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Tag: prophet

a Failure of Kings Advent 4 of Christ
What do you think about Kings?
- Do you have a Sovereign?
- Would you like to follow one?
Who is your King?

Perhaps your gut response would be no different than that of the high priests of Jerusalem at the capital trial of Jesus.

The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar.

Gospel of John 19:15b King James Version

You may say that WE have no religious leaders in charge of a nation. But look closer at leadership titles where you will discover priests in politics. And don’t miss some presidents, premiers, prime ministers and even kings governing as Caesars.

Descendants of Abraham did not always have kings, nor did the kings of Israel, Judah and Judea always have power.

a reminder of Roger@TalkofJesus.com

a glance at kings of the Promised Land

Previously we witnessed pre-history as a timeline, essentially beginning again from the restoration of life at the time of NOAH.

Now is the Time Christmas Advent 3

Which kings in history have been successful and which kings were a failure?

TODAY, before we proceed to the recognized historical kings of Israel let’s also consider others from the Mosaic record.

kings and princes mentioned by Moses

mālaḵ verb, מָלַךְ

Strong’s H4427 in the following manner: reign (289x), king (46x), made (4x), queen (2x).. more

And Bela the son of Beor reigned^H4427 in Edom: and the name of his city was Dinhabah.
- KINGS of cities (or later City-States in places such as Greece)
- Perhaps Prince would fit better.
- Or maybe, Mayor? (But they were military generals as well.)
meleḵ מֶלֶךְ

The KJV translates Strong’s H4428 in the following manner: king (2,518x), misc..

That these made war with Bera king^H4428 of Sodom, and with Birsha king^H4428 of Gomorrah, Shinab king^H4428 of Admah, and Shemeber king^H4428 of Zeboiim, and the king^H4428 of Bela, which is Zoar.

Genesis 14:2 King James Version

These are just a few of the kings who made war. (That’s what Kings tend to do.) Therefore, Abraham (a Prince without a city. So like these kings and generals he was treated as a king when he helped them win a battle.

And Melchizedek king H4428 of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.

14:18 וּמַלְכִּי־צֶדֶק מֶלֶךְ שָׁלֵם הוֹצִיא לֶחֶם וָיָיִן וְהוּא כֹהֵן לְאֵל עֶלְיוֹן׃

Melchizedek NOT just the mayor of Jerusalem or a mere Prime Minister or even Prince (as Abraham was generally treated) — the כֹּהֵן – kōhēn – Priest of ʿelyôn ‘ēl –

THE MOST HIGH GOD לְאֵל עֶלְיוֹן׃

IF in this 21st century of the Common Era WE independent evangelists (who know nothing of kings) attempt to compare Abraham, Melchizedek, David or Solomon to any common Caesar of this day,

or

IF WE anoint JESUS with simply the same royal title of any King (such as Charles),

THEN WE miss many overlapping roles of Sovereignty the Lord God gave to these men

AS WELL AS equally important roles of the Christ our High Priest and our Prophet dismissed and diminished by the common Caesar’s of these last days.

Roger@TalkofJesus.com

Kings of the Promised People

From a promise of the LORD to Abraham, a king without a country,

to David conquering King uniting twelve tribes, Solomon son of David built the Temple and an Empire.

You will be as familiar with the Dan to Beersheba borders as me.

Additionally you may have discerned that Solomon conquered to the north beyond Damascus as far as Tiphsah on the Euphrates River [1 Kings 4:24].

Solomon a distant memory of success

The Jews of Jesus’ incarnate days had visualized their glorious past in the empire of Solomon. These contemporaries of Jesus nostalgically recalled Solomon as a Caesar of Israel in his time.

From ~989 B.C. until his death in ~931 B.C. Solomon’s influence extended even into all the nearby world.

Centuries of Failed Kings Before Christ
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We still have not reached the center of all history and the Advent of the Messiah of Israel now to be predicted by the Prophets. 

Keep in mind that now Israel and Judah will have separate kings eventually overruled by conquering kings.
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King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women along with the daughter of Pharaoh [king of Egypt]—women of Moab, Ammon, Edom, and Sidon, as well as Hittite women.

