“Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!” Revelation 19:9

Revelation 19 announces the Lamb of God’s coming marriage and His marriage supper, complete with guests. Who are they? To better understand this prophecy, we must examine a few ancient Israeli wedding customs.

A traditional wedding in Jesus’ time included three primary steps and took many days to complete. First, the parents of both the bride and groom signed a marriage contract, then the groom presented a dowry to the bride’s parents. Thus began the betrothal, or engagement, period. Mary and Joseph were in such a period when Mary became pregnant by the Holy Spirit (Matt 1:18; Lk 2:5).

Second, the groom and his friends grabbed torches several days later and paraded to the bride’s house at midnight. The bride fully expected their arrival and would have her maidens ready as well. The ladies would join the parade and walk back to the groom’s house. Such a parade is the basis for the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25:1-13.

The third and final step was a wedding ceremony followed by a marriage supper, which included many guests and usually lasted several days or longer. The wedding at Cana, where Jesus turned water into wine, was such a wedding feast (John 2).

The prophecy in Revelation 19:9 refers to the first two steps of the wedding. The first step has already been taken. God the Father paid the dowry when He sent His Son Jesus (the Groom) to shed His blood on a cross for all believers, i.e., the church (the bride). As such, the church is officially “betrothed” to Jesus.

As it stands currently, the bride now waits for the Groom to come (step 2), and Jesus warns her (that is, us) to be ready (Matt 25). We do not know when He will come; not even Jesus knows. But many Bible scholars believe Jesus will rapture the church (1 Thess 5) and take us back to the Father’s house (heaven) at that time.

Upon our arrival, we will enjoy the marriage feast (supper) with the Groom.

It will be a spectacular, festive time in heaven with the Lord Jesus Christ. But we will not be alone; we will have guests.

The Full Guest List

Returning to the original question, who are the guests at the marriage supper? They cannot be the church since the church is the bride. She does not get invited to her own ceremony! So, who are they?

The wedding guests are those who died in their faith before Pentecost and the birth of the church (Acts 2:1), i.e., all Old Testament saints. God will resurrect them along with the church during the rapture, and we will reign together with Jesus in the millennial kingdom

The guests will also include all those who come to faith during and after the Tribulation period. Zechariah 8:23 tells us,

Many will come to faith during the Tribulation, led by believing Gentiles as well as a select group of Jewish people who will come to trust and believe that Jesus is the promised Messiah. Revelation 7:1-8 and 14:1-5 describe this in more detail.

Once the guests arrive, Jesus will present His bride “in fine linen, clean and bright” (Rev 19:8). Together, we will celebrate the marriage supper in an eternal, joyous celebration.

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“So, when [Jesus] heard that [Lazarus] was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was.” (John 11:6)

John 10-11 tells of Jesus traveling across the Jordan River to an unpopulated area of Judea (likely Perea or Batanea) after escaping an angry mob seeking to kill Him (22-40). While He was there, He received word that His good friend, Lazarus, was ill.

Curiously, Jesus did not run to his friend’s side but stayed in Jordan another two days before traveling to Bethany. By the time He arrived, Lazarus had been in a tomb for four days. When Martha, Lazarus’ sister, saw Jesus, she cried, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died (11:32).” But Jesus was not concerned. Instead, He calmly said, “Take away the stone (v39).”

In the Jewish culture, when someone dies, the family must bury the body within twenty-four hours. People in the ancient world believed that if the person were not actually dead and suddenly became well, it would most likely occur within one day of the burial, which is day two. By day three, if the person still had not come out of the tomb, everyone believed that person was indeed dead. By day four, the person was definitely, no question, without a doubt, dead.

Mary and Martha likely assumed that their friend Jesus would arrive by the second day when healing their brother was still possible. But then the third day came, and Jesus was not there. So, by the fourth day, everyone believed that Lazarus was undoubtedly dead, and there was no hope of saving him.

But then, on the fourth day, Jesus arrived and performed one of the greatest miracles found in the Bible.

All For His Glory

It seems odd that Jesus would wait so long to travel to Bethany and help His good friend. Why did He wait? He gives us the answer back in verse four, when He was still in Jordan, speaking to His disciples.

Jesus then confirmed it when He arrived at the scene and spoke to Martha, telling her to take the stone away from the tomb entrance. Naturally, Mary was quite apprehensive. She reminded the Lord of the overwhelming smell that would escape the tomb. But Jesus replied to her,

Then, Jesus prayed, saying,

Waiting four days was all part of Jesus’ plan.

Resurrecting Lazarus on the fourth day illustrated to the crowd and to us today that Jesus is indeed the Son of God and the promised Messiah. He holds all power and knowledge, and He is sovereign over every circumstance. As Jesus Himself said, Lazarus’ resurrection testifies of His glory and deity. And one day, His power will be fully known to all when the dead rise at His command in the last days (John 5:25, 28-29).

Lazarus’ resurrection also teaches us something else: What may seem hopeless to us is never hopeless to Jesus. He is Lord of all and over all, the King of all kings. So, in those times when all seems lost, His faithfulness, love, and power are steadfast, and we can completely trust Him. Nothing is impossible for Him (Lk 1:37).

Romans 8:28 tells us He works all things together for the good of those who love Him. We can hold onto that beautiful promise, knowing He is fully in control. Nothing can stop His good plans. Not even death.

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“I said, you are gods.” (Psalm 82:1)

John 10 describes a scene in which certain Jews attempted to persuade Jesus to confess that He is the Messiah. A confession would allow them to stone Him legally. Cleverly, Jesus asked why they wanted to stone Him, and they responded that it was because of His blasphemy and that He declares Himself to be God (v33). Jesus then replied in verse 34, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, you are gods?’”

Here, Jesus quotes from Psalm 82:1, which first says, “He judges among the gods.” Then, in verse six, says, “I said, you are gods, and all of you are children of the Most High.”

What was Jesus trying to say? Who are these “gods”?

Some interpret “gods” (little G) as demons or pagan false gods. But the better interpretation is that they are human leaders, such as judges, kings, legislators, presidents, prime ministers, etc. These are the people whom God ordains as His representatives (Ex 22:9; Jud 5).

However, these representatives do not supersede Jesus. He alone is the greatest judge of all who will one day judge all people.

As the greatest judge, Jesus presides over all human judges and governing authorities. And though they are fallible and susceptible to sin, Romans 13:1-2 tells us why we should obey them regardless of circumstances.

Jesus, the Son of God

Back in John 10:34, Jesus refers to these governing authorities, saying, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, you are gods?’” He goes on to say in verses 35-36,

So, what is Jesus trying to say?

Because “gods” can refer to someone who is God’s representative and serves under His authority, God can then address them as “gods” or “sons of gods” or “children of the Most High.” Consequently, neither the Jews nor anyone else should object to Jesus saying He is the Son of God (v36). In other words, if they can be called “gods” with a little G, certainly He, the Messiah, can be called God with a big G. After all, He was in the form of a man acting as God’s representative and serving under the Father’s authority just as human authorities do. Unfortunately, the Jews disagreed with Him and again tried to attack Him, but He was able to escape (v39).

Whenever we read the word “gods” in the Bible, we can usually interpret it to mean a human whom God appointed as His official representative to act in a place of divine authority. However, we cannot attribute this designation to Jesus.

As the promised Messiah, Jesus came to the earth still fully God and divine yet cloaked in human flesh. He was, still is, and always will be the holy Son of God (with a big G).

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“Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. And he saw the linen cloths lying there and the handkerchief that had been around His head not lying with the linen cloths but folded together in a place by itself.” (John 20:6-7 NKJ)

Different Bible translations interpret the cloth wrapped around Jesus’ head differently. Some use the word handkerchief. Others say “napkin” or “face cloth”. Indeed, many social media influencers also have their own theories about John 20 and what the folded cloth in Jesus’ tomb means.

The original Greek word is soudarion (soo-dar-ee-on), based on the Latin term for “sweat cloth” or “towel.” Though soudarion can indicate a cloth used to wipe away perspiration, ancient Jewish families commonly used them in their burial practices. After they prepared the body of a loved one with fragrant spices, they often wrapped it with two to three burial cloths. The cloth covering the face was the soudarion, which was separate from the body cloth(s).

In John 20, the apostle writes that he and Simon Peter found Jesus’ burial cloths “lying there” and the soudarion “folded together in a place by itself.” The cloths simply “lying there” indicates there was no struggle. If grave robbers had attempted to take Jesus’ body, as the Pharisees feared (Mt 27:64), they would not have bothered to unwrap the cloths in their haste.

The conclusion is that Jesus’ body had been glorified, enabling Him to pass through the cloths without disturbing them. The event must be interpreted as unlike Lazarus’ resurrection experience; he walked out of his grave still wrapped in his burial cloths (Jn 11:44).

Folded or Twisted?

Another key word here in John 20:7 is “folded.” Some translations say “rolled up” or “wrapped together.” The original Greek word is entulisso, which means “to twist” or “entwine.” Therefore, the cloth was not necessarily folded but twisted, likely from wrapping around Jesus’ head.

Unfortunately, some still insist that the cloth was a neatly folded napkin, based on a supposed Jewish custom of folding your napkin if you planned to leave a dinner table but intended to return. They assert that because Jesus’ cloth was folded, it must indicate Jesus’ future return.

While the Bible assures us of our Lord’s future return at an unknown time, neither biblical nor secular sources can confirm that such a custom of napkin folding ever existed, especially in ancient Israel. At that time, people did not use a napkin at the table at all and commonly washed their hands in a basin. Napkins did not exist.

Understanding the distinction between a table napkin as we know it today and an ancient funereal soudarion is significant. The cloth was twisted, not folded, and it lay right where Jesus’ head had been, indicating He had passed right through it in His glory.

What is most important is that the disciples found the cloth undisturbed. They understood its meaning and believed (v8) that Jesus rose from the tomb just as He said He would (Mt 16:21; Mk 8:31, 9:31; Lk 9:22; Jn 2:19). He rose in victory over death and sin in a glorified body, offering us a path to salvation and eternal life with Him in His kingdom. In the end, the entire theory of the folded napkin is far less a solid theory and more of a conjured-up, social media-created myth.

May we all believe as John and Peter did. Jesus is risen just as He said.

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“He became the author of eternal salvation.” (Heb 5:9)

Receiving God’s gift of salvation is a huge moment in one’s life. To know that the God of the universe unquestionably forgives us of everything we have ever done, calls us His child, and says we are co-heirs with His Son is overwhelming. The joy that floods over us is truly life-altering.

But what many young believers soon realize is that salvation does not necessarily mean a smooth, easy road for the rest of their lives. Typically, the road gets bumpier and steeper at times, and there is only one reason why—Satan.

The devil hates it when we give our lives to Jesus, making him attack us with greater vigor. He tempts us to slip, stumble, and just plain mess up. And before we know it, we sin. Sometimes we might even do it repeatedly, which can make us feel like failures.

