Come and See – Part 5 – Grace and Truth,

Come and See

Grace and Truth

Chapter 5 of the Gospel of John

Come and see the works of God: he is terrible in his doing toward the children of men. (Psalm 66:5)

For I [know] their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory. (Isaiah 66:18)

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He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about tenth hour. (John 1:39)

And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see. (John 1:46)

And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. (John 11:34)

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Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; (Philippians 1:27)

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And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. (Revelation 6:1)

And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. (Revelation 6:3)

And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. (Revelation 6:5)

And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.(Revelation 6:7)

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And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. (John 1:4)

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The Gospel of John Chapter 5

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   Why is Chapter 5 of the gospel of John a message of grace? It is not because of the receiver, it is because of the author of grace being in their presence. There are a few things that we have missed in the first four chapters.

   In Chapter 1: we did not deal with the humility of John the Baptist that John beheld the Lord as He who was greatest of all. Although the Pharisees who were sent tried to overthrow John’s humility, nevertheless, he stood fast and declared that he was not worthy to loosen the shoe latchet worn by the Creator of all things. In fact, the Jews having the Scriptures knew not that there was One who stood among them who had the power of ALL life. The Messiah had come, the Christ of God (was now visible from the invisible) had come to deliver mankind, and yet, the world knew Him not, and His own received Him not.

   In Chapter 2: we have the wonderful wedding, however, it was not in Judea, but in Canaan of Galilee. It was a marriage in Israel, but it was separated from the Jews. Yes, they were Israelites, but God separated this wedding feast from the Jews and their pharisaical religion. The empty water pots were a symbol of the state of the Jews; as being empty is the condition and state of all mankind in Adam. There was nothing pure in Adam, he had spoiled everything; his heart was empty for God. The Lord performed His first miracle in Cana in Galilee. This was NOT His first miracle over all because being manifested in the flesh was His first and greatest miracle. Coming into the world in the likeness of sinful flesh to be the Savior of mankind was truly a miracle.

   In Chapter 3: we have the new birth. There must be the supernatural birth by the Spirit of God infused into the heart, soul, and spirit to reveal the Christ of God and His power of eternal life.

   In Chapter 4: the Lord Jesus spread His wings, the healing wings of grace and truth over the Samaritans. He brought life to the rejected. He separated in that land of Samaria a people for Himself. The woman is called a Samaritan, and to a Jew in Judea, this was a derogatory name; yet, the Lord Jesus embraced her, and showed her the way of eternal life. She could not help herself and told ALL who she could about the Messiah: God’s Christ.

   Now in Chapter 5 we have the Spirit’s refrain from Chapter 1: And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. (John 1:4) Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. The Spirit of God gives us the first example of grace in this Chapter 5 of the gospel of John, as the number five is the number of grace.

   After two days ministering to the Gentiles, the third day dawned with His return to the Jewish world. Then, at the time of the ‘feast of the Jews’ Christ returned to Judea, with His ministry to Jerusalem and the pharisaical system of belief. The first thing that we notice in verse 1 of Chapter 5 is that this was not called the feast of Jehovah, but a feast of the Jews The declaration of the Passover cannot be found in this Chapter. Although the water pots were empty, the Joy of heaven had come.

After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. (John 5:1)

   After this: after the joy of the ministry to the Samaritans in Chapter 4 of John, when the Samaritans had heard His words, they believed on Him, and begged Him to stay with them that He stayed there with them for two days. After this: after His return to Canaan in Galilee where He changed the water into wine, the Joy of the whole earth returned to Judea and to Jerusalem, where His own (the Jews) did not receive Him.

   Most likely, it was the Passover. Why would it be the Passover? First, the Lord of the Passover was in their presence as the lamb of God. Secondly, the angel who troubled the waters speaks of the mercy of God, and God’s mercy is revealed in the Passover as a picture of the true Passover: the Lord Jesus Christ. And thirdly, He was in their midst to minister to them the mercies of God so that they would be able to behold the true Passover whoh is the Son of God.

