Looking Ahead: Jesus’ Last Days
Each year in the week before Easter I like to contemplate the life of Jesus day by day of the week leading up to His crucifixion.
Looking Ahead
This week as we study the following five stories from that all-important week, I will again contemplate these scenes. I will not only search the meanings and lessons, but I will place myself into each scene and watch the characters and listen to their words. I will smell the food being cooked in the next room, I will think of the weather, I will look at the simple clothing and I will look into the eyes of Jesus. I take each scene point by point and let my imagination vividly grasp the action from various perspectives.
I appreciate the counsel in this quote:
“It would be well for us to spend a thoughtful hour each day in contemplation of the life of Christ from the manger to Calvary. We should take it point by point and let the imagination vividly grasp each scene, especially the closing ones of His earthly life. By thus contemplating His teachings and sufferings, and the infinite sacrifice made by Him for the redemption of the race, we may strengthen our faith, quicken our love, and become more deeply imbued with the spirit which sustained our savior. If we would be saved at last we must all learn the lesson of penitence and faith at the foot of the cross,. . . . Everything noble and generous in man will respond to the contemplation of Christ upon the cross.” Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 4, page 374 (also Desire of the Ages, page 83)
The five scenes are:
- Mary’s expression of love for Jesus with expensive ointment
- The Last Supper
- Gethsemane
- Judas
- Peter’s denial
Please share your comments and insights into these events throughout the week. Let us know what the Holy Spirit reveals to your heart.
I pray that this study of Jesus will increase our desire to be closer to Him and will transform our lives.
Join me this week and pray more and more. Come closer to the Father and Jesus and let the words of Matthew stir your soul.
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This week SS lesson has occupied some of my time. Fridays comment, "Further Thought" has caused me concern. Men try and rationalize Matthew 24:34, "Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled."
Up until 1834 Adventist are content to parallel Israel's exodus with the Advent movement. When they come to the verse just quoted they want to explain who this group is that Jesus speaks concerning without pointing the finger back at themselves.
As I see it, God's church came up to our "Kadesh-barnea" in or around the time of 1890 camp meeting. Doing a history of this event, EGW expresses that The Lord might have returned then thus the church who saw the signs in the Sun, Moon and Stars would have lived to see the return of Jesus.
Please understand that I am not presenting this as doctrine. I do believe it is a better explanation than the SS lesson offers.
Question; has God ever broke a promise? Watch what He tells Israel when they refused to go into Canaan.
Numbers 14:33, 34
"And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness. After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise."
God said He broke His promise because of their lack of faith. I believe we too have been wondering in the wilderness since 1890. For more bible study read both Numbers chapters thirteen and fourteen.
I can try and locate EGW comments on this but it has been ten tears since I studied it and my mind isn't as sharp as it was then. It should be easy with the computer and search engines, etc.
Your thoughts regarding the Kadesh-barnea experience for the Adventists agrees with what James White wrote in his book "His Glorious Appearing."
"It is sometimes claimed that the generation spoken of was the one then living. If so, it could have been to no greater extent than referring to the answer of the question relating to the destruction of Jerusalem. But it would be wholly illogical to limit the application of the statement to that generation or to place its principal significance there. “All these things” must include the signs and circumstances of which Christ has been speaking. In the preceding verses He gives the parable of the fig-tree, and addresses those who are to be living at that time directly. “So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things know that it is near.” And then, “This generation shall not pass.” What generation? Evidently the one which He knew would be living and would see “these things come to pass.” Not only does such an interpretation do no violence to the Saviour’s meaning, but it is obviously the only one that can be reasonably entertained in regard to it." (pages 79, 80 in the edition republished by CreateSpace, 2014, edited by Gerald E. Greene)
Regarding your question if God ever broke a promise, reminds me of every answer I ever heard in that all promises given by the Lord to the Israelites were conditional, and when you examine the overall faithfulness of the Lord, this seems to be a reasonable answer to me.
Is there now a dilemma regarding this verse and the signs that are now so long since past? No, because the Lord can easily repeat the signs to a new generation until He finds one that is faithful.
2 Peter 3:12 states: "Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved . . ." certainly informs us of our ability to hasten or delay the Second Advent. And Mrs. White says in Desire of Ages, page 633, "By giving the gospel to the world it is in our power to hasten our Lord's return."
Of course we all have read, "The long night of gloom is trying; but the morning is deferred in mercy, because if the Master should come, so many would be found unready. God's unwillingness to have His people perish has been the reason for so long delay." Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 2, page 194 (written in 1868)
This subject opens the door to reveal the genuine relationship God has with His creation. Although He is omniscient, His communication with us is not condescending but fresh and honest, and that draws us closer to Him.
Yes, He is always faithful.
“It would be well for us to spend a thoughtful hour each day in contemplation of the life of Christ from the manger to Calvary."
From His birth to Calvary. What about after Calvary?
Our main Sabbath school teacher invited the large class to read "Desire of Ages" through this year. Since it is over 800 pages , one would be on about pg 400 now. Very interesting insights in that book.
Spending an hour each day would strengthen the relationship with Jesus and counter worldliness. We have 1000 minutes of waking time each day.
What goes into the mind makes our character.
This is the ONLY thing we should be legalistic about and force ourselves, if necessary, to spend more time with God in Bible study, prayer and meditation. It saddens me to read so many words about so many other topics when this is the main need of the church today as I see it. It takes time to love the Lord with All our hearts and we as a people often act as if it doesn't matter. We talk about how to dress in church, or the role of women, or prophecy, while ignoring this super important issue.