Hello Friends and Ministry Partners,
We have been exploring the theme; “Inaudible Witnesses Speaking Aloud!” This month as the world celebrates Easter we shall look at the prophetic aspect of the days of Jesus Christ and see how it is playing out today.
Prophetic events more often than not are not entirely new. Usually they are a repeat of past occurrences but in somewhat different forms and contexts. That was why Ecclesiastes 1:9 declared,
“9History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new. 10Sometimes people say, “Here is something new!” But actually it is old; nothing is ever truly new. 11We don’t remember what happened in the past, and in future generations, no one will remember what we are doing now.”
Yes, it is either we do not study history or we quickly forget the lessons of history. There are prophetic parallels in the past. The present and the future were couched in the past! It takes a prophetic insight to unlock it. Such was the grace upon Apostle Paul! He looked at the history of Israel and by the operation of Prophetic Anointing he warned the Church then and now of the possible pitfalls they were susceptible to. (1Cor.10:1-8). And true to that prophecy the New Testament Church history proves that the Church did not escape those pitfalls. Similarly, the days of Jesus Christ and the scenarios which enacted his crucifixion were prophetic of the days in which Jesus would return.
Jesus was crucified in Jerusalem. What an irony! But “…there they crucified Him!” (John 19:18 NIV). Several years ago I read the sermon of a certain servant of God (now late) on this subject. Searching the scriptures, I have also come to the reality of the danger we face as Christians, especially the servants of God, when we do not accurately discern the work of God. The consequences of such spiritual omission are too grave to be taken for granted.
Jesus Christ is our pattern! The Bible says, as He is so we are in this world. His life and ministry were the patterns for what the Christian life and ministries should be; His experiences and sufferings on earth were patterns, and so prophetic, of what the typical Christian would experience and suffer on earth.
One would have expected that the Ministry of Jesus Christ would have a rousing welcome in the cycles of the ‘holy men!’ But that was not the case, in fact, the contrary was the case. The Bible recorded that, there (the holy place - Jerusalem), they (the ‘holy men’ - the High Priests, Pharisees and Sadducees) crucified Him (the Holy One). The cruelest kind of death was meted out by the ‘holy people’, to the Holy One, in the ‘holy place!’
Jerusalem was supposed to be a holy place, for so it was regarded by the people of Israel. The Easton Bible Dictionary stated that Jerusalem is also called the Holy City, the City of God. You would have expected the fear of God in the city of God. But the reverse was the case! Stop a while and ponder: what a righteous king would be hated and rejected in his own city!
The arrest, trial and crucifixion of Jesus Christ were orchestrated by the High Priests, supported by the Pharisees and Sadducees. (John 7:32, 45, 11:46-48).
The word, Pharisees means, the separated ones. The Pharisees were a sect known for their strict adherence to the Law of Moses as they separated themselves from everything unholy. This is what Paul said about himself as a Pharisee, in Phil.3:5, “I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law.” (NLT). The Pharisees stood for religious purity, doctrinal accuracy and reverence for God in Israel. They were respected for their work which was, helping people understand the Torah so as to enable the people live holy lives. Put in modern terms, they were like the most revered Church leaders, preachers and ministers today! Viewed today in retrospect, we could see the faults of the Pharisees and even dare brand them, “unbelievers”, but to the Jews who lived in the days of Jesus Christ, it was a sacrilege to call a Pharisee an unbeliever.
They were a symbol of religious sanctity and represented the ruling authority in Israel.
The Pharisees and Sadducees listened to Jesus Christ not to consider the validity of His words but to ensnare Him by what He said (Matt.16:1, Mark 12:13-15). Eventually, the holy men crucified the Holy One in the holy place!
Where is Jesus being crucified today? No worse place than in the Churches and by the Gospel Ministers themselves. Jesus is crucified today on pulpits, worship places and Christian Assemblies worldwide. The holy men of the days of Jesus ensnared Him by His words; plotted His elimination; executed it without remorse. They murdered the Holy One; so also do some of the Gospel Ministers today crucify God’s Word by perverting it; distorting it; discrediting it; ignoring it and twisting it on pulpits; by life style, by their actions and ambitions.
When you are looking for where Jesus Christ is crucified, you might not have to visit Israel and look for Calvary; you will have to look at the pulpits, church magazines, televangelists, crusades and church seminars and conferences; look for their teachings, preaching, life style and pursuits, and if you look with spiritual eyes you will see that, “…there they crucified Him!”
Some of these ministers have the audacity to deny the authority of the written Word of God, the Bible. This is nothing but wickedness in high places! It is apostasy in the holy place. I do believe that the Bible contains very few typographical errors and some errors in transliteration, but the Bible does not contain any material error in doctrine or in the stipulation of Divine standards. 2Tim.3:6 declares that,
“16All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.”
Note the word, all scripture! Whether Old Testament Prophets or New Testament Apostles, they were inspired by God. Discrediting the writings of the early Apostles is in essence destroying the foundation on which Christianity stands.
Some preach that gain is godliness! To them, material possession is a measure of one’s faith in God. Their definition of prosperity is the amount of money in your bank account. The business tycoons of this world are their model leaders and successful individuals! Ichabod!!
In some circles the difference between a Christian and non-Christian is that, one goes to church and the other does not. In terms of appearance, ambition, pursuits, communication, etc., you could scarcely differentiate one who professes Christ from the rest of the world. This is what the scripture described as Babylon! Confusion!!
Indeed, “…there they crucified Him!” Unfortunately these lies have set in office and so the truth would progressively be deemed a lie.
As we celebrate Easter, let us search ourselves, and let each person ask him- or herself this question, “Am I crucifying Him There?”
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father..." (John 14:12).