogue and they were amazed where did this man get his wisdom and these miraculous Powers they asked isn't this the Carpenter's son isn't his mother's name Mary and aren't his brothers James Joseph Simon and Judas Matthew 13:54 to 55 the word translated as Carpenter in both cases could also mean Builder or laborer so it stands to reason that Carpenters were the people you call when you needed something fixed or built similar to a modern-day handyman number 10 Jesus was likely very ordinary looking we don't have a lot of information about Jesus's physical appearance but Isaiah prophecies about it Isaiah 53:2 for he grew up before him as a tender plant and as a root out of a dry ground he have no form nor cess and when we see him there is no beauty that we should desire him when Judas betrayed Jesus it is also well known that he was required to kiss Jesus in order to assist the authorities in identifying him Matthew 26:48 now he that betrayed him gave them a sign saying whomsoever I shall kiss that is he take him in point of Truth following his resurrection from the tomb Mary Magdalene mistook him for the gardener at this she turned around and saw Jesus standing there but she did not realize that it was Jesus he asked her woman why are you crying who is it you are looking for thinking he was the gardener she said sir if you have carried him away tell me where you have put him and I will get him one thing is obvious if it were essential for us to know what he really did look like Matthew few Peter and John who spent three years with him would certainly be able to give us an accurate description as would his own Brothers James and Jude yet these new testament authors offer no details about his physical attributes number 11 Jesus's first miracle was in Cara at the wedding Feast of Cara Jesus performed his first miracle by turning water into wine in this fantastic event he demonstrated his Supernatural authority over physical forces this miracle signaled the start of his public Ministry Jesus his mother and his disciples were invited to a wedding in Cara of Galilee as the party went on his mother informed him that they had run out of wine because weddings frequently lasted several days this was an embarrassing situation despite the fact that intoxication is forbidden in the Old Testament wine is commonly mentioned in terms of Celebration blessing and joy Mary was confident that Jesus could fix the problem the servants were instructed by Jesus to fill six Stone water charts each holding 20 or 30 gallons then draw some out and bring it to the head waiter the head waiter had no idea where the wine came came from but he knew it was terrific guests were typically served good wine first followed by wine of less grade however the groom was hailed by the head waiter for suddenly presenting them with excellent wine at that moment in celebration this was a transformational miracle that demonstrated the change in people's lives that occur when they believe in Jesus and obey his word this was the first of his miracles or signs as John refers to them while Jesus was not yet ready to manifest his identity to the crowd who had no idea where the wine came from he performed this sign to reveal his glory to his disciples so that their faith would be strengthened number 12 the last book and the very last verse of the Bible focus on him Revelation 22:21 Amplified Bible the grace of the Lord Jesus the Christ the Messiah be with all the saints all believers those set apart for God Amen arriving at the final blessing that This Magnificent Book of Revelation and the word of God have to offer us a novel that is otherwise replete with the Rumblings of divine wrath comes to a quiet conclusion here John expresses his hope that the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ will be bestowed to the people of God number 13 Jesus started his ministry when he was about 30 years old many people wonder the optimum time to start a Ministry Luke 3:23 Amplified Bible when he began his ministry Jesus himself was about 30 years of age being as was supposed the son of Joseph the son by marriage of Eli numbers 4 free tells us that a man must be at least 30 years old to hold the office of priest interestingly this is about the age Jesus was when he kicked off his ministry this does not imply that everyone has to wait until a certain age to start ministering number 14 Jesus likely spoke multiple languages Aramaic was the primary language spoken by Jews in first century Palestine he would have studied the Torah in Hebrew as do all Jews did he understand Greek he and the Centurion and Pate were most likely conversing in Greek although the Romans spoke Latin they would have communicated with Helen citic Jews in Greek in first century Palestine Aramaic was the primary language spoken by Jews and like most Jews he would have studied the Torah in Hebrew number 15 Jesus needed Solitude to pray and recharge Jesus's ministery was quite public according to the gospels Jesus went around communities teaching he constantly battled with the Pharisees and Sadducees yet he never declined an invitation to someone's home he built his public Ministry on the very deliberate practice of spending time in solitude and prayer Luke 61-14 King James version and they were filled with Madness and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus and it came to pass in those days that he went out into a mountain to pray and continued all night in prayer to God and when it was day he called unto him his disciples and of them he chose 12 whom also he named Apostles Simon whom he also named Peter and Andrew his brother James and John Phillip and barfolomew number 16 there might be relatives of Jesus still alive today the majority of Christian scholar agree that Jesus did not have any children as a result it is unlikely that one of his children carried on his ancestry however remember he had brothers and sisters according to Matthew 13:55 to 56 so it is possible that their DNA could be found in modern people today number 17 Jesus frequently showed emotion Jesus frequently demonstrated emotion many contemporary depictions of Jesus Jesus portray him as emotionless and otherworldly the gospel writers on the other hand depict a passionate savior throughout the gospels we see Jesus we witness jesus' turntables in Matthew 2112 to13 why did Jesus Express emotion here the temple had devolved into a sight of materialism and commercialism rather than worship of the one true Living God when Solomon dedicated the temple he prayed that God would hear his people's prayers from the the temple and forgive heal defend and bless them however these thieves were robbing the people and reaping a financial benefit by utilizing God's house Jesus is also compassionate Matthew stresses Jesus's Ministry of teaching preaching healing throughout the communities as he did previously Jesus was deeply concerned with the spiritual state of the people they had no spiritual Direction they were Sheep In Search of a Shepherd number 18 Jesus is among only three people in the Bible to fast for 40 days only three people in the Bible fasted for 40 days Moses Elijah and Jesus depending on how one's hydrated severe starvation begins between 35 to 40 days it was during Christ's fast that the devil tempted him in the desert Matthew 41 one to three Amplified Bible then Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit Into the Wilderness to be tempted by the devil after he had gone without food for 40 days and 40 nights he became hungry and the tempter came and said to him if you are the Son of God command that these Stones become bread number 19 Jesus quotes Deuteronomy to the devil imagine if your entire spiritual weal depended on how well you knew the book of Deuteronomy when Satan tempts Jesus in the desert he answers every enticement with a passage from this one book from the pentet took Jesus had fasted for 40 days and was nearing starvation when the devil Lars him to use his power to make stones into bread Jesus responds with a quote from Deuteronomy ate free it is written man shall not live on bread alone but on every word that come comes from the mouth of God next Satan tempts Jesus to prove his uniqueness by throwing himself off the temple the devil reminds Jesus that God won't allow him to fall this time Jesus pulls a quote from Deuteronomy 6:16 it is also written do not put the Lord your God to the test finally Satan offers Jesus the world and all its splendors if only Jesus will worship Him and Jesus answers him from Deuteronomy 6:13 away from me Satan for it is written Worship the Lord your God and serve him only Matthew 4:10 number 20 his appearance was so awful at the cross that people looked at him in astonishment asaiah further described the appearance of Christ as he would appear as he was being scourged prior to his crucifixion his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred Beyond human likeness Isaiah 52:14 Amplified Bible just as many were astonished and appalled at you my people so his appearance was marred more than any man and his form marred more than the sons of men these words describe the inhuman cruelty he suffered to the point that he no longer looked like a human being Matthew 2667 then they spat in his face and struck him with their fists and some slapped him Matthew 27:30 they spat on him and took the re and struck him repeatedly on the head John 193 and they kept coming up to him saying mockingly hail King of the Jews good health peace long life to you king of the Jews and they slapped him in the face his appearance was so awful that people looked at him in a 21 did Jesus drink wine Christ's first miracle of turning water into wine at the wedding of Cara almost certainly involved a fermented beverage traditional Jewish marriages typically included serving fermented wine if Jesus had merely offered grape juice at the wedding the host of The Feast would have been upset about it instead he commented that the wine was an improvement above what had been provided in the past claiming this it was a thine wine the Greek word for drunk in John 2:10 is methu which means to be drunken or intoxicated in Acts 2:15 when Peter is defending the apostles against accusations that they were inebriated The Identical term that we have here is used according to the testimony of the host of The Feast the wine that Christ made had the ability to intoxicate all who drank it of course just because Jesus turned water into wine doesn't prove that he drank the wine at the wedding but it would have been normal for him to do so in Luke 7:33 to 34 Jesus said for John the Baptist has come neither eating bread nor drinking wine and you say he has a demon the son of man has come eating and drinking and you say look at a man who is a glutton and a heavy Wine Drinker a friend of tax collectors and sinners including non-observant Jews number 22 Jesus raised three people from the dead it's difficult to imagine a miracle that packs more of a punch than bringing someone back from the dead at least three times this miraculous Act is recorded as having been performed by Jesus in the gospels the Widow of Na's son this is the first resurrection Jesus performed as Jesus his disciples and a huge multitude approached the town of Na in the region of Galilee they ran into a funeral procession the deceased man was his mother's only child and she had been a widow for his whole life the woman would have no means of support and no hope because she did not have a husband or grown children who could care for her Jesus was moved to compassion as a result of the scene he first Softly asked the Widow to stop crying and then he commanded the woman's deceased son to get up instantly the son woke from Death sat up in his coffin and began to speak Jesus had performed many miracles but this is the first time reported in Luke's gospel that he raised someone from the dead when they saw it everyone was terrified the people were in awe and worshiped God this miracle was a foreshadowing of a larger Resurrection Miracle to come gyrus his daughter gyrus a synagogue leader pushed through a crowd to get to Jesus amid Joy a messenger arrived from gyrus his house with devastating news his daughter was no longer alive nonetheless Jesus urged gyus to act in faith no matter what and his young girl would be rescued so with faith gyrus welcomed Jesus into his house and Jesus told the mourners to stop crying because the girl was simply sleeping as a result they mocked him he took the girl's hand in his and urged her lifeless corpse to stand up her spirit returned at that instant and she awoke as if she had been sleeping then Jesus urged her astounded parents not to tell anyone the formal acknowledgement of this Messiah ship awaited his entry into Jerusalem Lazarus Mary and Martha informed Jesus that their brother was sick instead of hurrying to Bethany to be with his companion Jesus and his disciples lingered for a few days when Jesus ultimately decides to go to Bethany the disciples caution him the Jews had attempted to assassinate him the last time they were in Judea Jesus informs them that Lazarus has passed away both Mary and Martha Express their anguish upon their arrival Jesus claims to be the resurrection and the life 4 days after lazarus's death Jesus calls out Lazarus come forth and Lazarus rises from the grave number 23 Jesus's Ministry only lasted about 3 and 1/2 years according to the Gospel of John Jesus participated in at least three different Passover feasts while he was on Earth there is one that described him in John 213 another one in John 6 4 and then there is one that took place during the time when Jesus was being crucified this indicated that his mission continued for at least 2 years while it is possible that there were further Passover celebrations that are not mentioned in the scriptures before they had their first Passover we do know that a lot of things that took a lot of time would have transpired including