Category Archives: Kingdom

Going to Pay the Bride’s Price-Palm Sunday

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Palm Sunday has been labeled many things, but paying the bride’s price may be new to you. I have connected this ride with David’s return after running from Absolom, so seeing this as a king riding into his domain is easy to grasp. Zachariah 9: 9-13 is just one of the verses that foretell this ride. I would like to add this as another thing from Hebrew tradition that Jesus was fulfilling. Hebrew wedding traditions are sprinkled throughout the Bible but never listed, see The Ten Virgins post.

The Father picks the bride for His Son and the Bride’s Price is agreed upon. The Groom then goes to the home of His future wife and pays the price. This looked more like a parade than a busy deal and it was a very festive occasion. The Groom then leaves and returns to His Father and waits. The Groom’s Father decides when His Son returns and receives His Bride so the marriage feast may begin. (Does any of this sound familiar?)

While the Son/Groom is waiting to return for His wife He is busy. Future accommodations must be made ready. There are presents to be sent to the future Bride (Pentecost) and she must make herself beautiful and always be ready for the Groom’s return. Cleaning the house was important, like removing the yeast during Passover, Jesus cleaned the Temple and put an end to the unproductive fig tree.

Gold and jewels are mentioned as part of the adornment, sounds like Heaven to me. No one but the Father of the Groom knows when He is going to return to claim His wife. Before the return, a wedding feast must be prepared, and guests have to be invited.

To lend some stories and parables to back my thought up, I will use the Book of Matthew. Chapter 19 has Jesus leaving Galilee and going to the east bank of the Jordan River. There He is questioned about marriage and divorce. This was laying the groundwork for the disciples. Tuesday of Holy Week finds Jesus, first on the Temple Mount being challenged again about marriage and divorce by the leaders of Jerusalem. Chapter 22 is a parable about a wedding feast. As He is leaving to go to the second mount, the Mount of Olives, He prophesies about the Temple and its destruction. While on the Mount of Olives, He gives a second parable about marriage and being ready for the Groom’s return. Tuesday was a busy day for Jesus.

The price Jesus paid for His Bride was His righteous, sinless life and His shed blood. Only those two things would allow Jesus to walk into Hell on Saturday and claim the keys to unlock us from the legal hold of Satan over our lives. The “Second Adam” carried His blood to the heavenly Mercy Seat and sprinkled it to fulfill the demands of the Frist Covenant.

May the grace of Jesus, the love of the Father, and the fellowship of the Spirit be with you as you go into the fields and make disciples and bring glory to God. So, this Palm Sunday, think of the price Jesus paid to include you as the Bride for His marriage feast.

Daughter Zion – Observations and Questions

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My study on Daughter Zion has pushed my “tent flaps” out and left me with a lot of questions because of my observations. This post is not going to answer many questions and there may not be a lot of question marks. To join me in this idea you have to know that I am trying to view this from the perspective of a holy righteous God.

Zion – This term has added several meanings since David captured the town he wanted to be his headquarters. It has grown to represent Jerusalem, the Hebrew people, and heaven itself. The town or at least the area is connected with Melchizedek, the priest of The Most High God that met Abraham with refreshments. The poetic nature of the prophets and our God has added the term Daughter of Jerusalem with it in several prophecies.

Daughter

The word daughter has been used hundreds of times in the Bible (NIV), especially in our Old Testament. The phrase “sons and daughters” makes up roughly half of those. Daughter Zion is used about thirty times (NIV). Daughter Jerusalem is used about six times; starting with Isaiah and going to Zachariah. Song of Solomon uses “daughters of Jerusalem” several times, but I think that is really a call to the women in the city.

This noun, this title, and the object of a father’s love have caused me to do a lot of reflection. To view Daughter Zion correctly you need to leave man’s emotions behind and see her through God’s eyes. The Father is very serious about His Daughter and has a plan for Her; unfortunately, She had other ideas.

