The Promise

 

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

John 11:25-26 NKJV

See last year's post: 

On the third day, Sunday, around the break of dawn, the earth shook around Jesus' tomb, just as it had when He gave up His last breath on Friday. The soldiers standing guard at the tomb awoke to see the large rock rolled away from the tomb opening and there was no one inside. They ran to tell the priests.

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Please join me during this Holy Week in praising our Lord and Savior, and thanking Him and our Father for the sacrifice they endured for each and every one of us.

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe

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Pinterest Prayer Group #7thHourPrayerPower

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#7thHourPrayerPower #BibleVerses #bible #ResurrectionSunday #Easter #sacrifice #Passover #communion #NewCovenant #MessianicCovenant

The New Covenant

 

When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. Then He said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”

Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you. 

Luke 22:14-20 NKJV

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Please join me during this Holy Week in praising our Lord and Savior, and thanking Him and our Father for the sacrifice they endured for each and every one of us.

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe

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Pinterest Prayer Group #7thHourPrayerPower

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Prophesy of Caiaphas

 

I never caught this before and found it interesting that God used Caiaphas to prophesy about the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus. The unblemished Lamb Who died so that we could live.

Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him. But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, “What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation.” And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish.” Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad. Then, from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death.
John 11:45-53 ESV

It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it would be expedient that one man should die for the people.
John 18:14 ESV

David Guzik* wrote:

...This unknowing prophecy of Caiaphas is recorded in John 11:49-53. Without knowing, Caiaphas spoke the truth that it was good for Jesus to die for the people.
i. In that unknowing prophecy Caiaphas spoke logically (the good of the many outweigh the good of the one) but not morally (it was wrong to put an innocent Man, God’s Messiah, to death).
ii. One reason John reminds us of what Caiaphas said in John 11:49-52 is to show that the judgment against Jesus was already decided. It would not be a fair trial. “Jesus might expect little from such a judge. Here was no idealist ready to see that justice was done, but a cynical politician who had already spoken in favor of Jesus’ death.” (Morris)

* Guzik, David (2018). Enduring Word. Bible commentary app.

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See last year's three posts about what transpired on Good Friday:

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Please join me during this Holy Week in praising our Lord and Savior, and thanking Him and our Father for the sacrifice they endured for each and every one of us.

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe

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Your will, not mine

 

I thought I was finished with the donkey-related posts, but this came to me this morning in between hitting the snooze button: Jesus rode into Jerusalem on what we call the 'beast of burden' at a time when His own burden must have been overwhelming!

     How often do we feel the burden that God has given us to do for Him and tried to excuse our way out of it? When Jesus prayed “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me;..." He also said, "nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39 ESV).

     Our burdens are laughingly small compared to Jesus' yet we still make excuses, procrastinate, and sometimes don't even do what God has asked of us. Next time I start to tell God, "I can't" or "Later", I'm going to remember that Jesus said, "Your will, not Mine," and I'm going to respond, "Your will, not mine."

     Praise be to God for making a way for sinners like me!

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Today is Maundy-Thursday. See last year's post for the significance of this day...

"Maundy"  is Latin for "command" and is associated with the command that Jesus gave His disciples at the Last Supper to love others as He loved them...

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Please join me during this Holy Week in praising our Lord and Savior, and thanking Him and our Father for the sacrifice they endured for each and every one of us.

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe

Instagram @7DegreesOfMe <--- recently changed
Pinterest Prayer Group #7thHourPrayerPower

Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

#7thHourPrayerPower #BibleVerses #bible #ResurrectionSunday #Easter #colt #mare #donkey #symbolism #peace #sacrifice

A symbol of the New Covenant

 

John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible (1746-1763):
"The ancient allegorical sense of the ass and colt is not to be despised: that the ass may signify the Jews, who had been used to bear the burdensome rites and ceremonies of the law; and the colt, the wild and untamed Gentiles, and the coming of Christ, first to the one, and then to the other:..."

Johann Albrecht Bengel's Gnomon (1734?):
"The colt had never carried any one before. Jesus had never been carried before by any animal, except perhaps at a very tender age. He took the mother from the village for a short way."

The Pulpit Commentary (Nineteenth Century):
"...the ass represents the Jewish people, which had long borne the yoke of the Law; the colt adumbrates the Gentiles, as yet unbroken," whereon never man sat." Christ called them both, Jew and Gentile, by his apostles. Loose them, and bring them unto me. He speaks with authority, as One able to make a requisition and command obedience."