the following the total amount of time spent ministering as a result of all of his activities would have been several months not to include the 40 days that passed between Christ's resurrection and the time he ascended into heaven in the end experts think that Jesus's mission lasted for only approximately 3 and 1/2 years which is an incredibly short amount of time to transform the world number 24 God spoke to Jesus audibly three times there are three moments in the New Testament where God communicated out loud to Jesus first God spoke to Jesus at his baptism Matthew 3:16-17 Amplified Bible after Jesus was baptized he came up immediately out of the water and behold the heavens were opened and he John saw the spirit of God descending as a dove and Lighting on him and behold a voice from Heaven said this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased and delighted second God spoke to Jesus at the Transfiguration while he was still speaking a bright Cloud covered them and a voice from the cloud said this is my son whom I love with him I am well pleased listen to him when the disciples heard this they fell face down to the ground terrified Matthew 17 5-6 third God spoke to Jesus before the crucifixion now my soul is troubled and deeply distressed what shall I say father save me from this hour of trial and Agony but it is for this very purpose that I have come to this hour this time and place rather I will say father glorify honor extol your name then a voice Came From Heaven saying I have both glorified it and will glorify it again John 12: 27-28 Amplified Bible Jesus's Soul was tormented because he understood what would be expected of him he would suffer separation from his father while dying for the sins of the world nonetheless his anguish did not force him to abandon his work Jesus came to suffer and death for Sinners he was dedicated to God's will so he prayed father glorify your name name after this a voice responded from Heaven I have glorified it and I will glorify it again the father had been glorified through miraculous signs throughout the son's service the ultimate exaltation however had to come through the cross and Resurrection the crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered others said an angel had spoken to him Jesus said this voice was for your benefit not not mine John 12:29 and 30 the crowds had previously been split over Jesus they were now split even over the voice from the heaven some thought it was an angel While others said it was just Thunder Jesus said that this voice was for their benefit not his the father verified the son in order for them to believe number 25 only one Miracle is recorded in all four gospels more than 40 Miracles are recorded in the gospels While most of them appear in multiple accounts only one miraculous event appears in all four gospels the feeding of the 5,000 the 12 grew Restless as the evening progressed there are so many people in need of food a hopeless situation so They begged the Lord to send the crowd away Jesus would not send them to the nearby villages to get food they complained that they only had Five Loaves and two fish for there were about 5,000 men and he said to his disciples have them sit down to eat in groups of about 50 each they did so and had them all sit down then he took the Five Loaves and two fish and he looked up to the heaven and gave thanks and blessed them and broke them and kept giving them to the disciples to set before the crowd they all ate and were completely satisfied and the Broken Pieces which they had left over were abundant and were picked up 12 baskets full Luke 914 to17 number 26 Jesus was under extreme stress before the crucifixion as Jesus prays in the garden before his crucifixion we see a glimpse of the agony he is experiencing Luke 22:44 and Amplified Bible and being in agony deeply distressed and anguished almost to the point of death he prayed more intensely and his sweat became like drops of blood falling down on the ground the clinical name for this condition is hematosis it's especially interesting that only Luke The Physician finds this phenomenon interesting enough to mention number 27 Mary was present at at Christ's birth and death Mary watched her son be crucified even in his torment Jesus was concerned for the care of his mother instructing John to care for her John 1926-27 so Jesus seeing his mother and the disciple whom he loved esteemed standing near said to his mother dear woman look here is your son then he said to the disciple John look here is your mother protect and provide for her from that hour the disciple took her into his own home number 28 a sign was placed on the cross explaining Jesus's crime according to Matthew's gospel a sign is made that explains the charges leveled against Jesus John tells us since the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city Jesus of Nazareth the king of the Jews written in Aramaic Latin and and Greek 1920 the letters i n r i appeared on the sign in multiple creations of Art and crucifixes this comes from the first letters of the Latin inscription isus nazarenus Rex indium number 29 crucifixion was not rare in Rome the Romans kept their power through intimidation if there was even the slightest hint of De from a group of individual Roman authorities would flog and crucify the perpetrators as a warning to the populace the number of people crucified in Rome is esteemed to be in the tens of thousands it is critical to remember that the uniqueness or depth of Christ's suffering on the cross has no bearing on the impact of the Gospel it stems from who was crucified and what happened afterward number 30 where Jesus would be buried was prophesized it was predicted where Jesus would be buried according to Matthew after Jesus died a wealthy man offered up his burial plot Matthew 27 57-60 Amplified Bible when it was evening there came a rich man from aramany named Joseph who is also a disciple of Jesus he went to pilate and asked for the body of Jesus so that he might bury him and pilate ordered that it be given to him and and Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth or burial wrapping and laid it in his own new tomb which he had cut in the Rock and he rolled a large Stone over the entrance of the Tomb and went away Isaiah predicted Jesus's burial hundreds of years before Isaiah 539 Amplified Bible his grave was assigned with the wicked but he was with a rich man in his death because he had done no violence nor was there any deceit in his mouth according to the prophecy Jesus was executed as a criminal but ended up in the Tomb of the wealthy number 31 Jesus's tomb was Triple protected the Romans were wary of any of Jesus's followers stealing his body because they knew he had promised to return in 3 days they did everything they could to keep it safe from outside interference this included three distinct safeguards a large Stone a disc-shaped stone is commonly depicted in art in front of Jesus's tomb a guard we don't know whether they used Roman guards or Jewish temple police but pilot demanded that a guard be stationed in front of the Tomb a Roman seal a Roman seal was both a sign that the contents belonged to Rome and a warning anyone caught breaking such a seal would almost certainly be crucified it would have been nearly impossible to reach the body number 32 Jesus's resurrection was physical some believe that Jesus was raised in a spiritual body rather than a physical one however Jesus's physical body was raised from the dead he tells the disciples Luke 24:38 to39 Amplified Bible and he said why are you troubled and why are doubts rising in your hearts look at the marks in my hands and my feet and see that it is I myself touch me and see a spirit does not have Flesh and Bones as you can see that I have to help push this point home Jesus ate in their presence do you have anything here to eat he asked while they still did not believe it because of their joy and amazement they served him broiled fish which he ate in their presence Luke 24 42 to 43 Amplified Bible they gave him a piece of broiled fish and he took it and ate it in front of them number 33 a prophecy was spoken to Jesus as a child during the presentation of Jesus in the temple Mary and Joseph were welcomed by an elderly man named Simeon Simeon was given a promise by the holy spirit that he would see the Messiah before he passed away it was the Holy Spirit who led him to realize who Jesus was as he held the infant in his arms he thanked God for allowing him to experience the Salvation that God provided when he spoke to Mary this child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be spoken against so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed a sword will pierce your own soul too Luke 2:34 to35 the last sentence of his prophecy proved true as Mary watched her son be crucified number 34 the Risen Jesus appears to his disciples and followers 12 times the New Testament Chronicles Jesus's appearance after his resurrection to a total of 12 different individuals or groups Mary Magdalene the woman at the tomb Peter The Travelers on the road the disciples without Thomas the disciples including Thomas the disciples while they fished the disciples on the mountain the crowd of 500 those who were at his Ascension and Paul number 35 Jesus commands us to be his witness the last words of Matthew's gospel are referred to as the Great Commission and they are where Jesus handed the church its assignment to spread the Gospel Matthew 2818 to20 Amplified Bible Jesus came up and said said to them all authority all power of absolute rule in heaven and on Earth has been given to me go therefore and Make Disciples of all the Nations help the people to learn of me believe in me and obey my words baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you and lo I Am With You Always remaining with you perpetually regardless of circumstances and on every occasion even to the end of age just before ascending into heaven Jesus says something very similar to his disciples you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you and you will be my Witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the Earth Acts 1:8 number 37 the Baptist was Jesus's second cousin because Mary and Elizabeth were cousins Jesus and John were also cousins the angel Gabrielle also announced Jon's birth to his father a priest named Zachariah who was married to Elizabeth because both Zachariah and Elizabeth were elderly the birth of John is regarded as a Divine Miracle number 38 the number 40 the number 40 reoccurs several times in the life of Jesus Jesus fasted in the desert for 40 days Jesus preached for about 40 months 40 days separated the Ascension of Jesus of his resurrection number 39 prophet Micah predicted that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem Micah the morite one of the 12 Minor Prophets predicted that the Messiah would be born in a small Village near Jerusalem The Book of Micah says but thou Bethlehem yet out of the shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel Again The Book of Matthew recalled and confirmed this prophecy the Virgin Mary did give birth to Jesus in Bethlehem number 40 his conception was the Fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy the Old Testament revealed hints of the coming Messiah but only the book of Isaiah was specific with the details in Isaiah 7:14 the prophet said therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign behold the young woman shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Emmanuel the new testament's Book of Matthew confirmed the Fulfillment of the prophecy through the birth of Jesus Jesus explained the truth about Jacob's Ladder the phrase Jacob's Ladder has gained popularity and has been used to name a movie book and even a piece of technology but where did this expression come from to begin with the term Jacob's Ladder is used in Genesis 2 Jacob was on the run from his twin brother Esau Jacob chose to sleep under the stars while he was on the run and alone with only a rock for a pillow Jacob had a great dream at bethl in it he saw a ladder or stairway that went from Earth to Heaven this pointed to a real continuous and close connection between Heaven and Earth especially between God In His glory and man in his Solitude in his conversation with Nathaniel Jesus made a reference to this event Jesus would fully show himself as God's chosen son in the coming reign of Christ the latter shows how God and people are related to each other as Jacob's lad Illustrated the connection between God and man Jesus Christ is the spiritual connection mediator and ladder to bridge the gap created by sin between God and Men according to the word of God Jesus was our ideal Jacob's Ladder who came to Earth from the line of Jacob through God's provisions and redeemed us so that we could live in heaven for all eternity number two Jesus's warning about fasting we see Jesus talk about fasting during The Sermon on the Mount amazingly Jesus spoke about fasting right after he spoke about prayer this shows the close link between prayer and fasting Jesus warns that we should not be like the Hypocrites Matthew 6: 16 to8 and whenever you are fasting do not look gloomy like the Hypocrites for they put on a sad and dismal face like actors discoloring their faces with ashes or dirt so that their fasting may be seen by men I assure you and most solemnly say to you they already have their reward in full but when you fast put oil on your head as you normally would to groom your hair and wash your face so that your fasting will not be noticed by people but by your father who is in secret and your father who sees what is done in secret will reward you this figure of Faso here indicates making one's face unrecognizable from a normal perspective with the intent to publicize the physical hardships endured while fasting the Hypocrites certainly did not want to be completely unrecognizable which would defeat the