   In the first nine verses we are bombarded with numbers, and the fulfillment of types in Jesus Christ our Lord.

After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.(John 5:1)

Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.(John 5:2)

In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. (John 5:3)

For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. (John 5:4)

And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. (John 5:5)

When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? (John 5:6)

The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. (John 5:7)

Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. (John 5:8)

And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath. (John 5:9)

   Let’s take a peek at these first nine verses. After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. (John 5:1) In verse 1, we have the number of man for it was the feast of the Jews, and NOT the Lord’s Passover, or feast of Jehovah. Why is man so prevalent in verse number 1? (5 +1= 6) Because in verse 1 we see the denial of God. The disobedience of the garden is seen in the first verse of Chapter 5 of John. Following the great usurper, the Pharisees were following their father, the devil, and had claimed the Passover as ‘a feast of the Jews.’

   We have to touch on something that is not tolerated in the professing Church today. When Adam sinned he was removed from the realm of God. God was no longer his master, sin and Satan became Adam’s new realm; therefore, he was driven OUT of the garden. He could no longer be a member of the kingdom of God because Adam no longer belonged to God’s realm. In the supernatural new birth, man that has come to the Lord Jesus Christ through the new birth is translated into the kingdom of God’s Christ by God the Father. (Colossians 1:13) There is no way to enter into the realm of God by the natural man. At our physical birth we are shut OUT from the realm of God because of sin and are born into the realm of Satan. The Lord Jesus could speak to the Pharisees in John Chapter 8 and tell them that they, one and all, were of their father, the devil. This was not a figment of speech; it was a declaration of grace and truth, for ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God. The good shepherd came to deliver and to make a way to the kingdom of God: to change the rebel by a supernatural act of the Spirit of God, and to prepare the new heart, the new soul, and the new spirit for a NEW realm: God’s realm, as a new creature in Jesus Christ. It is not the sin that we commit, but the seed of sin within Adam that keeps us from the kingdom of God.

Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.(John 5:2)

   We have a continuation of numbers. Verse 2 speaks of witness, and it is witnessed at Jerusalem by the sheep gate, and by a pool, which is called Bethesda, having five porches. First we are introduced to Jerusalem, the city of the great King. Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. (Psalm 2:6) And next we have the sheep gate, which had been converted into a sheep market. This is where the lambs were bought and sold for the slaughter: the commercialization of the feast which was called the ‘feast of the Jews’ was not according to the word of God.

SIDE NOTE: Outside of the Lord Jesus being called ‘the sin offering’ as the ‘Lamb of God’ there is no mention of the yearly sin offering in ALL the gospels, and notice, the absence in the four gospels of the mention of the Day of Atonement, of course, we know the true day of atonement was that day that our Lord was crucified.

   The sheep gate was the 7^th gate in Nehemiah Chapter 12. Through this gate, the lamb would be led to the slaughter, and the sacrifice would be taken to the altar through this gate. The Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world would bring His perfection through the 7^th gate. At the end of His ministry He offered His blood to Jehovah as the atonement on the very day of atonement.

Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land. (Psalm 85:9)

Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. (Psalm 85:10)   

Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven. (Psalm 85:11)

Yea, the LORD shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield her increase. (Psalm 85:12)

Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in the way of his steps. Psalm 85:13)

   As the Lord entered, He viewed the pool named Bethesda. The name means ‘the house of mercy,’ which was symbolized by the merciful angel who troubled the waters. Most likely, it was the Lord Himself, as the angel of the Lord, who troubled the waters for only HE could have power over the blind, over the halt, over the withered; only HE could restore what sin had destroyed.

The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes. (John 9:30)

Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth. (John 9:31)

Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. (John 9:32)

If this man were not of God, he could do nothing. (John 9:33)

   Around this pool (in Chapter 5) were five porches.Each porch represented grace and truth. Porch number 1: in Him is the fullness of the Godhead bodily. Porch number 2: The witness of God the Father and the miracles which He performed. Porch number 3: The work in complete unity of Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Porch number 4: takes in all humanity, no matter what state they are in; grace is available for all. And porch number 5: the fullness of grace that ONLY ONE who IS grace can minister. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy for He is a merciful Creator. These five porches all symbolized God’s Christ, and God’s grace in His Son.