2 These women were from the nations about which the LORD had told the Israelites, “You must not intermarry with them, for surely they will turn your hearts after their gods.”

1 Kings 11:1-2 BSB

Christian preaching makes much of monogamy here while ignoring common customs of marriage alliances between political rulers of nations through intermarriage. Yet the LORD had forbidden it.

And incentives inviting our cultural bias against the True God of Israel continue as a leaven diluting a Common Era Church to this day.

Frequently forced alliances led to the fall of Israel [722 BC] and decline through gradual apostasy compromised Judah just a century later [606 BC].

606 B.C. Some captives taken to Babylon. (Daniel included)

597 B.C. More captives taken to Babylon. (Ezekiel included)

586 B.C. Jerusalem is destroyed by fire.

Kings of Chosen Captives

Without dwelling on all the kings of both Israel and Judah who ‘did evil in the sight of the LORD,’ we’ll move forward to those left powerless by defeat and the refining of the Lord our God.

2 Kings 17 – Failure of Israel

3 Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria.

And Hoshea became his vassal and paid him tribute. But the king of Assyria found treachery in Hoshea, for he had sent messengers to So, king of Egypt, and offered no tribute to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year.

Therefore the king of Assyria shut him up and bound him in prison.
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Egypt's king (not so much a god and Pharoah to an Assyrian king) wouldn't help Hoshea out of his political servitude to Shalmaneser king of Assyria. 

Does this king's representative vassal relationship sound somewhat prophetic of a later Herodian whoredom with Rome?
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Then the king of Assyria invaded all the land and came to Samaria, and for three years he besieged it.

In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria, and he carried the Israelites away to Assyria…

2 Kings 17:5-6a ESV ~724BC -722 BC

Meanwhile, back in Judah

Hezekiah trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel. No king of Judah was like him, either before him or after him. He remained faithful to the LORD and did not turn from following Him; he kept the commandments that the LORD had given Moses.

7And the LORD was with Hezekiah, and he prospered wherever he went. He rebelled against the king of Assyria and refused to serve him. 8He defeated the Philistines as far as Gaza and its borders, from watchtower to fortified city.

2 Kings 18:5-8 BSB
- 701 B.C. 200,000 of the inhabitants of Judah captured by Sennacherib
- 621 B.C. Nineveh, Assyria falls to Babylon and Media (the Medes)
- 586 B.C Judah falls to Babylon, the rebuilt Temple destroyed and captured families of the leading Jews led captive to Babylonia
Flight of the Prisoners, Artist: Tissot, Photographer: John Parnell, Photo © The Jewish Museum, New York

600 years Before Christ, No more Kings of Israel;

No King of the Jews in Jerusalem!

Hope only for a few

Biblical Foundations of Freedom

The Prophesy of Isaiah, with some familiar to Christians as prophesy foreseeing the Messiah born in Bethlehem of Judea (formerly Judah), is set earlier than what we have just read in the context of the divided kingdom.

Isaiah 10:

Here in part is Isaiah’s and the LORD’s lament:

11 ” ‘..shall I not deal with Jerusalem and her images

as I dealt with Samaria and her idols?’ ”

19 And the remaining trees of his forests will be so few

that a child could write them down.

22 For though your people Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will return. Destruction is decreed, overflowing with righteousness.

Two mote Empires (Before Christ & Rome)
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For those who like me may have occasionally fallen asleep in history class I'll make this rise and fall of three Empires brief.
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- a remnant does return to Jerusalem and rebuilds its wall and Temple
  - 536 B.C. Cyrus the Great permitted the return. 49,897 Jews returned from Babylon to Jerusalem.
- 516 B.C. The temple was completed. source
  - (Jerusalem will later get a Governor, Nehemiah and a Priest, Ezra),
  - But still no King since they are subjects of Persia.
If not a king, how about a Queen?

And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.

Esther 2:17 KJV

Yet Esther becomes co-regent of the Medes and Persians [~478 B.E.] not simply a small remote city of Jerusalem.
- Malachi’s prophecy likely came sometime after the ministry of Nehemiah around BC 458-445.
- Malachi is the last prophet to speak before Christ.
  - source
Before Caesars, Greeks

The advent of Christ takes place in Judea and beyond, documented in Greek texts as was the whole New Testament. Persia.