purpose of trying to gain attention for their Pious deed during the fasting period they might disfigure their face by remaining ungroomed or perhaps by sprinkling ashes on their head and face as a sign of Contrition this was a deceptive way of letting others know of their extensive efforts to increase their personal piety we are directed how to manage a private fast we must keep it in he does not tell us how often we must fast circumstances vary and wisdom is profitable therein to direct Jesus also said an important fact about the book of life however we will cover this at the end of this video number three the scariest verse in the Bible there is a verse that many have dubbed the scariest verse in the Bible Matthew 7:23 and then I will declare to them publicly I never knew you depart from me you are banished from my presence you who act wickedly disregarding my commands Christ only accepts those who serve him Beyond a mere profession and those who only have a bare profession will be acknowledged by him on the final day it is a reminder that men can fall from Great Heights of Hope into depths of misery it may seem unusual to hear that even our all knowing Lord admits to not knowing something or someone however Jesus refers to a type of knowledge that relates to personal relationships rather than intellectual knowledge number four Jesus is the final judge Jesus is the judge the keys are in his hands to depart from Christ is the very hell of hell it is the foundation of all the misery of the Damned to be cut off from all hope of benefit from Christ and his mediation once the door is shut it will never open again however some people hold on to the hope that the door may open but there is nothing in the scriptures to warrant such an expectation number five why did Jesus say it would be better if Judas had not been born Jesus made a very shocking statement in Mark 14: 21 for the son of man goes to the Cross just as it is written in scripture of him but woe to that man by whom the son of man is betrayed it would have been good for that man if he had not been born can you imagine God saying that to you this event occurs during the Passover it is safe to say that this was one of the most startling things that the disciples had ever heard from Jesus but they had heard many other surprising things from him every single one of them did not have any suspicion about Judas and the notion that one of them would try to betray and kill Jesus must have seemed rich ridiculous to them in the culture of the Middle East betraying a friend after eating a meal with him was and is regarded as the most heinous form of treachery with good reason Judas is considered to be one of the most notorious sinners in the history of the world despite the fact that the death of Christ was foretold it is still the hands of evil that were responsible for putting him on the cross and causing his death the statement it would have been better if Judas had not been born emphasizes the tragic Destiny awaiting Judas and the sorrow of Jesus over the Betrayal by one of his own Jesus's statement emphasizes the severe consequences of judas's forthcoming action betraying Jesus the son of man is not just a personal betrayal but a universal one judas's decision to betray Jesus was his own and he had to bear the consequences of that choice his fate was a terrible one the everlasting life and final minutes of Judas was a period of troubles ultimately Jesus's comment about Judas is true of every unbeliever it would be better not to have been born than to face Eternal judgment in Hell Jesus knew the fate of Judas in Hell number five what Jesus said about hell according to what Jesus taught hell does not have a set amount of time but rather exists forever those who are tormented in hell are doomed to an eternity of Torment Jesus was quoted as saying the fire never goes out Jesus shared a similar sentiment for those that are headed to Hell mark 9: 43-50 it is better for you to to life crippled than to have two hands and go into hell Into the unquenchable Fire where their worm does not die and the fire is not put out if your foot causes you to stumble and sin cut it off that is remove yourself from the source of Temptation it would be better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and be thrown into hell where their worm does not die and the fire is not put out if your eye causes you to stumble and sin throw it out that is remove yourself from the source of Temptation it would be better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell where their worm that feeds on the dead does not die and the fire is not put out for everyone will be salted with fire salt is good and useful but if salt has lost it saltiness purpose how will you make it salty have salt within yourselves continually and be it peace with one another in this speech Jesus gives a string of maxims that warn the disciples that they need to be more worried about The Evil Within them than Outsiders again Jesus uses hyperbole if your hand eye foot causes you to stumble remove them Jesus did not plan for followers to take his advice literally any more than one should take literally Paul's reference to the Galatians willingness to tear out their eyes for him Jesus sent a very straightforward message which was that given how Dreadful hell is it is better to give up anything than go there because of this it is not sufficient to consider the kingdom of God only in terms of reward rather we must also consider it it in terms of sacrifice there is no way out of hell and neither is there any relief from it nor any Solace to be found there number six did Jesus hate Judas many also ask did Jesus hate Judas as Jesus prays Judas arrives with a large crowd armed with swords and clubs sent by the chief priests and Elders Judas had given them a sign saying the one I kiss is the man arrest him he approaches Jesus greets him with Rabbi and kisses him Jesus responds friend do what you came for Matthew 26: 50 even though Jesus knows Judas is betraying him he still calls him friend this shows that Jesus is responding with calmness and not anger or hatred he's acknowledging What Judas is there to do but he's doing it in a way that still shows care for Judas for Judas this moment is the final step in his betrayal he has already agreed to betray Jesus Jesus's words are like a confirmation that he knows what Judas is doing and there's no turning back from it based on the biblical narrative there is no indication that Jesus hated Judas for betraying him in fact the way Jesus addresses Judas in Matthew 26: 50 calling him friend suggests a response not of hate but of sadness and perhaps a deep understanding of human weakness the consistent message of Jesus throughout his teachings is one of Love forgiveness and compassion even towards those who wrong us for example in The Sermon on the Mount Jesus teaches us to love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you Matthew 5:44 this perspective is Central to his teachings and is reflected in his interaction with Judas during the Betrayal number seven what did Jesus mean when he said I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven in Luke 10:8 Jesus says I saw Satan fall like lightning from Heaven this statement was made in response to the return of the 70 or 72 disciples that Jesus had sent to evangelize and prepare his way to Jerusalem according to the Gospel of Luke Jesus had given these disciples Specific Instructions Luke 10: 17-18 the 70 returned with Joy saying Lord even the demons are subject to us in your name he he said to them I watched Satan fall from Heaven like a flash of lightning this remarkable achievement prompted Jesus to speak of the fall of Satan which was a reference to the moment when Satan rebelled against God and was consequently kicked out from Heaven this event is considered a significant judgment upon Satan marking his downfall and ultimate defeat Jesus's reference to Satan's fall as quick and dramatic as lightning from Heaven emphasizes the suddenness and finality of the Judgment if Satan can be cast down how much more the demons under him this is a reference to the Judgment of Satan when he rebelled against God and was kicked out of heaven Isaiah 14: 12-4 number8 three things that Jesus shared about Satan Jesus said good deal about Satan first he called him the enemy and the evil one in Matthew 13:39 Jesus called Satan the enemy of the parable of the weeds the Bible named Satan the devil as God's specific adversary second Jesus calls him the prince of this world when Jesus was predicting his death he made the statement John 12:31 now judge J M is upon this world now the ruler of this world will be cast out Satan rules a world that includes men and angels separated from God third he shared that Satan desired to have Apostle Peter at the Last Supper Jesus warned Simon Peter that a test of faith was coming Simon Simon indeed Satan has asked for you that he may sift you as weat Luke 22:31 this passage gives us a glimpse into an Unseen World number nine the wisdom of Jesus much has been said about Jesus his compassion Grace humility but we also see the greatness of his wisdom in Luke 11:31 the queen of the South will rise up with the men of this generation at the judgment and condemn them because she came from the ends of the Earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon and behold something greater than Solomon is here we see Jesus's wisdom when the authorities seek a way to get rid of him when asked about taxes Jesus faced a dilemma if he advocated for paying them people might accuse him of challenging God's sovereignty over Israel leading to unpopularity if someone were to to say that taxes should not be paid they would make themselves an enemy of Rome but Jesus perceived their wickedness Jesus once again demonstrated his complete control and wisdom with his response rebuking the wickedness and hypocrisy of the Pharisees and herodians we are responsible to God in all things but we must be obedient to government in matters civil and National number 10 this is how Jesus looks in the Book of Revelation the next time Jesus is seen he will be very different his appearance will be different and he will have a new mission to fulfill in the Book of Revelation 1: 12 to 16 the writer John describes a unique and otherworldly Vision his face John describes his vision of Jesus in a glorified form he says his face was like the the sun shining in full strength Revelation 1:16 John describes Jesus's face as bright as the midday Sun but what does this simile mean his head and hair have you ever come across a description in the Bible that makes you pause and wonder what does that really mean well one such intriguing description is found in Revelation 1:14 where it talks about Jesus having head head and hair white like wool as white as snow Jesus with hair white like wool and snow it's a pretty striking and unusual image right you might be thinking why white does it mean Jesus was old his eyes in Revelation 1:14 John describes his vision of the glorified Jesus saying his eyes were like a flame of fire it's not the gentle comp passionate gaze we often associate with Jesus his mouth this is a pretty intense picture but it's loaded with meaning that ties back to the Old Testament and speaks volumes about who Jesus is and what he represents out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword Revelation 1:16 to be clear we aren't talking about an actual sword coming out of Jesus's mouth this is significant in the Bible swords often represent words especially God's words number 11 this is how Jesus sounded then John mentions his voice it was like the Roar of many Waters imagine standing near a waterfall the sound so powerful it overwhelms everything else that's the voice of Jesus in this Vision commanded and authoritative think about the sound of a massive waterfall or a raging River it's loud powerful and impossible to ignore right when the Bible Compares Jesus's voice to the Roar of many Waters it's telling us that his words are incredibly powerful and commanding it's not just background noise it's something that grabs your attention and holds it number 12 did Jesus say I am God what is your opinion of Jesus Christ many people say they believe in God but when it comes to Jesus it's a different story John 8:58 is an example that shows the Divinity of Jesus Jesus declared in John 8:58 Jesus replied I assure you and most solemnly say to you before Abraham was born I am he did not say before Abraham was I was that might simply mean that he came into existence before Abraham instead he made use of the name of God I am there was never a time when he came into being or when he did not exist therefore he said before Abraham was I am in response to this statement they took up stones to kill him for blasphemy per Mosaic law number 13 which Old Testament book did Jesus quote most often several times during his Earthly Ministry Jesus responded to questions with it is written he quotes Isaiah when he explained his reason for using Parables to teach also he quotes Isaiah when he rebuked the Pharisees and scribes for their lip service to God number 14 do we even know half of his story hence the Bible is not a total biography of Jesus the Bible could not contain all his Works John was a man who saw the events of Jesus's life and wrote them down so that other Generations might benefit John 21:25 but there are also many other things which Jesus did which if they were written in detail I expect that even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written the story is larger than anything he can imagine perhaps we will learn more in the coming age number 15 the day that King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon saw Jesus in the middle of Mesopotamia between two big Rivers there was a fantastic city named Babylon and the king of Babylon was Nebuchadnezzar he was a great man historians believed that his City had