The cycle of sanctification is not always easy to bear. Even as God refines us and continues to extend His grace, Satan keeps attacking. Our slip-ups might even make us wonder whether we can lose our salvation.

The good news is we absolutely cannot.

The initial assurance we have is that the Lord instantly sends His Spirit to dwell permanently within us when we decide to follow Him (1 Cor 6:19; Rom 8:11). It is a gift that God promises never to take back. In fact, we are sealed with it.

“For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” (Rom11:29)

“Having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.” (Eph 1:13)

What does “sealed with the Holy Spirit” mean?

In Greek, to be sealed is sphragizo (“sfrag-id-zoh”), which means “to stamp with a private signet or mark for preservation.” Recall how kings once dripped wax on letters and pressed a signet ring into them to seal them before sending them out. The seal signified authority, security, authenticity, and ownership.

In the same way, God seals us with His authority and love like a stamp on a letter, claiming us as His own with the “Holy Spirit of promise”. Therefore, because the Holy Spirit is eternal, His indwelling is eternal, making our salvation also eternal.

Sealed with a Promise

The Bible further tells us that we are not simply sealed with the Holy Spirit but also sealed with His promise. What is the promise?

Ephesians 1:14 explains that the Holy Spirit is the “guarantee of our inheritance,” meaning He pledges to keep believers until the day of redemption. This is the day when God finally resurrects us (that is, our immaterial part), and we receive our glorified bodies (Phil 3:20-21). Because God keeps us, He guarantees our salvation is eternal. Further, that guarantee means that no one—not even Satan—can “snatch” us out of God’s hand.

“I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” (Jn 10:28-29)

The Bible further tells us outright that salvation is eternal because Jesus is eternal.

“And having been perfected, [Jesus] became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.” (Heb 5:9)

Recall the doctrine of the Trinity. God is not comprised of only the Father but also the Son, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Together, they are “three in one” as the eternal Godhead.

“The LORD our God, the LORD is one.” (Deut 6:4)

Because the Father is everlasting, the Son and the Holy Spirit are also everlasting. Therefore, followers of the eternal Son Jesus cannot lose their salvation because of the indwelling of the eternal Holy Spirit, who seals us and keeps us as His own for the Father.

“He became the author of eternal salvation.” (Heb 5:9)

Receiving God’s gift of salvation is a huge moment in one’s life. To know that the God of the universe unquestionably forgives us of everything we have ever done, calls us His child, and says we are co-heirs with His Son is overwhelming. The joy that floods over us is truly life-altering.

But what many young believers soon realize is that salvation does not necessarily mean a smooth, easy road for the rest of their lives. Typically, the road gets bumpier and steeper at times, and there is only one reason why—Satan.

The devil hates it when we give our lives to Jesus, making him attack us with greater vigor. He tempts us to slip, stumble, and just plain mess up. And before we know it, we sin. Sometimes we might even do it repeatedly, which can make us feel like failures.

The cycle of sanctification is not always easy to bear. Even as God refines us and continues to extend His grace, Satan keeps attacking. Our slip-ups might even make us wonder whether we can lose our salvation.

The good news is we absolutely cannot.

The initial assurance we have is that the Lord instantly sends His Spirit to dwell permanently within us when we decide to follow Him (1 Cor 6:19; Rom 8:11). It is a gift that God promises never to take back. In fact, we are sealed with it.

“For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” (Rom11:29)

“Having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.” (Eph 1:13)

What does “sealed with the Holy Spirit” mean?

In Greek, to be sealed is sphragizo (“sfrag-id-zoh”), which means “to stamp with a private signet or mark for preservation.” Recall how kings once dripped wax on letters and pressed a signet ring into them to seal them before sending them out. The seal signified authority, security, authenticity, and ownership.

In the same way, God seals us with His authority and love like a stamp on a letter, claiming us as His own with the “Holy Spirit of promise”. Therefore, because the Holy Spirit is eternal, His indwelling is eternal, making our salvation also eternal.

[middle image: wax seal]

Sealed with a Promise

The Bible further tells us that we are not simply sealed with the Holy Spirit but also sealed with His promise. What is the promise?

Ephesians 1:14 explains that the Holy Spirit is the “guarantee of our inheritance,” meaning He pledges to keep believers until the day of redemption. This is the day when God finally resurrects us (that is, our immaterial part), and we receive our glorified bodies (Phil 3:20-21). Because God keeps us, He guarantees our salvation is eternal. Further, that guarantee means that no one—not even Satan—can “snatch” us out of God’s hand.

“I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” (Jn 10:28-29)

The Bible further tells us outright that salvation is eternal because Jesus is eternal.

“And having been perfected, [Jesus] became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.” (Heb 5:9)

Recall the doctrine of the Trinity. God is not comprised of only the Father but also the Son, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Together, they are “three in one” as the eternal Godhead.

“The LORD our God, the LORD is one.” (Deut 6:4)

Because the Father is everlasting, the Son and the Holy Spirit are also everlasting. Therefore, followers of the eternal Son Jesus cannot lose their salvation because of the indwelling of the eternal Holy Spirit, who seals us and keeps us as His own for the Father.

We are His children, and no one can take us out of His hand (Jn 10:28-29). We are forever His. Better yet, He is forever ours.

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“Then they crucified Him and divided His garments, casting lots.” (Mt 27:35)

For centuries leading up to Jesus’ time, casting lots was a standard method of determining an outcome or making decisions. The book of Leviticus is the first place in the Bible where God instructs the Israelites to cast lots.

In Leviticus 16, God instructs Aaron, the first high priest of Israel, how to make a burnt offering to atone for sins. First, he was to kill a bull to atone for his personal sins and those of his household. Then, he was to take two goats. One was sacrificed to the Lord (the blood offering). The other goat became a sin offering to atone for all of Israel. The priest would lay his hands on the goat to transfer the sin onto it, and then the goat was set free into the wilderness. This is where we get the term “(e)scapegoat.”

How did Aaron determine which goat he was supposed to sacrifice? By casting lots. See Leviticus 16:8-10, 20-22.

Hundreds of years later, as Jesus hung on the cross, Roman soldiers callously and prophetically cast lots for His tunic.

“Then they crucified Him and divided His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, ‘They divided My garments among them, and for My clothing, they cast lots.’” (Mt 27:35; Ps 22:18)

Mark 15:24 says the soldiers cast lots “to determine what every man should take.”

Acts 1 then describes a scene in the upper room where the apostles try to decide who should replace the recently deceased Judas Iscariot as the twelfth apostle. The choice was between Barsabas and Matthias. Arguments were made for each man, so the apostles used lots to determine who would win the coveted spot.

“And they cast lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles.” (Acts 1:26)

No one casts lots today, so what are they?

Lots could be almost anything according to local custom, but usually, they were stones, polished sticks, coins, or something similar. Today, we cast lots with cards, dice, or flipping a quarter.

The primary reason for casting lots was to render an impartial, unbiased decision on important matters. The objective was that no one could argue that the decision was based on human intervention like nepotism, politics, favoritism, etc., once the lots were cast.

“Casting lots causes contentions to cease and keeps the mighty apart.” (Prov 18:18)

More importantly, it was a way to determine God’s will.

“The lot is cast into the lap, but its decision is from the LORD.” (Prov 16:33)

Using Lots Today

The crucifixion and choosing an apostle are the only two New Testament instances of casting lots. However, in the Old Testament, the Israelites often used lots to reveal God’s purposes. For example, we see lots used in,

· Joshua 14:1-2 (dividing the 12 tribes of Israel)

· 1 Samuel 14:38-43 (determining the guilty party)

· 1 Chronicles 24:31 and 25:8-31 (determining individual Levite duties in the Temple)

· Jonah 1:7 (determining who caused the violent storm)

One might wonder why we do not use lots to determine God’s will today. The answer is we do not need them.

Before the giving of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4), God allowed the practice as a means of guidance and discernment. But after He sent the Holy Spirit, the practice became unnecessary. Spiritual guidance is no longer left up to man but to God. He alone gives the believer discernment to make godly decisions.

When we look to the Lord for direction on an issue, the Holy Spirit is the One who shows us the way so that we always remain within the Father’s will. This is why sensitivity to the Holy Spirit is so essential to the Christian faith and in our daily walk with Jesus.

Casting lots might seem to be an easier way to make decisions. But if the lot is wrong, we take matters into our own hands and do not seek the Lord’s will. We cannot allow impatience and pride to get in the way of God’s plan. Therefore, we must seek the Lord in all circumstances.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:33 to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Further, Proverbs 3:5-7 says,

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.

Don’t be wise in your own eyes.”

When we seek the Holy Spirit and God’s will first instead of depending on our own devices like casting lots, we can be sure that the outcome will always be the best course of direction.

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“Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came and tested [Jesus].” (Mt 16:1)

The New Testament gospels record that Jesus often bumped heads with the Sadducees and Pharisees, the religious leaders in Israel. One such famous leader was Caiaphas, the high priest at the time of Jesus’ arrest (Matt 26:57; Mk 14:53; Lk 22:54; Jn 18:12).

Both Sadducees and Pharisees were influential leaders during the Second Temple period. They relied heavily on the Torah in their faith, but their approaches to it and the community varied.

Who were these groups of people? How were they alike, and how were they different? Do they still exist, and will they ever come back into power? We will start first with the Sadducees.

The Sadducees

The Sadducees (from the Hebrew word sadaq, “to be righteous”) evolved from the Levitical priestly line of Zadok, who served King David (2 Sam 15:24-29) and later anointed Solomon as king (1 Kgs 1:38-39). They included the high priests (such as Zacharias, Lk 1), chief priests, and aristocratic families of the day and held the majority of the 71 seats in the Sanhedrin, the ruling council in Jerusalem.

Sadducees only used the Torah in their doctrine (Genesis-Deuteronomy), and they believed in it deeply. However, they denied several of its teachings, including the power of resurrection and the hope of an afterlife (Gen 3:19; Ex 15:1; Deut 31:16, 32:39), leaving the people with a sense of occasional hopelessness.

One of the Sadducees’ primary duties as priests was to maintain orderliness in the temple, which they took very seriously. Recall their reaction after Jesus overturned the tables in the Temple and then healed the “blind and lame”.

“But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying in the Temple…they were indignant.” (Mt 21:14-15)

The next day, the Sadducees angrily confronted Jesus (Mt 21:23), as they often did, and soon after they plotted to kill Him. Other times the Sadducees confronted Jesus include Matthew 16:1, when they asked for a sign from heaven, and in Mark 12, when they questioned resurrection power.

The Sadducees also often worked with Roman officials. Their close working relationship allowed them to continue appointing a succession of handpicked priests and maintain community peace to their liking.

Because of their association with the Romans, many considered the Sadducees more of a political group than a religious sect. According to ancient historians, their wealth, power, arrogance, and argumentative nature often made them largely unpopular with everyday people. People simply did not trust them, at least not completely, yet they were subject to them.