   In verse 3 of Chapter 5: In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. In the number of these three infirmities we can see the power of the Godhead as in John Chapter 3, verse 11, Verily, verily, we have I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.

   We see a great multitude, there is no quantity or number, it is a multitude that speaks of ALL mankind. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. (Joel 3:14) The great multitude waiting to be healed from sin and death by the Great Healer, and Possessor of eternal life. They were drawn to the pool with their infirmities waiting for the angel of the Lord to restore, and yet, not all could be restored. Only one per year, only one at the time of the Passover, only one nation could be led out of Egypt, only one nation could pass through the river of death, the Jordan, into the promised land, only one Israelite could be healed when the waters were troubled by the angel of God. And only this angel could part the waters and give health and life to the victims of sin. There are three infirmities mentioned: blind, halt, and withered. Each one of these speaks volumes of Adam’s race. They were ALL impotent.

   In the five porches filled with this multitude, all were looking to be healed; however, the blind, halt and withered revealed the status and condition of Israel. All, therefore, could not be healed. Only one person was healed to show God’s mercy, and to remind Israel that He is a God of mercy; they had brought these infirmities and this great multitude of infirmities upon themselves for their sin against the Almighty God.

    A blind man lives in darkness, he cannot explain light for he cannot see light. His life is a life of feeling, stumbling, and darkness. This relates to the very condition of the Jews and their leadership in Jerusalem. Halt is movement: if one is halt, one cannot move securely or they are hindered in their mobility. This again was the condition of the Jewish system at the time of the Lord Jesus. Then we have the withered. Adam was created in the image of God, how vibrant was his image, how marvelous was this creation that God had made man from the dust. What beauty was in Adam that God could look on ALL His creation and say, It is good; then rest because of its perfection on the seventh day, but now, the rose had budded, the petals had fallen, and the heap of sin had withered its beauty until it returned to dust and is seen no more. This withered condition is upon ALL mankind, for all return to dust. This is what is seen in this great multitude and God deliberately does not assign a number to this multitude, for every man is to look upon himself as a child of Adam, as being blind, as being halt, and as being withered. It is ONLY THE ANGEL OF THE LORD who can separate the waters of sin and give life everlasting.

Side Note: The title ‘Angel of the Lord’ can be applied to the Lord Jesus Christ, as the title ‘Son of man,’ or ‘Captain of the Lord’s hosts.’ The title, Angel of the Lord, is confirmed in the book of Judges, Chapter 6, verses 12 through 14.

And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour. (Judges 6:12)

And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites. (Judges 6:13)

And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee? (Judges 6:14)

In verse 14 it is the LORD looking upon Gideon as the angel of the LORD, and Gideon is sent by this same ‘angel of the LORD.’ Verse 14 ends with these words from the LORD: have not I sent thee?

    This multitude waited there for the moving of the waters. I remind you that there were many in Israel at the time of the Lord Jesus who were waiting for the Messiah. Their troubled waters were in the dominion of mankind and Satan. Rome had a stranglehold around their necks, sin had a stranglehold around their hearts, and death had a stranglehold around their eternity. They were waiting for the Messiah, they were waiting for God’s Christ to deliver them from the miseries of life to the glories of everlasting life in God’s Christ. This pool was called Bethesda, which means ‘house of mercy.’ The water of life had come in Jesus Christ to shed His mercy upon them.