a fantastic Garden that was like a giant green building in the sky known as the Hanging Gardens of Babylon people called it one of the seven wonders of the old times one day Babylon went to Judah and conquered it they took many treasures and even some of the young intelligent people to Babylon when Babylon defeated J Jerusalem they didn't just take the land they also took away many intelligent and skilled people from Judah these people had to work for the king and help make Babylon a better place they weren't just workers who used their hands many of them were teachers artists and other essential jobs they helped Babylon become successful among these captives were Daniel hananiah Michelle and Azariah better known by their Babylonian names Bel shazar Shadrach Mis and Abednego they were selected for their lineage good looks wisdom and potential and were to be groomed for service in King Nebuchadnezzar's Royal Court King Nebuchadnezzar built a super tall gold statue and told everyone to bow to it if they didn't they would be thrown into the fire Shadrach meach and Abednego loved God so much that they didn't bow to the Statue then a message was delivered to the king saying look those Hebrew boys aren't bowing Daniel 3:12 the King was very angry he called the boys and said Is it true you won't bow if you don't I will throw you into a fiery furnace Daniel 3:14 but they were Brave and faithful they replied we do not serve your gods or worship the golden statue you have set up Daniel 3:8 this made King Nebuchadnezzar angry so he ordered the furnace heated seven times more the fire was so hot that the soldiers who put the three friends inside got burnt when they were bound and thrown into the middle of that Raging Fire we may have been justified in concluding that we would never hear from them again yet to our astonishment we have discovered that Shadrach meach and Abednego is still alive but now says the king I have been looking into the furnace and I see four men loose walking in the midst of the fire they were loosed from their Bonds in Nebuchadnezzar's estimation the form of the fourth being seen with them in the flame was similar to that of the Son of God he appeared as a Divine person a messenger from Heaven not as a servant but as a son Jesus appeared often in the Old Testament but never was the timing more appropriate than now when to deliver his chosen out of the fire he came and walked with them in the fire he did this so that they would not perish in the Flames however Jesus is shown in Prophecy in the Bible holding a very unique item watch till the end to find out number 16 the last miracle of Jesus on Earth before his Ascension to heaven the second miraculous fish catch in John 21 was the last miracle of Jesus on Earth before his Ascension to Heaven seven of the disciples were together at the time Simon Peter decided to go fishing on the lake and the others agreed to go with him that night they caught nothing Jesus awaited them as they rode toward the shore in the morning although they did not recognize him it is the same as if the Lord asked young men have you anything to eat disappointedly they answered him no as far as they knew he was just a stranger walking along the shore yet in response to his advice they cast the net into the right side of the boat and lo and behold a great load of fish so many that they could not pull in the net John was the first to recognize the Lord and promptly told Peter the latter put out His Garment and went to the shore number 17 Jesus's birth came after 400 years of Silence from God do you want to know what God did just after the Old Testament prophets died God remains silent for 400 years until Jesus's birth several Nations overtake Israel during these 400 years Israel successfully Rebels against some but by the time Jesus arrives Israel has been occupied by the Romans the Israelites desired a savior as they had for 400 years in Egypt no wonder They begged Jesus to overthrow Rome just as the Red Sea had done for the Egyptians number 18 Jesus explained the truth about demonic attacks the Revelation about demons took place when Jesus healed demoniac the commoners started seriously considering the possibility that Jesus was the son of David and the Messiah of Israel the Pharisees were not pleased with this news their hearts were unable to tolerate any idea that people would sympathize with Jesus so they erupted with the accusation that the power of bezel buub the ruler of the Demons had performed the miracle this ominous indictment was the first open accusation that the Lord Jesus was demon empowered Matthew 12: 25-27 Amplified Bible knowing their thoughts Jesus said to them any Kingdom that is divided against itself is being laid waste and no City or house divided against itself will continue to stand if Satan casts out Satan that is his demons he has become divided against himself and disunited how then will his kingdom stand if I cast out the Demons by the help of Basel buub Satan by whom do your sons drive them out for this reason they will be your judges demons are the underlings of their Master Satan the fact of the matter was of course that Jesus drove out demons through the power of the Holy Spirit as a man Jesus Christ spent his entire time on Earth living by the power of the Holy Spirit Jesus begins his discourse on the subject by making a general observation about the behavior of demons he says when an evil spirit comes out of a man it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it the use of the verb comes out suggests that the demon was cast out of the person as a result of an exorcism demons are often associated with desert waterless places as their home the demon wants to reclaim ownership of a person's entire self the unclean spirit says I will return to the house I left literally my house this is why the condition is known as demon possession demons have a habit of being tenacious in their pursuit of maintaining control of a human so it goes and takes with it seven other Spirits more wicked than itself and they go in and live there number 19 Jesus in Africa the time of Jesus in Africa Was An Old Testament fulfillment the Bible doesn't tell us about Jesus visiting Africa during his Adult Ministry the only time the Bible mentions Jesus in Africa is during his infancy after the Angels visit Joseph in a dream to warn him about King herod's intentions to harm the baby Jesus the story continues with urgency and a journey to safety this part part of the story is about protecting Jesus and is found in the Bible mainly in the gospel of Matthew the angel told Joseph get up take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt stay there until I tell you for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him Matthew 2:3 Joseph immediately understood the danger he didn't wait that very night he woke up Mary and they quickly prepared to leave with the baby Jesus Mary and Joseph left their home in Bethlehem at nighttime they set out on a long and difficult journey to Egypt a land far away from King herod's rule this journey wasn't easy they had to travel many miles probably on foot or maybe with the help of a donkey across deserts and unfamiliar lands Egypt was a safe haven for Jesus number 20 Jesus was probably not born in December although December 25th has been recognized as Christmas Day for almost 1,700 years it is known that Jesus was not born in December or even during winter emperor Constantine officially designated the winter solstice which falls on December 25th 336 a as a day to celebrate Christmas it's believed that Jesus was born in the spring based on the mention in Luke 2 of shepherds watching over their flocks in the fields number 21 when Jesus saw Moses and Elijah the Transfiguration of Jesus was one of the most incredible events in the word of God it was the glorification of the human body of Jesus his body underwent a change in form it even took place after Jesus revealed who he TR was after confirming his identity to his disciples Jesus described his mission he told them that he had to go to Jerusalem suffer at the hands of religious leaders be slain and be risen the third day in other terms Jesus summarized the foundation of the Gospel the Transfiguration after six days Jesus Took with him Peter James and John the brother of James and let them up a high mountain by themselves there he was transfigured before them his face Shone like the sun and his clothes became as white as the light Matthew 17: 1-2 his face and garments became luminous like the sun and blazing light A visual representation of his deity just as the glory cloud of shikina represented God's presence in the Old Testament the sight foreshadowed what the Lord Jesus will be like when he returns to establish his kingdom he will no longer be known as the sacrificial lamb but as the lion of Judah everyone who sees him will recognize him as God the son the King of Kings the Lord of lords there were three people involved the first was Moses Jews view Moses as one of their greatest leaders but Jesus is even greater in the gospels Jesus appears with Moses and Elijah but he is plainly the greater one Elijah was a tishbite from Gilead in the trans Jordan region and was regarded as one of the finest of Israel's prophets although there is no book written in his name Kings covers more of his life than most of the Kings themselves number 22 he gets it all in the end God has made Jesus the heir of all things so the son will one day have it all Psalm 2:8 speaks of the Nations being his inheritance Psalm 2:8 Amplified Bible ask of me and I will assuredly give you the Nations as your inheritance and the ends of the Earth as your possession so the one whose own clothes were gambled for at the end of his first visit will return turn and Reign Over All kingdoms and peoples number 23 he made it all in the beginning this son started it all he is not just a humble Carpenter but was there at the beginning as the Creator initiating and deciding upon creation John 1:1 Amplified Bible in the beginning before all time was the word Christ and the Word was with God and the Word was God himself the first verses of John's gospel are a Triumph of Christian theology John Begins by establishing the preeminence of the word existing before the creation of the world the initial illusion in Genesis 1 cannot be missed John 1:1 number 24 why did Jesus allow the demon to enter the herd of pigs the account of Jesus casting the Legion of demons into a herd of pigs is found in Matthew Mark and Luke according to this story demons inhabited a particular man the demons made the man extremely violent the demons proposed that they leave the body and enter the bodies of swine instead when the demons entered the herd they caused the herd to become crazed and they ran off a cliff into the Sea of Galilee because it served his purposes Jesus had no reason not to accept their proposal first it resulted in the liberation of the man from the demons second pigs were considered unclean animals under Jewish law making them an ideal symbol and Haven for unclean spirits third accepting their proposal did not affect the Demon's Eternal Fate on Judgment Day number 25 facts Jesus shared about heaven that many don't know Matthew 13 contains seven Parables of Jesus about the mysteries of the Heavenly Kingdom the first four Parables the sewer the wheat and the tees the mustard seed and the leaven are outward manifestations of God's movements the last three hidden treasure pearl of great price and Dragnet let his disciples know he would do everything God intended Matthew 13: 44 to 50 the Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field which a man found and hid again and from Joy over it he goes and sells everything that he has and buys that field again the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls and upon finding one Pearl of Great Value he went and sold everything he had and bought it again the Kingdom of Heaven is like a Dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered fish of every kind and when it was filled they pulled it up onto the beach and they sat down and gathered the good fish into containers but the bad they threw away so it will be at the End of the Age the angels will come forth and remove the wicked from among the righteous and they will throw them into the furnace of fire in that place there will be weeping and nashing of teeth the treasure explains God's actions toward his people the pearl of a great price depicts what God is doing with the church the parable of the Dragnet depicts God's efforts to reach out to the Gentiles and bring them to Faith in Jesus Christ number 26 Jesus talked theology with the Pharisees as a child Luke provides a sole glimpse of Jesus throughout his teens in the return Journey from Passover in Jerusalem Joseph and Mary becomes separated from Jesus when they realize Jesus is absent they race back to the ancient city he is not found for 3 Days Luke 2:46 and when they do find him he isn't terrified or upset like a usual child what they uncover astounds them after 3 days they found him in the temple courts sitting among the teachers listening to them and asking them questions everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers when his parents saw him they were astonished his mother said to him son why have you treated us like this your father and I have been anxiously searching for you why were you searching for me he asked didn't you know I had to be in My Father's House Luke 2: 46-49 number 27 Mary treats Jesus just like any other son Jesus famously turns water into wine in John 2: 1-1 but if Mary hadn't asked Jesus for assistance it's highly likely that this miracle would have ever occurred the miracle happened because Mama wanted it to happen John 2: 3-5 Amplified Bible when the wine was all gone the mother of Jesus said to him they have no more wine Jesus said to her dear woman what is that to you and me my time to act and to be revealed