The Pharisees

In many ways, Pharisees (from the Hebrew for “separated”) were the opposite of the Sadducees.

Unlike the aristocratic Sadducees, the Pharisees were comprised of people in the Jewish middle class, legal scribes, and synagogue leaders who divided into two distinct sub-groups—the Shammaites and the Hillelites.

Conservative Pharisees (Shammaites) were anti-Rome and anti-Gentile, while liberal Pharisees (Hillelites) took a more gracious approach toward the people. Their internal opposition eventually led them to worship separately while still working together.

The Pharisees’ primary goal was to keep Torah as perfectly as possible. They taught that all Jews—including Jesus—had to keep its 600-plus laws. They also included the writings and books of the prophets (i.e., the entire Old Testament) in their doctrine (the Sadducees focused only on the Bible’s first five books), as well as oral traditions (Mishnah), which continued to grow over time. Unfortunately, they often equated their traditions with God’s word (Matt 9:14; 15:1-9; 23:5, 16, 23; Lk 11:42), prompting Jesus to call them hypocrites in Mark 7:6 and to publicly remind them of Isaiah 29:13.

“And the Lord said: “Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor Me with their lips, while their hearts are far from Me, and their fear of Me is a commandment taught by men.” (Is 29:13)

Their drive for perfection and, thus, righteousness typically gave rise to overinflated piety. The Sabbath proved an extraordinarily prickly day for them, with many people breaking the law. Two examples are when they became upset after Jesus healed the sick multiple times and when He allowed His hungry disciples to pick wheat (Mt 12:1).

“And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, ‘Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!’” (Mt 12:2)

Jesus was not the only one to note the Pharisees’ disposition. The people also did not consider them to be popular. However, because the Pharisees did not overly concern themselves with politics and Rome, the people preferred them over the Sadducees.

Working Together?

Though very opposite, the Sadducees and Pharisees worked together in the Sanhedrin, the ruling Jewish council and tribunal in Jerusalem. The Sanhedrin’s job was akin to that of a Supreme Court, where they would hear civil, criminal, and religious cases.

As mentioned, the Sadducees held the most seats on the 71-member council. The high priest, who presided over the Sanhedrin, was also typically a Sadducee, causing the verdicts to lean in the Sadducees’ political favor. Nevertheless, both religious groups managed to work together.

Outside of formal meetings, however, it appears the only time the Sadducees and Pharisees ever worked together was when they successfully conspired to kill Jesus (Mk 14:53, 15:1; Jn 11:48-50). The Bible records that the only religious leaders who refused to participate in their sham schemes were Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea, both Pharisees.

Where Are They Now?

Today, neither Sadducees nor Pharisees formally exist. Both fell out of power soon after the Romans destroyed the temple in 70 A.D. But the Pharisees carried on (in a sense) through the Mishnah (rabbinical writings and oral traditions). Modern-day synagogues and rabbinical Judaism as we know it are primarily based on the Pharisees’ work.

Scholars are undecided over whether the Sadducees and Pharisees will ever return to power. The Bible mentions the reimplementation of animal sacrifices in the coming Millennial Kingdom (Ez 40-48; Is 56:6-8; Jer 33:15-18; Zech 14:16-21), which might indicate the re-establishment of a type of priestly system similar to that of ancient times. But the Bible does not explicitly tell us.

One thing we can be fairly confident about is that the formal re-establishment of a Sanhedrin in the Millennial Kingdom is unlikely, since Jesus will conclusively defeat Satan and sin during the Tribulation (Rev 21) and finally and unequivocally rule over heaven and earth for eternity, leaving any future formal religious leaders unnecessary.

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“Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?” (John 8:48)

And old saying was once used to describe a disobedient, ill-mannered child, that the child had “the devil in him.” We might also apply this saying to someone consistently making sinfully poor choices. But is it true? Can someone be possessed by a demon or the devil himself? How about a follower of Christ?

The New Testament describes a few instances of demon possession in which a demon or evil spirit controls a person’s thoughts and actions. Examples found in Matthew 17:14–18, Luke 4:33–35, and 8:27–33 involve convulsions, self-harm, rage, and supernatural strength. We still see examples like this today.

However, the difference between those people and believers in Christ is the Holy Spirit, the third person of the divine Godhead (the other two being Father God and His Son, Jesus). The Bible tells us that when we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit comes and dwells within us.

“But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now, if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Holy Spirit who dwells in you.” (Romans 8:9, 11)

“Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (I Corinthians 3:16)

Further, the Holy Spirit eternally seals believers, which means He claims them as God’s own and guarantees their protection from demons.

Ephesians 1:13-14, “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession to the praise of His glory.”

2 Corinthians 1:21-22, ‘Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.”

Romans 8:38-39, “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities or powers [i.e., demons], nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

When we fully accept Christ, we step out of a life of darkness and sin controlled by Satan and into a life of light, freedom, joy, and peace in the Lord. The fruit we consequently bear (Gal 5:22-23) is evidence of our true spiritual transformation by the Holy Spirit, and Satan is powerless against Him. However, those who reject Christ do not have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and are vulnerable to Satan’s control.

Be Vigilant

The Bible contains no examples of any demon possessing a believer in Christ, and there is no instruction about exorcising them (i.e., spiritual removal) out of believers today. The early disciples cast out “unclean spirits” at one time (Mk 6:7; Lk 10:17), but the Bible does not mention God giving anyone else the command or instruction since that time. Why? Because it does not occur.

However, it is vital to understand that even though demons cannot possess believers, they can greatly influence them.

Believers often struggle with the trappings of sin, such as pride, addiction, unforgiveness, bitterness, anger, and more. They remain trapped unless they confess their sin, repent, and return in obedience to the Lord. Until then, Satan continues his attempts at destruction through subtle influences with the hope of drawing those who are not steadfast in the Lord away from Him.

The Bible tells us always to be alert to the devil’s schemes (1 Pt 5:8-9) and be ready for him by putting on the whole armor of God daily (Eph 10-18). James 4:7 says it best.

“Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

True believers should never worry about demon possession, knowing that the Holy Spirit is within them and protecting them. But it does not mean we should not be on guard. We must be vigilant about Satan’s plots and plans because the truth is, he is doing everything he can to destroy you and your loved ones.

Be ready, stand firm, confess sin (hidden or obvious), and keep your eyes on God, knowing He victoriously goes before you every day (Psalm 23).

“Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” (Rom 8:37)

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“And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.” (Mt 16:19)

In Matthew 16, Jesus changes Simon Peter’s name to just Peter. He also declares that, because of and through Peter (“this rock”), He will build His church. Then, He tells Peter He will give him “the keys of the kingdom of heaven.” What are these keys? Are they for Peter or the church? What do they do?

It has been a controversial subject. Some say Jesus gave Peter the keys—the means, if you will—to take the gospel to the Gentiles. They claim Jesus was commissioning him to preach to new ethnic groups outside the Jewish community, as he did in Acts 10, when God told him to go to the Roman centurion Cornelius’ house to teach the gospel. Jesus commanded all believers to go and share the gospel to “all the nations” (Mt 28:19-20), so the keys belonging only to Peter is unlikely.

More relevantly, keys refer to controlling access either to heaven or hell, as we see repeatedly in the book of Revelation. Isaiah 22:22 also mentions palace keys held by an important official who either opens a door for believers or shuts nonbelievers out of heaven.

“The key of the house of David I will lay on his shoulder. So, he shall open, and no one shall shut; and he shall shut, and no one shall open.” (Is 22:22)

Therefore, most often, scholars say the keys are not a single subject but one connected to the remainder of Matthew 16:19 and the matter of binding and loosening, a verse very similar to Isaiah 22.

“And whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

A more accurate translation of verse 19 from the Greek, using the two verbs estai dedemenon and estai lelumenon respectively, therefore is,

“And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of the heavens. And whatever you shall bind on the earth shall be as having been bound in the heavens. And whatever you shall loose on the earth shall be as having been loosed in the heavens.”

Theologian Michael Vanlaningham paraphrases Matthew 16:19 like this: “Peter, when, in the future, you bind or loose people, be assured that unquestionably they will remain bound or loosed in heaven as well.”

What Jesus is telling Peter, a member of the church, is that the church (not Peter alone) has the authority to declare what God has already conclusively decided. In this case, we are talking about acceptance of the gospel message. In other words, when the church makes a judgment about forgiveness based on God’s word, it can be sure that heaven agrees.

If the church declares an unrepentant person is still bound in sin, the church is repeating what God says about that person. Likewise, if someone has accepted Christ, they have been loosed from sin, and God will agree. And if someone hears the gospel and refuses it, they remain in their sin and will continue to be bound.

Jesus’ declaration to Peter in Matthew 16:19 highlights God’s permanent divine agreement between Peter (as a member of the church) and heaven. In the end, the church has the authority to decide if someone is truly saved, a decision usually based on evidence of our spiritual fruit.

The church alone holds the keys of the kingdom, not Peter.

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In Exodus 7-12, Moses and his brother Aaron confront Pharaoh, hoping to convince him to let the Hebrews go free. As many Bible readers know, Pharaoh refuses, and so God sends ten different plagues on the Egyptians.

Plague #1: Water turned to blood (7:14-25)

Plague #2: Invasion of frogs (8:1-15)

Plague #3: Lice infestation (8:16-19)

Plague #4: Infestation of flies (8:20-32)

Plague #5: Diseased livestock (9:1-7)

Plague #6: An outbreak of boils (9:8-12)

Plague #7: Unrelenting hail (9:13-35)

Plague #8: Invasion of locusts (10:1-20)

Plague #9: Prolonged black-out conditions (10:21-29)

Plague #10: Death of every firstborn in Egypt (11:1-12:30)

Moving forward to Revelation 16, John hears a loud voice from the temple in heaven instructing seven angels to pour out their “bowls of the wrath of God on the earth” (v1). The Bible prophesies only seven bowls of judgment during the Tribulation. Interestingly, these judgments are strikingly parallel to several of the ten ancient plagues.

Bowl #1: Loathsome sores (Rev 16:2)

This bowl brings an outbreak of “foul and loathsome” sores or boils, similar to plague #6, upon every person who takes the mark of the beast and worships the antichrist.

Bowl #2: The Sea Turns to Blood (16:3)

Much like the Nile River turning to blood (plague #1), God will command an angel to pour its bowl on the ocean and turn it to blood “as of a dead man.” Every living creature in the ocean will die, directly echoing the effects in Egypt.

Bowl #3: More Waters Turn to Blood (16:4-7)

Another angel will pour out its bowl on the earth’s rivers and springs, turning them to blood and destroying the world’s drinking sources. The angel explains this event as retribution for the “shed blood of saints and prophets.”

