La Obediencia a Dios es Fortaleza

Moisés subió a la montaña para recibir la Palabra de Dios, los Diez Mandamientos, de Dios, dos veces.

Moisés es un tipo de Jesús venidero, Quien trajo la Palabra de Dios del cielo a la tierra en Su primera venida.

Moisés recordó (Deuteronomio 9:9-17):

“Cuando subí al monte para recibir las tablas de piedra, las tablas del pacto que el Señor hizo con vosotros, permanecí en el monte cuarenta días y cuarenta noches; No comí pan ni bebí agua. 10 El Señor me dio las dos tablas de piedra escritas con el dedo de Dios; y sobre ellos estaban todas las palabras que Jehová había hablado con vosotros en el monte, de en medio del fuego, el día de la asamblea. 11 Aconteció que al cabo de cuarenta días y cuarenta noches el Señor me dio las dos tablas de piedra, las tablas del pacto. 12 Entonces el Señor me dijo: 'Levántate, desciende pronto de aquí, porque tu pueblo, que sacaste de Egipto, se ha comportado corruptamente. Rápidamente se han desviado del camino que les mandé; se han hecho una imagen de metal fundido. 13 También me dijo el Señor: He visto a este pueblo, y en verdad es un pueblo terco. 14 Déjame, para que los destruya y borre su nombre de debajo del cielo; y haré de vosotros una nación más poderosa y más grande que ellos.

15 “Entonces me volví y bajé del monte mientras el monte ardía en fuego, y las dos tablas del pacto estaban en mis dos manos. 16 Y vi que ciertamente habías pecado contra el Señor tu Dios. Os habíais hecho una imagen de metal fundido de un becerro; rápidamente te habías desviado del camino que el Señor te había mandado. 17 Entonces tomé las dos tablas, las arrojé de mis dos manos y las rompí en pedazos delante de vuestros ojos.

Dios Padre había dado la dirección para que se escribieran los Diez Mandamientos. Jesús, la Palabra (Juan 1:1) hizo realidad los Diez Mandamientos.

La Biblia afirma que Jesús es la Palabra. Juan 1:1—“En el principio era el Verbo (Jesús) y el Verbo (Jesús) estaba con Dios y el Verbo (Jesús) era Dios”. Jesús estaba con Dios Su Padre antes de que el mundo fuera creado. Él vino del cielo para mostrarle a la gente quién es Dios y para quitar los pecados del mundo (Juan 1:2).

El Espíritu Santo escribió los Mandamientos en tablas de piedra. Él es el “dedo de Dios” que trabaja en el ámbito físico (Génesis 1:2).

La gente al pie de la montaña, un tipo de gente en la tierra, pecó al adorar a un dios falso que ellos mismos habían creado. Esto provocó la destrucción de las tablas por parte de Moisés.

Las tablas también son un tipo de Jesús, el Verbo. Fueron destrozados por el pecado del pueblo. El pecado de la gente también provocó la muerte de Jesús en la cruz. Su cuerpo fue golpeado, azotado, golpeado hasta quedar irreconocible y luego lo crucificaron.

Las tabletas estaban divididas en dos pedazos. Jesús es tanto el Hijo del Hombre (carne) (Mateo 12:32) como el Hijo de Dios (Espíritu). (Lucas 10:22) Entregó su propia vida en la cruz (Juan 10:15); Su Espíritu se separó de Su carne mientras estaba en la cruz (Juan 19:30). En Su resurrección, después de tres días, Jesús resucitó de la tumba. Mucha gente lo vio y testificó de su resurrección (1 Corintios 15:6). Él es la única persona que morirá, resucitará y nunca más morirá (Juan 10:17).

Moisés también destruyó el ídolo, el becerro de oro. “Y tomé tu cosa pecaminosa que habías hecho, el becerro, y lo quemé en el fuego y lo trituré, moliéndolo hasta que quedó tan fino como polvo; y arrojé su polvo al arroyo que bajaba del monte” (Deuteronomio 9:21).

Este es un tipo de Jesús que destruye el pecado.

En la cruz, Jesús, un hombre que nunca había conocido el pecado, experimentó el castigo del pecado. Él tomó sobre sí mismo los pecados del mundo: adulterio, asesinato, engaño, robo, etc. “Al que no conoció pecado, por nosotros lo hizo pecado…” (2 Corintios 5:21) Luego, porque es el Hijo de Dios, purificó el pecado (Isaías 1:18) y lo arrojó de sí mismo (Salmo 103:12; Miqueas 7:19).

La pena del pecado es la muerte (Romanos 6:23). Jesús tomó sobre sí la ira de Dios como Salvador del mundo para que cualquiera que crea en Él no sufra la ira de Dios. Jesús murió en tu lugar. Aquel a quien el Hijo libera, es verdaderamente libre (Juan 8:36). Él está libre de pecado. Está libre de la ira de Dios. Sólo debes elegir creer en Jesús. Este es el don de Dios (Romanos 6:23).

Moisés volvió a subir a la montaña. Esta vez él mismo tuvo que tallar las tablas en piedra, pero Dios grabó en ellas los Diez Mandamientos.

“En aquel tiempo me dijo el Señor: Córtate dos tablas de piedra como las dos primeras, y sube a mí al monte, y hazte un arca de madera. 2 Entonces escribiré en las tablas las palabras que estaban en las primeras tablas que destrozaste, y las pondrás en el arca.' 3 Entonces hice un arca de madera de acacia y corté dos tablas de piedra como las las dos primeras, y subí al monte con las dos tablas en la mano. 4 Entonces escribió en las tablas, como la primera escritura, los Diez Mandamientos que el Señor os había hablado en el monte, de en medio del fuego, el día de la asamblea; y el Señor me los dio. 5 Entonces me volví y bajé del monte, y puse las tablas en el arca que había hecho; y allí están, tal como el Señor me mandó” (Deuteronomio 10:1-5).

Las dos tablillas han sido rehechas. Este es un tipo de la resurrección de Jesús, Quien es el Verbo. Moisés hizo el segundo conjunto porque Jesús mismo participó en la resurrección de su propio cuerpo. Dios Padre dio la dirección (Gálatas 1:1), el Señor Jesús (la Palabra) le habló a Su cuerpo para “¡Levántate!” (Juan 2:19) y el Espíritu Santo resucitó a Jesús de la tumba (Romanos 8:11).

Moisés recibió instrucciones de colocar el juego de tablas, la Palabra de Dios, dentro del arca. Quedaron ocultos a la vista. El arca es un tipo de Jesús sobre Su trono en el cielo. Mucha gente vio a Jesús ascender a las nubes. Como salió, así volverá (Hechos 1:9-11).

Cada vez que Moisés subió al encuentro de Dios, era como Jesús, intercediendo y orando por su pueblo. La cima del monte ardió pero Moisés no fue quemado. La cima de la montaña es un tipo del trono de Dios Padre. El fuego es un símbolo de pureza. El cielo y Dios son puros, sin pecado. Nadie que tenga pecado puede entrar. Jesús es sin pecado; por lo tanto, sólo aquellos que reciben a Jesús, con sus pecados purificados por Su sangre, pueden entrar al cielo y a la presencia de Dios. La sangre de Jesús rociada sobre el creyente es testimonio de que pertenece a Jesús y a Dios.

