– General James Green – Nov. 23, 2023
What was Jesus’ reason for His life (which ended in crucifixion) upon the earth? I’ve read and heard many different reasons. Talk to those of the “prosperity” church and they will tell you, “that we can be blessed materially,” or something like it. Some will tell you that He didn’t really know what His “mission” was. What do you believe?
What do I believe? I believe what the scriptures say. Simple! Allow me to prove it. To start:
Isaiah 61:1-9, I believe, in a prophecy about the Lord Jesus. The sequence of thought in chapters 60-62 is reminiscent of that in 52:13-53:12. 52:13 reads: “Behold , My servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.” Read up to 53:12. The exaltation and suffering of the LORD’s sin-bearing servant is written about. Jesus was and is the LORD-appointed servant to Israel, later, to the Christian Ekklesia. This Servant came to Israel first but was rejected, hence, He went to the Gentiles. Jesus became the BRINGER of “Good Tidings”, e.g. the “Gospel,” Jesus became Prophet, Priest, and King… to the nation of Israel (Jews were first to acknowledge/accept Him) then to the individuals of the Gentile nations.
Jesus even quoted from Isaiah in Luke 4;18,19. Jesus spoke of redemption and deliverance – indissoluble elements of eschatological time. However, Jesus did not quote “the day of vengeance of our God” (as quoted in Isa. 61:2). Why? Jesus came “to seek and to save”. We know that postexilic Israel demanded the cleansing of judgment. Why did Jesus leave out “vengeance” in Luke 4:18,19?
We know prophecy has a primary and secondary sense. The deliverance of the Jews from Babylonian captivity is used to shadow forth the salvation of human-kind by Jesus Christ, Isaiah also was God’s prophet/servant preaching deliverance to the Jews. The Jews that came out of Babylonian Captivity needed to be cleansed of their defilement. During their captivity some Jews converted to Babylonian way (the Babylon Talmud was born during that time). Isa. 61:8 says, “For I the LORD, love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering…” Robbery equals “wrong,” be it from His people or from the non-Jew. With this in mind, turn to the N.T.: as already stated, Jesus left out “and the day of vengeance of our God” (Isa 61:2) in His proclamation found in Luke 4:18,19. Was Jesus’ mission just to “bless” His people with eternal Salvation? or was “judgment” included? “Then Simeon blessed them (Joseph and Mary), and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child (Jesus) is destined for the FALL and RISING of many in Israel…” -Luke 2:34.
What did Simeon mean? Simeon prophesied that Jesus would bring the SWORD, not PEACE! What? This is not how Churchianity presents Jesus. Oh, no! He is presented as a type of Santa Claus-a merry “gift-giver” to all the peoples. God forbid that He would utter anything harsh or unloving. His sole mission on earth (and later back in Heaven) was to give us the “Biggest, the Best, and the Most!” Need proof? “Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth; I have not come to bring peace but a sword.” -Mt. 10:34
The meaning is plain when (if) we consider the import of the word “peace”, the expectation of the Jews (who prayed for their Messiah that would come and BANISH the Romans from their land). [note: Jesus instructs His disciples … “When ye come into a house, salute it. And if the house be worthy (note this word- “worthy”), let your PEACE come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.” ~Mt. 10:12,13. The Hebrews had a very extensive meaning; ~ it comprehended all blessings, spiritual and temporal. So, to wish “peace to a house (family), in the name and by the authority Christ, was in effect a positive promise, on the Lord’s side, of all the good implied in the wish]
No doubt when Jesus uttered Matthew 10:34, i.e. Sword vs. Peace, He knew what His mission was: To use the SWORD that CUTS and the (Holy Ghost) FIRE that BURNS against the nation of Israel that had become polluted, whorish, and far from the LORD, Jesus made it clear that the Sword would “set at variance the son against his father and the daughter against her mother…” (V. 35). What? You mean to tell me that Jesus was sent to DIVIDE families? Yep!
Jesus did not come to Israel to divide out the Romans but to prepare His people to accept Him as their LORD and Savior. Not only this, my dear readers, Jesus knew that that nation would not accept Him, but would reject Him. Which they did. Jesus was able to scoop a few out of the whole. The Jews today still await their Messiah! Sorry, He has come already and you rejected Him; but not all, many Jews have received Him – He is still calling the Jews.
So, since the Jewish nation rejected their Messiah, (who wanted to SAVE members out of families), using the SWORD of TRUTH (LOGOS/RHEMA), He brought the Roman SWORD, hence, “… for the FALL and RISING again of many in Israel” ~Lk. 2:34
The Roman nation became the “sword” in the hand of God to bring judgment/punishment, (70 A.D.). He used the Gentiles to CUT OFF/ CUT DOWN the disobedient/ rebellious whose cup of iniquity was FULL!!!…and whose CRIMES CRY aloud for speedy VENGEANCE. Jesus says in Luke 12:49: “I am come to send fire on the earth (esp. the land of Israel); and what will I, if it be already kindled?” There is no doubt that Jesus intended to convey that the FIRE was to be His Spirit WORD and the ROMAN SWORD: His Spirit would destroy the sin in the lives of those who received Him as LORD and Savior; the sword of steel (Roman) would cause many to fall (die). The “fire” was to BURN the HELL out of that Jewish nation that was FULL of HELL. Since they rejected His FIRE, Jesus sent HELL FIRE (Roman) to finish the job.
That “Fire” (v.49) could not fully burn until the Jewish nation had put Jesus to death- after this, the fire RAGED! The spirit of judgment was needed because that nation was UNWORTHY.