Bowl #4: Scorched with Fire (16:8-9)

Unlike the previous parallels, this next bowl judgment does not match any of the ten plagues. Nevertheless, an angel will be given power to burn unrepentant people with heat and fire. The verse seems to indicate this judgment will be caused by the sun, creating great thirst, but there will be no water to drink because of bowl judgment #3.

Not Done Yet

Bowl #5: Darkness and Pain (16:10-11)

Just as Egypt was plunged into total darkness (plague #9), a fifth angel will darken the antichrist’s kingdom. Widespread darkness is also a part of God’s judgment in Isaiah 60:2, Joel 2:2, and Mark 13:24-25.

Bowl #6: The Euphrates River Dries Up (16:12-16)

While there is no direct correlation between the Nile River in Exodus 7:14-21 and the Euphrates in Revelation, the sixth bowl involves frogs coming from the mouths of the dragon (Satan), the beast (the antichrist), and the false prophet (the antichrist’s associate). This parallels the Egyptian plague of invasive frogs, as unclean spirits (demons) will spread across the earth, gathering followers of the antichrist into battle, the “Battle of Armageddon.”

Bowl #7: Great Earthquakes (16:17-21)

Although earthquakes are not part of the ten plagues in Exodus, both the seventh plague (Ex 9:13-35) and the seventh bowl in Revelation involve massive, destructive hailstorms, with hailstones weighing about 75 lbs (34 kg). The severity and symbolism of these events point to God’s ultimate, complete judgment.

God sent the plagues against Egypt for its disobedience and evil toward His people. In the last days of the Tribulation, similar judgments will occur against the unrepentant, with the outcome being utterly final.

The Lord will destroy Satan, sinners, and evil forever in the lake of fire (Rev 20:10-15) while those of us who are already in heaven, raptured, or enduring in obedience to the end will experience a holy renewal (Rev 21:5). The Lord will create a new heaven and earth (Rev 21:1), and we will dwell safely and joyously with Him forever.

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“You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” Hebrews 7:17,21

Hebrews 6:20 tells us that Jesus became our “High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” Who is Melchizedek?

Melchizedek, meaning “righteous king,” was a unique king-priest in ancient Jerusalem during the time of Abram (Genesis 14:18-21). He was also known as the king of Salem (Hebrews 7:2, “king of peace”). He was highly regarded, as seen in Genesis 14 when Abram returned victoriously from battle.

The first to meet Abram as he returned was the evil king of Sodom, who patiently waited for Melchizedek to offer Abram a blessing before making his request for a return of his people. The king’s yielding signified his uncommon respect for the priest.

Abram, who later became Abraham, also highly respected Melchizedek. This is illustrated by Abram accepting Melchizedek’s blessing and offering a tithe.

The writer of Hebrews provides a limited description of Melchizedek. His priesthood was not hereditary, as Levitical priests were, so how he became a priest is unknown. Hebrews 7:3 seems to indicate that he had no known parents. Someone obviously gave birth to him; therefore, the phrase “without father, without mother, without genealogy” simply means there is no record of his birth or death; hence the phrase “the order [or lack thereof; i.e., the family history] of Melchizedek.”

Even so, his priesthood somehow became superior to the Levitical lineage.

Hebrews 7:3 goes on to say, “Having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually.” Because of this Scripture, Melchizedek is often portrayed as an example or forerunner of Christ. Some even maintain that he was a pre-incarnate Christ, but this is not so.

The Bible does not tell us about Melchizedek’s family upbringing or who influenced him. Nevertheless, it is clear he was an extraordinary man. That he “remains a priest continually” does not refer to an eternal state. It also does not refer to Melchizedek as a forerunner of Christ, but someone similar to Him, in that his priesthood service was universal in terms of extraordinary royalty, peace, righteousness, and perpetuity.

How else does Melchizedek relate to Jesus?

The remainder of Hebrews 7 describes how Jesus is our true High Priest and king-priest, one higher than Melchizedek.

“For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens, who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.” (v26-27)

Whenever we see Melchizedek’s name and how Jesus is “according to his order,” it simply describes Melchizedek’s priestly longevity and its similarity to the ever-continual nature of Jesus’ supremacy, royalty, power, and holiness.

Jesus and Melchizedek possessed similar godly qualities. But only Jesus’ eternally gracious, loving, and merciful nature will truly last forever.

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“So the men of his city…did as Jezebel had written to them.” (1 Kgs 21:11)

During the mid-nineteenth century BC, an evil queen named Jezebel reigned over Israel with her husband, King Ahab. However, the marriage was not based on mutual love but politics. To strengthen an alliance between Israel and Phoenicia, Jezebel’s father, the king of Sidonia, gave her to Ahab in an arranged marriage.

Jezebel was a highly influential and powerful woman. As an active promoter of her native religion that worshipped Baal and Asherah (containing a total of 850 gods), she was vehemently against the God of Israel. She opposed God so much that she pursued His prophets, killing many of them and forcing others into hiding. One such prophet was Elijah, who ran for days after he defeated the prophets of Baal in a contest at Mount Carmel (1 Kgs 18:20-19:11).

One story particularly illustrates Jezebel’s evil disposition.

In 1 Kings 21, King Ahab attempted to buy a vineyard that adjoined the palace, but the vineyard’s owner, Naboth, refused to sell. In her anger, Jezebel orchestrated a plan to ensure Naboth was unfairly denounced for blasphemy against God and the king and subsequently stoned to death. Upon his death, she proudly told her husband he could have the property.

The Lord God condemned Ahab for taking the vineyard, but He passed a harsh judgment on Jezebel. Elijah prophesied to Ahab in 1 Kings 21:23, saying, “The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel,” which we see fulfilled later in 2 Kings 9:30-37 after a commander named Jehu led an insurrection after Ahab’s death.

When Jehu entered the royal palace, he ordered Jezebel’s eunuchs to throw her out the window, which they did, splattering her blood on a wall from the impact (2 Kgs 9:33). A few hours later, after he had his lunch, Jehu ordered Jezebel’s body to be buried since she was a king’s daughter. But when the eunuchs went out to bury her, they could not find anything remaining of her except her skull, feet, and the palms of her hands, just as Elijah had prophesied (v35).

Jezebel possessed considerable religious and political influence. She was also very bitter, selfish, arrogant, conniving, and vindictive. As such, centuries later, her name became culturally associated with the concept of a shameless, angry seductress.

Jezebel’s story is a great example of what happens when we reject God and fail to repent despite multiple warnings. Her prideful stubbornness, staunch defiance, and absence of morals ultimately resulted in her literal destruction. As wonderful as she thought she was, her talent and intellect could not save her.

Living life apart from God always leads to dreadful outcomes. The Bible repeatedly says that His judgment is on us all. Therefore, let us humbly draw near to God and seek to live for Him rather than ourselves. His way is the way to life (Jn 14:6). In Him alone we find true joy, peace, and contentment.

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“And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed.” (2 Thessalonians 2:6-8)

In Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians, he teaches about end times, the Antichrist, and the Day of the Lord. He also teaches in verse six about something restraining the coming Antichrist. However, he does not specify who or what it is.

His lack of information has caused much speculation. Is it a government? The continued preaching of the gospel? God’s providence? Israel? The church? An angel? The Holy Spirit? Something else?

Satan holds great power. Therefore, we can logically conclude that whatever is restraining the Antichrist and his final apostasy must be something or someone more powerful than a mere human or an angel. Only one can fill this lofty role—God Himself.

Using His supreme sovereign power, God will not permit the Antichrist to come and take power until a pre-determined, appointed time, when “lawlessness” will overtake a certain man to do Satan’s diabolical will.

However, only a few years later, at the midpoint of the Tribulation, God will take His restraint “out of the way” (v7). At that time, the fullness of the Antichrist’s evil spirit (that is, the identity of the one who embodies Satan’s spirit) will be revealed.

To be clear, God will not physically remove the Antichrist but force him to step aside for 1,000 years (Rev 19:7). He will not lose his power just yet. At some point, God will allow it again, thus allowing Satan an opportunity to make war against Him. But we have the assurance that the King of the universe is fully in control and will ultimately and eternally cast Satan and the “lawless one” into the lake of fire (Rev 20:7-10).

No one is more powerful than the Lord God of heaven. He alone controls Satan, when he will be allowed to imitate God (see verse four), and when he can perform the “abomination of desolation” (Dan 9:27; Matt 24:15-16) before the great Day of the Lord. But we know one thing is absolutely certain—that God will be overwhelmingly victorious.

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“Prayer builds the ladder; faith makes you climb.” (author unknown)

Do you like climbing ladders? How about in your walk with Christ?

The Bible provides something scholars call “ladders of faith,” in which one idea builds on the previous one. One well-known example is Romans 5:3-4.

“We also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.”

Here, Paul writes that followers of Christ can find victory in trials because they produce perseverance that eventually leads to hope. Tribulation is the bottom of the ladder, and hope is the top. God, who loves order, uses this type of structure to help us understand His step-by-step process to achieve righteousness.

The steps must be completed in order. If one skips a step, the outcome will be very different, and we will not be true disciples.

From Virtue to Love

Another ladder of faith is found in 2 Peter 1:5-7.

“Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.”

Having just told us that only God’s divine power provides “all things pertaining to life and godliness” (v3), Peter goes on to instruct us how to stand strong and increase our faith when others try to lead us astray.

The Greek word for “add” in verse five means “to give lavishly and generously.” In other words, we must be lavish in our devotion to pursuing righteousness, beginning with virtue.

“To virtue knowledge.” In spiritual terms, a virtuous life means having strong moral character and practicing godly behavior (honesty, kindness, humility). Through daily practice, God reveals more of Himself and opens our hearts to receiving more spiritual knowledge.

“To knowledge self-control.” As our knowledge grows, we realize the importance of controlling our sin. We cannot let it rule over us. God warned Cain of this when he was tempted to kill his brother, Abel.

“If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.” (Gen 4:7)

It is essential that we do not let sin overcome us.

“To self-control perseverance.” Control over sin is not easy, yet it happens every day. It is a solid guarantee despite the false teaching of “sinless perfectionism,” which is the belief that believers cannot sin once they come to faith. God knows this, which is why He repeatedly tells us in His word to repent and persevere in our faith (Mt 16:24; Mk 8:34; Lk 9:23, 14:27).

“To perseverance godliness.” Perseverance leads to greater godliness and more Christ-like behavior. God is always trying to move us toward righteousness, to become more like His Son, the Lord Jesus.

“To godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.” Throughout the Bible, the law of the Lord has always been love (Dt. 6:5-6; Mt 22:37-39; 1 Cor 13:13; 1 Jn 4:7-5:4). Therefore, godliness produces an innate sense of kindness toward others, resulting in selfless love.

Climbing the Ladder Correctly

The steps on the ladder of increased faith cannot be taken out of order. We cannot begin with kindness and expect it to lead to virtuous living or love. Likewise, studying the Bible and being very knowledgeable about it does not necessarily result in self-control over sin. One must lead to the other in order.