Dios le dio más instrucciones a Moisés con respecto a Su pueblo, las 12 tribus de Israel:

“En aquel tiempo el Señor escogió a la tribu de Leví para llevar el arca del pacto del Señor, para estar delante del Señor para servirle y bendecir en su nombre, hasta el día de hoy” (Deuteronomio 10:8).

La Palabra está escondida en el arca. Jesús está escondido en el cielo. Los levitas, la tribu de los sacerdotes, reciben instrucciones de llevar el arca del pacto. Son un tipo de la iglesia, un reino de sacerdotes (Apocalipsis 5:10), que deben llevar el Evangelio, Jesús y las noticias del Nuevo Pacto hasta los confines del mundo. Mientras caminan, los creyentes deben ministrar y dar bendiciones en el nombre de Jesús.

¿Cómo lleva un creyente al salvador resucitado? Dentro de sí mismo. El Espíritu Santo fue dado a los hombres después de la ascensión del Señor Jesús. El Espíritu Santo es Dios que vive dentro del hombre.

¿Cómo vive el Espíritu de Dios dentro de un creyente? El Espíritu Santo es el Espíritu de Jesús que vive dentro del espíritu humano que tiene cada persona. Lo llena, dándole vida, del mismo modo que un globo se puede llenar de aire. El Espíritu Santo hace esta obra cuando una persona llega a creer en Jesús como su Salvador. El Espíritu Santo da a los creyentes el poder para vencer el mal. Esta es la obra continua del Espíritu Santo en la vida de un creyente.

Después de que Moisés quemó y molió el ídolo, vertió su polvo en el agua que bajaba de la montaña. El agua es un tipo del Espíritu Santo que desciende del cielo después de que Jesús murió y resucitó de la tumba.

El Espíritu Santo descendió del cielo como llama de fuego sobre los primeros creyentes. El fuego es un símbolo de la pureza de Dios. Dios ayuda a los creyentes a permanecer libres de pecado (Hechos 2:1-4). El Espíritu Santo es la herramienta en la caja de herramientas que mantendrá a un hombre o una mujer fuera de prisión, de drogas y libre de vivir en pecado. Sin Su poder interior, el hombre volverá a sus caminos pecaminosos. Un hombre volverá a prisión. Así como el agua (el Espíritu Santo) se llevó el polvo, así el Espíritu Santo quita el pecado del arrepentimiento.

El arca del pacto, el Señor Jesús, reaparecerá.

“Entonces el séptimo ángel tocó la trompeta; y hubo grandes voces en el cielo, que decían: El reino del mundo ha venido a ser reino de nuestro Señor y de su Cristo; y él reinará por los siglos de los siglos. 16 Y los veinticuatro ancianos, que estaban sentados en sus tronos delante de Dios, se postraron sobre sus rostros y adoraron a Dios, 17 diciendo:

“Te damos gracias, Señor Dios Todopoderoso, el que eres y el que eras, porque has tomado tu gran poder y has comenzado a reinar. 18 Y se enojaron las naciones, y vino tu ira, y llegó el tiempo de juzgar a los muertos, y el tiempo de recompensar a tus siervos los profetas y los santos y los que temen tu nombre, los pequeños y los grandes, y destruir a los que destruyen la tierra.'

19 Y fue abierto el templo de Dios que está en el cielo; y apareció el arca de su pacto en su templo, y hubo relámpagos, y voces y truenos, y un terremoto, y una gran granizada” (Apocalipsis 11:15-19).

El cielo se abrirá y Jesús regresará. Vendrá con ira contra el pecado y los enemigos. Llegará para recompensar a los creyentes. Él llamará a los cuerpos de los santos de la tierra y de los mares para que sean como Él.

El Señor Jesús es la Palabra de Dios. Su Palabra es ley. Su ley es el amor. Él gobernará el mundo por su ley. Su pueblo, los creyentes glorificados, gobernarán con Él (Apocalipsis 20:4). El reino del mundo será el Reino del Señor. Él reinará por los siglos de los siglos.

Las tablas de la Ley, los Diez Mandamientos, fueron dadas por Dios por amor a su pueblo. Eran directivas sobre cómo vivir según el camino de Dios, evitando el pecado. La paga del pecado es la muerte. Dios es vida. De la misma manera, Dios, por su gran amor al hombre, envió a su único Hijo, Jesús, para que todo el mundo fuera salvo y tuviera vida, no ahora, sino para siempre. (Juan 3:16).

Amar a Dios y la obediencia a Él van de la mano. Jesús demostró esto en Su obediencia al ir a la cruz y ser ejecutado. Le preguntó a su Padre tres veces si se podía evitar la cruz. Pero también aceptó someterse a la voluntad de Su Padre tres veces. “No se haga mi voluntad sino la tuya” (Mateo 26:39). Jesús soportó tormento físico, muerte y tormento espiritual cuando tomó sobre sí la ira de Dios.

Una vez más, la obediencia y el amor van de la mano.

Moisés habló a los israelitas: “Amarás, pues, a Jehová tu Dios, y guardarás siempre sus directivas, sus estatutos, sus ordenanzas y sus mandamientos” (Deuteronomio 11:1).

La obediencia a Dios es fortaleza.

“Guardarás, pues, todos los mandamientos que yo te mando hoy, para que seas fuerte y entres y tomes posesión de la tierra a la cual vas a pasar para poseerla” (Deuteronomio 11:8).

La obediencia a Dios es bendición.

“Y sucederá que, si oyeres obedientemente mis mandamientos que te mando hoy, para que ames al Señor tu Dios y le sirvas con todo tu corazón y con toda tu alma, 14 él hará que llueva sobre tu tierra en su estación, la lluvia temprana y la tardía, para que recojas tu grano, tu vino nuevo y tu aceite. 15 Él también proporcionará pasto en tu campo para tu ganado, y comerás y te saciarás” (Deuteronomio 11:13-15).

Hay una opción. Obediencia y bendición o desobediencia y maldición.

“Mira, hoy pongo delante de ti una bendición y una maldición: 27 la bendición, si escuchas los mandamientos del Señor tu Dios que yo te mando hoy; 28 y la maldición, si no escucháis los mandamientos de Jehová vuestro Dios, sino que os apartáis del camino que yo os mando hoy, siguiendo a dioses ajenos que no habéis conocido” (Deuteronomio 11:26-28) .

La obediencia a Dios incluye adorar sólo al único Dios verdadero. Yahvé. El Nombre de Su Hijo, Jesús, significa "Yahweh es Salvación".

Jesús se convirtió en maldición para que ningún hombre tuviera que ser maldecido y experimentar la ira de Dios. (Gálatas 3:13)

¿Cómo puedes evitar la ira de Dios? Huye de ello. Arrepiéntete del pecado. Moisés advirtió sobre el pecado y su castigo. Juan el Bautista advirtió sobre el juicio venidero y la necesidad del arrepentimiento.

“Su aventador está en su mano, y limpiará completamente su era; y recogerá su trigo en el granero, pero quemará la paja en fuego que nunca se apagará” (Mateo 3:12).

