Sabbath: The Seen and Unseen War
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Read for This Week’s Study: Matt. 11:11-12; Rev. 5:5; Matt. 12:25-29; Isa. 27:1; Matt. 11:1-12; Heb. 2:14.
Memory Text:“From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.” (Matthew 11:12, NKJV).
Each day we make important choices about lifestyle, relationships, careers, priorities, entertainment, and friends. To truly comprehend the significance of these choices, we need to make sure we understand wh
at they are really about. We need to pull back the curtain and see the unseen, for the Bible teaches that there is an unseen reality that greatly impacts what we do see.
Living in the age of science, we shouldn’t have a hard time believing in invisible realities. We who know about x-rays, radio waves, and wireless communication should easily believe in what we cannot see. With every cell phone call we make or receive, or with any satellite communication we watch, we are working on the assumption of unseen realities that make these seen (and heard) experiences real.
Indeed, the great controversy between Christ and Satan forms the unseen background to the world of the seen that we experience every day. This week we will examine texts from Matthew (and elsewhere) that help to reveal these unseen forces and how they impact our lives, and choices, here.
* Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, April 30.
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What does violence means as shown in the memory verse? Is it the violence of physical war?
From the Spirit of Prophecy:
"The violence here meant is a HOLY EARNESTNESS... We need not try to work ourselves up into an intense feeling, but calmly, persistently, we are to press our petitions at the throne of grace." (That I May Know Him p. 272)
Another thought that comes to mind :
"Some who engage in missionary service are weak, nerveless, spiritless, easily discouraged. They lack push. They have not the positive traits of character that give power to do something..." (Gospel Workers p.290)
Many similar thoughts might be found the Spirit of Prophecy books.
"God’s faithful people have always been aggressive missionaries, consecrating their resources to the honor of His name and wisely using their talents in His service..." (AA p.109)
"From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence." It's no coincidence that John the Baptist is mentioned in this scripture. Recall how boldly he proclaimed God's message and rebuked King Herod for his immorality (Luke 3:19). What was the result for proclaiming kingdom principles? John was violently killed (beheaded). What happened to Jesus for proclaiming kingdom principles? What happened to Daniel for adhering to kingdom principles? Ask the same question about Joseph, Stephen, Isaiah....... Frequently we hear of people in other countries who are losing their lives or jailed simply for identifying with Christ. Often times when we stand for godly principles we might be oestracised, mocked, or denied certain privileges, even our family responds to us in this manner. Thus the "holy earnestness", the intentional persuit ( as stated by Spirit of Prophecy) is necessary for God's people to " take the kingdom by force." Each day we are fighting a fierce battle to be citizens of the heavenly kingdom and to direct people to the kingdom. Please remember that we are not fighting against flesh and blood, but against spiritual wickedness and the rulers of darkness of this word. But glory to God we have the weapons to fight successfully (1cor 10: 3-5).
We should know who we fight and what the fight is. While we "resist the devil" (James 4:7) most think that's the fight; we struggle there and fail. The fight is described at the start of the verse, "Submit to God." Paul, in 1 Cor 9:26,27, calls it disciplining one's body, bringing it "into subjection." Our fight is to submit ourselves/our bodies to God's will for us, to His power for our salvation. We can't save ourselves from evil no matter how hard we fight. How we go about fighting is the main thing we mess up. How to fight is described in Eph 6:10-18. We put on God's armor then simply "stand" (v.14) and pray "always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints." Our fight is to stand still and pray "without ceasing" (1 Thess 5:17)for ourselves and for others. This is what God told King Jehoshaphat in 2 Chron 20:3, a wonderful story (chap 20) about fighting in prayer and submitting to God, letting Him fight the enemy. That's when we see real success in taking the kingdom by force!
Loraine Wilson What you said is a Very good explanation I've read so far.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon has this to offer:
If you like to dig into the meaning of words in the original languages, you might want to bookmark BlueLetterBible.org. It uses the KJV based on the Textus Receptus If you search for a verse, the whole chapter will come up, and clicking on the exact verse will give you, among other things, Strong's reference number. When you click on that, you will get Strong's definition, plus an entry from Thayer's Greek Dictionary.
The "Concordance Results in the KJV|" are also helpful. In this case, a parrallel verse, using the same word is this:
"presseth" is the same as "by force."
Thus the interpretation of entering the Kingdom by "holy earnestness" and persistence would seem to capture the correct meaning in English.