All of these commentators are from long ago and I haven't included the ones that disagree with the above symbolism. So just take it all with a grain of salt. I haven't found any present-day commentators who have backed up these ideas.

The mare and the colt can be tied to Genesis Chapter 49 when Jacob blessed each of his sons before dying. To Judah, he said (vv. 10-15) ...

10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah,

nor the ruler's staff from between his feet,

until tribute comes to him;

and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.

11 Binding his foal to the vine

and his donkey's colt to the choice vine,

he has washed his garments in wine

and his vesture in the blood of grape

14 “Issachar is a strong donkey,

crouching between the sheepfolds.*

15 He saw that a resting place was good,

and that the land was pleasant,

so he bowed his shoulder to bear,

and became a servant at forced labor.

* or saddlebags

I'm going to wrap up the discussion on the colt because it's clear that I could spend at least all week on it, but at this point, it's getting more and more complicated as I dig so deep that I'm in over my head.
     I did want to point out how movies of biblical events can mess with our recollection of what the Bible truly says. When I started this investigation into the donkey, I thought, AHA! Jesus rode the donkey into Jerusalem, presenting Himself as the Messiah, facing His sacrificial death, just like Isaac rode on a donkey as Abraham took them to where he would sacrifice his only son, and just like Mary rode on a donkey as she entered Bethlehem where Jesus became flesh. BUT, the Bible doesn't say any of that. Abraham prepared a donkey for the journey, but it doesn't say that Isaac rode it. And the Bible doesn't say anything about Mary riding a donkey on her journey to Bethlehem. For all we know, she and Joseph walked the whole way. I only share this to caution everyone to always return to scripture instead of taking for granted what we think we know.
     I hope you've enjoyed this glimpse into an often overlooked but significant creature of Holy Week. Join me in continuing prayers of praise and thankfulness to our Lord and Savior, the King above all Kings.

See last year's post for what the significance of today...

On Wednesday before His death, Christ was in the temple. The chief priests and elders question Him as to His authority and He puts a question back to them that they can't answer that basically questions their authority...

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Please join me during this Holy Week in praising our Lord and Savior, and thanking Him and our Father for the sacrifice they endured for each and every one of us.

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe

Instagram @7DegreesOfMe <--- recently changed
Pinterest Prayer Group #7thHourPrayerPower

Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

#7thHourPrayerPower #BibleVerses #bible #ResurrectionSunday #Easter #colt #mare #donkey #symbolism #peace #sacrifice

A symbol of peace

 

The donkey is a symbol of royalty. Riding a donkey into the city is something that a King would do after winning a battle, symbolizing a restoration of peace. By riding a donkey the King was illustrating that there were no more enemies to fight, that it was safe. However, Jesus did this before the battle was won. He knew what was about to happen to Him and so this triumphal entry into the city actually symbolized His humility. It illustrated that He was coming to face His enemies, but that He was not going to fight them.

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!

Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!

Behold, your king is coming to you;

righteous and having salvation is he,

humble and mounted on a donkey,

on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Zechariah 9:9
(Compare to yesterday's bible verse from Matthew).

Believe it or not, there's even more to unpack about this, so we'll continue tomorrow.

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Please join me during this Holy Week in praising our Lord and Savior, and thanking Him and our Father for the sacrifice they endured for each and every one of us.

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe

Instagram @7DegreesOfMe <--- recently changed
Pinterest Prayer Group #7thHourPrayerPower

Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

#7thHourPrayerPower #BibleVerses #bible #ResurrectionSunday #Easter #colt #mare #donkey #symbolism #peace #sacrifice

The mare and the colt

 

Until I was introduced to commentaries, I didn't really understand the bible to be one cohesive book. I honestly thought that each writer wrote their book and at some point, a group of religious leaders chose which ones to include and which ones to omit, all devoid of any grand plan.
     Thankfully, I'm alive during a time of endless biblical resources and can now better understand the truth of scripture. It is one book. Each chapter, every single word was written with divine inspiration from our Heavenly Father.
     Scripture explains and supports scripture. The symbolism and foreshadowing are ever-present throughout and it gives me goosebumps when I realize the words written hundreds of years before the birth of our Lord and Savior are brought to fruition in the New Testament.
     Take, for example, the colt that Jesus rode into Jerusalem.
Mathew 21:1-5 (ESV) says:

Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying,

“Say to the daughter of Zion,

‘Behold, your king is coming to you,

humble, and mounted on a donkey,

on a colt,

the foal of a beast of burden.’”

