. Mat 10:29, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father (without your Father's permission, ISV).” In other words, it is God who decides that a bird must fall. This reminds me of what the Lord said in Jn 19:11: "You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above." He was responding to Pontius Pilate who boasted of having the power to crucify or release Him. In other words, ‘It is from above, from the Father, that will actually come the decision to execute Me or not.' Another example is the conversation between God and Satan in Job 2:5-6. Speaking of Job, the devil said: “Stretch out your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.” And God replied: "Behold, he is in your hand; only spare his life." Where am I heading to? To the fact that, Christians do not like to associate God with ‘evil’ or negative experiences. When we think of God, we generally think of the 'Good Lord.' One of the most difficult and uncomfortable question for a Christian is: 'If God exists; if God is Good; why is there suffering? Why this catastrophe? Why such a crime or atrocity? Yet, God Himself said: “that people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the LORD, and there is no other. I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity, I am the LORD, who does all these things.” Is 45:6-7
He is directly responsible for the light and darkness in our lives, and not just in a scientific way. He is directly responsible for our prosperity, the adverse circumstances and the contrary winds in our lives. We do not like to preach or think about these things, but that is the truth (and these are not my words). God is the One who has full control over creation (people, animals and even elements). So, ultimately, He is the One who decides of the fate of people and the universe. If things are not working in your life, community, country or on Earth, instead of wasting time blaming the politicians (who believe like Pilate that they have the power to play God) or Satan, you’d better stop and take time to inquire of the Lord, who alone is able to allow these things to befall on you. Fast, pray, ask and plead.
. Mat 11:11, “Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” We are familiar with this passage. Should we understand that John the Baptist is not part of the Kingdom? (Since the least in the kingdom is still greater than him –> he is not even the least in the Kingdom.) What is the meaning of these enigmatic words of the Lord? I leave it to you…
. Mat 11:27b, “No one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” It seems Jesus doesn’t want to reveal the Father to everyone; does it not? Moreover, speaking of parables a bit further, He told His disciples (vs. 13:11): “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.” There seems to be two categories of people: the elect and the others. This is rather disturbing as the Bible says repeatedly that there is no favouritism in God and also that His will is that all men come to the knowledge of truth. So, why this 'discrimination'?
The answer lies here (Mat 7:6-7): "Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you."Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” God actually wants everybody to be saved and come to the knowledge of truth (1Tim 2:4). So, many are called, but few are chosen (Mat 22:14). We can all go to a museum or exhibition, but it's not everyone who will seek to learn more about each of the works on display. Some do not even bother reading the brief summary or description provided. They just look at them as one leafs through a picture book. It's the same with the truth that God wants us all to know. It is there before us, but as if veiled or 'protected.' It is so precious that these mysteries of the Kingdom are only revealed / detailed / explained to those who ask (like the disciples who questioned Christ about the parables while the bulk of the crowd dispersed) ; seek (by searching the Scriptures for instance) and knock (like the Canaanite woman who insisted on the issue of her daughter). That is why Jesus said the Kingdom of God is forced and that only the violent take it by force (Mat 11:12).
Pr. 25:2 says that the glory of God is to conceal things (in parables for example), and that of kings to search them out. If we want Christ to feel like revealing the Father to us, we must deserve it. We must ask, seek, knock, and love Him by keeping His commandments. He said, “He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me. And he who loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will reveal Myself to him…" And when Judas (not Iscariot) asked why He would manifest Himself to them, and not to the world (again the ‘discrimination’), He answered: “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” Jn 14:21-23. In other words, 'I will manifest Myself; and my Father and I will become intimate with those who show their love for Me by keeping my Word and my commandments.’
We will continue this next week, but until then, be and remain blessed!
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