Could we also define biastés as being "eager"? The strong conviction wrought by John's faithful messages(regardless of his own safety or popularity) led many to repent and be baptized in preparation for the Messiah. We could say that eager men eagerly accepted the truth of John's message and grasped it with eagerness. This same word (harpazó) is used to describe the saved being "caught away" by Jesus at His 2nd coming. Isn't Jesus eager to bring the redeemed to His Father's house?
This is the power of the Holy Spirit as John came in the power of Elijah to prepare the people for Christ. The effect of the law and prophets up to this time did not have the same affect while being taught by the teachers and leaders, until John came with this convicting power attending his message. The last message, given in the same spirit will have the same result during the latter rain. It would seem our efforts today are often spiritless.
The battle of the great controversy between the forces of good and evil, continues, for the most part, quietly, but we, God's people, should have no doubt whatsoever, that this warfare is real, for we are part and parcel of the whole spectacle. Notwithstanding, evidences of this spiritual battle are becoming more apparent as international conflicts intensify, economic crises worsen and Christians all over the world are being persecuted, exiled and killed, even beheaded for their faith. The world is in a tailspin. This is prophetic.
God's all-seeing vision surveys the whole universe and His eyes are especially upon His people in every place and will keep His promise in (Matt. 28:20; Joshua 1:9) that He will be with us always, even to the end of the age. Hence, "we have no need to fear for the future except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us and His teaching in our past history" --Life Sketches of Ellen White, p.196.
Though we may be tempted to worry and be anxious for our lives, like Elisha's servant, we can rest implicitly on God's assurance spoken through His prophet, Elisha: "And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them" (2Kings 6:16). We may be surrounded by the enemy and his armies, during the worst time of trouble ahead, but they are outnumbered by thousands times ten thousands of heavenly hosts dispatched to our aid, if we would call upon the name of the Lord. "And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha" (2Kings 6:17).
If you really want to be spellbound by some thrilling stories, just read the bible - there's no box office movie thriller that comes even close. Awesome!! I am so buoyed and encouraged by these extraordinary bible narratives, yet completely awed at the wonder, majesty and power of God, and to think that He loves me.
We must seize upon the kingdom of heaven with "violent" fervor by daily study of the word and spreading the gospel seed whenever and wherever we can.
Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
in light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
almighty, victorious, thy great name we praise.
Great Father of glory; pure Father of light;
thine angels adore thee, all veiling their sight;
all laud we would render: O help us to see
'tis only the splendor of light hideth thee.
Today's lesson reminds me the Jacob's night of wrestling, that is how Patriachs and Prophet book call it,in a lonely place of mountainous region, the haunt of wild beasts,solitary and unprotected, Jacob cried for what he did, he bowed down in deep distress up on the earth for forgiveness. Bitterness of all was the thought that it was his own sin which had brought this peril upon the innocent. With earnest cries and tears he made bis prayer before God. We are not far different from Jacob, for seeking the true forgiveness we had to enter in a process, the process involves the spritual war that starts with denieing ourselves and total surrender, its not an easy job as we are fighting against our desires, and that is a point where satan strenghthens his strategy to make sure that he wins us. Its really unseen war that without the assistance of the Holy Sprit we won't manage to stand.
This view is shared by other Protestant commentators :
Clarke:
"The tax-gatherers and heathens, (whom the scribes and Pharisees think have no right to the kingdom of the Messiah,) filled with HOLY ZEAL AND EARNESTNESS, seize at once on the proffered mercy of the Gospel, and so take the kingdom as by force from those learned doctors who claimed for themselves the chiefest places in that kingdom."
Matthew Henry:
"... those strove for a place in this kingdom, that one would think had no right nor title to it, and so seemed to be intruders. It shows us what FERVENCY AND ZEAL are required of all."
Barnes:
"People have been “earnest” about it; they have come “pressing” to obtain the blessing, as if they would take it by violence... With such “EARNESTNESS”... He says, people had pressed around Him and John since they began to preach."
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I think sometimes we have too dim a view about the kind of stir that John's preaching brought about. When he began to speak, his message and manner brought a kind of enthusiasm and earnestness that had not been seen for a long, long, time. This certainly prepared the way for Jesus, and Jesus built upon John's preparatory work.
People truly began to STRIVE to enter into the kingdom; they began to WRESTLE WITH GOD, as Jacob had once wrestled, saying, "I will not let Thee go, except Thou bless me." (Gen 32:26) With a new mind-set, people started to gain a repentance that did not need to be repented of. They were gaining real repentance, real victories.
As we see situation arround us today satan is creating a confused mind today that there is no place any where call Heaven, just to increase the violence more.But God people take stand and say there is Heaven, and Heaven do exist.