Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In the arrangement of Tabernacle, Luke 9 refers to Table of Showbread.
Luke 9:9
9:9. Herod said, "John I have beheaded, but who is this of whom I hear such things?" So he sought to see Him.
Herod sought to see or have fellowship with Jesus.
The fellowship with Jesus is the one in the true teaching Word, namely the Bible with sixty six books.
Herod is the image of Satan or evil man.
It means how evil people are in the world; they yearn to meet Jesus to hear the word.
So, there are two big opportunities as follows:
Mark 6:17-20
6:17. For Herod himself had sent and laid hold of John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife; for he had married her.
6:18. For John had said to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife."
6:19. Therefore Herodias held it against him and wanted to kill him, but she could not;
6:20. for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he protected him. And when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.
The matter we are successful or not to have fellowship with Jesus is determined when we hear the word of God, especially the hard one.
Herod heard the word gladly, but his heart was doubtful because he always heard strange voice.
The strange voicesare as follows:
Because of the strange voice from inside and outside, Herod became doubtful and did not dare to practice the word of God, so he kept the sins.
Do not have the heart like Herod. Keep our life from personal sins and sins in the marriage. For young men, they should keep the holiness and obey parents.
At last, Herod kept his desire to kill John the Baptist. For us now, it refers to the hatred.
Because of having the negative attitude to teaching word that is sharper than any two-edged sword, Herod killed John the Baptist and put his head on a platter.
Matthew 14:11
14:11. And his head was brought on a platterand given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.
Herod beheaded John the Baptistmeans as follows:
Herod did not want to hear the word of God, so he never met Jesus, but became separated forever from Jesus.
The attitude of John the Baptist to true teaching word is the positive one, namely he kept holding fast true teaching word and he was not afraid to preach teaching word that is sharper than any two-edged sword sharply. For us now, it means we dare to testify, so we have fellowship with God.
Even in the tribulation and beheading because of Jesus, John would be risen and experience eternal life with Jesus.
John 8:51
8:51. "Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death."
All of us should have positive attitude like John, namely we keep holding fast true teaching word and obeying it whatever the risk may come.
The results are as follows:
God blesses us.
In the arrangement of Tabernacle, Luke 9 refers to Table of Showbread.
Luke 9:9
9:9. Herod said, "John I have beheaded, but who is this of whom I hear such things?" So he sought to see Him.
Herod sought to see or have fellowship with Jesus.
The fellowship with Jesus is the one in the true teaching Word, namely the Bible with sixty six books.
Herod is the image of Satan or evil man.
It means how evil people are in the world; they yearn to meet Jesus to hear the word.
So, there are two big opportunities as follows:
- There is always a chance to hear the word of God no matter how evil we are.
- There is a big chance for us to testify the word of God.
If we do not testify, we will be guilty of blood and not receive the blessing from God anymore.
On the contrary, if we testify, the work of God in our life will be continued.
Mark 6:17-20
6:17. For Herod himself had sent and laid hold of John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife; for he had married her.
6:18. For John had said to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife."
6:19. Therefore Herodias held it against him and wanted to kill him, but she could not;
6:20. for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he protected him. And when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.
The matter we are successful or not to have fellowship with Jesus is determined when we hear the word of God, especially the hard one.
Herod heard the word gladly, but his heart was doubtful because he always heard strange voice.
The strange voicesare as follows:
- The voice from outside as follows:
- The gossips. It usually comes from close people. It is like Herod heard the voice of his wife, namely Herodias.
- False teachings which do not fit the Bible. The examples are about marrying after divorce, homosexuality, and lesbianism which start to come to church now.
- The voice of flesh from inside which rejects the hard word.
Because of the strange voice from inside and outside, Herod became doubtful and did not dare to practice the word of God, so he kept the sins.
Do not have the heart like Herod. Keep our life from personal sins and sins in the marriage. For young men, they should keep the holiness and obey parents.
At last, Herod kept his desire to kill John the Baptist. For us now, it refers to the hatred.
Because of having the negative attitude to teaching word that is sharper than any two-edged sword, Herod killed John the Baptist and put his head on a platter.
Matthew 14:11
14:11. And his head was brought on a platterand given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.
Herod beheaded John the Baptistmeans as follows:
- His heart and mind are filled by wicked and unclean things.
If our heart and mind (inside part) are not filled by twelve loaves from Heaven or true teaching word, they will be filled by twelve wicked and unclean desires.
Mark 7:21-23
7:21. "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries(1), fornications(2), murders(3),
7:22. thefts(4), covetousness(5), wickedness(6), deceit(7), lewdness(8), an evil eye(9), blasphemy(10), pride(11), foolishness(12).
7:23. "All these evilthings come from within and defilea man."
If our heart and mind are wicked and unclean, our whole life will be wicked and unclean too. Consequently, we have no fellowship with Jesus, because He is holy and true. - One keeps becoming flesh man.
2 Timothy 3:1-5
3:1. But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:
3:2. For men will be lovers of themselves(1), lovers of money(2), boasters(3), proud(4), blasphemers(5), disobedient to parents(6), unthankful(7), unholy(8),
3:3. unloving(9), unforgiving(10), slanderers(11), without self–control(12), brutal(13), despisers of good(14),
3:4. traitors(15), headstrong(16), haughty(17), lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God(18),
3:5. having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!
Without the word, we will remain as flesh man who keeps eighteen attitudes of flesh up to be stamped with 666, become the same as antichrist and be destroyed. - Being spiritually withered and dead. It means there are no satisfaction and happiness.
Although Herod physically lived in prosperity and entertainment, but spiritually he experienced spiritual death, so his life was not happy.
Herod did not want to hear the word of God, so he never met Jesus, but became separated forever from Jesus.
The attitude of John the Baptist to true teaching word is the positive one, namely he kept holding fast true teaching word and he was not afraid to preach teaching word that is sharper than any two-edged sword sharply. For us now, it means we dare to testify, so we have fellowship with God.
Even in the tribulation and beheading because of Jesus, John would be risen and experience eternal life with Jesus.
John 8:51
8:51. "Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death."
All of us should have positive attitude like John, namely we keep holding fast true teaching word and obeying it whatever the risk may come.
The results are as follows:
- Passing from death into eternal life.
John 5:24-25
5:24. "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My wordand believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.
5:25. "Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live.
It means we experience purification by the sword of the word, so we realize, regret and confess sin to God and others. After we are forgiven, do not sin anymore. - The power of resurrection in the power of the word is able to call those things which do not exist to take care of our life. Nothing is impossible.
Romans 4:17
4:17. (as it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations") in the presence of Him whom he believed––God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not existas though they did; - When Jesus comes a second time, we will hear the sound of the trumpet or hard teaching word. Such word will raise the lives that have died in the Lord in the glorified body.
The sound of the trumpet also changes us who are still alive in the glorified body.
We become one perfect body of Christ to meet Jesus on the glorious clouds. We have fellowship with Jesus forever.
John 5:28-29
5:28. "Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice
5:29. "and come forth––those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.
God blesses us.