Jesús mismo advirtió: “Pero si aquel siervo dice en su corazón: Mi señor tardará en venir, y comienza a golpear a los demás siervos, tanto a hombres como a mujeres, y a comer y a beber y a emborracharse; vendrá el señor de aquel siervo el día que no espera y a la hora que no sabe, lo despedazará y le pondrá lugar con los incrédulos” (Lucas 12:45-46).

Los dos juegos de tablas tenían escritos los mismos mandamientos de obediencia: los Diez Mandamientos (Éxodo 24:12).

(Éxodo 20:3-17) Mantenga a Dios en primer lugar. No adoréis a nada más que a Dios. No tomes el nombre de Dios en vano. Santificar el día de reposo. Honra a tu padre y a tu madre. No asesinar. No cometas adulterio. No robes. No des falso testimonio contra un prójimo. No codicies nada que sea del prójimo.

Jesús los resumió de esta manera: “’Amarás al Señor tu Dios con todo tu corazón, y con toda tu alma, y con toda tu mente’. 38 Este es el mandamiento grande y principal. 39 El segundo es semejante: Amarás a tu prójimo como a ti mismo. De estos dos mandamientos depende toda la Ley y los Profetas” (Mateo 22:37-40).

Estos mandamientos no han cambiado. Dios no ha cambiado (Hebreos 13:8).

El amor de Dios envió a su único Hijo hace 2.000 años para salvar a muchos. El amor de Dios lo enviará nuevamente. Dios es bueno. Sólo se debe adorar a Jesús. Ningún otro vendrá a salvarte. “Todo aquel que invoque el nombre del Señor [Jesús] será salvo” (Hechos 2:21).

(C) Kelly Jadon, 2023

JESUS SERÁ UNGIDO EN LA SEGUNDA VENIDA

Obedience to God is Strength

Moses went up the mountain to receive the Word of God, the Ten Commandments, from God—twice.

Moses is a type of Jesus to come, Who brought the Word of God from heaven to earth at His first coming.

Moses remembered (Deuteronomy 9:9-17) :

“When I went up to the mountain to receive the tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant which the Lord made with you, then I remained on the mountain for forty days and nights; I neither ate bread nor drank water. 10 The Lord gave me the two tablets of stone written by the finger of God; and on them were all the words which the Lord had spoken with you at the mountain from the midst of the fire on the day of the assembly. 11 It came about at the end of forty days and nights that the Lord gave me the two tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant. 12 Then the Lord said to me, ‘Arise, go down from here quickly, because your people, whom you brought out of Egypt, have behaved corruptly. They have quickly turned aside from the way that I commanded them; they have made a cast metal image for themselves.’ 13 The Lord also said to me, ‘I have seen this people, and indeed, it is a stubborn people. 14 Leave Me alone, that I may destroy them and wipe out their name from under heaven; and I will make of you a nation mightier and greater than they.’

15 “So I turned and came down from the mountain while the mountain was burning with fire, and the two tablets of the covenant were in my two hands. 16 And I saw that you had indeed sinned against the Lord your God. You had made for yourselves a cast metal image of a calf; you had quickly turned aside from the way that the Lord had commanded you. 17 So I took hold of the two tablets and threw them from my two hands, and smashed them to pieces before your eyes!”

God the Father had given the direction for the Ten Commandments to be written. Jesus, the Word (John 1:1) spoke the Ten Commandments into being.

The Bible states that Jesus is the Word.  John 1:1—“In the beginning was the Word (Jesus) and the Word (Jesus) was with God and the Word (Jesus) was God.” Jesus was with God His Father before the world was created. He came from heaven to show people Who God is and to take away the sins of the world (John 1:2). 

The Holy Spirit wrote the Commandments upon the tablets of stone. He is the “finger of God” who works in the physical realm (Genesis 1:2).

The people at the foot of the mountain, a type of people on the earth, sinned by worshiping a false god of their own making. This brought about the destruction of the tablets by Moses.

The tablets too are a type of Jesus, the Word. They were smashed because of the sin of the people. The sin of people brought about the death of Jesus upon the cross as well. His body was punched, whipped, beaten beyond recognition and then they crucified Him.

The tablets were in two pieces. Jesus is both the Son of Man (flesh) (Matthew 12:32) and the Son of God (Spirit). (Luke 10:22) He gave up His own life on the cross (John 10:15); His Spirit became separate from His flesh while on the cross (John 19:30). At His resurrection, after three days, Jesus was raised from the grave. Many people saw Him and testified to His resurrection (1Corinthians 15:6). He is the only person to die, be resurrected and never die again (John 10:17).

Moses also destroyed the idol, the golden calf. “And I took your sinful thing which you had made, the calf, and burned it in the fire and crushed it, grinding it thoroughly until it was as fine as dust; and I threw its dust into the stream that came down from the mountain” (Deuteronomy 9:21).

This is a type of Jesus destroying sin.

On the cross, Jesus, a man who had never known sin, experienced the penalty of sin. He took the sins of the world—adultery, murder, deceit, theft, etc…upon Himself. “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin in our behalf…” (2Corinthians 5:21) Then, because He is the Son of God, He purified the sin (Isaiah 1:18) and cast it away from Himself (Psalm 103:12; Micah 7:19).

The penalty of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Jesus took the wrath of God upon Himself as the Savior of the world so that anyone who believes in Him will not undergo God’s wrath. Jesus died in your place. He Who the Son sets free is free indeed (John 8:36). He is free of sin. He is free of God’s wrath. You must only choose to believe in Jesus. This is the gift of God (Romans 6:23).

Moses went up the mountain again. This time he himself had to carve the tablets out of stone, but God engraved the Ten Commandments upon them.

“At that time the Lord said to me, ‘Cut out for yourself two tablets of stone like the first two, and come up to Me on the mountain, and make an ark of wood for yourself. 2 Then I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets which you smashed to pieces, and you shall put them in the ark.’ 3 So I made an ark of acacia wood and cut out two tablets of stone like the first two, and I went up on the mountain with the two tablets in my hand. 4 Then He wrote on the tablets, like the first writing, the Ten Commandments which the Lord had spoken to you on the mountain from the midst of the fire on the day of the assembly; and the Lord gave them to me. 5 Then I turned and came down from the mountain, and I put the tablets in the ark which I had made; and they are there, just as the Lord commanded me” (Deuteronomy 10:1-5).

The two tablets have been remade. This is a type of the resurrection of Jesus, Who is the Word. Moses made the second set because Jesus Himself participated in the resurrection of His own body. God the Father gave the direction (Galatians 1:1), Lord Jesus (the Word) spoke to His body to “Get up!” (John 2:19) and the Holy Spirit raised Jesus from the grave (Romans 8:11).

Moses was instructed to place the set of tablets, the Word of God, within the ark. They became hidden from view. The ark is a type of Jesus upon His throne in heaven. Many people saw Jesus ascend into the clouds. As He left, so He will return (Acts 1:9-11).

Each time Moses went up to meet God, he was as Jesus, interceding and praying for His people. The mountaintop burned but Moses did not get burned. The mountaintop is a type of God the Father’s throne. Fire is a symbol of purity. Heaven and God are pure, without sin. No one with sin may enter in. Jesus is without sin; therefore, only those who receive Jesus, their sins purged by His blood, may enter heaven and God’s presence. The blood of Jesus sprinkled on the believer is a witness that he belongs to Jesus and God.