has not yet come his mother said to the servants whatever he said says to you do it she tells Jesus there's a problem and he means he isn't going to get involved woman why do you involve me he even offers an excuse my hour has not yet come Mary responds by telling the servants to do whatever he says as if to say so do something and then he does number 28 his birth was a family Scandal the birth of Jesus would have turned into a great Scandal before he was born Angels appeared separately to Mary and Joseph affirming that Jesus was conceived of the Holy Spirit Matthew 1: 20-21 Amplified Bible but after he had considered this an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream saying Joseph descendant of David do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife for the child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit she will give birth to a son and you shall name him Jesus the Lord is salvation for he will save his people from their sins even though this was sufficient to persuade Joseph not to divorce Mary that does not mean that everybody else believed them she was at least 3 months pregnant before she married Joseph and there was no hiding the pregnancy Luke 1:56 Amplified Bible and Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about 3 months and then returned to her home number 29 Jesus's family struggled to understand his behavior everywhere Jesus went crowds swelled around him until there was no room but at the same time the Pharisees began to turn against him in mark Mark 3 Jesus and his newly appointed disciples entered a home and so many people followed that Jesus couldn't even eat Mary and Jesus's brothers had to have a hard time understanding why their brother was drawing such large crowds but upsetting religious authority figures if he was indeed the Messiah wouldn't the Pharisees be the first to know so they decided they needed to step in Mark 3: 20 to 21 Amplified Bible then he came to a house in capam and the crowd formed again so many people that Jesus and his disciples could not even eat a meal together when his own family heard this they went to take custody of him for they were saying he is out of his mind even with all the signs of Jesus his family thought he was out of his mind also the teachers of the law said that he was possessed the people who knew Jesus best and those who supposedly knew God best were amazed when Jesus began his ministry who did Jesus think he was his family stood outside and sent someone to fetch him several lessons emerge from this for us first he did not dishonor his natural mother but he said that spiritual relationships precede nature it was more to Mary's Credit to do the will of God than to be his mother number 30 Jesus gives John responsibility for Mary Jesus saw John and his mother bewildered and grieving as he hung on the cross in his darkest moment Jesus made sure that Mary would be cared for John 19: 26- 27 Amplified Bible so Jesus seeing his mother and the disciple whom he loved esteemed standing near said to his mother dear woman look here is your son then he said to the disciple John look here is your mother protect and provide for her from that hour the disciple took her into his own home number 31 his family members also wrote part of the Bible although these two brothers wrote two books of the New Testament they never took advantage of their relationship with Jesus they never said listen to me I am the brother of Jesus Jude says I am the brother of James so his brothers were persuaded by the resurrection that Jesus who had lived with them in The Carpenter's Cottage in Nazareth was none other than the Son of God James is mentioned as a member of the little prayer group that waited for the coming of the spirit in Pentecost so Jesus's cousins followed him and his immediate family believed in him that tells you something about the quality of Jesus's character number 32 it couldn't have been easy to be in the family however even Christianity is not about what is easy so Jesus found quite several Apostles from his wider Family Circle but his immediate family didn't know what to make of him when you have lived with someone for 30 years and they unexpectedly go around saying that they are the Messiah it can't be easy at the beginning of his public Ministry he seems to disown Mary most assume that Joseph had died by this time he didn't call her mother anymore he called her woman woman what have I to do with you was his first recorded comment to Mary at the wedding number 33 the last seven words of Jesus bruised and bleeding the savior's Final hours were spent crucified on a cross although racked with excruciating pain he made seven significant statements here are his seven words the last seven expressions of Jesus Christ on the cross recorded in scripture the first word father forgive them for they do not know what they do Luke 23:34 the second word truly I say to you today you will be with me in Paradise Luke 23:43 the third word Jesus said to his motherwoman this is your son then he said to the disciple this is your mother John 19: 26- 27 Jesus and Mary are reunited what anguish must have filled Mary's heart how she must have felt when she saw her sonng carrying the cross she then had to witness him being nailed on the cross the loved ones of Jesus are with him in John's gospel there are four at the foot of the cross Mary his mother John the disciple who loved him his mother's Sister Mary the wife of clus and Mary Magdalene the fourth word my God my God why have you forsaken me Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34 this is the only saying which appears in more than one gospel and is a quote from Psalm 22:1 this is the only expression of Jesus in the gospels of Matthew and Mark according to both gospels he screamed out his fourth word in the 9th hour after 3 hours of darkness in Judea the 9th hour was 3:00 the fifth word I thirst John 19: 28 Jesus's fifth word is the only human expression of his physical Agony The scouching Thorn crowning blood loss on the 3our trip through Jerusalem to golg Goa and nailing to the Cross had all taken their toll on him the sixth word when Jesus had received the wine he said it is finished and he bowed his head and handed over the spirit John 19:30 the Gospel of John recounts the Passover Lamb sacrifice in Exodus 12 the soldiers presented the Lord with wine on a branch of hisob hisop is a tiny plant that was used to sprinkle the Passover Lamb's Blood on the Hebrew Brews doorposts the seventh word Jesus cried out in a loud voice father into your hands I commend my spirit Luke 23:46 the seventh word of Jesus comes from the Luke's gospel and is directed to the Father in Heaven just before he dies Jesus recalls Psalm 31:5 into thine hand I commit my spirit thou Hast redeemed me oh Lord God of Truth number 34 discover how Jesus suffered unimaginable stress this may shock you the great stress that Jesus faced imagine this you are about to go through one of the most painful deaths a person can experience there will be humiliation and insults thrown at you and the people coming to arrest you are coming soon The Book of Luke tells the story of Jesus's final journey to his death from his prayer in Gethsemane where his faith in God is confirmed to his burial the Bible describes how an innocent man came to die for others the gospels each include a narrative that describes the time that Jesus his disciples and others spent in the garden of Geth just before Jesus was arrested Jesus prayed to his father in the garden three times saying and after going a little farther he fell face down and prayed saying my father is it possible that is consistent with your will let this cup pass from me yet not as I will but as you will Matthew 26:39 Amplified Bible a little later Jesus prayed he went away a second time and prayed saying my father if this cannot pass away unless I drink it your will be done Matthew 26:42 Jesus is fully God but he is also fully human though perfect his human nature still struggled with the need to accept the torture and shame that awaited him his flesh recoiled from the cross in the same context Jesus tells his disciples the following keep actively watching and praying that you may not come into temptation the spirit is willing but the body is weak Matthew 26:41 when Jesus prayed let this cup pass from me he was fighting against the desires of his flesh which yearned for self-preservation and comfort the struggle was fierce overwhelmed with sorrow Ro to the point of death then he said to them my soul is deeply grieved so that I am almost dying of Sorrow stay here and stay awake and keep watch with me Matthew 26:38 this prayer more than anything else demonstrates that Jesus was in every way fully human Jesus had for knowledge of what was to come the torment that he was going to go through was going to be more than just physical it was also going to be mental and spiritual Jesus was aware that it was God's plan for him to be crucified that God wanted him to be pierced for our transgressions and wounded for our healing Jesus knew that this was the will of God Jesus loves mankind but his Humanity dreaded the pain and sorrow he faced and it drove him to ask his father let this cup pass from me the phrase let this cup pass from me appears in Jesus's prayer and it contains two significant qualifications to begin with he utters the prayer if it is possible Jesus implores his father to let him choose an alternative path to Redemption for humankind if one exists Jesus did not want to die but he followed the will of God the events that occurred after he prayed demonstrate that there was no other way the sacrifice of Jesus Christ is the only one that could possibly redeem the world second Jesus prays yet not as I will but as you will Jesus was committed to the will of God body mind and soul the prayer of the righteous is always dependent on the will of God In The Garden of Gethsemane Jesus conquered the Flesh and kept it in sub action to the spirit he accomplished this by submitting himself wholeheartedly and fervently to the will of God when we go through difficult times it is comforting to know that Jesus understands what it's like to want God's Will and yet not to want it to desire righteousness and obedience even when the flesh is screaming out against it this conflict is not sinful it is a normal part of Being Human Our Redeemer fully embodied human nature in every respect an angel appears to comfort him the significance of the angelic appearance is that it demonstrates Heaven's willingness to stand by Jesus as he faces his calling as he faces rejection and death Jesus lays his burdens before God this is a very human portrait of Jesus as he faces his death with a range of emotions Luke's portrait of Jesus does not conceal his divinity he portrays Jesus as someone who can relate to our flaws and traumas it is interesting that Luke a physician would bring up this unusual medical condition herris is a rare condition the current understanding is that when someone is stressed tiny capillaries within the sweat gland's rupture allowing blood to mix with sweat every leader who does something significant for God has a gethsamane experience what can we learn from this lonely time gamain is a location where number one spiritual battles occur number two loneliness is felt number three honesty is expressed number four submission is required number five strength is received number 3 five what Jesus said about the Book of Life the book of life is a one-of-a-kind book that was not made by the hands of people and it was created by something else entirely on the other hand one can Discover it in the Heavenly domain and it is the property of Jesus Christ throughout the course of history God has made it clear to his servants and Prophets that he is in possession of an extraordinary book book this is currently an open book containing a registry of names and God deems very precious the individuals whose names are being recorded in it Jesus also told his disciples about the Book of Life this occurred during the Lord's sending out the 70 disciples as they returned from their mission the 70 were elated that even the demons had been subject to them Luke 10:1 17 to20 the 70 returned with Joy saying Lord even the demons are subjects to us in your name he said to them I watched Satan fall from Heaven like a flash of lightning listen carefully I have given you Authority that you now possess To Tread on serpents and scorpions and the ability to exercise authority over all the people of the enemy Satan and nothing will in any way harm you nevertheless do not rejoice at this that the spirits are subject to you but Rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven Jesus sets a hierarchy for their Joy Jesus looks above this realm towards heaven he directed them to turn their joy into the right Channel The Book of Life refers to the great census of God where the Blessed will be named true and eternal life with the Everlasting God is the essence Ence of blessing the Apostle Paul wrote a letter in which he mentioned the names of a few faithful Brethren who were still alive at the time and whose names were written in the Book of Life the same book is also called the Lamb's Book of Life because it contains the names of those who have been redeemed by the blood of the Lord Jesus the names of those who have been spiritually converted and dedicated their lives to God's service are recorded in the Book of Life Moses like others of God's servants recognized that his name was already written in the Book of Life number 36 he holds the key to death and Hades who holds the keys of death and Hades I am the living one I was dead and now look I am alive forever and ever and I hold the keys of death and Hades Revelation 1 Verse 18 it is Jesus who says this to John this conversation is essential as this is the last personal meeting with Jesus recorded in the Bible by possessing the keys of death the Risen Christ has