Before Jesus got to Jerusalem, He knew where the colt would be and He knew the conversation that would take place.
     In Matthew, he notes the mare as well as the colt. John MacArthur states in his commentary that maybe the mare was brought along to "induce the colt to cooperate." He also writes that Jesus rode only the colt, that the "them" in verse 5 was referring to the coats, not both donkeys (which makes a lot more sense.)
     I have a lot more to share about this, so we'll continue tomorrow.

See last year's post: 

Resurrection Sunday versus Easter

*MacArthur, John (1997). The MacArthur Study Bible, New King James version.
     Thomas Nelson, Inc. Nashville, TN.

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Please join me during this Holy Week in praising our Lord and Savior, and thanking Him and our Father for the sacrifice they endured for each and every one of us.

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe

Instagram @7DegreesOfMe <--- recently changed
Pinterest Prayer Group #7thHourPrayerPower

Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

#7thHourPrayerPower #BibleVerses #bible #ResurrectionSunday #Easter #colt #mare #donkey #symbolism #peace #sacrifice

 

Resurrection Sunday versus Easter

This is what’s on my mind, and I am to the point where I have to plead my case to friends, family, and brothers and sisters in Christ. It grieves my heart every year to see the word Easter plastered on our churches, in our literature and advertisements, and used so freely in relation to the resurrection of Christ. It is a day believers should remember, and acknowledge the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus, and be referred to as Resurrection Sunday.
     Easter comes from the word Eostre, which was a pagan fertility goddess from ancient England, celebrated in a spring month known to them as Eosturmonath. All of the trappings that go along with the word Easter such as bunnies and colored eggs and other symbolism are obviously related to pagan fertility worship. Blending it into a Christian festival in my mind is blasphemous and a big part of what’s wrong in modern Christendom today. Especially in this country. 
     Our churches (not all of them I must say) have become worldly, and compromise the truth of scripture. Statistically, the divorce rate, live-in couples, etc, are just as high in the church as on the outside. Biblical illiteracy is at a staggering rate inside the church. We as believers are called to be a peculiar people 1 Peter 2:9 KJV, His own special people NKJV. Romans 12:2 tells us “do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Matthew 5:13-14 reminds us to be salt and light in the world. Salt is a preserving agent, light dispels darkness. Shame on us. 
     We are to be “ambassadors for Christ” 2 Corinthians 5:20. Christ calls us to “take up our cross and follow Him.” Have we lost sight of what that means? 1Peter 4:17 For the time has come for judgment to begin with God’s household, and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who disobey the gospel of God? (Just for clarity, not condemnation of believers, but the purging, chastening, and purifying of the church). There are people all around us lost and without hope. They need to see a people separated from the world, that have something they don’t. But what are they seeing within the church today? Not much difference. What do we have that they don’t? Or maybe I should say, what do they have that we don’t? Jehovahs Witnesses are a cult and don’t worship the God of the Bible. But somehow they get it.
With all my heart. In Christ.
Donnie Young*

*This is a guest post by my husband. 

Good Friday

     We've been talking and praying about those with a terminal illness this week; how difficult it is knowing that death is near for both the person and his/her family and friends. But, we're also able to focus on the hope of eternal life because Jesus gave His life that we may live.
     Can you imagine being 33 years old and knowing the hour that you will begin a horrible night of torture and ultimately be crucified by the very people you came to save? Can you imagine the pain and suffering? Can you imagine His mother, Mary, watching all of this, praying that He be spared but knowing that being crucified was the reason He was born to her?

He went a little farther and fell on His face, 

and prayed, saying, 

“O My Father, if it is possible, 

let this cup pass from Me; 

nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”

Matthew 26:39 NKJV

And then, can you imagine His love for all of us?

Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, 

for they do not know what they do.”

And they divided His garments and cast lots.

Luke 23:34 NKJV

     On this Good Friday, join me in a prayer of thankfulness for what Jesus has done; that we can have hope and peace in knowing that our sins are forgiven and that this world is only a means of getting to our forever life with Him.