Who/When – This will be very general.

  • David was the first to use the phrase, Daughter Zion.
  • God’s Girl next appears in Isaiah and Micah. The Assyrians are “messing” with His daughter, and She is losing focus.
  • Zephaniah is the next prophet to tell Her to sing (3:14). Assyria is the major enemy.
  • Jeremiah and his songs of Lamentations talk about Her many times. The Babylonians are the oppressors, but She has developed Her own problems.
  • Zechariah talks about Her three times. 9:9 is the last mention in the Old Testament, but Matthew and John repeat the promise in the New Testament.

Eve, Daughter Zion, Bride of the Lamb – Observations lead to questions, but answers require diligence and study. These three “women” came from a man and in Scripture are tied to him.

  • Eve came from Adam’s side and then the Father finished forming her.
  • Daughter Zion is a part of Israel that is associated with David.
  • The Bride of the Lamb is being formed because of the blood of Jesus. Why did I use Lamb and not Christ? Much to my surprise the “bride of Christ” is not in Scripture. Revelations 19:6-9 and 22:17 does have the Lamb getting married. This is a “mystery” but given the number of “marriage” parables Jesus used in explaining His Kingdom, it should not be a surprise.

Yes, I have questions from comparing these three “women” but more study is required. Eve and Daughter Zion were/are important, both made mistakes and also had promises given to them. O Church of Jesus, who will be the Bride of the Lamb, we do not want to make their mistakes.

General Observations about Daughter Zion

  1. She is associated with mounts, gates, walls, and other structures. So, on one level, She is a city.
  2. She starts off well.
  3. Micah and Jeremiah have Her in trouble with Babylon dragging Her away.
  4. Zechariah promises a comeback because the Messiah will return to Her.
  5. Daughter ________ is a term that has held some surprises. (See the first post.) Some enemies have been giving that term! With that said, I believe that Daughter Zion is a term of affection and shows the depth of love that the Father has for His daughter(s).

Your Turn – There was a Daughter Babylon, a Daughter Judah, a Daughter Jerusalem, and a Daughter Zion; why was there no daughter Samaria?

Bible 911 Luke

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This edition of Bible 911 is from Luke and is found in the story of the feeding of the five thousand. Why would Jesus feed 5,000 people and then feed 4,000 more soon after that? How does this miracle fit into the Kingdom timeline of Jesus heading to Passover? What does each Gospel add to the narrative to form a “big picture”? Whom did Jesus want to perform this miracle?

A Little Background

Luke was a Greek doctor that was known as a traveling companion of Paul. He wrote the Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts for a person known as Theophilus. Since “most excellent Theophilus” means “strongest God friend” I have to wonder if that was a play on words or some hidden meaning. In Luke 1:1-3 he makes it clear that he has done a lot of research and feels he should write an account of what he knows. It seems that Luke follows the basic timeline in Matthew and Mark but puts events and stories together differently to achieve a smooth tale for Theophilus.

Luke is the only writer to include the narrative about the 72 disciples who were sent out. I think because of this, a tradition was started that he was part of those 72 disciples. We do not know this as a fact.    

Feeding the 5,000

Luke 9: 11 And the people, when they knew it, followed him: and he received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing. (KJV) Luke’s telling of this miracle starts in verse 10 and runs through verse 17. The story of feeding the 5, 000 is one of a few events that make it into all four Gospels. The stories are basically the same. They are found in Matthew 14, John 6, and Mark 6.

John adds about the little boy’s lunch (In my tradition, that is John Mark, his nephew.) People have picked Feeding to be one of the seven miracles that show Jesus as Lord. Really, John has more miracles than just seven, but this sign was given for a reason. I think it mirrors the feeding of Israel in the wilderness, something tradition said the Messiah had to do to prove Himself. It is possible that Jesus added the feeding of the 4,000 after He refused to give the Pharisees a sign, just because He was Jesus.