Why? Peter answers in verses eight and nine.

“For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.” (2 Pt 1:8-9)

Climbing Peter’s ladder not only moves us toward godliness but also leads us toward abundant knowledge of God, i.e., we will be more effective witnesses of the gospel.

But Peter also warns us. If we do not abide in God and practice these attributes, it may be because we have forgotten our salvation, which is another way of saying that we have walked away from God. Following God requires daily diligent practice.

The Sermon on the Mount Ladder

A third well-known ladder of faith is found in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5. It is not commonly called a ladder, as in Romans 5 and 2 Peter, but it is nevertheless a step-by-step instruction. We know this third ladder as the Beatitudes.

One big difference between the Beatitudes and the other two ladders is that the Beatitudes do not necessarily need to be done in order, yet Jesus suggests they should.

Note that each Beatitude begins with “blessed are.” In Greek, the word for blessed is makarios, meaning “happy are” or “how overjoyed are.” We will be overjoyed as we climb this ladder.

Step #1, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (v3)

The first three Beatitudes are rooted in Isaiah 61, which Jesus read in the synagogue in Nazareth when He first publicly declared His deity (Lk 4:16-21). His first blessing is from verse one.

“The Spirit of the LORD GOD is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted; to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners.” (Is 61:1)

The Old Testament describes the poor as those who cry out to God for help and feel a great need and dependence on Him.

Psalm 86:1-2, “Listen, LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Protect my life, for I am faithful. You are my God. Save Your servant who trusts in You.”

In the New Testament, the poor are sinners who recognize their need for a savior and depend on God’s grace. Recognizing our sin is the beginning of our walk with Jesus, the first step of the blessed ladder.

A Few More Rungs

Step #2, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” (v4)

Jesus’ second blessing echoes Isaiah 61:2-3.

“To proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of our God’s vengeance; to comfort all who mourn; to provide for those who mourn in Zion; to give them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, festive oil instead of mourning, and splendid clothes instead of despair.”

Upon recognizing our sin, a contrite heart mourns over it. We grieve not only for our own sin but also for others. It is an attitude of repentance, especially in knowing the freedom that exists when we put our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Step #3, “Blessed are the humble/meek, for they will inherit the earth.” (v5)

Steps one and three are closely related. Some Bible translations say “humble,” and others say “meek.” Being humble means being brokenhearted before the Lord because of sin. We trust the Lord and surrender to His will and authority regardless of our circumstances.

Similarly, meekness is not weakness, as some believe. Rather, it is the exercise of Spirit-led self-control over sin.

The phrase “will inherit the earth” is a direct quote from Psalm 37:11.

“But the humble will inherit the land and will enjoy abundant prosperity.”

It also parallels Isaiah 61:7.

“So they will possess double in their land, and eternal joy will be theirs.”

Eternal life with the Lord awaits those who recognize their sin, repent, trust, and pursue self-control over sin.

Climbing Toward Righteousness

Step #4, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” (v6)

The next step of the ladder is to hunger and thirst daily for righteous living. Notice that Jesus passively says, “They will be filled,” indicating that we cannot do it ourselves. Only God can satisfy our deep desires to have a right relationship with Him; Only He can impart that level of righteousness.

“Since they are ignorant of the righteousness of God and attempted to establish their own righteousness, they have not submitted to God’s righteousness.” (Rom 10:3)

Jesus repeats Himself in Matthew 5:19-20 (calling the fourth Beatitude the least of His commandments) and then again in 5:48.

“For I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.” (v20)

“Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (v48)

When we attempt to achieve righteousness on our own, we oppose God’s holiness and risk spiritual blindness. Therefore, God promises to bless those who continue to recognize sin, repent, and work to resist it (Jam 4:7).

However, we cannot achieve perfect righteousness without the power of the Holy Spirit. This is vital to understanding Jesus’ theology in the Sermon on the Mount. Some teachers falsely twist this Beatitude to suggest that we can achieve righteousness only through our own efforts, but Ephesians 2:8-9 outright refutes this.

Perfect righteousness is a divine gift that we receive from God alone. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for it.

Keep Climbing

Step #5, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” (v7)

Living righteously through the power of the Holy Spirit softens our hearts and changes us into more of His likeness. An essential component of it is mercy. God promises to show us mercy when we forgive others. Paul emphasizes this point in Ephesians 4:32.

“And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.”

Paul uses a play on words here. The Greek word for kind is “chrestos,” while the Greek word for Christ is “Christos.” Putting them together, Jesus is kindness, and kindness is Jesus. They are interchangeable. When we show mercy, we show Christ’s kindness in the same manner as He shows it to us.

Step #6, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” (v8)

Those who are pure in heart are authentically righteous. They have followed the Holy Spirit’s promptings and pursued it (see Step #4). Complete purity will not occur until we stand in the Lord’s presence; however, Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:8 indicate we can be radically transformed even in our lifetimes.

God promises that those who persist in pursuing righteousness and purity will see God. One day, we will literally see His glory. Because of Jesus, our access to God will far surpass anything the Old Testament saints were allowed to experience (Ex 33:18, 20-23).

Step #7, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” (v9)

Out of hearts of mercy and pursued purity comes the next step in the ladder—seeking peace with others. We must be quick to apologize and seek to make things right again. We must also refuse the temptation to seek revenge; instead, we must serve, love, and pray for our enemies.

“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.” (Mt 5:44-45)

A transformed life shows evidence of God’s mercy, peace, and love.

The Top Rung of the Ladder

Step #8, “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.” (v10)

Unfortunately, not everyone likes or appreciates a life surrendered to God. We are often ridiculed or persecuted for our faith. Therefore, the purest form of righteousness on this side of heaven often results in sacrifice rather than reward, making this the topmost step of this ladder.

This step is what Jesus wants for all of us—those who are willing to make sacrifices for the sake of the gospel rather than evading hardship and persecution. Jesus calls those willing to sacrifice true disciples. They are the ones to whom belongs the kingdom of heaven (Jesus).

“If anyone wants to follow after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of Me will find it.” (Mt 16:24-25)

Following Jesus is not for the faint of heart. It is a lifetime commitment that requires much of us. According to the biblical ladders, it begins with acknowledging our sin, repenting, and daily pursuing righteousness (i.e., an entire lifestyle change led by the Holy Spirit), leading to intentional acts of mercy, love, and peace. It also includes personal virtue, knowledge, self-control, and perseverance, no matter the circumstances (2 Pt 1:5-7).

Ultimately, our pursuit includes sacrifice, sometimes even at the cost of our lives. This is the purest form of righteousness. But even when we endure these hardships, we can be assured that they will eventually produce in us a character that reflects God, a commitment to Him, and an unshakeable hope of heaven (Rom 5:3-4).

God is a god of order. He established these ladders of faith for us as a type of instruction manual. If we faithfully follow them step by step, we will become true disciples rooted in the promise of standing in His presence and seeing the fullness of His glory one day.

Are you ready to start climbing?

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“But they cried out all the more, ‘Crucify Him!’” (Mark 15:14)

It has become a common controversial topic among believers and non-believers alike—who killed Jesus? And, for that matter, who arrested Him, the Romans or the Jews? People have arguments assigning blame and, sometimes, subsequent contempt toward either group, especially the Jews.

As always, believers should not take such arguments at face value but compare them to the truth of God’s word. What does the Bible say about this pivotal historical event? Was the group that arrested Him the same ones who had Him crucified?

The Gospel of John is the basis for the argument about who arrested Jesus, beginning with Judas’s betrayal in the Garden of Gethsemane.

“Then Judas, having received a detachment of troops and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons.” (Jn 18:3)

Those who support the belief that the Romans arrested Jesus point to the phrase in verse three, “a detachment of troops.” Here, a detachment refers to a group of Roman soldiers. It can include up to 1,000 men in times of war, but was often about 200-600 men otherwise. Ordinarily, the Roman military stationed them at Caesarea, but they were routinely sent to Jerusalem during the Jewish feast days to quell any possible rebellion. The fact that they arrived with the officers bearing weapons tells us they were anticipating a violent reaction.

The use of the term “detachment” is, however, ambiguous. One can also apply such military terminology to Jewish police. Support for this argument comes from Scripture saying that the group was in service to the “chief priests and Pharisees (v3)”. If this is true (and there is a real possibility), then both the troops and officers would have been Jewish.

In addition to the detachment are the “officers of the chief priests.” These are Jewish temple guards and the primary arresting officers. Three pieces of evidence support this fact:

1. It was the Jewish religious leaders who had a charge against Jesus, i.e., it was a religious matter.

2. John 18:12 tells us they were “officers of the Jews.”

3. John 18:13 says they took Jesus directly to Annas, the de facto High Priest (though Caiphas was the true High Priest).

The guards would not have taken Jesus to a Roman authority since it was a religious issue. Plus, it was the middle of the night, when the Roman court was closed.

More Support for the Jewish Argument

Further support for these men being Jewish includes the fact that Roman authorities did not ordinarily escort Jewish detainees for interrogation by a High Priest (v13), especially one who had been deposed from office by Roman governor Valerius Gratus eighteen years prior.

Verses 29 and 31 further tell us that Pontius Pilate is unaware of the charges the Sanhedrin has brought against Jesus. Therefore, he responds that they should judge Him according to religious law. If Roman guards were presenting Jesus, Pilate would have already been aware of the charges and ready to judge Him.

Another possible argument in support of everyone present was Jewish is the number of men in the detachment. If they were a true Roman detachment, there would have been hundreds of men clad in armor and carrying weapons.

Common sense indicates that such a number would have been excessive simply to arrest one man, even if they regarded Him as an instigator. Likely, the detachment was simply a large group of armed men, not hundreds but perhaps dozens. Scripture does not provide the evidence for this particular argument, but it is one worth considering.

Finally, one can find the final evidence that the detachment was not Roman in the Bible translation itself. Only the NASB says the detachment was Roman. All others, including parenthetical translations, indicate they were an armed group sent by the chief priests and elders. Furthermore, looking at the other gospel accounts, none say they were Roman (see Mt 26:47 as an example).

So, who arrested Jesus? The weight of the evidence leans toward a Jewish contingent, both troops and officers, who served the Levite chief priests and Pharisees. Perhaps a few Roman soldiers were there, but since the arrest was made in secret during the night to avoid public outcry (and not, as some suggest, while people were distracted by Passover; it had not yet begun, Jn 19:14), their presence is unlikely.

Jesus’ Sham Trials

After the Jewish troops and officers led Jesus to the house of the High Priest, they shuffled Him to several different locations, both Roman and Jewish, for a series of sham trials.

First, Jesus appeared before the Jewish Sanhedrin, a group of 70 men consisting of both Pharisees and Sadducees. Given the hour, it is unlikely the entire Sanhedrin was present. And since it was an illegal and secret trial, not all of them would have been invited.