God gave further directions to Moses regarding His people, the 12 tribes of Israel:

“At that time the Lord singled out the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the Lord, to stand before the Lord to serve Him and to bless in His name, until this day” (Deuteronomy 10:8).

The Word is hidden in the ark. Jesus is hidden in heaven. The Levites, the tribe of priests, are instructed to carry the ark of the covenant. They are a type of the church, a kingdom of priests (Revelation 5:10), who are to carry the Gospel, Jesus, and news of the New Covenant to the ends of the world. As they walk, believers are to minister and give blessings in Jesus’ name.

How does a believer carry the risen savior? Within himself. The Holy Spirit was given to men after Lord Jesus ascended. The Holy Spirit is God living within man.

How does the Spirit of God live within a believer? The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Jesus living within the human spirit that each person has. He fills it up, bringing it to life, just as a balloon can be filled with air. The Holy Spirit does this work when a person comes to believe in Jesus as his Savior.  The Holy Spirit gives believers the power to overcome evil. This is the continuing work of the Holy Spirit in a believer’s life.

After Moses burned and ground the idol he poured its dust into the water that came down from the mountain. The water is a type of the Holy Spirit which descends from heaven after Jesus died and was resurrected from the grave.

The Holy Spirit descended from heaven as flames of fire upon the first believers.  The fire is a symbol of God’s purity. God helps believers remain sin-free (Acts 2:1-4). The Holy Spirit is the tool in the toolbox that will keep a man or woman out of prison, off drugs and free from living in sin. Without His power within, a man will return to his sinful ways. A man will return to prison. As the water (the Holy Spirit) carried away the dust, so does the Holy Spirit remove repented sin.

The ark of the covenant—Lord Jesus, will reappear.

“Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.’ 16 And the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying,

‘We give You thanks, Lord God, the Almighty, the One who is and who was, because You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign. 18 And the nations were enraged, and Your wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to reward Your bond-servants the prophets and the saints and those who fear Your name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth.’

19 And the temple of God which is in heaven was opened; and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple, and there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder, and an earthquake, and a great hailstorm” (Revelation 11:15-19).

Heaven will open and Jesus will return. He will come with wrath against sin and enemies. He will arrive to reward believers. He will call the bodies of saints out of the earth and the seas to be like Him.

The Lord Jesus is the Word of God. His Word is law. His law is love. He will rule the world by His law. His people, glorified believers, will rule with Him (Revelation 20:4). The kingdom of the world will be the Kingdom of the Lord. He will reign forever and ever.

The tablets of the Law, the Ten Commandments, were given by God out of His love for His people. They were directives in how to live according to God’s way, avoiding sin. The wages of sin is death. God is life. In like manner, God, out of His great love for man, sent His only Son, Jesus, that all the world would be saved and have life, not just now, but forever. (John 3:16).

Loving God and obedience to Him go together. Jesus demonstrated this in His obedience to go to the cross and be executed. He asked His Father three times if the cross could be avoided. But He also agreed to submit to His Father’s will three times. “Not My will but Yours be done” (Matthew 26:39). Jesus endured physical torment and death and spiritual torment when He took the wrath of God upon Himself.

Once again, obedience and love go together.

Moses spoke to the Israelites, “You shall therefore love the Lord your God, and always keep His directive, His statutes, His ordinances, and His commandments” (Deuteronomy 11:1).

Obedience to God is strength.

“You shall therefore keep every commandment which I am commanding you today, so that you may be strong and go in and take possession of the land into which you are about to cross to possess it” (Deuteronomy 11:8).

Obedience to God is blessing.

“And it shall come about, if you listen obediently to my commandments which I am commanding you today, to love the Lord your God and to serve Him with all your heart and all your soul, 14 that He will provide rain for your land in its season, the early and late rain, so that you may gather your grain, your new wine, and your oil. 15 He will also provide grass in your field for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied” (Deuteronomy 11:13-15).

There is a choice. Obedience and the blessing or disobedience and a curse.

“See, I am placing before you today a blessing and a curse: 27 the blessing, if you listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, which I am commanding you today; 28 and the curse, if you do not listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside from the way which I am commanding you today, by following other gods which you have not known” (Deuteronomy 11:26-28).

Obedience to God includes worshiping only the one true God. Yahweh. The Name of His Son, Jesus, means “Yahweh is Salvation.”

Jesus became a curse so that no man need be cursed and experience God’s wrath. (Galatians 3:13)

How can you avoid God’s wrath? Flee from it. Repent of sin. Moses warned of sin and its punishment. John the Baptist warned about coming judgment and the need for repentance.

“His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire” (Matthew 3:12).

Jesus Himself warned, “But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master will be a long time in coming,’ and begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk; the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces, and assign him a place with the unbelievers” (Luke 12:45-46).

The two sets of tablets had the same commands of obedience written on them: the Ten Commandments  (Exodus 24:12).

(Exodus 20:3-17) Keep God first. Do not worship anything other than God. Don’t take God’s name in vain. Keep the Sabbath day holy. Honor your father and your mother. Do not murder. Do not commit adultery. Do not steal. Don’t give false testimony against a neighbor. Don’t covet anything belonging to a neighbor.

Jesus summed them up this way: “’You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the great and foremost commandment. 39 The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Upon these two commandments hang the whole Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:37-40).

These commandments have not changed. God has not changed (Hebrews 13:8).

God’s love sent His only Son 2,000 years ago to save many. God’s love will send Him again. God is good. One must worship only Jesus. No other will come and save you. “Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord [Jesus] will be saved” (Acts 2:21).

(C) Kelly Jadon, 2023

Murder Can Be Forgiven

“And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him to whom we must answer.” (Hebrews 4:13)

Two sons were born to Adam and Eve. The younger, Abel, was a shepherd, the older brother, Cain farmed the soil.

Abel, the shepherd, brought an appropriate sacrifice to the Lord—a firstborn of his flock and the fat portions which were only for the Lord. The Lord accepted Abel’s offering.

Cain, the elder brother, brought an unacceptable offering to the Lord—fruit of the ground, what he had grown.

The Lord required the blood sacrifice from specific kinds of domesticated animals.

(Genesis 4:4-11) “And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering; 5 but for Cain and his offering He had no regard. So Cain became very angry and his face was gloomy. 6 Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry? And why is your face gloomy? 7 If you do well, will your face not be cheerful? And if you do not do well, sin is lurking at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.’ 8 Cain talked to his brother Abel; and it happened that when they were in the field Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.

Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Where is Abel your brother?’ And he said, ‘I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?’ 10 Then He said, ‘What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying out to Me from the ground. 11 Now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.’”

Murder brings a curse.

Abel is a type of Jesus to come. His death is a type of the crucifixion of the Lord.

As Abel was the keeper of the flocks so too is Jesus the Shepherd of the flocks.

He said, “And I have other sheep that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice; and they will become one flock, with one shepherd.” (John 10:16)

The line of the Savior was intended to come through Abel, a type of Christ to come. Abel means “breath.”