It’s a period of some 400 years Before Christ.

Jews from Persia in the east, in Samaria to the north and even west as far as Rome became divided in their interest in the Bible given by Moses and the Prophets.

Thanks to Alexander the Great, the nearby world of the Herod’s and Jews spoke Greek (not Hebrew or certainly not the Latin of Rome).

In the timeline of all history Rome’s consequent defeat of other kings, princes and generals after Alexander’s death and division of yet another Empire would set the stage for the birth of a King from before all time born into it in a little Judean town unnoticed by a vassal King appointed by Caesar, a king of a captive Israel actually raised in distant Rome.

These centuries of ADVENT lead up to a glorious day central to all of history and all of mankind.

NEXT: Christmas 2024 of the Common Era, God-willing
December 22, 2024
Jesus Christ Lord – 3 Christ of the Christian Church
Christians of the early Church proclaimed Jesus Christ Lord confessing, “JESUS is Lord.”
- What is your relationship to the Son of God and Son of Man?
Jesus Christ IS Lord – 1

Part 1 UPDATED 25 September 2024 CE

So far, we have been reminded that GOD is One – that is: Father, Son and Holy Spirit – Eternal (before all time and and after all time ceases to exist) – separated from His creation (including creatures), that is: Holy.

Previously I pointed out thoughtful teaching QUESTIONS about GOD from the Westminster Shorter Catechism.

Roles and Relationships of JESUS

In Part 2 we read about Jesus Christ from the Nicene Creed.

Jesus Christ 2 the Person and His Roles

“.. of one substance with the Father,..”

JESUS relates to mankind in roles summarized as King, Prophet and Priest; but none is more foundational than Christ of God.

Roger@TalkofJesus.com

the Trinity of the LORD

Church and Biblical teaching are both clear and mysterious in describing GOD’s ROLES of relationship within HIMSELF, that is:
- FATHER to the SON
- SON to the SPIRIT
- Holy Spirit
  - to the Father
  - and to the Son
Some Christians know and experience a personal relationship to THE ONE GOD. The HOLY SPIRIT speaks to the heart [spirit ] of a uniquely created man or woman, a mortal made of flesh and blood.

Church Doctrine (teaching)

Christian Teachings of the Church from Scripture

In Part 3 of this doctrinal post about the one LORD JESUS CHRIST we will look at scriptural teaching concerning CHRIST from historic catechisms of the Church AND most foundationally, from God’s word in the BIBLE.

Catechisms provide studied ANSWERS to student QUESTIONS

Every Christian has QUESTIONS about the Lord God and about JESUS (who IS God).
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Like ANY learning, the Questions and Answers of a catechism we study and memorize as students seeking a deeper understanding of God.
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Doctrine-based QUESTIONS of Christology
- 21. Who is the redeemer of God’s elect?
  - The only redeemer of God’s elect is the Lord Jesus Christ, who, being the eternal Son of God, became man, and so was, and continueth to be, God and man in two distinct natures, and one person, forever.
- 23. What offices doth Christ execute as our redeemer?
  - Christ, as our redeemer, executeth the offices of a prophet, of a priest, and of a king, both in His estate of humiliation and exaltation.
- *24. How doth Christ execute the office of a prophet?
  - *
- *25. How doth Christ execute the office of a priest?
  - *
- *26. How doth Christ execute the office of a king?
  - *READ the Westminster Catechism [A.D. 1647] for ANSWERS to these and more Questions about God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
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If you also wonder about the Holy Spirit, time does not allow further study today.
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What does the Church teach? (Church Doctrine)

Today we’ll study the roles of JESUS’ personal relationship with YOU, with me and with all followers of the Lord.
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Let's begin with a review from the NICENE CREED with its EARLY UNIVERSAL (Catholic) agreement as to the Person and Roles of Christ and God.
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THE CREED OF NICAEA – AGREED AT THE COUNCIL IN 325
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Until the early 20th century, it was universally assumed that the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed (the more accurate term) was an enlarged version of the Creed of Nicaea, which was promulgated at the Council of Nicaea (325). It was further assumed that this enlargement had been carried out at the Council of Constantinople (381) with the object of bringing the Creed of Nicaea up to date in regard to heresies about the Incarnation and the Holy Spirit that had arisen since the Council of Nicaea. - source: Britannica
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JESUS

Who because of us men and because of our salvation came down,

and became incarnate

and became man,

and suffered,

and rose again on the third day,

and ascended to the heavens,

and will come to judge the living and dead,

And in the Holy Spirit.