I wish to highlight that this period was part of Jesus’s final push before He went to Jerusalem to die. Luke 9:11 says that He welcomed the people, taught them about the Kingdom, and healed those who needed it. The pattern of teaching about the kingdom of God/Heaven and healing the sick is well established in the Gospels and Acts. It makes you wonder what happened.

This list is compiled from all four Gospels. It may be missing parts from your favorite telling, just include them for your study. In my long-running study of the Kingdom, I noticed that in Matthew, mentions of John the Baptist and blocks/levels of specific teaching on the Kingdom go hand-in-hand. Here are twelve events that are associated with the feeding of the 5,000 and His preparation for Jerusalem.     

  1.  The Twelve are sent out and John the Baptist is killed.
  2. Jesus is seeking quiet time and feeds 5,000+ people.
  3. Jesus walks on water.
  4. John 6:15 The Bread of Life.
  5. Questioned about clean and unclean practices, and His authority.
  6. The group goes to Tyre and the Decapolis for specific healings.
  7. 4,000+ are fed.
  8. Matthew 16:1 is a demand for a sign.
  9. Yeast of the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Herod.
  10. Peter’s confession and Jesus predicts His death.
  11. The Transfiguration for the inner circle, while talking to Moses and Elijah.
  12. 72 are sent out to prepare the way to go to Jerusalem.  

As Master Teacher, Jesus provided hands-on learning opportunities and evaluation experiences for His students. The Twelve being sent out filled both of these learning events. In Luke 9:13 it is clear that Jesus wanted them to feed the crowd, that is a master-level evaluation. The students did not pass that test. So, Jesus began a reteach by feeding the 5,000 and walking on water. (A miracle to rival opening the Red Sea.)

Jesus was preparing the Disciples for the “ride into Jerusalem” and Pentecost. (Remember, Judas Iscariot, was present for these events.) Jesus still had His time on the East Bank and then the trek to the Mount of Olives and His Sermons on the Two Mounts.

Observations, Questions, and Comments

  • What did Jesus do when the disciples were out on their missionary trips?  Search and see if you can find any clues.
  • Jesus did reach out to Gentiles during His trips to Tyre and the Decapolis. These stops foreshadowed the work the Disciples were charged with.
  • 5,000+ people eating without washing their hands, which must have aggravated the Pharisees.  
  • Jesus told the disciples many times that He was to die. Not sure they listened well.

These are two sites from a web search about events in all four Gospels. I am adding these for reference.

10 Events Seen in All 4 Gospels (whatchristianswanttoknow.com)

The Bible in a Year: Seven stories that all the same in all 4 Gospels (sylviabibleinayear.blogspot.com)

Shadow-Metaphor 

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Shadow as an idea or a real thing is used in the Bible and literature, especially poetry, as a metaphor. In Psalms, we may “hide (or rest) in the shadow of the Almighty” and know we are protected, or the Law and the earthly Ark are but shadows of better things (Hebrews). So, when you read passages and stories you have to read things in the context of what the writer is saying. 

Good or Bad 

Like knowledge or wine/grapes, a shadow may be a good thing or a bad thing. We can hide in the shadow of God’s wings, or someone can shoot arrows at us from the shadows (hiding). In the Lord of the Rings, Frodo was passing into the shadows or shadowland after he was stabbed. On a hot day, who does not like to sit in the shadow (shade) of a tree or umbrella?  

Luke 13:19 is the story of a mustard seed (Kingdom of God) growing into a tree and birds using its shade (shadow) to nest in. In this story, the shade is good because it represents the Kingdom, but those birds (usually a metaphor for bad things) are taking advantage of the Kingdom and raising things that will just use the Kingdom.  

The Ancients 

Moses, David, and Jesus (the Holy Spirit) all used shadow as a metaphor in their teachings and writings; it has been around for a very long time. (Use the sites below as a learning tool, I did. I just may not agree with everything they wrote.) I enjoy looking at the roots and early thoughts of words and ideas, it is how our “box” was formed so we can think outside of it. 