Jesus too brought the breath. “And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’” (John 20:22) 

Like Abel, Jesus brought an appropriate sacrifice to the Lord—Himself, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. (John 1:29) This is all that God would accept from Him, and nothing less.

Abel’s sacrifice came from his flock’s firstborn. Jesus was the firstborn of Mary (Luke 2:7), and the Firstborn of the dead. (Colossians 1:18) Because Jesus belonged to God the Father He is also a type of the fat portion, the best, reserved only for the Lord. (Leviticus 3:16-17) He was His Son. (John 3:16)

Abel was the son of Adam. Jesus too is called the son of Adam. (Luke 3:38)

Jesus called Himself, the Good Shepherd. (John 10:11-12) He is the One who laid down His life for the sheep.

Abel too laid down his life; however, he did not wish to do so.

Neither did Jesus wish to lay down His life. Three times He asked God the Father to remove the cup from Him. This refers to the cup of God’s wrath that Jesus would have to endure.

He prayed, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.” (Luke 22:42)

Abel was killed by a blood relative, a brother. (Genesis 4:8) Cain plotted his brother’s death. It was premeditated murder. Both Abel and Jesus died at the hand of another.

Abel was murdered because of the jealousy of his brother Cain. Murder comes out of jealousy.

Jesus was put to death by a variety of people, including the traitor, a relative by Jewish blood, Judas Iscariot. Several men plotted Jesus’ death because they were jealous of Him.

Abel was killed by his brother, Cain. Cain can mean “spear.”

Jesus was speared in His side after he died.

Abel’s blood cried out to God from the ground. The blood of Jesus spilled out upon the ground.

“and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.” (Heb 12:24)

Abel’s blood cried out. Jesus’ blood speaks.

The life blood of Jesus, the blood of God, was spilled upon the cross, the altar.

In the Old Testament, the blood of the sacrificial animal was sprinkled upon the tabernacle and its holy pieces, the Word of God and it was sprinkled upon the people. (Exodus 24:8)

The blood was the sign to God that forgiveness for sin was already in place for the person sprinkled. A life (animal) was given for a life (repentant sinner). The wrath of God would not come upon the forgiven person.

Jesus, the final sacrifice is the life given for the lives of sinners. His blood is spiritually sprinkled upon every believer. His blood speaks to God the Father. His blood states His Name, “Jesus.”

When God the Father sees His Son’s blood upon a person, He hears “Jesus! Jesus!” and knows that this is someone who belongs to Jesus and has been forgiven.

Jesus was resurrected from His grave. More than 500 people saw Him. Those who believe in Him, because of His blood sprinkling—the witness of removed sin—the believer will receive eternal life. Even his body will be resurrected as Jesus’ body was.

The believer will not just pass away into nothingness. He will live. Life is not just here and now, it is forever.

How can this be?

The Word of God states that the life is in the blood.

“For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement.” (Leviticus 17:11)

God is righteous. He does not live with sin. He deals with it on the human level in a specific way. Without the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus, those persons will receive God’s wrath. The Bible states, “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

As the Savior’s blood says, “Jesus! Jesus!” and God the Father hears, His wrath will pass over the believer. Jesus has already paid the wrath of God for sins.

The blood of Jesus is righteous, meaning, it is free of sin. It is sinless because it is the blood of God. The sin of man left unremoved, by personal choice through unbelief leads to death. 

Human life is precious to God because man was and is made in God’s image. (Genesis 9:6) In the Old Testament a murderer was put to death on the testimony of witnesses. (Numbers 35:30-31) Blood spilled in murder defiles the land, “and no atonement can be made for the land for the blood that is shed on it, except by the blood of the one who shed it.” (Numbers 35:33)

When Jesus came, all sin was atoned for by Him, even murders. His blood was spilled upon the ground from the cross. (John 19:34) Today, murderers may receive Jesus as their Savior and have His blood atone for their sin. The Apostle Paul is an example from the Bible of a person, a murderer, who received Jesus and was forgiven of his sins. Paul wrote the Letters of the New Testament and carried the Gospel of Jesus to the Gentiles/non-Jews.

There is a specific type of murder mentioned in the Bible—the murder of believers because of their belief in Jesus. They are referred to as martyrs by the church. In heaven, they themselves cry out to God for judgment and vengeance because of what has happened to them.

“When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been killed because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained; 10 and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who live on the earth?’ 11 And a white robe was given to each of them; and they were told that they were to rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers and sisters who were to be killed even as they had been, was completed also.” (Revelation 6:9-11)

Now is the time for murderers to repent, asking forgiveness of God for their sins. Jesus will return. When He comes, He will judge and avenge His people who were killed because they carried His name—Jesus.

Now is the time for murderers to repent. Jesus will return and the church will come with Him, including those who died for the name of Jesus. Their bodies will be brought back to life!

The prophet Daniel wrote, “And many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt.” (Daniel 12:2)

John wrote: “Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.” (Revelation 20:4)

Jesus warned of this moment to come. He stated that the people of Nineveh from the time of Jonah and the Queen of the South, (the Queen of Sheba), from Solomon’s era, would rise up in judgment as well. (Matthew 12:41-42)

What has been done in secret is not truly secret. God has seen the evil deeds of darkness.

“But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out.” (Numbers 32:22)

The Apostle Paul, former murderer of believers in Jesus, was dealt with directly by Jesus. Paul later wrote:

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.” (Galatians 6:7)

Without repentance, this sin, murder, is yet upon the sinner. Sin is considered as acting against the Lord (God), being in rebellion, as if the sinner is at war with God. Once again, the wages of sin is death.

Only Jesus can free you of this sin. (Revelation 1:5)

“If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9) Paul, the former murderer wrote this. 

Jesus will return. He will come with the sign of His blood. 

He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. ” (Revelation 19:13) 

As the blood of the sacrifice was sprinkled upon God’s people in the Old Testament, so is the blood of Jesus sprinkled upon God’s people in the New Testament.

“So Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, and said, ‘Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.’” (Exodus 24:8)

“For when Moses had proclaimed every commandment of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, along with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people,” (Hebrews 9:19)

Jesus said, “This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Matthew 26:28)

Isaiah prophesied long before that Jesus would come and sprinkle people from many nations:

“So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.” (Isaiah 52:15)

As it was prophesied in the Old Testament that the Savior would come to give His life upon the altar of the cross, spilling His blood for the sprinkling of all who believe, so too will the prophesies of His second arrival be fulfilled when Jesus returns with the sign of His blood. All those coming with Him, covered with His blood shall be speaking “Jesus! Jesus!” and all those yet on earth sprinkled with His blood shall be speaking “Jesus! Jesus!”

Jesus will return as He left.

“And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.” (Acts 1:9)

Jesus went up into the heavens, into a cloud.

Jesus will return from the heavens, from the clouds:

“Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen.” (Revelation 1:7)

Even Jesus spoke of how He would return to earth:

“Jesus said to him, ‘You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man [Jesus] sitting at the right hand of power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.’” (Matthew 26:64)

But the world will be in great darkness when Jesus returns.

“The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes.” (Acts 2:20; Joel 2:31)

How will Jesus and the clouds be seen if there is no light?