control and authority over death when Jesus died he did so at his own timing when he gave up his Spirit the news that Jesus was already dead surprised Pilate having authority over death Jesus was able to rise from the dead after giving up his Spirit moreover he has the power to release his followers from Death in order that they may be with him forever think of giving someone the key to the city this key is sometimes a large cartoonish key that fits no lock but symbolizes honor those given keys to the city are welcomed and honored within that City keys are frequently referred to in the Bible as symbols of authority and control an individual with a master key to a building has the authority to enter any room and open any door in the building other seers filled the people of God with the yearning that the Lord would one day abolish death death was the devil's most powerful terrifying weapon against us Believers are more than conquerors through him who loved us Christ has conquered death and Believers stand firm on Jesus's words imagine death as a huge lock sealed door as far as we are concerned it is imp pervious Jesus alone is able to unlock the terrifying door and invite us into the Glorious life that awaits Us in his kingdom and he is the only one who can do so with Jesus at the center of everything we have a sure hope on the cross Jesus not only experienced physical death but he also willingly chose to die as a substitute for sinners in contrast Adam died physically because of sin Adam's sin brought about physical death for all Humanity as the Bible States in Romans 5:12 therefore just as Sin came into the world through one man and death through sin so death spread to all people no one being able to stop it or Escape its power because they all sinned however Jesus who was sinless and never committed any wrongdoing willingly took upon himself the punishment for the sins of all people by dying on the cross in doing so he fulfilled the Prophecies of the Old Testament and provided a way for people to be reconciled iled with God and receive eternal life number 37 Jesus was a single man who never fathered any children according to Christian belief Jesus remained a single man all his life and didn't have any children as the Bible is completely silent about his romantic and personal life every Bible verse that mentions Jesus's family refers to his mother and siblings but neither to a wife nor to Children number 38 Isaiah also prophesized Jesus's resurrection Easter is not just hunting colorful eggs from the Easter rabbit it's a celebration aside from the coming of the Messiah he also realized his death Isaiah 53: 5 to6 but he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement for our peace was upon him and by his stripes we are healed all we like sheep have gone astray we have turned everyone to his own way and the lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all number 39 Jesus explained why you don't fit in what does it mean that Christians are not of this world the particular phrase not of this world appears in John 18:36 where Jesus says that his kingdom is not of this world John 18:36 Jesus replied my kingdom is not of this world nor does it have its origin in this world if my kingdom were of this world my servants would be fighting hard to keep me from being handed over to the Jews but as it is my kingdom is not of this world in this statement Jesus was being questioned by Pontius Pilate during one of his trials pilate had called Jesus into the palace and was trying to find out the charges against him he essentially asked Jesus to incriminate himself as Christians we are followers of Jesus Christ and members of his kingdom which is not of this world we know that our citizenship is inh Philippians 3: 17 to 20 Amplified Bible brothers and sisters together follow my example and observe those who live by the pattern we gave you for there are many of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears who live as enemies of the Cross of Christ rejecting and opposing his way of Salvation whose fate is destruction whose God is their belly their worldly appetite their sensuality their vanity and whose glory is in their shame whose Focus their mind on Earthly and temporal things but we are different because our citizenship is in heaven and from there we eagerly await the coming of the Savior the Lord Jesus Christ the phrase my kingdom is not of this world pertains to the source and character of Christ's Kingdom rather than its physical location the influence and potency of Christ's Kingdom had derived from a higher power outside of this world specifically from our Heavenly Father God Christ's leadership is not human made but of divine origin Christ's kingdom is unlike any on this Earth the Bible speaks in various places about Believers being aliens or Exiles in this world for instance 1 Peter 2 refers to Believers as aliens and strangers on Earth 1 Peter 2: 10 to1 Amplified Bible once you were not a people at all and now you are God's people once you had not received Mercy but now you have received Mercy beloved I urge you as aliens and strangers in this world to abstain from the sensual urges those dishonorable desires that wage war against the soul number 40 he is very different from normal prophets none of the leader types that have existed in Israel was ideal and each individual brought his own flaws to the task the nation needed a leader who was a prophet priest and King and they found him in Jesus each stage therefore was a foreshadowing of the ideal leader who was to come where did Jesus go after his death hell Hades Heaven J Jesus was about to go to the most incredible journey that would amaze people for centuries but the gates of that Journey was the cross the Book of Luke tells the story of Jesus's final journey to his death from his prayer in Gethsemane where his faith in God is confirmed on the cross when Jesus said it is finished on the cross he bowed his head and gave up his spirit before being removed and buried in a nearby tomb his lifeless body stayed at top the cross until it was finally removed on the other hand his Spirit was elsewhere where did his Spirit go did he go to hell or did he go to Heaven There is some dispute regarding the whereabouts of Jesus or more specifically the location of his spirit for the 3 days between his death and Resurrection where Jesus was in the discussion of where Jesus was for the 3 days between his death and Resurrection another passage is often mentioned that is 1 Peter 3: 18- 21 these verses constitute one of the most puzzling and intriguing texts in the New Testament Jesus is the epitome of what it means to suffer for the sake of doing good with the intention of bringing us to God and restoring our broken and dead relationship with him he who is just endured suffering for all of us who are unjust the object of all of this was to bring us to God 1 Peter 3: 18- 21 for indeed Christ died for sins once for all the just and righteous for the unjust and unrighteous the innocent for the guilty so that he might bring us to God having been put to Death In the Flesh he made alive in the spirit in which he also went and preached to the spirits now in prison who once were disobedient when the Great patience of God was waiting in the days of Noah during the building of the Ark in which a few that is eight persons Noah's family were brought safely through the water corresponding to that rescued through the flood baptism which is an expression of a believer's new life in Christ now saves you not by removing dirt from the body but by an appeal to God for a good clear conscience demonstrating what you believe to be yours through the resurrection of Jesus Christ we read being put to death in the flesh but Made Alive by the spirit Spirit despite the fact that Jesus did die in his body the Holy Spirit was able to raise him from the dead through Godly suffering Jesus preached to the spirits in prison we read by whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison who formerly were disobedient Jesus preached to the spirits in prison with the help of the Holy Spirit it seems that this was done after Jesus died but before he arose from the dead did Jesus actually preach to the spirit in Hades yes that's right Hades is considered to be the realm of the dead and Jesus reportedly went there to deliver his message it's quite fascinating to think about isn't it we read preach to the spirits in prison have you ever wondered who has the ultimate Authority and Power in this world no matter what your answer is the Bible has a clear answer to this question it states that even those who are under the Earth deep beneath the ground must acknowledge Jesus has is their ultimate Lord It's a powerful statement that reminds us of the supreme power and authority that Jesus holds over all things it's a humbling thought but it also gives us hope and comfort knowing that we have a loving and Powerful Lord who is in control of everything Philippians 2:10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow in submission of those who are in heaven and on Earth and under the Earth behold the absolute totality of creation recognizing the unparalleled superiority of Jesus Christ we read of those under the Earth close your eyes and imagine a world where the Departed who rest in the bosom of the Earth can be awakened to life once again by the mighty power of Christ sounds like a scene straight out of a captivating novel doesn't it every knee should bow every tongue should confess the combination of tongues confessing and knees bowing gives evidence that the idea is is a complete submission to Jesus both in word and in action and one that is required of all imagine a scene where people from all walks of life come together their tongues confessing and their knees Bowing in complete submission to Jesus it's a powerful image that speaks of a deep connection a unified belief and an unwavering faith we are all required to give ourselves fully to him not just in words but in actions too this idea of complete surrender to Jesus is both humbling and empowering and it's something that can Inspire us all to live more meaningful lives due to the totality of this ackowledgement of Jesus's deity numerous people imagine this taking place formally after the last judgment when all creatures in heaven and hell are compelled to kneel and declare that Jesus Christ is Lord the identity of the spirits here the spirits in prison are clearly identified who were they those who were disobedient when were they disobedient the times of Noah different interpretations well most of First Peter is easy to understand there is one problem these verses have at least 314 different interpretations as the scripture States Jesus was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit which he went and preached to those who were disobedient in the days of Noah's flood a few verses later Peter says for this is why the good good news of Salvation was preached in their lifetimes even to those who are dead that though they were judged In the Flesh as men are they may live in the spirit according to the will and purpose of God 1 Peter 4:6 even though every other scripture indicates it is impossible some have erroneously used this text to support their teaching of more chances of redemption in the afterlife death seals Our Fate death marks the beginning of an immense M but here apparently Jesus did preach to those who had died how is it to be comprehended according to the text it is evident that Jesus was actively communicating with others and remained conscious during the time between his death and Resurrection the individuals he communicated with were also fully conscious and engaged in communication with him it's interesting to note that there is very little discussion about what happened on Saturday during Holy Week services as they typically end on Friday and resume on Sunday so you are never told what Jesus was doing on Saturday it is a common belief that Jesus was inactive and unconscious after his death and before his resurrection as his body remained in the Tomb however it is important to note that despite his physical death his Spirit was still very much alive after he passed away he went to the world of the dead and preached there I can picture Peter coming face to face with Jesus on the very first Easter Sunday in asking Jesus where on earth have you been in response I have not actually been on Earth rather I have been in Hades which is the world of the Dead what on Earth or what in Hades have you been doing there Jesus tells Peter that he was preaching to those who were drowned in Noah's flood death separates the spirit and the body in less than a week Jesus experienced all three stages being an embodied spirit dying on the cross and commending his Spirit to God and finally his body being put in the Tomb he continued to exist in his Spirit form and preached to the disobedient people who perished in Noah's flood on Easter Sunday morning his body and spirit were reunited and he remained fully conscious and able to communicate throughout all these stages there are those who believe his message was a message to Noah his generation only some individuals hold the view that the second chance after the great flood was granted only to one generation and there is no indication in the Bible that any other generation would receive such an opportunity this generation could have accused God of being unjust and unfair they could say you wiped us out and then promise never to do it again the second interpretation is demonic spirits within the context of this view the spirits that Jesus addressed could be demonic beings if the spirits referenced in first Peter 3: 19 are Fallen Angels then it seems likely that those Spirits were imprisoned because they were involved in a grave sin prior to the Deluge that occurred during the period of Noah Peter makes reference to Noah's flood in verse 20 if these were indeed Fallen Angels