Follow through Jesus' Day:
At daybreak
Crucified
Jesus saves, even as He is dying
Jesus dies

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Let's pray for someone we know who is facing a potentially terminal illness. I'll post daily reminders on:
twitter @7DegreesOfMe
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facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

Jesus and the Easter Bunny

This was too cute not to share. Apparently, I'm not the only one who's confused about how the Easter Bunny reconciles with the Resurrection. This little girl has given it a lot of thought.

Video found on youtube

Jesus has Risen

Mark 16:1-7 (NIV) Jesus Has Risen

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”
But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.
“Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him, just as He told you.’”

Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!

Good Friday - Jesus Dies

Luke 23:44-47 (NIV)
It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, 
for the sun stopped shining. 
And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 
Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”
When he had said this, he breathed his last.
The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous Man.”

Good Friday - Man Saved During Crucifixion

Luke 23:39-43 (NIV)

One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t You the Messiah? Save Yourself and us!”
But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this Man has done nothing wrong.”
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”
Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in paradise.”

Good Friday - Jesus is Crucified

Luke 23:32-34 (NIV)

Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with Him to be executed. 

When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified Him there, along with the criminals—one on His right, the other on His left. 

Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” 

And they divided up His clothes by casting lots.

This fulfilled the Prophesies of Psalm 22:18 and Isaiah 53:12

Good Friday at Daybreak

Luke 22:66-71 (NIV)
 At daybreak the council of the elders of the people, both the chief priests and the teachers of the law, met together, and Jesus was led before them. 
“If You are the Messiah,” they said, “tell us.”

Jesus answered, “If I tell you, you will not believe me, and if I asked you, you would not answer. 
But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God.”
They all asked, “Are You then the Son of God?”
He replied, “You say that I am.”
Then they said, “Why do we need any more testimony? We have heard it from His own lips.”

Maundy Thursday

Maundy Thursday is the Thursday before Easter and commemorates The Last Supper when Jesus celebrated Passover with His disciples. Before the meal, He washed the feet of His disciples to teach us humility, and that we are to serve others.

John 13:15-17 (NIV)
"I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them."

Leonardo DaVinci "The Last Supper"

Afterwards, He broke bread and shared wine with them. This is Communion which is celebrated in churches to honor Him and what He did for us.

Luke 22:19-20 (NIV)
"And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same way, after the supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you."

Afterward, when Jesus was praying in the garden, He was arrested.

Daily Bible Verse Luke 22:47-48, 52-54

Luke 22:47-48, 52-54 (NIV) Jesus Arrested
47-48

While He was still speaking a crowd came up, 

and the man who was called Judas, 

one of the Twelve, was leading them. 

He approached Jesus to kiss Him, 

but Jesus asked him, 

“Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”

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52-54

Then Jesus said to the chief priests, 

the officers of the temple guard, and the elders, 

who had come for him, 

“Am I leading a rebellion, 

that you have come with swords and clubs? 

Every day I was with you in the temple courts, 

and you did not lay a hand on me. 

But this is your hour—when darkness reigns.”

Then seizing Him, they led Him away 

and took Him into the house of the high priest. 

Peter followed at a distance.

Daily Bible Verse John 12:27-33

John 12:27-33 (NIV)

“Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? 

‘Father, save Me from this hour’? 

No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. 

Father, glorify Your name!”

Then a voice came from heaven, 

“I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” 

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 Mine. 

Now is the time for judgment on this world; 

now the prince of this world will be driven out. 

And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, 

will draw all people to Myself.” 

He said this to show the kind of death He was going to die.

Daily Bible Verse John 12:23-26

John 12:23-26 (NIV)

Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the 

Son of Man to be glorified. 

Very truly I tell you, 

unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, 

it remains only a single seed. 

But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 

Anyone who loves their life will lose it, 

while anyone who hates their life in this world 

will keep it for eternal life. 

Whoever serves Me must follow Me; 

and where I am, 

My servant also will be. 

My Father will honor the one who serves Me.

Daily Bible Verse Matthew 21:1-5

Matthew 21:1-5 (NIV)

 As they approached Jerusalem and 

came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, 

Jesus sent two disciples, 

saying to them, 

“Go to the village ahead of you, 

and at once you will find a donkey tied there, 

with her colt by her. 

Untie them and bring them to me. 

If anyone says anything to you, 

say that the Lord needs them, and 

He will send them right away.”

This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:

“Say to Daughter Zion,

    ‘See, your king comes to you,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
    and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”

See Zechariah 9:9