“For behold, the LORD will come in fire, And His chariots like the whirlwind, to render His anger with fury, and His rebuke with flames of fire.” (Isaiah 66:15)

“For by fire and by His sword, the Lord will execute judgment on all flesh, and many will be slain by the Lord.” (Isaiah 66:16)

“For it is surely just on God’s part to repay with afflictions those who are afflicting you, 7 and to grant rest along with us to you who are undergoing afflictions, at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with his mighty angels, 8 in blazing fire, inflicting punishment on those who do not acknowledge God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 These will pay the penalty of eternal ruin, separated from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power.” (1Thessalonians 6-9)

Note that vengeance belongs to God. He repays those who have afflicted, murdered, and tormented the martyrs. God has written, “Vengeance is Mine.” (Romans 12:19-21)

There will be a very very heavy price to pay for those who have harmed children. It is recorded in the Gospels three times that Jesus said, “It is better for him if a [heavy] millstone is hung around his neck and he is thrown into the sea, than that he may cause one of these little ones to sin.” (Luke 17:2; Mark 9:42; Matthew 18:6)

Drowning at the bottom of the sea is better than the Lord’s vengeance. The children, even those unborn, are Jesus’. He said, “Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19:14)

God knows us before we’re born. “You formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb.” (Psalm 139:13)

King Solomon stated, “Just as you do not know how the life breath enters the human frame in the mother’s womb, so you do not know the work of God, who is working in everything.” (Ecclesiastes 11:5)

The unborn child is being created by God—he or she is God’s handiwork.

The ending of lives of the unborn is murder. The land is polluted with the blood of the unborn who cry out to God. He will repay.

Little ones are also the lowly, believers in Jesus. God will repay those who harm believers.

The penalty is eternal. It is torment. It is death. It is Hell. Forgiveness is eternal. Choose Jesus. Choose forgiveness for what you’ve done. The benefit is eternal life.

Say to Him: “I’m sorry Lord Jesus for what I’ve done. Please forgive me.” And believe in your heart that you are forgiven, your sin removed, freedom found.

Everyone of us must do this.

“For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)

(C) Kelly Jadon, 2023

How to Avoid Hell

Jesus spoke about His crucifixion to come referring to a type of it from the Old Testament, “And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up.” (John 3:14)

The Israelites, groaning and grumbling, were being led through the wilderness by God, having just left the slavery of Egypt.

“Then they set out from Mount Hor by the way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the people became impatient because of the journey. 5 So the people spoke against God and Moses: ‘Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we are disgusted with this miserable food.’

6 Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. 7 So the people came to Moses and said, ‘We have sinned, because we have spoken against the Lord and against you; intercede with the Lord, that He will remove the serpents from us.’ And Moses interceded for the people. 8 Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Make a fiery serpent, and put it on a flag pole; and it shall come about, that everyone who is bitten, and looks at it, will live.’ 9 So Moses made a bronze serpent and put it on the flag pole; and it came about, that if a serpent bit someone, and he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.” (Numbers 21:4-9)

Moses is a type of Jesus, allowing Himself to be lifted up upon the cross. The pole is a type of the cross—it is a witness of the type of sacrifice of Jesus to come.

The serpent is a type for sin. Why a serpent?

The devil came to Adam and Eve as a serpent in the garden of Eden. He is the beginning of sin, the beginning of the poison that kills. The wages of sin—the poison, is death. Poison kills. Sin kills.

What is sin?

To sin means “to go the wrong way, incur guilt, forfeit” or even “to make a sin-offering.”

The serpent on the pole or standard, raised up for people to look to is a type of the Lord Jesus on the cross, bleeding. 

Paul wrote, “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin in our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2Cor 5:21)

Isaiah prophesied: “Therefore I will allot Him a portion with the great, and He will divide the plunder with the strong, because He has poured out His life unto death, and He was numbered with the wrongdoers. Yet He Himself bore the sin of many and interceded for the wrongdoers.” (Isa 53:12)

Jesus took the sins of the world upon Himself. Because of His action, He took the Father’s wrath for those sins upon Himself. 

Now the Israelites were in the wilderness following God. They’d just completed a major victory but were tired of following God. They had become impatient. Then they made a deadly mistake: The people spoke against not just Moses, but God Himself, whining about the food and the lack of water.

To speak against God is sin.

He sent fiery serpents that bit the people; many died.

God deals with sin. It cannot be avoided.

The people repented, asking Moses, a type of the Lord Jesus to intercede with God for them.

Then the Lord made a way for the forgiveness of sin. Those who repented were to look to a fiery serpent on a pole. This required faith. It required repentance. It required dropping one’s pride and doing things God’s way.

Moses is a type of Jesus who also made His way to the cross.

To look to the cross of Christ is to have faith in Jesus. Faith believes that the blood of Jesus washes away the sin.  

The Israelites in the wilderness who looked to the bronze serpent upon the pole were healed of their snakebites.

What Jesus suffered—the beating, flogging and crucifixion, brings about healing caused by sin.

“But He was pierced for our offenses, He was crushed for our wrongdoings; The punishment for our well-being was laid upon Him, And by His wounds we are healed.” (Isa 53:5)

The blood of Jesus poured out of His wounds.

“For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement.” (Lev 17:11) 

Those who did not look to the pole with the serpent died in their sins. Their sin stuck to them. Jesus said, “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” (John 8:24)

Without the cross of Jesus there is no forgiveness for sin. 

To die in one’s sins is to choose to handle sins in one’s own way. It is to choose to pay for the sin yourself. Payment of one’s own sin is to receive God’s wrath. Payment for sins after death occurs in hell, a place of darkness and torment.

To reject Jesus on earth is to be separated from Him after death.

To receive Jesus on earth is to be received by Him after physical death.

Where is Jesus? He is in Heaven. Heaven is Paradise. The way to Heaven is belief in Jesus.

Why was the serpent bronze?

Bronze is symbolic of suffering and oppression. It is a type of the cross of suffering that consumed the Lord.

Jesus was nailed to the cross, through His hands and His feet. He suffered a bloody death leaving Him unrecognizable. He suffered. That suffering occurred because of the sin that He took into Himself. Yes, even your sins.

When Jesus returns from heaven, He will come with hair white like white wool, like snow, His eyes a flame of fire, and His feet like burnished bronze, when it has been made to glow in a furnace. (Rev 1:13-15)

A furnace separates impurities from the pure metal.

The power of God, of Jesus, purified those sins, making them white.

Isaiah 1:18 foretold this: “’Come now, and let us reason together,’ Says the Lord, ‘Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red like  crimson, they will be like wool.’” 

When Jesus is received as your Savior, your sins, the impurities in your life, are burned away from you. In fact, Jesus has already done this work, but you must receive Him and the work that He has finished. The Apostle Paul refers to change as the making of a “new creation.”

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” (2Corinthians 5:17) Paul was a former murderer of Christians. He knew what it meant to become a believer in Jesus (Christ/the Savior) and have his sins not just forgiven, but removed from himself.

After sin was separated from Jesus at the cross, it was thrown away from Him.

Micah 7:19 states, “He will again have compassion on us; He will tread our iniquities under foot. Yes, You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.”