For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. (John 5:4)

    Four is not only the number of the world, but it is the direction of the world as well, there is north, south, east and west. Now here is the truth about man’s direction: no matter where I am, I will always have a north and a south, even if I am at the north pole, everything in the other direction is south. The same goes for the south pole. Everything in the other direction is north. No matter what parallel I am one, I have a north and a south. It is never ending, it is the same with east and west. It is a continued process of life that wherever I am, I have an east and an west, and a north and a south. This applies to my spiritual being as well. If I am someone outside of Christ, no matter what direction I travel, I travel away from Christ. If I am someone in Christ, not matter what direction I travel, I travel to Christ. For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.

   Salvation is an individual experience: one at a time, symbolized by only one being healed at the troubling of the waters. Looking at this great multitude we see that they gathered at a certain season, as I have previously mentioned, it was at the time of the Passover. This is given to us by the healing power of the Lord Jesus Christ. The man was healed directly by the great Healer, the Lord Himself. After this man was healed, there is no mention of an angel coming down and troubling the waters. The Angel of the Lord was THERE in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. He took this man’s infirmities upon Himself. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. (Isaiah 53:4) But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5)

And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. (John 5:5)

   As we move on to verse 5, within Chapter 5, we hear the cry of the Spirit of God 

— Grace, Grace — 

Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. (Zechariah 4:6) Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it. (Zechariah 4:7)

And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. (Zechariah 12:10)

   In verse 5, we have man with no name, a certain man. However, he was definitely known to the Lord for the eyes of the Lord had followed this man throughout his lifetime, as the woman at the well, Christ KNEW all that there was to know about this certain man. The Lord KNEW what particular sin had put this certain man in this condition. How do we know that his condition was caused by sin? This is confirmed in verse 14: Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. In the words, sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee, it is quite evident that the Lord is comparing a past sin to what could happen in the future with the continuation of this sin. Every child of God should take this to heart, and compare it to Hebrews Chapter 12, for God does chasten His children as a Father with a son. So what was this man’s sin that laid him on his bed for thirty and eight years? This number, thirty-eight (38) is connected to the wandering of the children of Israel after THEY had denied the power of God, and would not trust God to take them into the land that flowed with milk and honey. They feared man. The size of the giants in the land overcame their belief that God had ALL power in heaven and earth. God was prepared to fight their battles in the land of Canaan. He was prepared that they would have victory without the sword, and without the bow. He would deliver the land by His own power into their hands, and yet, they refused to believe God was capable of His divine power. (See 2^nd Chronicles, Chapter 20, verses 17, 22 through 24). They believed not in the power of God. Therefore, we compare this man with the thirty-eight years that the children of Israel wandered in unbelief through the wilderness. And yet, this man could not wander. He was put out to pasture on his bed for thirty and eight years, and he would not walk again until he met God’s Christ, the Healer of eternity.

When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? (John 5:6)

   When you consider the first year of this man’s infirmity, there must have been hope that he would be able to be healed, but as the years past on, and the numbers began to add up, the chances of being healed became very slim. He, the impotent man, as Israel in their wanderings, had a long time to consider his sin. When the Lord Jesus asked him in John 5:6, Wilt thou be made whole? The man immediately referred to man and not to God. Sir, I have no man. He didn’t mention the angel coming down and stirring the water. In his reclined position, his eyes could go no higher than mankind.

   It was quite evident that the Lord Jesus was looking for him, Jesus saw him lie, by His omniscience, He knew, the Lord of glory knew that he had been a very long time in that condition. We can compare His omniscience with the Samaritan woman at the well, and with Nathaniel in John Chapter 1. It is amazing that how all these acts of an all-knowing God are overlooked by men without the Spirit of God trying to pretend that they are speaking through the Spirit of God. Their lack of understanding betrays them for one, or for two, or for twenty, or even for thirty-eight years because of their infirmity of Adam’s sin, and not being delivered by the Son of righteousness with healing in His wings.

   For thirty-eight years the desire of this man was to be made whole, and at that certain time of year, at the Passover, this certain man was conveyed to the pool to wait for the angel from heaven to be healed. There was no recognition in this man’s heart, soul, and spirit to the identity of the One who stood before him as the Lord of glory asked him the question, Wilt thou be made whole?