John spoke of Jesus’ “Holy Spirit and fire” (Lk. 3:16, 17). John says that Jesus was sent to “gather the wheat (converted Jews) into His barn; but the chaff He will BURN with unquenchable FIRE.”
In short, the Spirit of Christ can never be in union with the spirit of the world. Yet, today the modern church is in union, in bed with the world… giving birth to BASTARD children- ad nauzeam. So, did Jesus know His mission? God raised up Israel to be a glory to Him and to the world. Well, as I write, that nation is still waiting for “their” Messiah to come.
Jesus said in Jn. 9:39: “For judgment I am come into this world,” (Strong’s Concordance 1917-krima/kplpa = a decision… against crime, avenge, condemn; from kpivw (2919), to decide mentally or judicially, try, call into question etc.) There is judgment, i.e., physical punishment and there is moral judgment.
It is stated, “For God did not send His Son into the world to CONDEMN the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” ~ Jn. 3:17 (Strong’s 29:19= kpivw= decide, punish (physically). We do not find Jesus punishing (physically) anyone but He used the FIRE/SPIRIT to expose men’s sins: It was the ROMAN SWORD that brought damnation/death upon the rebellious House of Israel. Jesus said in Jn. 9:39, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see (the blind, as in Luke 4:18 “…recovery of sight to the blind”), and that those who see may be made blind.” Woah! (see Mt. 13:13 and 15:14)
Jesus came to bring the LIGHT to the blind, in order that the blind may distinguish between right and wrong. Not only this, but Jesus was also sent to seal those who thought they could see, whereby they would remain blind (see Jn. 9:40,41 also). Jesus gave a scathing rebuke to those “religious” leaders in Israel, (see Mt. 23:26).
Let me present another Scripture for your consideration: “For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved among those who are perishing.” ~2 Cor. 2:15. We see the SAVED and the DAMNED, i.e. salvation and damnation (judgment/punishment). See also (Cor. 1:18 and 2Cor. 4:3).
Jesus’ pick of words- “judgment” (Jn. 9:39), “For judgment I am come,” meant “I am come to manifest and execute the just judgment of God”: 1. By giving sight to the blind, and light to the Gentiles who sit in darkness; 2. By removing the true light from those who, pretending to make a proper use of it, only abuse the mercy of God. In a word, salvation shall be taken away from the Jews, because they are UNWORTHY for rejecting it; and the kingdom of God shall be given to the non- Jew. When Jesus made that statement (Jn. 9:39), some of the Pharisees asked, “Are we blind also?” (V.40). How many today (in Church) are BLIND, yet believe themselves to see?
In the end, Jesus did not come to physically punish the Jews: He came to judge them for their sins… that they did not want to release, hence, He turned them over to the Father for physical punishment. Jesus told the Jews, “Behold, your house is forsaken and desolate-abandoned and left destitute [of God’s help]” ~Mt. 23:38. DESOLATE! How pitiful! The very house Christ came to raise up once again, was left empty, fallen!
That Greek word, “desolate” (Strong’s 2040, Greek, εpημos, means: lonesome, i.e. waste, desert, solitary, wilderness. I think Matthew had in mind the temple (where the Ark once sat). “Behold your house”, “oikos,” the temple; it can also mean home/house (lit. or fig.). It can also mean family (e.g. tribe) (see Strong’s 3624). God’s Spirit did leave Israel, leaving it desolate. But God is still calling to the Jews to be SAVED. They are not saved by their racial heritage. Oh, no! They, must come to Jesus like the Gentiles. The “house” Jesus referred to was Israel and the Temple was where God’s presence once dwelt… between the Cherubims upon the mercy seat. (see Mt. 23:21).
In the first Jewish temple (aka. Solomon’s Temple), God had graciously condescended to manifest Himself – between the Cherubim, the 2 figures that stood at each end of the Ark of the Covenant. His DIVINE presence = Shekinah. The Ark of God disappeared during the Babylonian invasion, never to be seen since. Today, in Israel, there is no Temple, no Ark, no Holy Spirit prophecy, no Urim and Thummim, no sacred fire and no Shekinah glory. All missing!
Now the Temple is the universal body of Christ wherein the glory of God dwells. The body of Christ consists of both Jews and Gentiles: “And the Word (Christ) became flesh (human) and tabernacled- fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile- among us: and we (actually) saw His glory (Shekinah)- His honor, His majesty; such glory as an only Son receives from His Father, full of grace (favor) and Truth” Jn. 1:14, Amp. Bible.
So, we see that Jesus, the Logos (Jn. 1:1), was made human, who now resides within every born-again/Spirit-filled believer, which is the “Temple of the Living God.” No longer do we look at the racial Jewish nation for the Redeemer. No Sir! He has come! He is here! Neither we nor they must swear by the Temple.
Jesus pleaded with Israel (Lk. 13:34) to be gathered (for He knew what was coming – the Sword/fire of the Romans). God was going to ABANDON His Temple/City (see 21:20, 24; Jer. 12:7; 22:5).
While the Jews plan on rebuilding a 3rd Temple, it will NOT do them any good. The Universal body of Christ is the 3rd Temple of God. Paul writes: “Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.” ~1 Cor. 12:27 (read all of Chap. 12). Peter writes: “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people…” ~1 Pet. 2:9. These names once belonged to RACIAL Israel; now they are for spiritual Israel. Old racial Israel must be born-again, forgiven, cleansed of rebellion. Pray for the redemption of the Jews.