it could not have been a message of redemption since Angels cannot be saved Hebrews 2:16 for as we all know he Christ does not take hold of the Fallen Angels to give them a helping hand but he does take hold of the Fallen descendants of Abraham extending to them his hand of Deliverance if these were Fallen Angels Jesus's Proclamation likely declared his victory over Satan and his hosts 1 Peter chapter 3:22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God that is the place of honor and Authority with all angels and authorities and Powers made subservient to him who who are these spirits of the wicked generation picture this a generation so wicked that they refused to listen to a life-saving message the result they perished in a catastrophic flood it's a haunting reminder of the consequences of sin the sin of these people according to the word they were disobedient rebellious unpersuadable and unbelieving their sin is made worse by the fact that God showed them patience and longsuffering for 120 years while Noah Was preparing the ark and warning them of the disaster as a result they drowned and their Spirits were cast into hell known as a prison nevertheless Noah and his obedient family were saved in the ark because of their faith second Peter 2:5 and if he did not spare the ancient world but protected Noah a preacher of righteousness with seven others when he brought the Judgment of a flood upon the world of the ungodly who wrote this interesting passage this interesting passage was written by Peter Christians are particularly fond of his first letter which is known for its warmth and relatability interestingly Peter's original name was Simon which meant read and was quite common however when he met Jesus he was given the name Peter which was much less common and meant rock this name change symbolized the transformation of Peter's character character that Jesus saw in him Peter was one of the first two people whom Jesus called to follow him he was initially a man who easily swayed like a reed in the wind however after Jesus left him he became as solid as a rock Peter was the first in every list of the 12 and he was The Unofficial spokesperson for the group The Gospels clearly portray Peter's character he had many strengths such as being Charming eager impulsive and energetic however these strengths were also accompanied by weaknesses like being unstable fickle and cowardly why did Peter write this at this point it would be beneficial to take a moment to pause and remind ourselves of the fundamental order of thinking that existed throughout this letter which was written against the backdrop of widespread persecution Peter's letter was addressed to Christians who were experiencing hardship as a result of their lives and their witness it's possible that they pondered the question of why if the Christian faith was correct they should be suffering if Christianity was the true Faith then why were there so few people who followed it Peter is referring to Noah the faithful preacher who warned people for 12 years that God would destroy the world with water despite Noah's warnings people scorned and rejected him however God saved him and his family during the flood which ultimately Vindicated Noah's faithfulness with within the context of the history of the globee the majority of people have not always been correct even though there are only a few people who have been saved one's Faith should not be shaken by the fact that there are only a few people who are True Believers there were only eight Believers in Noah's day there are millions today it is not that they were saved by water they were saved through the water it was not water that saved them rather it was the Judgment that God performed in order to bring them to safety the ark is a representation of the Lord Jesus Christ an image of God's judgment is represented by the Deluge of water the ark was the sole means by which one may be saved those who were inside the structure were the only ones who survived the flood everyone else who was outside of the building perished so Christ is the only way of Salvation those who are in Christ are as saved as God himself can make them the people who are on the outside are completely lost the the ark served as a safe haven for the people in the process of passing through the water of judgment the ark was subjected to the full force of the storm so Christ bore the fury of God's judgment against our sins for those who are in him there is no judgment John 5: 24 there was water all around the ark water coming down on top of it and water beneath it the ark was surrounded by water on the other hand it carried its Believers across the sea to a place of safety in A Renewed creation consequently individuals who put their faith in the Savior are transported in a secure manner through a scene of death and destruction to the place of resurrection and a new life what did Jesus preach we do not know the precise reason why Jesus preached to the spirits that were confined presumably this was a form of preaching which is the act of proclaiming the message of God what is message was we are not told why only those disobedient in the days of Noah are cited is not stated what the intent or outcome of Christ's preaching was is not displayed on all these issues we may construct our own conclusions but we have no rule for anything verging dogmatic teaching 3 Days Later his body and spirit were reunited and he rose from the dead Jesus returns to earth Resurrection death could not hold him the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the first time in human history that someone has risen from the dead and will never again experience death some of those who are resurrected later succumb to death a second time the Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit raised Jesus from the dead Romans tells us that the father raised Jesus from the dead Romans 6:4 we have therefore been buried with him through baptism into death so that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory and power of the father we too might walk habitually in newness of Life abandoning our old ways and it says that Jesus raised himself from the dead in John 2:8 the resurrection was the work of the Triune God John 2: 18-22 then the Jews retorted what sign a testing Miracle can you show us as proof of your Authority for doing these things Jesus answered them destroy this Temple and in 3 days I will raise it up then the Jews replied it took 46 years to build this Temple and you will raise it up in 3 days but he was speaking of the temple which was his body so when he had risen from the dead his disciples remembered what he had said and they believed and trusted in and relied on the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken the results of Jesus's resurrection in the physical world the world of the spirit can be quite confusing however we do note something happened in the physical when Jesus died and was resurrected this time we see the immediate results of Jesus's death with those who are righteous after that Matthew describes an event that is not included in any of the other gospels the tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life the resurrection of Jesus caused them to emerge from from the graves and after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to a large number of people even while earthquakes have the potential to cause damage to tombs because they are made of stone the fact that the bodies are being raised can only be attributed to the direct intervention of God in Matthew's writings he highlights how Jesus's sacrifice on the cross brings victory over death he used the phrase those who had fallen asleep to describe the people who are raised which is a common expression in the New Testament to refer to someone who has died but has a secure Eternal Destiny the miraculous accounts of the Holy one's bodies being raised and appearing in Jerusalem serve as a powerful testimony to the completed work of Jesus on the cross and his subsequent Resurrection the term holy people denotes devout individuals from the Old Testament era for instance we can draw a parallel between the manner in which Moses and Elijah were chosen to to appear alongside Jesus on the Mount of transfiguration in this particular instance the text refers to the resurrection of the bodies of holy individuals this serves to demonstrate that despite the Judgment of Jesus on the leadership of Israel and their condemnation in chapters 23- 24 Israel still holds a significant place in God's plans in the writings of Ezekiel it was prophesied that the Supreme Lord would bring back to life those who had passed away in a valley where even bones had turned to dust Ezekiel 37: 11-14 then he said to me son of man these bones are the whole house of Israel behold they say our bones are dried up and our hope is lost we are completely cut off therefore prophesy and say to them thus says the Lord God behold I will open your Graves and make you come up out of your Graves my people and I will bring you back home to the land of Israel then you will know with confidence that I am the Lord when I have opened your Graves and made you come up out of your Graves my people I will put my spirit in you and you will come to life and I will place you in your own land then you will know that I the Lord have spoken and fulfilled it says the Lord Matthew lets this event stand unadorned because its meaning is clear Derek tidball relates the raising of these holy ones is a foretaste of the Resurrection to which all believers can look forward through the death of Jesus A New Day Has Arrived a day when death has been defeated by death and Resurrection to life eternal has been made possible Matthew does not answer all the questions we would like answered about these miraculous events but in narrating them he presents a unified testimony to the supernatural confirmation of Jesus's identity where is Jesus now where does Jesus reside we find the answer to this after the resurrection Jesus told the disciples he didn't want their hearts to be troubled by all of this even though it was legitimately troubling for them John 14: 1 through two do not let your heart be troubled afraid cowardly believe confidently in God and trust in him have faith hold on to it rely on it keep going and believe also in me the thought seems to be I am going away and you will not be able to see me but let not your heart be troubled you believe in God and yet you do not see him now believe in me in the same way here is another important claim to equality with God John 14: 2-4 in my father's house are many Dwelling Places if it were not so I would have told you because I am going there to prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you I will come back again and I will take you to myself so that where I am you may be also and to the place where I am going you know the way the father's house refers to heaven where there are many Dwelling Places it is large enough to accommodate all the redeemed if it were not so the Lord would have told them he would not have them build on false hopes John 14: 5-6 Thomas said to him Lord we do not know where you are going so how can we know the way Jesus said to him I am the only way to God and the real truth and the real life no one comes to the father but through me he was going to heaven and they knew the way to heaven for he had told them many times apparently Thomas did not understand the meaning of the Lord's words like Peter he may have been thinking of a journey to someplace on Earth in my father's house are many mansions Jesus spoke with complete confidence about heaven here spoken of as his father's house in addition to knowing about life beyond this Earth Jesus told his disciples that there would be room for all in heaven many mansions mansions are better translated as Dwelling Places in light of the ancient Greek the noun moan connected to the verb meno to stay or remain means a place to stay in light of God's nature it is better to translate it as Dwelling Places God will provide us with a magnificent Dwelling Place In Heaven There Will Be many such Dwelling Places Jesus could see what the disciples never could he may have even smiled when he said many mansions many indeed we read I go to prepare a place for you love prepares a welcome the expectant parents prepare the baby's room with love with love the host prepares for her guests Jesus goes ahead and makes preparations for his people because he loves them and is certain that they will come I go speaks of Jesus's own planning and initiative he wasn't taken to the Cross he went there they thought that his death was an unforeseen Calamity Christ taught them that it was the path of his own planning Morrison I will come again to receive you to myself during Jesus's time on Earth he promised that he would return for his disciples this was not only in the sense of his soon Resurrection or in the coming of the Holy Spirit Jesus also had in mind the great Gathering Together of his people at the End of the Age they were not to think of him as having ceased to be when they could not see him he had only gone to another Abiding Place to prepare for their coming and moreover he would come back to receive them we read that where I am there you may be also the entire focus of Heaven is being united with Jesus heaven is heaven not because of streets of gold Pearly Gates or even the presence of angels heaven is heaven because Jesus is there we take comfort in knowing that even as he prepares a place for us Jesus also prepares us for that place this lovely verse makes it clear that the Lord Jesus Christ is himself the way to heaven he does not merely show the way he is the way salvation is in a person accept that person as your own and you have salvation Christianity is Christ the lord Jesus is not just one of many ways he is the only way no one comes to the father except through him Christ is the only way to God not