Nicene Creed, a Christian statement of faith that is the only ecumenical creed because it is accepted as authoritative by the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and major Protestant churches. -Britannica

Offices, Titles, Roles and Relationships of JESUS
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As is my practice, linked DEFINITIONS to clarify.
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Christ our Redeemer

“As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives,

And [after] the last He will rise up over the dust of this world.

Job 19:25 LSB

Redeemer is a specifically Scriptural reference to a person acting to save a person or people from the hold, control or responsibility of another.

The Prophet Isaiah points forward to the Holy One of Israel as the redeemer of Israel for the chosen ones of God.

Lord – κύριος

Jesus asked them, saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?”

He said to them, “How then does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying:

‘The LORD said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool” ’ ?

Gospel of Matthew 22:41-46 excerpt New King James Version
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22:45  εἰ οὖν Δαβὶδ καλεῖ αὐτὸν κύριον πῶς υἱὸς αὐτοῦ ἐστιν 

Since David called the Messiah ‘my Lord,’ how can the Messiah be his son?” - NLT
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Offices of our Redeemer
- the office of a prophet
- the office of a priest
- the office of a king
Prophet –from נָבָא (H5012) – נָבִיא

Then the LORD came down in the pillar of cloud and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam. And they both went forward. Then He said,

“Hear now My words:
If there is a prophet among you,
I, the LORD, make Myself known to him in a vision;
I speak to him in a dream.

Numbers 12:5 NKJV
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New Testament use of prophet from the Greek:
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προφήτης – Strong’s G4396 – prophētēs

“But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet.

Gospel of Matthew 11:9 NKJV [7-15 in contest] JESUS, speaking of John, even comparing John to Elijah and citing Scripture from O.T. Prophets.
- What does the BIBLE teach us about this office of JESUS?
Resurrection Before Jesus

And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying,

That a great prophet G4396 is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people.

Gospel of Luke 7:16 KJV [vs 11-17 in context] when JESUS raised a boy to life from his funeral casket

Priest – kōhēn – כֹּהֵן

And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest H3548 of the most high God.

Genesis 14:18 KJV (first reference to the office of priest in the Bible)

priest,
principal officer or chief ruler
priest-king (Melchizedek, Messiah)
[6 more]
Active participle of כָּהַן (H3547)
Lexicon :: Strong’s H3548 – kōhēn

The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest H3548 for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

Psalm 110:4

לְדָוִד מִזְמוֹר נְאֻם יְהוָה לַאדֹנִי שֵׁב לִימִינִי עַד־אָשִׁית אֹיְבֶיךָ הֲדֹם לְרַגְלֶיךָ׃
1. priest-king (Melchizedek, Messiah)
2. pagan priests
3. priests of Jehovah
4. Levitical priests
5. Zadokite priests
6. Aaronic priests
7. the high priest
Priest – ἱερεύς

just as He says also in another passage,

“YOU ARE A PRIEST G2409 FOREVER

ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK.”

Hebrews 5:7 LSB

High Priest or Chief Priest – ἀρχιερεύς – archiereus

Now the main point in what is being said is this: we have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a minister in the holy places and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man.

Hebrews 8:1-2 LSB

King

.. for I am a great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.

Malachi 1:14b KJV

king – meleḵ – מֶלֶךְ

occurs 2,526 times in the Hebrew Bible

Israel follows YAWWEH as its King of kings and Lord of lords.

What other people have GOD as its King by their covenant with the LORD?

king – βασιλεύς – basileus
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Strong's Number G935 matches the Greek βασιλεύς (basileus),
which occurs 118 times in 107 verses in the TR Greek.
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And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING G935 OF THE JEWS.

Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John

Outline of Biblical Usage
1. leader of the people, prince, commander, lord of the land, king
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probably from G939 (through the notion of a foundation of power); a sovereign (abstractly, relatively, or figuratively):—king.
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JESUS showed POWER on earth, signs and miracles no created man could do except the expected Messiah of GOD !

The King, as Judeans had hoped, would be more powerful than Herod the Great (who rebuilt the Temple, a civil project still under construction under one of his sons (King Herod). Jerusalem and all the lands and their kings were subject to ROME and its Caesars.

“Hosanna,

Ὡσαννά εὐλογημένος ὁ βασιλεὺς Ἰσραήλ

hōsanna eulogeō ho basileus israēl

“.. Blessed [is] the King of Israel..

John 12:13c

Rome’s Governor Pilate would decide a pre-ordained mortal fate of this earthly KING Jesus, a man seemingly powerless as Jerusalem’s King Herod and his appointed priests of the Judean Temple.

The Apostles Peter and John also preached Christ crucified and risen with signs from God. ACTS 3-4

JESUS, according to God’s Word

HOW should we address JESUS?
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Wouldn't HOLY SCRIPTURE; written, God-breathed words of the BIBLE (faithfully translated); provide the best, true guidance of how Christian should proclaim JESUS?
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Consider how the New Testament speaks about Jesus - source
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- “Jesus” occurs 980 times in 940 verses in the LSB.
- 942 times in the KING JAMES VERSION
- 1000+ times in translations substituting ‘Jesus‘ for prepositions such as ‘He.’
- “Jesus” AND “prophet” occurs in 5 verses in ‘The Gospels” in the LSB.
  - and JESUS never uses it Himself as a title, only confirming this office.
- “Jesus” AND “priest” occurs 30 times in 14 verses in the LSB.
- He is never addressed as a ‘Priest,’ but the letter of HEBREWS and other Scripture makes clear that JESUS is both Priest and Sacrifice.
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us take hold of our confession.

For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things like we are, yet without sin.

Hebrews 4:14-15 LSB
- “Jesus” AND “king” occurs 18 times in 8 verses in the LSB
- Jesus never refers to Himself as King yet acknowledges the recognition of Him by others.
So Jesus, knowing that they were going to come and take Him by force to make Him king G935, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone.

Gospel of John 6:15 LSB – G035 – basileus

The Lord Christ Jesus

“Jesus” AND “Lord” occurs 379 times in 179 verses in the KJV
- The Twelve Apostles and others frequently address the man Jesus as, “Lord.”
- Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David. – Matthew 20:30b
- When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. – Luke 5:8
And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

Gospel of Luke 24:23 KJV – the women at the tomb of Jesus on Resurrection Sunday

HE IS RISEN!

Jesus the Christ of GOD

“Christ” occurs 559 times in 522 verses in the KJV.
- The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. – Matthew 1:1
- And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. – Matthew 1:16
- And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. – Matthew 16:16
- For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. – Matthew 24:5
- Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified. – Matthew 27:22
- Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, – Romans 1:1
- Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. – 1 Corinthians 1:3 ESV
He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you will be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 1:8 Christian Standard Bible

“Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified.”
Acts of the Apostles 2:36 Legacy Standard Bible

‘.. what should we do?”

And Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized

in the name of Jesus Christ

for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts of the Apostles 2:38 LSB

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September 30, 2024
Prophesying the unseen future
Prophets predicted the Messiah of God, Christ Jesus

Acts of the Apostles 21:
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Dr. Luke continues his account of their return to Jerusalem and Paul's stay with Philip the Evangelist in Caesarea.
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Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.

And as we were staying there for some days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.

And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands, and said, “This is what the Holy Spirit says:

Now some of you are NOT going to believe this

STOP
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BEFORE we hear 'what the Holy Spirit says' to the Apostle Paul through Agabus, LET'S take a quick look ahead at PROPHESY, Prophets and Prophetesses and SEE if YOU even believe in such predictions. 
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προφητεύω – Strong’s G4395 – Prophesy

to prophesy, to be a prophet, speak forth by divine inspirations, to predict

Luke has already used this same word describing a scene back in Ephesus.