They commanded that He tell them if He is the Christ, to which Jesus responded, “You rightly say that I am” (Lk 22:70). Feeling they had caught Jesus openly blaspheming God, they sent Him to Pilate, making several false accusations of tax evasion and sedition.

“We found this fellow perverting the nation, forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is the Christ, a King.” (Lk 23:2)

Pilate found no fault in Jesus, so he sent him to King Herod in Galilee, where Jesus was raised and where much of His ministry took place. Herod, both Roman and Jewish, was excited to see Jesus perform a miracle, but Jesus did not oblige him. Despite the chief priests’ accusations, Herod, too, found no fault in Jesus. All he did was mock Him by placing a beautiful robe on Him and sending Him back to Pilate (Lk 23:8-11).

After a second trial, Pilate still found no fault in Him. Instead, he offered to release Jesus per a Jewish custom supported by Rome (i.e., not a Roman commandment) that allowed for one prisoner to be set free in honor of Passover. Rome’s goal is to keep the people calm (Mt 27:24), but that is not what the chief priests wanted at this moment.

Jesus’ Final Moments

Mark 15:11-14 describes the chief priests stirring the crowd to choose a murderous thief named Barabbas instead. Internally, they had given Jesus a death sentence, but only Rome had the authority to execute someone. So, they urged the crowd to support crucifying Jesus.

“Pilate answered and said to them again, ‘What then do you want me to do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?’

“So they cried out again, ‘Crucify Him!’

“Then Pilate said to them, ‘Why, what evil has He done?’

“But they cried out all the more, ‘Crucify Him!’”

To prevent an uprising, Pilate agreed to release Barabbas and crucify Jesus instead. Roman soldiers led Him into a hall inside the Roman Praetorium, the governor’s official residence. There, they tortured Jesus for an unknown amount of time, beyond the routine 39 lashes.

They then forced Him to carry the crossbeam for His cross to Golgotha, where an upright post planted in the ground waited for Him. There on Golgotha, the soldiers nailed Jesus’ hands to the beam, the beam to the post, and then finally His feet to the post (Mt 27:26-34; Mk 15:15-41; Lk 23:24-32; Jn 19:16-22). Typically, the Romans tied a criminal’s hands and feet to the crossbeam and post; they did not nail them. Nailing Jesus’ hands made His crucifixion especially monstrous.

Six hours later, Jesus was dead.

[READ MORE: The Science of Crucifixion, Part One]

READ MORE: The Science of Crucifixion, Part Two]

Who Really Killed Jesus?

So, who killed Jesus?

The jealous and fearful Jewish religious leaders devilishly devised a plan to send dozens, if not hundreds, of temple guards to arrest Jesus in the middle of the night to evade public notice. They then tried Him before the High Priest in a secret, illegal court, where they concocted a litany of false charges to preserve their power. Finally, they incited the crowd to choose Barabbas so Jesus could be crucified and be out of their way.

Are they to blame?

Pilate and Herod found no fault in Jesus. Still, Pilate gave in to the crowd and released Barabbas, thereby sentencing Jesus to a method of death typically reserved for only the most heinous of criminals.

Was he to blame?

The Roman soldiers scourged Him far beyond any typical manner to appease the Jewish leaders. They then nailed Him to a cross in a style far different from their usual methods and watched Him die while they callously cast lots for His tunic (Mt 27:35; Lk 23:34; Jn 19:24).

Did the Romans kill Jesus?

Given the gospel narrative, it seems everyone is to blame. The chief priests, the Sanhedrin, Herod, Pilate, the crowd (likely a mix of Jews and Gentiles), and the Roman soldiers were all involved.

But none of them is truly to blame.

The Final Verdict

So, who is truly to blame?

The answer is simple. It’s us. We nailed Him to the cross, not the Jewish people or Rome, but all of us. Our sin put Him there.

Despite our shame, Jesus, nevertheless, willingly gave up His life and spirit for us.

“And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up His spirit.” (Mt 27:50)

“And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, ‘Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.’” (Lk 23:46)

But Jesus did not have to die at all. Recall that, while He was alive, Jesus already told His disciples and the Pharisees that no one takes His life from Him, but He willingly lays it down.

“Therefore, My Father loves Me because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes I from Me, but I lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.” (Jn 10:17-18)

Arguments over who arrested and killed Jesus are frivolous. Assigning blame and pointing fingers that lead to antisemitism and other forms of hate is a waste of time when we know we are all responsible.

Let us, then, focus on what is most important: what Jesus accomplished through His death and resurrection.

Out of His immense love, Jesus alone took the punishment and condemnation we deserve. He suffered unspeakable torture and abuse on our behalf and died a ruthless death, but then rose again three days later to conquer death itself, all to save us from sin and offer us the hope of eternal life.

Let us focus on Jesus’ love and commitment to save us and offer grace. Salvation through faith in what He did is all that truly matters, not who arrested and killed Him that fateful and purposeful day 2,000 years ago. His only goal was and remains to “seek and save the lost” (Lk 19:10), and He would gladly do it all again for us.

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“Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” (Matthew 21:9)

Palm Sunday is an often-overlooked holiday lost in the rush to get to Easter, even in churches. But the day is very significant and worthy of study. Palm Sunday is the day that not only began Jesus’ final walk to the cross but also fulfilled a few prophecies.

According to the gospel accounts, Jesus and His disciples had been making their way to Jerusalem for several weeks to celebrate Passover. Along the way, Jesus healed a blind man, cleansed ten lepers, met Zacchaeus, and told a lot of parables. They finally reached the area of Bethphage and Bethany, located a few miles outside of Jerusalem, on Sunday, 9 Nisan, 30 AD. Later that day, Jesus made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

The date is significant. It was precisely 483 years (a biblical seventy weeks) after Artaxerxes’ decree given by the angel Gabriel found in Daniel 9.

“Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy.”

Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem was the day He began fulfilling the first of many Old Testament prophecies, including Artaxerxes’ prophetic decree. He finished the transgression (restrained sin) and ended and reconciled it (put it away through His sacrifice on the cross). Five days later, on what is known as Good Friday, He established His Messianic kingdom.

The Daniel 9 prophecy also says Jesus will bring in everlasting righteousness and seal up vision and prophecy, and the Father will anoint Him as “the Most Holy.” These parts of the prophecy and others pertaining to the Antichrist will be fulfilled at Jesus’ future second coming.

The White Donkey

Jesus fulfilled a second prophecy that first Palm Sunday—He rode into the city on a donkey.

As Jesus prepared to enter Jerusalem on 9 Nisan, Luke 19 says He sent two disciples into a nearby village to fetch a young donkey “on which no one has ever sat (v30).” Jewish culture considered such an animal to be worthy of holy purposes. In this case, it matched with Jesus’ deity.

Matthew 21:2 says the disciples also found a mare, presumably the donkey’s mother. Scholars suggest Jesus also asked for the mare to help calm the young donkey. After the disciples brought the donkey, they laid their clothes across its back and placed Jesus on it (v7). They then began walking into the city, thus fulfilling a prophecy found in the book of Zechariah.

“Tell the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your King is coming to you lowly and sitting on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.’” (Zechariah 9:9)

The use of a donkey is highly significant. Donkeys are humble animals, not majestic and proud like horses. At the time, members of royalty and the military used horses, and this is what the Jewish people expected to see when the Messiah finally arrived. They expected to see Him on a grand horse, ready to defeat the Roman occupation and free them from oppression.

But Jesus, as a humble servant of the Father, chose an animal that matched his attitude and spirit. The people would have instantly noted His choice of animal. It spoke volumes.

Why It’s Called Palm Sunday

The gospel writers record Jesus’ ride into Jerusalem through the Beautiful Gate as the Triumphal Entry. Despite the confusion about the donkey, the people spread their clothes and palm branches on the road as He passed, and sang,

“Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD! Hosanna in the highest!” (Matthew 21:15)

Waving palm branches was an ancient, common form of celebrating stemming from God’s command in Leviticus 23:40 regarding the Feast of Tabernacles. Placing clothes on the ground was reserved only for high royalty. Mark 11:9-10 records this moment slightly differently.

“Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the kingdom of our father, David, that comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest!”

In both verses, the people directly quote Psalm 118:26, which they often sang at Jewish religious festivals, especially at Passover. Mark’s version of the event indicates that the crowd—made up of both Jews and Greeks—acknowledged Jesus as the one bringing in the kingdom promised to David’s Son.

Such a joyous, festive atmosphere would indicate that the people recognized Jesus as a king. As far as they were concerned, God had finally answered their prayers.

Hail King Jesus

God had, indeed, come to deliver the Israelites, but not from what the Jews thought.

In keeping with rabbinical teaching, the Jews expected a king or a high-ranking general to come to their defense by overthrowing the Roman Empire and re-establishing the autonomy of their nation. Indeed, they got a king, but not the kind they had in mind. Instead of the Romans, Jesus, the King of Kings, came to triumph over a greater enemy—sin and death.

On 9 Nisan, 30 AD, just as foretold, Jesus came into Jerusalem to finish His walk to the Roman execution stake and establish His kingdom. His obedience should move us to celebrate Palm Sunday with a fresh perspective. His arrival was not simply a grand entrance. It was so much more.

Because of Palm Sunday, Jesus can rightly claim He is who He says He is. The Bible contains countless prophecies about the events of Jesus’ final week, and we can see how He fulfilled them all in the gospels.

Jesus is the promised Messiah, the holy Son of God, who came to make the sacrifice we could not. He paid our debt in full and made a way through His grace for us to have victory and freedom over sin. One day, He will return to complete the Daniel 9 prophecy and eternally establish His kingdom on earth. That alone should move us to joyfully cry out as the people did that first Palm Sunday.

“Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”

Beyond Palm Sunday

Jesus did much more in those days between Palm Sunday and Good Friday.

• The giving of the Greatest Commandment (Matthew 22:37-39, Mark 12:30-31): “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment. And the second like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

• The cleansing of the temple (Matthew 21:12-13, Mark 21:12, Luke 19-45-46))

• The washing of feet (John 13:2-17)

• A warning to watch for the signs of the last days and Jesus’ second coming (Mark 13:5-37, Mark 24:4-26, Luke 21:8-24)

• The institution of the Lord’s Supper (Matthew 26:26, Mark 14:22-25, Luke 22:19-20)

• The betrayal by Judas Iscariot that helped to secure Jesus’ arrest (Psalm 41:9, Matthew 26:47-49, Mark 14:43-52, Luke 22:47-53, John 18:1-11)

The Romans helped fulfill additional prophecies on the day of Jesus’ crucifixion, the primary ones occurring when He hung on the cross.

• The Roman soldiers gave Jesus sour wine to drink to prolong His suffering (Psalm 69:21)

• None of Jesus’ bones were broken (John 19:36, Exodus 12:46, and Numbers 9:12)

• The Romans pierced Him with a spear (Zechariah 12:10)

• His garments were not torn apart (Psalm 22:18)

The prophet Isaiah also foretold Jesus’ atoning sacrifice in great detail in Isaiah 53.