A shadow is a place of separation. It can separate light from dark and thus became a divider for good and evil. The shade also becomes a symbol of protection because of His hand, wings, or Himself. 

In the NIV shadow is used in forty-four verses, some things the KJV (60+ times) would call shadow, it uses darkness. Other translations have varying numbers of verses that use shadow. To be fair you might have to search shade or even cover to find verses that you want.  

WORD STUDY – THE SHADOW OF HIS WINGS – בצל כנפיכ | Chaim Bentorah  

Tselem: Being IMAGE bearers – Hebrew Word Lessons 

Fighting Words

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This post about fighting words is a spinning-off of the post War and Rumors. This is not a complete study of fighting words. These Greek words have different English words they are translated into like strife, quarrel, boxing, and others. I used the NIV, Mounce Reverse-Interlinear, Strong’s Concordance, and the KJV to do this study.

Logomachia-G3055-1 Timothy 6:3-5. Fighting about words. It is used only once in the Bible.

Agōnizomai-G75-John 18:36 and 1Timothy 6:12 (the first word). This refers to a person fighting in public.

Agōn-G73-1Timothy 6:12 (Second word), 2 Timothy 4:7. This refers to where the fight is occurring, like a stadium.

Machomai-G3164-James 4:2. To fight, quarrel, contend or dispute. It is used in Acts 7:26 and other verses.

Polemeō-G4170-James 4:2 and Revelation 2:16. To quarrel, fight, battle, or make war.

Pykteuō-G4438-1 Corinthians 9:26. To box, fight, or beat with your fist. The object of this is beating (derō) the air.

Strateia-G4752-2 Corinthians 10:4. Military service or campaign. This word is also in 1 Timothy 1:18. In most translations, it has two “war or fight” words, but in the Mounce Interlinear, it only has one. It could be read-look at the prophecies about you and have a good campaign. I do not envy translators.

Theomachos-G2314-Acts 5:39. Fighting or opposing God. Theomachos is used only once in the Bible.

James 4:1 also has words that describe fighting/quarreling and disputes. It is polemos-G4171. Again, different translations will give you different words. This word is also used for battle or war.

Linguistics (study of words) is not a simple academic field. Combine that with dogma and you have a difficult task, to say the least. Latin, Greek, Aramaic, and Hebrew may still be in use in one form or another, but I feel we do not understand how the original people used these words and phrases. My case-in-point is all of the musical terms and not-understood lines in the Hebrew text. If you really want to feel bad, wade into the tenses and break down of the ancient Greek text. Yes, these may be necessary but they are not for everyone.

I believe there is a good understanding and many faithful renderings of Scripture. It is distressing to see a modern Logomachia over Scripture. My prayer is that we do not extend this into a Theomachos over His plan and purpose for His Church. (They may have been used once in the New Testament but letters today would repeat them many times.)

As I pondered all of this, a strange comparison came into view. The original language that the New Testament was written in was Greek, not Latin. But it did not take long to convert Scripture and most religious writings into Latin. Greek was more for the common people and Latin was for knowledgeable people. Latin was favored by the learned- science, theology, and other subjects taught in universities. For what it is worth, the greatest thing the Reformers did was to translate the Bible out of a dying language to one that the people could understand.

The comparison and contrast I saw were the two trees in the Garden-one was for Knowledge and the other was for Life. Jesus’ teachings on the Kingdom, with miracles confirming His words, were new treasures given to bring life to hurting people. This is why the Pharisees and Sadducees opposed Him, Jesus’ teachings clarified and used Scripture in a way that went against their knowledge. (Of course, claiming to be the Son of Man also got under their knowledge-skin and dogma.)

The modern fighting over words is now with liberal, woke, post-modernist who are changing the God-given uses of words into something different, something anti-God.