the Ten Commandments the Golden Rule ordinances or church membership then the Lord is the truth he's not just one who teaches the truth he is the truth he is the embodiment of Truth those who have Christ have the truth it is not found anywhere else Christ Jesus is the life he is the source of Life both spiritual and eternal those who receive him have eternal life because he is the life we read Lord we do not know where you are going the fact that Thomas explained his confusion in such a clear and honest manner is something that we should appreciate we thought but Jesus was simply going to another place as if it were another city Heaven is a wonderful home we are going to The Father's Place Jesus said I go to prepare a place for you our home when you come to the house of God you are home and Jesus is preparing our Eternal home the Lord will come back again into the air when those who have died in faith will be raised 1 Thessalonians 4: 13-18 but we do not want you to be uninformed brothers and sisters about those who are asleep so that you will not grieve as indeed the rest of mankind do who have no hope for if we believe that Jesus died and rose from the dead so also God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus for we say this to you by the word of the Lord that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will not prede those who have fallen asleep for the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of the Archangel and with the trumpet of God and the dead in Christ will rise first then we who are alive who remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so we will always be with the Lord therefore Comfort one another with these words Jesus laid plans for the Holy Spirit to finish the work he had begun scripture demonstrates that Jesus's Ascension was a literal and bodily Return To Heaven as he rose slowly from the ground he was received into a cloud while his disciples and other astonished onlookers stared in Wonder as he rose the two angels appeared and promised Christ's return in just the same way that you have watched him go acts 1:1 and they said men of Galilee why do you stand looking into the sky this Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will come in the same way as you have watched him go into heaven this marked the end of the human limitation Jesus had during his Earthly Ministry some of the attributes he possessed as God had been temporarily suspended but now the suspension was over his Heavenly Glory returned a glimpse of which was seen as the Transfiguration Jesus's place is at the right hand of God the place of divine honor other passages that indicate Jesus's presence in heaven are Luke 22: 69 but from now on the son of man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God moments before he passed away Steven had a vision in which he looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God according to the Bible Jesus currently resides in an actual location known as Heaven A Realm Of Glory and home to God God's angels and all of God's redeemed children two men that saw Jesus after he went to heaven according to the word of God Jesus is at the right hand of God the father right now Apostle Paul imagine you meet Jesus face to face what would you do you would think it would be a delightful day however it would be one of the most challenging days in Paul's life before his conversion Saul was a Pharisee of Pharisees who intensely persecuted the followers of Jesus according to the account in Acts his conversion occurred on the road to Damascus where he reported having experienced a vision of the resurrected Jesus at this time Saul of Tarsus was probably in his early 30s as he watched the growth of the Christian faith known as the way he saw in it a threat to his own religion so without Boundless Energy he set out to destroy his pernicious sect now as he was traveling it happened that he was approaching Damascus and suddenly a light from Heaven fleshed around him and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him Saul Saul why are you persecuting me and he said who are you Lord and he said I am Jesus whom you are persecuting but get up and enter the city and it will be told to you what you must do the men who were traveling with him were in a complete days they had heard a sound from heaven but not the articulate words that Saul had heard they had not seen the Lord only Saul had seen him and had been called to apostleship at this time the hottie Pharisee was now being led by the hand into Damascus where he was blind for 3 days during that time he didn't eat or drink anything another man that witnessed Jesus in heaven is John the Apostle we see this in the Book of Revelation the title of this book Revelation originates from the primary event it describes which is the manifestation of Jesus Christ to the people living on Earth in the final days Revelation opens with Jesus as the revealer John was to document the things he had seen John sees a power powerful Jesus that does not compare to any typical man however before John gazes at Jesus he first hears his voice Revelation 1: 10-13 I was in the spirit on the Lord's day and I heard him with a loud voice as of a trumpet saying I am the Alpha and the Omega the first and the last and what you see write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia to Ephesus to smna to pergamus to thyra to Sardis to Philadelphia and to leoda then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me and having turned I saw seven golden lampstands and in the midst of the seven lampstands one like the son of man clothed with a garment down to the feet and gted about the chest with a golden band this was it John had seen the son of man Jesus Christ the honored one according to John the loud voice he heard was as distinctive and stking as a trumpet the powerful voice is that of the Alpha and Omega the first and the last who stand at the beginning and the end of everything because Jesus identified himself with these names in Revelation 1:18 we know this was the loud voice of Jesus the first and the last is a title that belongs to the Lord Yahweh the god of Israel the titles Alpha and Omega have the same idea as first in the last this is one of the New Testament passages where Jesus clearly claimed to be God we can only imagine what went through John's mind as he turned the sound of the voice he heard most likely did not match up perfectly with the way he recalled Jesus's voice sounding John described it as of a trumpet Revelation 1:10 however he knew it was Jesus because the voice described itself as the Alpha and Omega after spending so much time with Jesus throughout his ministry on Earth John finally had the opportunity to meet him face to face after all these years Jesus's title someone like a son of man recalls the figure who would reign as God's agent Daniel 7: 13-14 Jesus's face also shines like the sun Greek texts sometimes portray deity shining like the sun or lightning Jewish texts did the same for angels and others but also for God himself revelation 10:1 then I saw another angel coming down from heaven clothed in a cloud with a rainbow halo over his head and his face was like the sun and his feet legs were like Columns of fire John then continues in Revelation 1 verses 16-1 17 in his right hand he held Seven Stars and from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword of judgment and his faith reflecting his majesty and the shakina glory was like the sun shining in in all its power at midday when I saw him I fell at his feet as though dead and he placed his right hand on me and said do not be afraid I am the first and the last absolute deity the Son of God even though John was an apostle who had known Jesus while he was on Earth he was overcome with Wonder after seeing this incredible Vision even the 3 years that John lived on Earth with Jesus did not adequately prepare him for the moment when Jesus appeared to him in his Heavenly Majesty in that moment John realized the divine power and Majesty Jesus gave up while living on Earth at this moment John knew what a miracle it was that Jesus could Shield his glory and Authority while he walked this Earth Revelation 1:8 and the living one and I was dead and behold I am alive forever more and I have the keys of death and of Hades first Jesus brought John some Solace by touching him compassionately perhaps the touch of Jesus felt more familiar than the appearance of Jesus then Jesus said to John do not be afraid John had no reason to be afraid because he was in the presence of Jesus who clearly identified himself to John with three titles Jesus is the first and the last the God of all eternity Lord of Eternity past and Eternity future Jesus is the one who lives and was dead and is alive forever more he possess possesses Resurrection credentials and lives to never die again the victory that Jesus achieved over sin and death was eternal he didn't rise from the dead just to die again Jesus is the only one who possesses the keys to Hades and death some believe that the devil has the authority or power to decide who lives and who dies they are obviously mistaken because only Jesus has the keys to Hades and death who now holds the keys of death in Hades who holds the keys of death and Hades I am the living one I was dead and now look I am alive forever and ever and I hold the keys of death in Hades Revelation 1:8 it is Jesus who says this to John this conversation is essential as this is the last personal meeting with Jesus recorded in the Bible by possessing the keys of death the Risen Christ has control and authority over death when Jesus died he did so at his own timing when he gave up his Spirit the news that Jesus was already dead surprise pilate having authority over death Jesus was able to rise from the dead after giving up his Spirit moreover he has the power to release his followers from Death in order that they may be with him forever think of giving someone the key to the city this key is sometimes a large cartoonish key that fits no lock but symbolizes honor those given keys to the city are welcomed and honored within that City keys are frequently referred to in the Bible as symbols of authority and control any individual with a master key to a building has the authority to enter any room and open any door in the building in everyday life the key is a symbol of real ownership and power when the tenant gives the key back to the landlord the owner once again has control over and possession of the house our Lord Jesus Christ Still Remains Supreme the word Hades signifies The Dwelling Place of spirits Luke 16: 26 and besides all this between us and you people a great Chasm has been fixed so that those who want to come over from here to you will not be able and none may cross over from there to us it is Christ's key that hath shut in the Lost Spirits Christ conquered death because he was sinless the curse upon Mankind in the Garden of Eden brought about by sin was plainly stated Christ has conquered death and the consequences for us are Eternal it is Christ's victory over death that underpins the good news of the Gospel without the resurrection there is no gospel indeed there is no hope for us at all 1 Corinthians 15:1 17 and if Christ has not been raised your faith is worthless and Powerless mere delusion you are you are still in your sins and under the control and penalty of sin other seers filled the people of God with the yearning that the Lord would one day abolish death Hosea 13:14 shall I Ransom them from the power of sha the place of the Dead shall I redeem them from death oh death where are your Thorns Oh sha where is your sting compassion is hidden from my eyes because of their failure to repent I Isaiah 25:8 he will swallow up death and abolish it for all time and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces and he will take away the disgrace of his people from all the Earth for the Lord has spoken death was the devil's most powerful terrifying weapon against us Believers are more than conquerors through him who loved us Christ has conquered death and Believers stand firm on Jesus's words it is imperative that we do not forget that the father is the one who bestowed upon Jesus Christ the right to occupy this exalted position of authority and dignity as a reward for what he has done look what he has gotten in return for the humiliation he suffered at the hands of man he was the servant of servants but now he is king of kings and Lord of lords he stooped lower than the lowest and he has risen higher than the highest he wore the crown of thorns but now he wears the crown of Heaven he was the servant of Serv servants but now he is the Lord of lords and the King of Kings let us worship him let our hearts as we Ponder these simple but Priceless truths come and spread their treasures at his feet and let us enthrone him as Lord over everything the truth is that people fear one thing most of all and that thing is death that is because to the world death is an unknown unsaved people feel fear when they consider what lies ahead will I have to answer for what I've done what I've not done Will I burn in hell forever or will I reach a state of Eternal Bliss and don't be misled hell is real whether most people admit it or not death changes people's lives after our lives on Earth is over Christians will walk in a Victorious March following Christ there is no reason at all to be afraid for any person who believes in Christ This should make us say let us worship Him who hath the keys of hell and death let us come into His presence with Thanksgiving and show ourselves glad in him with songs

Channel: Grace Digital Network

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Keywords: bible stories, biblical story, bible, biblical study, biblical story summary, bible curiosities, bible stories in drawing, biblical animation, Jesus Christ

Id: fWWGdQ_TxG4

Length: 152min 44sec (9164 seconds)

Published: Sat May 04 2024