This Palm Sunday, take a moment to remember the significance of Jesus’ final days on earth and how it began when He triumphantly entered Jerusalem. Even if your pastor or minister fails to mention anything about it, make a purposeful effort to give the Lord praise and appreciation.

He was thinking of you that day.

And He still is.

HAPPY EASTER!

Steppes of Faith Ministries is a full-gospel, apologetics ministry dedicated to building believers’ faith by teaching the reason for their hope in Christ (2 Pt 3:15). Our ministry is supported by the contributions of kind people like you. Please prayerfully consider joining us to help further the kingdom of God. Thank you!

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“The next day, a great multitude that had come to the [Passover] feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD! The King of Israel! (John 12:12-13)

If you have ever seen a movie or documentary depicting Jesus entering Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, you undoubtedly realized why the Bible calls it The Triumphal Entry. It’s a grand and ceremonious scene. The sun is shining, the crowd is massive, majestic music is playing, palm leaves are waving everywhere, and the people are repeatedly shouting, “Hosanna! Hosanna in the highest!” It’s a beautiful moment in Jesus’ life.

But, did you notice the gate He goes through to enter the city?

At first, you might wonder what significance a dusty old gate could have. It’s just a way to get into the city, right? It’s true that it was one way to get into Jerusalem in Jesus’ time. One of eleven, in fact. But have you ever thought about why Jesus chose that one gate in particular?

It turns out the gate Jesus entered through on His way to the cross later that week has significant historical and biblical meaning that fulfills Old Testament prophecy and foreshadows the future.

A Brief History Lesson

When Nehemiah built the gates of Jesus’ time, he gave each of them a name:

• Muster Gate

• Dung Gate

• Water Gate

• Valley Gate

• Essene Gate

• Fountain Gate

• Horse Gate

• Sheep Gate

• Fish Gate

• Old Gate

• East Gate

Currently, only eight gates to the Old City of Jerusalem remain, and only seven are in use. Most of the gates were rebuilt over the original first-century gates in the 1500s, after the present city wall was constructed, not by the Jews or Christians, but by the Muslim ruler Suleiman the Magnificent of the Ottoman Empire in 1538 AD.

The East Gate is the oldest gate in Jerusalem and likely the one Jesus used on Palm Sunday since it had the most direct entrance to the original Temple. It was the one He could see from the Mount of Olives, where He prayed. On a clear, sunny day, He could see directly into the Temple. Like the others, the gate we see today was built over the original gate, which the Romans destroyed in 70 AD.

Because of its proximity to the Temple, the East Gate has become very important (and controversial) to Jews, Muslims, and Christians alike. Here’s why.

According to Jewish literature, the East Gate is where the Temple Messenger passed through with a sacrificial lamb on his way to the desert. The gate also remains a sign of their belief about where the Messiah (who they believe is yet to come) will re-enter the city on Yom Kippur. For Muslims, they believe the East Gate is where Allah received his final judgement and is the site of future resurrection. No doubt they also remember who built the current city wall.

For Christians, the East Gate is where Jesus made His Triumphal Entry. It is likely also the gate He exited through to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane the night of His arrest (Matt 26:30,36). Finally, it is the one He passed through 40 days after His resurrection when the disciples accompanied Him to the Mount of Olives before His last ascension into Heaven (Acts 1:9-12).

The Gate’s Biblical Prophecy

The Bible records in Acts 1:10 two angels standing with the disciples as they watched Jesus ascend into the clouds. After a moment of standing there, the angels reassure the disciples that Jesus will return to the earth the same way He was taken. Most scholars interpret this to mean that Jesus will return at the Mount of Olives, and the Jews believe it will happen during Passover, which has biblical merit.

But, some early church founders put the angels’ words together with the prophecy found in Ezekiel 43:1-5, where Ezekiel saw the glory of God returning to the Temple “through the gate facing east” and filling the Temple again. Suleiman the Magnificent so strongly believed the prophecy that he sealed up the gate he had built only three years earlier to prevent Jesus from coming. The gate has remained sealed ever since.

Suleiman also created a cemetery just outside the gate in the Kidron Valley as an extra layer of precaution in the belief that the Messiah would never step foot in such a place.

What Suleiman didn’t know was that he was fulfilling another prophecy found in Ezekiel 44:1-2 in which the Lord says, “This gate is to remain shut. It must not be opened; no one may enter through it. It is to remain shut because the Lord, the God of Israel, has entered through it.”

Why Else the East Gate is Significant

The fact that Jesus chose the East Gate to make His triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday is significant enough. But did you know that the East Gate also had four other names?

Though it is formally called the East Gate, it is also known as the Golden Gate, the Gate of Eternal Life, the Mercy Gate, and sometimes the Beautiful Gate. The Beautiful Gate is the only one specifically mentioned in the Bible. This very ornate gate, located just inside the East Gate, was where Peter and John healed a lame man in Acts 3:1-2.

“Now Peter and John went up together to the Temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour, and a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful to ask alms from those who entered the temple.”

No matter what you want to call the gate, each name points to the glory of Jesus Christ.

As the King of Kings, the Lord is worthy of being honored with gold, such as when the three kings visited Jesus at His birth (Matt 22:11). As the Messiah, Jesus offers us mercy and eternal life (John 3:16). And thirdly, He is truly beautiful.

“In that day, the Branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious.” Isaiah 4:2

“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of Him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’” Isaiah 52:7

“Your eyes will see the King in His beauty.” Isaiah 33:17

Everything Points to Jesus

As you worship the Lord this Palm Sunday and remember the importance of His willing entry into Jerusalem that week, take a moment to think about the gate He chose to kick off all the events of those final days of His earthly life.

No matter who you are or what you want to call it, the gate of the triumphant entry describes the very nature of God. Muslim, Jewish, or Christian, perhaps this is where we can all agree. God is truly golden, merciful, eternal, and beautiful.

For Christians, we know He proves His glory through His sacrificial love on the cross five days after Palm Sunday and His triumph over death three days after that. What’s even better is that He continues to offer mercy and salvation to us until He comes again.

Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!

Steppes of Faith Ministries is a full-gospel, apologetics ministry dedicated to building believers’ faith by teaching the reason for their hope in Christ (2 Pt 3:15). Our ministry is supported by the contributions of kind people like you. Please prayerfully consider joining us to help further the kingdom of God. Thank you!

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Genesis 4 retells the story of Adam and Eve’s sons, Cain and Abel. Abel kept sheep, and Cain tended the garden. Eventually, God called them to present an offering.

“In the process of time, it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD. Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat.” (Gen 4:3-4, NKJ)

God accepted Abel’s offering but not Cain’s, causing Cain to become “very angry” and depressed (v5). God attempted to comfort Cain, but he maintained his anger, leading him to kill his brother and commit the world’s first murder (v8).

Initially, the story of Cain and Abel appears to be about sibling rivalry. But if we look more closely, it is more of a lesson in proper worship. Worshipping the King of the Universe requires reverence and truth. Therefore, with regard to Cain and Abel, the issue was not what they offered to the Lord, but their heart postures.

Notice that Abel brought “the firstborn of his flock and their fat” to the Lord in verse four. The theme of firstborns is common throughout the Bible, most notably in the New Testament gospels and the life of Jesus. The firstborn males are especially honored. So, when Abel brought the firstborn sheep plus its prized fat, he made his heart posture toward God very plain.

Cain, on the other hand, just brought “the fruit of the ground.” The New International Version of the Bible says Cain brought “some of the fruits of the soil.” In other words, Cain simply gathered a bunch of produce in a basket and handed it to God. He, too, made his heart posture very plain. Proper worship was not important to him, and so God rejected his offering.

Putting Your Heart in It

As modern believers, it can be easy to become complacent about worshipping the creator of the universe. Amid the busyness of life, attending church can become merely a check on the Sunday “to-do list.” And while there, some may lift their hands and sing along, but it is just a mindless habit. Their heart is not in it.

To make matters worse, when they suddenly find themselves in a valley instead of on a mountain top, they wonder, “Where is God?” Some might even become angry like Cain. But notice how God responded to Cain’s anger.

“Then the LORD said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.” (Gen 4:6-7)

God did not chastise Cain; He comforted him and told him what he should do (“do what is right”). This is commonly known as conviction. When we sin, God convicts us to turn away from it and get back on track with Him. He never condemns us (Rom 8:1) but lovingly calls to us to return to Him.

Rule Over Your Sin

Unfortunately, Cain remained angry, which is why God cautioned him.

“Sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”

Jesus repeats this caution after Peter’s three denials.

“And the Lord said, ‘Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you that he may sift you as wheat.” (Luke 22:31)

Satan desires to sift all of us like wheat. But thanks to our Lord and Savior, Jesus intercedes for us as our great High Priest (Rom 8:34; Heb 7:25; 1 Jn 2:1) so that our faith will not fail (Lk 22:31).

Still, Satan never gives up. He continually tempts us to sin. It is always crouching at the door, which is why God commands us to rule over it. We can only achieve that by changing our heart posture.

True and proper worship starts with the correct heart posture.

Changing Your Heart Posture

Proper worship of our Lord and Savior includes a deep sensation of thanksgiving that we long to express. But when our heart posture is off, our worship is off.

How do we change our heart posture? How can we deal with sin so that our worship is true and proper?

Guard the Door to Your Heart. God said, “Sin lies at the door” in Genesis 4:7, meaning we must not allow Satan to get a foothold. We cannot allow him to overtake us.

James 4:7, “Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

1 Corinthians 10:13, “God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”

Guarding the door means we must fight the enemy’s attacks every day. But when the attacks seem overpowering, God will mercifully give us a way out if we seek it.

Repent. Repent does not indicate confession solely. Its original meaning is to turn and move in the opposite direction by 180 degrees. Repenting involves giving up the sin that held you, giving it to God, turning toward Him, and following Him daily.

Shine a Light. Walking away is not always so easy. Sometimes we want to return to our sin (Prov 26:11), which is why we should never fight sin alone. We must shine a light on it so that the darkness Satan imposes can never take hold. We do this by getting into community—Bible studies, small groups, etc. Being in community allows others to walk beside us, share our struggles, and lovingly hold us accountable.

Being in community with other believers makes a world of difference in how we fight sin.

Remember God’s Grace

Above all, we must remember God’s enduring grace. His grace is always bigger than our sin. Recall His words to Cain.

God punished Cain by making him restlessly wander the earth. Cain expressed his fear that “whoever finds me will kill me.” But God graciously replied, “Not so. Anyone who kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.” He then put a visible mark on Cain as a warning that if anyone harmed him, God would end their life.