And when they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying.

Now there were in all about twelve men.
Acts of the Apostles 19:5-7 LSB

Here Luke reveals that Philip, one of the seven deacons who had received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and was later sent out with the Apostles’ teaching, had four daughters known as prophetesses.

In fact, prophesy is not so much given as positive prediction but more frequently as WARNING of some unseen future event.

And when He had entered Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying, “Who is this?”

And the crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth in Galilee.”
Gospel of Matthew 21:10-11 LSB

The Greek New Testament word used here for prophet is prophētēs.
- in Greek writings, an interpreter of oracles or of other hidden things
- one who, moved by the Spirit of God and hence his organ or spokesman, solemnly declares to men what he has received by inspiration, especially concerning future events, and in particular such as relate to the cause and kingdom of God and to human salvation
προφήτης – Strong’s G4396 – prophētēs

JESUS had been received as a PROPHET and King by the Jews. It was Christ as Priest and SACRIFICE for our sins they rejected.
Roger@Talkofjesus.com

ARE PROPHETS TRUE? CAN THEIR PROPHESY PREDICT?

Now the men who were holding Jesus in custody were mocking Him while they beat Him, and they blindfolded Him and were asking Him, saying,

“Prophesy, who is the one who hit You?”

And they were saying many other things against Him, blaspheming.
Gospel of Luke 22:63-65 LSB – Prophesy g4395 prophēteuō

“Prophesy G4395 to us, O Christ; who is the one who hit You?”
Gospel of Matthew 26:68

And some began to spit at Him, and to blindfold Him, and to beat Him with their fists, and to say to Him, “Prophesy G4395!” And the officers received Him with slaps in the face.
Gospel of Mark 14:65 LSB
- Jesus the King is opposed by the Herod’s.
- Jesus the Prophet is opposed by those adorned in false robes of righteousness.
- And Jesus the Priest is opposed by the false intercessors claiming coins of indulgence before altars of idolatry.
And He said to them, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy G4395 of you hypocrites, as it is written:

‘THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS,

BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME.
Gospel of Mark 7:6 LSB

THE APOSTLE PAUL PREACHES CHRIST CRUCIFIED AND RISEN!

‘..Bind the man who owns this belt..’

Once again, true prophesy through the Holy Spirit provides a vision of further suffering awaiting the Apostle who had been blind even as Philip had received the Holy Spirit years before.

a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea

“The Holy Spirit says,
‘In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’”
Act of the Apostles 21:11b – NIV
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Luke, who of course is traveling with Paul by now records an account of his own reaction:
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When we heard this, we and the local believers all begged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.

But he said, “Why all this weeping? You are breaking my heart!

I am ready not only to be jailed at Jerusalem but even to die for the sake of the Lord Jesus.”
Acts 21:12-13 NLT

hyper ho onoma ho kyrios iēsous
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The King James Version is even a bit more pointed in its rendering from the Greek:
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for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.
Acts 21:13b King James Version

YES, these early apostles and many disciples of Christ Jesus proclaimed their faith in ‘the Name of the Lord Jesus – kyrios iēsous.

This beloved apostle to the Gentiles, as one drawn later to his faith had asked the risen Christ on a road to Damascus,

“Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: [Acts 9:5 excerpt KJV}

As all disciples traveling with Paul knew, he had once sought the deaths of many brothers and had been present at the execution of Philip’s fellow deacon and friend, Stephen.

And they stoned Stephen,

calling upon God, and saying,

Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

Acts 7:59 KJV

NOW their beloved apostle to the gentiles pleads with them that he too may accept Stephen’s fate ‘in the name of the Lord Jesus.’

14 When he would not be dissuaded,

we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”

After this, we started on our way up to Jerusalem.

Some of the disciples from Caesarea accompanied us and brought us to the home of Mnason, where we were to stay. He was a man from Cyprus and one of the early disciples.

And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.
Acts of the Apostles 21:17 KJV

A.D. 52-57

Acts of the Apostles – To Be Continued… – in Jerusalem
April 22, 2024