Those sins of the past, no matter what you did can be forgiven, forever. The Word of God says, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:12)

Jesus is the antidote for the venom of sin. He said, “I am the resurrection and the life; the one who believes in Me will live, even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”

There is no condemnation for those who look to Jesus as Savior. (Romans 8:1) Paul wrote this too. He was fully accepted by God because of what Jesus, God’s Son, had done for him.

When Jesus returns, He will come to judge and wage war against the world and its sin. (Revelation 19:11)

“He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. 15 From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. 16 And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written: ‘KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.’” (Revelation 19:13-16)

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gracious gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

He will judge the people of the nations.

“But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 32 And all the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, just as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 33 and He will put the sheep on His right, but the goats on the left.” (Matthew 25:31-33)

The sheep are a type of those who believe in Jesus and have had their sins removed. The goats are a type of those who never believed in Jesus and still are living in their sins.

The sheep, believers, will inherit the kingdom. These are those who are true believers. Their lives demonstrated their belief.

“Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 36 naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 38 And when did we see You as a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39 And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of Mine, you did it for Me.’” (Matthew 25:34-40)

What about the goats?

These people will have rebelled against God, thus aligning themselves with the kingdom of darkness.

“Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, you accursed people, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; 43 I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’ 44 Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or as a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not ]take care of You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it for one of the least of these, you did not do it for Me, either.’ 46 These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Matthew 25:41-46) 

Jesus gave His life for both the sheep and the goats, so that all could enter into eternal life and the Kingdom of God. He is called the Lamb of God. He also fulfilled all Old Testament sacrifices, including those of goats. (Lev 23:19) Jesus paid for the sins of the goats. (John 3:16) Hell was not prepared for people, but there will be those, goats, who will choose to rebel, live in unbelief, or disobedience, loving darkness more than light, and they will enter in to the eternal fire.

The Bible says, “Faith without works is dead.” (James 2:26)

“Dead” means without life. Are you as a dead man The Bible says, “Faith without works is dead.” (James 2:26)

“Dead” means without life. Are you as a dead man laying in a coffin waiting for Jesus to return?

The righteous are to be examples of those fulfilling the commands of Jesus until He returns. (Rev 19:7-8) These works were prepared for the church ahead by God. (Eph 2:10) These works are the church’s reputation. The elders are to instruct the younger in good works. (1 Tim 6:18) The light of the church must shine through good works that can be seen. This glorifies God. (Matt 5:16) The church is called to make herself ready for the Lord’s return—this includes finishing God’s commands of good works. (Rev 19:7-8)

(C) Kelly Jadon 2023

How the Dead Will Be Raised

Jesus stated, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and a sign will not be given it, except the sign of Jonah.” (Matt 16:4)

Jonah was a prophet, called by God to go to another land, to another city, to tell the people there to repent because in 40 days it would be destroyed.

A sign was a mark or a token by which a person is known; the signs of miracles and wonders by which God demonstrates the men sent by Him.

Jonah was a type of Jesus to come. Jonah was swallowed by a sea monster and survived, so too was Jesus swallowed by death and survived. Jonah was spit out on to dry land after three days in the monster’s belly. Jesus rose from the belly of the earth after three days—alive.

Jesus spoke twice about this sign:

“Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, ‘Teacher, we want to see a  sign from You.’ 39 But He answered and said to them, ‘An evil and adulterous generation craves for a [al]sign; and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet; 40 for just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment, and will condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.’” (Matt 12:38-41)

The death and resurrection of Jesus was His greatest sign.

Jonah means “dove.” He was the man who carried the name of “dove.” Jesus too carried the “dove.”

“After He [Jesus] was baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and settling on Him.” (Matt 3:16)

“And the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came from heaven: ‘You are My beloved Son, in You I am well pleased.” (Luke 3:22)

“And John [the Baptist] testified, saying, ‘I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him.’” (John 1:32)

The Holy Spirit rested and remained on Lord Jesus. He worked in the complete power of the Holy Spirit.

The name, the dove is a type of the Holy Spirit.

“The word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 ‘Arise, go to Nineveh, the great city, and cry out against it, because their wickedness has come up before Me.’ 3 But Jonah got up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. So he went down to Joppa, found a ship that was going to Tarshish, paid the fare, and boarded it to go with them to Tarshish away from the presence of the Lord.” (Jonah 1:1-3)

Jonah was told to get up and walk to Nineveh, a foreign city. This was as Jesus being asked by God the Father to arise from His throne, His place in heaven, and walk—go to a foreign city.

Jonah was told to go to Nineveh and “call out, cry out, proclaim” against it because of the wickedness or evil of its inhabitants.

In His mercy, God sent Jonah, to warn the people of their sin. Why? Because the wages of sin is death. God did not want the people of Nineveh to die. He wanted them to stop sinning.

In the same way, God the Father sent His Son, Jesus to earth to warn people of their sins and wickedness. He told them to turn away from their sin. He told them to listen to Jesus, His Son. And then, Jesus, became sin for those people so that their sins could be removed from them. God did this out of His mercy. He wants people to have eternal life just as those men in Nineveh who repented now have eternal life.

But Jonah didn’t want to go. Instead, he fled.

“But Jonah got up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. So he went down to Joppa, found a ship that was going to Tarshish, paid the fare, and boarded (went down into) the ship to go with them to Tarshish away from the presence of the Lord.” (Jonah 1:3)

Just as Jonah fled the presence of the Lord, so too did Jesus leave His Father’s presence to descend to earth.

As Jonah found a ship, Jesus secured His own passage, as a baby, born of a virgin.

"’Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel,’ which means, ‘God with us’.” (Matt 1:23)

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel.” (Isa 7:14)

The ship was going far away to Tarshish, another Mediterranean port. So would Jesus be leaving heaven and traveling far away to earth.

Jonah paid his own fare. Jesus’ way was provided for by Himself and God the Father. 

The boat set sail.

“However, the Lord hurled a great wind on the sea and there was a great storm on the sea, so that the ship was about to break up.” (Jonah 1:4)

A great storm stopped the ship’s progress. The storm came from the Lord Himself.

This is as the work of Jesus; His ministry, was halted by the storm of His arrest, flogging and crucifixion. God planned this event. So, the storm was indeed from God.

“For God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not die but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

The Lord “hurled” the great wind, meaning that He “cast it down.” This is as the wrath of God coming against Jesus because He who knew no sin became sin for us, that we might be free of sin.

Jonah had provoked God’s anger by sinning, which caused the great storm.

God’s rage against the sins of the world that Jesus took upon Himself produced His flogging and crucifixion. The storm is a type of the persecution and crucifixion of Jesus.

The great city, the great wind, the great storm: God speaks three times about the greatness of this major event. There is no other circumstance or event like it in the history of the world. It is great because God Himself died as the Savior of humanity, His own creation.

Jesus in His submission to become the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world became important, not just to the followers He had during His three years of earthly ministry, but to all people who have lived since and to the faithful who came before.

Jonah’s ship was about to break up.

Jesus was beaten beyond recognition, His back flogged, hands and feet pierced, His side speared, but not one bone was broken.

“For these things took place so that the Scripture would be fulfilled: ‘NOT A BONE OF HIM SHALL BE BROKEN.’” (John 19:36)

“He protects all his bones; not one of them will be broken.” (Psa 34:20)

But the boat carrying Jonah held together.