God’s mark on Cain indicated that, though Cain sinned, God still loved His child. It was an outward way of saying to others, “This one belongs to Me.” This is a wonderful reminder that, despite our sin, those who faithfully follow the Lord will find mercy.

1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

God’s Grace > Your Sin

Notice that God did not wait for Cain to confess. He already knew Cain’s heart, which is why He made the first move. In so doing, He showed Cain His mercy. However, He disciplined Cain—there were still consequences—but He did not destroy him. God has that same grace for us all. Romans 8:28 says,

“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”

God will convict us through His Holy Spirit, but He will never condemn us for our sin. Instead, He uses our experiences to make “beauty from ashes.”

Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

Sin does not have to define us. Though Satan does his best to overtake us, we must resist. But if we fall, we have the assurance that God will always forgive us when we ask for it (1 Jn 1:9). And if asking seems difficult, He will make the first move to draw us closer to His loving grace.

God longs to forgive; He yearns to draw closer to His children. The ancient Hebrews called it “zeroa netuyah,” God’s long “outstretched arm” of righteousness. He extends it out to us, inviting us to experience the power of His salvation and grace. It is far more powerful than our sin. So, even when asking for forgiveness is hard, God is already reaching out with His ever-ready grace.

Dealing with sin may not always be easy. Many times, it is not. Yet it is vital to our Christian faith to keep our heart postures oriented toward God. In turn, we rightly give Him our true and proper worship. He is worthy of it.

The gospel of Matthew is the only book in the Bible that mentions wise men visiting the newborn Jesus. The Bible does not tell us much about these men except that they were magi (short for magicians or astrologers), from a foreign country (possibly Persia), and that they were not Jewish. Yet they were the only ones paying attention to the prophesied signs of heaven.

As educated men, they possessed extensive knowledge of the Hebrew Scriptures. They knew what to look for and had been watching and waiting for many years. So, when they saw the bright star in the sky, they knew the time had come.

They loaded up their camels and headed to Israel. It is unknown how long it took for the magi to reach Bethlehem. But when they arrived, Matthew 2:10-11 says they “rejoiced with exceedingly great joy” and bowed down to worship the “young Child.” They then presented their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the promised Messiah.

The Presence of Jesus Changes You

Notice in verse twelve that, when it was time to go, the magi did not go back the same way they had arrived. In a practical sense, they could not, or else King Herod might kill them. But in a spiritual sense, perhaps they did not want to anyway. They had just spent an evening with Jesus and His family, worshipping, fellowshiping, and intimately experiencing the glory of God first-hand.

Following Christ still has the same effect on believers today.

Anyone who has personally experienced God’s love can tell you that being in His presence completely changes you. There is nothing else like it. When you are with the Lord, there is freedom, peace, and joy that you never knew existed. It is what finally makes you realize that the way you were doing things was way off-course, and that it is better to surrender to God, knowing that His way is better. John 3:16 beautifully sums up this promise of salvation.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.” NKJV

When we allow God’s love to penetrate our hearts, we experience an intimate connection with Him; We begin to understand what it means to be a new creation in Christ. The old you is gone. You are now a new and better version of yourself, all because you came into the Lord’s presence. At that moment, you realize that you cannot go home the same way you came. Everything is different now.

The same must have been true for the magi. Perhaps they knew Jesus in an academic, political, or even religious sense because of the prophecy. But all that surely went by the wayside when they stood in His presence.

The Magi Experience

Experiencing God’s love is truly unique.

It envelopes you, surrounding and penetrating yo u. His grace is consuming, and you hunger for more of His touch. As your faith grows, your relationship with Him deepens and becomes more intimate. You begin feeling Him in your heart just at the mention of His name. It stirs, excites, and gives you peace all at once. In His presence, there is peace, hope, and love.

Whatever the magi were expecting when they arrived at the manger must have changed the instant they stood in the physical presence of God. How unfortunate that we cannot share that experience and stand in the same room with Him today (at least, not yet). But we can still be in His presence just by calling out to Him, surrendering our hearts and pride, and accepting His gift of grace.

This Christmas, whatever you think you know about Jesus or the Christmas story, consider the lesson of the magi. Come and experience Jesus first-hand and see how wonderful He truly is. Come and feel His amazing love for you, a love so strong He willingly endured death on a cross to free and save you from sin and the eternal pit of Hell. Let Him put His mighty arms around you. Feel His strength, comfort, and protection over you, and receive healing in your circumstances.

If you do not know Him, or if it has been a while, now is a great time to encounter the Messiah. It is then you will completely understand what it meant for the magi to go home a different way. Because you won’t either.

There they were. Shepherds watching their flocks of sheep and protecting them from predators just like any other night of the year. Suddenly, out of nowhere, angels from heaven appeared to announce the most fantastic news in the history of the world.

The traditional belief is that the shepherds were poor, foul-smelling, and ragtag. But, like many stories, they sometimes get spun by culture over time. Yes, they may have smelled bad and perhaps a bit disheveled, but these were not poor, country-bumpkin farmers scratching out a living. They were much higher up the social ladder than that.

Who were these shepherds? Why did God choose them? A quick look at Jewish priestly duties and a review of Jewish literature explain the truth of that first Noel.

Poor and Dirty Shepherds

“There were shepherds in the same country living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.

“Then the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all the people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.’

“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!’

“So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.’

“And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told [to] them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told [to] them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.

“Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, just as it was told [to] them.” (Luke 2:8-20)

Historically, shepherds, especially those on the overnight watch, were socially disenfranchised outcasts considered unclean and disgraceful. The thought is that the angels appeared to them first because it was God’s design to connect to “the least of these.” By doing so, Jesus desired to reach the have-nots of society before showing Himself to any religious authorities. It was the marginalized He was most concerned with.

Well, that’s at least partly true.

Jesus has a heart for the downcast and hurting, and people generally regarded shepherds as cultural underdogs. That much is true. But the shepherds described in Luke 2 were hardly outcasts of society. In fact, they were very special people with extraordinary jobs.

Mishnah Regulations

Most wealthy and influential Jewish people tended to look upon shepherds as lowly and sometimes dangerous. But the shepherds in Luke 2 were quite different. According to the Mishnah, these shepherds had the unique job of performing Temple duties.

The Mishnah is a group of recorded ancient oral traditions that governed the Jewish people following the Maccabean Revolt in 132 B.C. One of its regulations “expressly forbids the keeping of flocks throughout the land of Israel except in the wilderness—and the only flocks otherwise kept would be those for the Temple services” (Bab K.7:7; 80a).

Only priests were allowed to keep the sheep for Temple services. Further, the shepherds were in the nearby fields surrounding Bethlehem, not out in the wilderness where regular sheep were legally kept.

“Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields…” (v8)

These were not everyday shepherds, as many suppose. These were shepherd-priests charged with tending sheep set aside for Temple use, i.e., ceremonial sacrifices to God. It was the priests’ job to make sure the lambs were without blemish and completely unharmed until the appointed time. It was not an easy job, by any means. It required special men.

Additionally, the fact that they were watching sheep in a field and not in pens suggests that the season was warm, further indicating that the sheep were likely in preparation for Passover.

It is easy to assume that the shepherds were lowly and dirty outcasts. The Mishnah claims otherwise. These were unique people assigned the essential job of caring for holy lambs set apart for God. It seems fitting to choose such people to declare the arrival of the long-awaited Lamb of God.

Watching Over Their Flock

Another statement in the Mishnah says the Messiah would be revealed from the “Migdal Eder,” which translates as “tower of the flock.” It was a lookout tower that stood just outside the city within the Temple priests’ fields.

It was a shepherd-priest’s job to stay in the Migdal Eder all night. With the tower being so tall, the shepherd was literally “watching over the flock by night” (Luke 2:8) while the other shepherds were keeping watch on the ground.

The shepherd-priests stayed in the fields continually, yet their service to the Temple held great cultural and social significance. Even so, due to the nature of their duties, they were still dirty shepherds tending sheep.

And that is when the angels showed up with some very good news.

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Good Tidings of Great Joy

As the shepherds tended their duties, an angel from heaven appeared, saying, “Do not be afraid.” This was a typical greeting to people who initially felt alarmed at their appearance, most recently to Zacharias (1:13) and Mary (1:30). The angel heralded the birth of the Messiah; however, he also gave an update to Moses’ Law.

In beautiful brilliance, the angel hand-delivered a message, telling the shepherd-priests the time for animal sacrifice was nearly over. The Savior, Christ the Lord, had come to be the ultimate and universal sacrifice for sin.

“For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11

Note the three titles the angel uses in the announcement—Savior, Christ, and Lord. This combination of titles is found only here in Luke 2 and nowhere else in the New Testament. Together, they declare Jesus’ deity, authority, mission, and royalty. To this point, only Caesar required being hailed as the Roman Empire’s savior and lord. However, the angel declared that Jesus is the true Savior and Lord.

The shepherd priests would have immediately understood the titles and their contrasting meanings. The appearance of God’s heavenly army singing praise would have further emphasized the enormity of the event.

The Christ, the promised Messiah, the one the priests had heard about from the prophets, the Savior of the world, was finally born. God had come to the earth to save His people, and He would now be the perfect sacrifice to pay for man’s sin once and for all through His death and resurrection.

The Messiah had come! It is little wonder these priests ran “with haste (v16)” to see the baby the angel spoke of.

The Swaddling Cloths

When the shepherd priests found Mary and Joseph with their new baby, they likely noticed Jesus wrapped in swaddling cloths just as the angel told them (v12). But these were not rags or towels Mary and Joseph brought from home or happened to find in the stable, as many suppose. These cloths were extraordinary.

The Greek word for swaddling cloths in Luke 2:7 is sparganoo (“spar-gan-o-o”), meaning “infant clothes.” It was not common for children of poor parents to have anything resembling a diaper or undergarments, leading some to believe that Joseph and Mary borrowed the cloths from someone wealthy, perhaps a Temple priest like Zacharias.

Although it is unknown where Mary and Joseph got the cloths, some scholars speculate that Zacharias and his wife, Elizabeth, Mary’s cousin, gave Mary cloths from the Temple when she visited them earlier in her pregnancy (Lk 1:39-40). Priests used the cloths to keep lambs free of blemishes as they prepared them for ceremonial sacrifice. As High Priest, Zacharias would have had access to them.

Cloths from the Temple symbolized Jesus’ holiness and God’s plan for Him to be the perfect sacrifice for sin. The shepherd-priests would have quickly noticed the allegory.

After the shepherds saw the Messiah with their own eyes, the Bible says they “returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen (v. 20).” Author Eugene Peterson wrote in his book, The Message, that the shepherds “let loose, glorifying and praising God,” a reasonable response after having a personal encounter with the Lord, knowing He has come to save us.

How wonderful it is that Jesus the Messiah has come! The perfect Lamb of God without blemish and sin has come to cover our sins with His righteousness so that we never have to be separated from the Father again.

May we all “let loose, glorifying and praising” Him for His indescribable gift.