“Then the sailors became afraid and every man cried out to his god, and they hurled the cargo which was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone below into the stern (hold) of the ship, had lain down, and fallen sound asleep.” (Jonah 1:5)

The sailors on the ship with Jonah became fearful of the storm. They are as the apostles who traveled with the Lord; they fled after Jesus allowed Himself to be arrested. Jesus had asked that they be let go. (John 18:8) Why? It was necessary to do so. Jesus had to finish His work alone. Only the Son of God could take away the sin of the world. No mere man could accomplish this work.

The apostles also needed to remain alive to carry the Gospel into the world. God’s mercy was given to them.

Where was Jonah in all of this? He was down in the hold, sleeping!

The term “asleep” is a Biblical metaphor for a person being dead. Jonah was actually sleeping, but Jesus was dead.

As Jonah went down into the ship to sleep, Jesus was taken down from the cross and placed in the borrowed tomb, newly hewn, for Joseph of Arimathea.

The ship’s captain came down into the hold himself to speak to Jonah:

“So the captain approached him and said, ‘How is it that you are sleeping? Get up, call on your god! Perhaps your god will be concerned about us so that we will not perish.’” (Jonah 1:6)

The captain is the person waking up Jonah. “Get up!” he says!

This is as the voice of God calling Jesus up from the dead, from the grave.

Who raised Jesus from the grave?

The word “captain” in the Greek means “chief leader” or “prince.” It could also mean “author.” However, it always refers to Jesus.

“For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the captain of their salvation through sufferings.” (Heb 2:10)

He is also called the “Prince (Captain) of life, whom God raised from the dead, a fact to which we are witnesses.” (Acts 3:15)

Jesus is the Captain. He raised Himself from the dead. Jesus is the Word that speaks. He must say, “Get up!” even to His own dead body in Joseph’s borrowed tomb.

“But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.” (Acts 2:24)

Jesus is God the Son. He was involved in raising Himself.

God the Father gave the order that Jesus be raised from the dead.

“Paul, an apostle (not sent from men nor through the agency of man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead).” (Gal 1:1)

But God, the Trinity is three Persons in One. The Holy Spirit also raised Jesus from the dead.

“But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” (Roms 8:11)

The three work together. Jesus obeyed God the Father’s direction. When it was time to resurrect Himself, Jesus, heard from His Father. Then, Jesus, the Word, spoke to His own body. The Holy Spirit, through whom Jesus worked, raised up the body of Jesus. Each had an important role.

“So the captain approached him and said, ‘How is it that you are sleeping? Get up, call on your god! Perhaps your god will be concerned about us so that we will not perish.’” (Jonah 1:6)

The captain of the ship said “Kum!” or “Get up!” in the Hebrew.

This is as Jesus approaching His own body and saying, “Get up!”

How do we know what Jesus said?

Jesus actually used these same words when He raised a child:

“And taking the child by the hand, He said to her, ‘Talitha, kum!’ (which translated means, ‘Little girl, I say to you, get up!’).

Immediately the girl got up and began to walk around.” (Mark 5:41-42)

This is the same word that Jesus said to His own body: “Kum!” which is in Aramaic, the everyday language that Jesus spoke.

“Kum” in the Hebrew of the Old Testament and the Aramaic used by Lord Jesus are the same word. The captain spoke the same word that Jesus spoke to the little 12-year-old girl.

“Kum” is the word Jesus used to raise His own body.

The church is the body. Christ is the Head of the body. The church has been promised eternal life in imperishable bodies, just as Jesus had after He was raised from the dead.

When it is time for physically dead believers to reenter their bodies, God the Father will tell His Son. Jesus the Son will command the bodies to rise up out of their graves. He will say, “Get up!” This will happen when the Lord returns from heaven.

It is the breath that brings dry bones to life! (Ezek 37:5) The breath of the Holy Spirit will cause tendons to attach and flesh to grow; skin will cover them. (Ezek 37:6)

When the Word of God is spoken, even by the Son of God, as will happen at His return, His words, “Get up!” will produce supernatural power that will cause the Holy Spirit to take action.

The Holy Spirit will breathe the breath of life into each believer just as He began Adam’s life in Eden. (Genesis 2:7) Jesus said, “It is the Spirit that gives life.” (John 6:63)  

“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.” (1Thess 4:16)

“Your dead will live; Their corpses will rise.
You who lie in the dust, awake and shout for joy,
For your dew is as the dew of the dawn,
And the earth will give birth to the  departed spirits.” (Isa 26:19)

“But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ's at His coming.” (1Cor 15:23)

When will this be? There are signs. But no one knows the exact time.

Jesus said so. He said that He doesn’t even know.

As the Word of the Lord came to Jonah twice to go to Nineveh (Jonah 1:2, 3:2), so too will God the Father ask Jesus to descend to the earth twice—the first time as the Savior, 2000 years ago, the second time as the King of kings. (Rev 19:11-16)

“And as He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, ‘Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?’ (Matt 24:3) And Jesus answered and said to them, ‘See to it that no one misleads you. (Matt 24:4) At that time, if anyone says to you, “Look, here is the Christ!” or “There He is!” do not believe it.… (Matt 24:22) But about that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.’” (Matt 24:36)

Jesus is the Captain. Those who have followed Jesus are now multitudes. They wait in heaven for the redemption of their own bodies.

“But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” (Roms 8:11)

The captain seemed to think that Jonah’s god may be concerned about the sailors’ lives.

Indeed, God is concerned. He gave His Son so that people would not perish.

As Jonah was picked up and thrown into the sea—a death sentence, so was Jesus taken by a mob of 500 men—Roman soldiers and officers of the temple and given a sentence of death.

As Jonah was swallowed by a great fish, and remained unseen in the world three days, so was Jesus swallowed by death and remained unseen in the grave three days.

Jonah prayed while in the great fish. Jesus prayed in the Spirit while His body lay dead.

Jonah was spat out upon dry land by the great fish. Jesus was raised from the grave to walk the earth.

Jonah went to Nineveh and was seen by many who believed, repented, and lived. Hundred saw Jesus alive in the flesh. Some were invited to place fingers in His nail holes, a hand in His side as Thomas was. They are witnesses to the truth—Jesus is the only man to die, return, never to die again. He lives. He lives forever.

Why did Jesus agree to this suffering?

Jesus died and rose again so that men would not be destroyed by sin and so that a way could be made for them to heaven and eternal life. Even, a man’s body will be raised from the grave. This is God’s mercy—Jesus. This is God’s greatest gift of love—Jesus.

This way is the only way to eternal life. Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

This way is available for all who believe that Jesus is the Son of God. Even you. He is the way out of eternal destruction. Belief in Jesus brings eternal life. (John 20:31)

As there were signs of the cross and the crucifixion of Jesus to come in the Old Testament, as there was the sign of the cross in the New Testament at Jesus’ first coming, so will Jesus the Son of God return with the sign of the cross—there will be blood upon His robe—there will be evidence of Him prior resurrection-- holes in His hands, feet and side, there will be fire in His eyes, and He will be upon a white horse.

(C) Kelly Jadon, 2023