    Jesus had no problem recognizing a man in sin with an infirmity caused by his sin for thirty and eight years. Christ offered to the man complete restitution, not only physically, but later in the temple, He offered the man a greater gift than healing his body. Christ offered him the gift of the forgiveness of sin. At the pool of Bethesda the Spirit of God documented this man as the impotent man so that we would not mistake his condition. Again we have reference to Israel in the thirty and eight years in their wandering. Those who came out of Egypt died in the wilderness because they were impotent in faith. This caused them not to be able to enter into the land of promise. Compare the days of provocation in the wilderness for thirty and eight years, and this will give you an understanding of their spiritual impotence. They could not walk with God because they knew not God. They were still living in the realm of Adam, sin and the devil.

Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, (Hebrews 3:7)

Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: (Hebrews 3:8)

When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. (Hebrews 3:9)

Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.(Hebrews 3:10)

So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) (Hebrews 3:11)

Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. (Hebrews 3:12)

   In verse 6 we read: When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? We have the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ as the full express image of God. (Hebrews 1:3) Concerning the sons of Adam (looking upon the infirmities that sin had caused in Adam) truly, the heart of the Lord Jesus was heavy for mankind as He looked at the five porches and the multitude of the infirm. It says that the Lord Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case. Just as He had seen Adam at the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and had watched the spirit of Adam through thousands of years till Christ saw THIS man, He KNEW ALL about man, and yet, the question to Adam, to man, to all who have walked upon the earth as the sons of man, Wilt thou be made whole? And so, Adam cries out. I have no man! Adam puts all his confidence in man. In the religious mind, man forgives himself, there is no forgiveness of God in salvation, or he erroneously assumes that he can achieve salvation by adding to God’s requirements through his own efforts. There is no healing for God in heart, soul and spirit. There is no new creation. There is just the same old Adam with a new vesture, and new vestments. Adam decorates himself as Cain decorated himself with his own good works which were totally in opposition to what God had approved. Therefore, Cain’s religion caused him to have enmity against his brother, and it festered and was prodded by the devil to kill his brother Abel. Why bring this up here? Because later in this Chapter, the religious Pharisees conspire to kill the Lord Jesus Christ. Religion is a weapon of Adam, and of the devil against the righteous. When the devil entered into Judas, we can also believe that he entered into Cain, and also into the Jews who cried, Crucify him, crucify him.

And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him; (John 13:2)

And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly. (John 13:27)

Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve. (Luke 22:3)

The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. (John 5:7)

   The character of this impotent man is revealed to us: his trust was in man and not in God. This man did not even mention the angel from God, he accepted that the troubling of the waters was somehow some natural phenomena outside of the authority of God. These words, I have no man, remove his trust from God. Oh, the heart is desperately wicked and deceitful above all things. I am sure that God has done many miracles for the children of men since the crucifixion of His beloved son. Yet, these miracles are continuously passed over for being merely natural events.

   He was concerned about his own plight, which is understandable, but he had no concern about the others also waiting. Apparently he had been helped before by others, for he mentioned that while he was coming, another stepped down before him. We also see in this verse, no self confession of why he was in such a state. In the Scriptures, sin IS linked to pestilence, to famine, to drought, to earthquakes, to lightning from above, to torrential rain and floods, and to plagues, so why does man refuse to believe that his sin can cause his own sickness. (Not only can sin cause sickness, but the sin of others can cause sickness.) Disease and sickness is not a determination by man, but by God. If sickness or disease can be lifted by God, it can also be issued by God. See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand. (Deuteronomy 32:39) For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole. (Job 5:18)

   According to the language of verse 7, his complaint was also centered around others who stepped down before he could; after laying there for thirty and eight long years, there is a heart of contempt for others who stepped down before he could.

Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. (John 5:8)

   In verse 8, there is the number of fullness. The first word that we see is a command, Rise. For thirty and eight years he could not stand on his feet, and now this stranger commanded him to Rise, to stand, take up his bed that had encased him for thirty and eight years, and not only stand, but walk. Between verses 8 and 9, do you see the absence of a very important word. The word ‘belief’ is not mentioned. By the way, the word ‘faith’ is not mentioned either. In the gospel of John, the word ‘believe’ is mentioned in 46 verses, and this does not include the other forms of the word ‘believe.’ And yet, ‘faith’ is not mentioned in the entire book of John.

And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath. (John 5:9)

   Notice that the Lord did not say, Thy faith has made thee whole.’ This miracle was not based on faith, but that the glory of God would be seen by mankind. In comparing this with Mark 5:33 and 34, and Matthew 9:22, we have the Lord addressing those who had been healed with these words: thy faith hath made thee whole.

   This man was immediately made whole. Now what do we see? We see another miracle. A miracle like changing the water into wine, the water had no choice, it was demanded of the Creator of all things to become wine. This man did not have a choice, he also did not have faith, and at the command of the Lord Jesus he took up his bed, and walked. This was a miracle for the glory of God, and not for the glory of man. It was revealing the supernatural power of the Lord Jesus Christ over sickness and disease as the manifest image of the Almighty God. We are reminded that this day was the Sabbath. Could it be that this was the Sabbath of the Passover? The Passover falling on the Sabbath was a divine day set apart for the children of Israel. If on this day, the angel came down from heaven, and troubled the waters, and this man was helped by a man into the waters, and he came out whole, would not this break the Sabbath day law of the Jews? Yet, knowing man and his religion, if this had happened like this, they would have rejoiced in this man being made whole. Remember that there was a great multitude in the five porches, and most likely, it was Jewish religion, and not faith that drew them to the pool of Bethesda; however, when the Lord of righteousness came, and made this man whole, their entire religious system became embroiled in turmoil; consequently, the man who was made whole and the Man who made him whole were both condemned.

The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed. (John 5:10)

   In verse 10, just to remind you it begins with the Jews, the number ten reminds us of the Law of Moses, and especially the ten commandments. And one of the commandments was to honor the Sabbath and to keep it holy.

But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:(Exodus 20:10)

And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. (Genesis 2:2) And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. (Genesis 2:3)

It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed. (Exodus 31:17)

   If the Lord Jesus had been just a mere man, He would have broken the Sabbath, but since He was Lord of Lords, He was also Lord of the Sabbath.

But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day. (Matthew 12:2)

But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; (Matthew 12:3)

How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests? (Matthew 12:4)

Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless? (Matthew 12:5)

But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple. (Matthew 12:6)

But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. (Matthew 12:7)

For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day. (Matthew 12:8)

   The Jews didn’t condemn the man for being healed, but for carrying his bed; he immediately answered them: He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk. In this man (who was made whole) we see the heart of Adam shifting the blame to another man, the very Man, who had made him whole. Mankind is always blameless in his own eyes.

The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed. (John 5:10)

He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk. (John 5:11)

   The Lord of the Sabbath not only made this man whole, but commanded him to Take up thy bed, and walk. This man had been freed from the bed that had bound him for thirty and eight years, the request from the Lord to Take up thy bed, and walk was to be a witness to all who knew this invalid, and his former condition. This was a great thing. For thirty and eight years, those around this man, and on the five porches around the pool saw him confined and bound by his own bed, and by his own sin. What a great witness this was of God’s healing on the Sabbath by carrying his infirmity under his arm. He was no longer bound by his bed or his sin, but he was free to walk, and to show forth the glory of God. But there is no rejoicing in the hearts of the Pharisees, only a condemning spirit found in the religion of man; still there was no identity of the Man who made him whole.

   Did this man wonder at all about the Man who had made him whole? Did he think this was Messiah, did he think that this was God’s Christ, or did the Pharisees ask, Do you think this was the Messiah, do you think this was God’s Christ? After all who but God could do such a miracle as this. For thirty and eight years this man was impotent, and now he can walk, and carry the bed that had held him captive for all those years.

    This should remind us of the blind man in John Chapter 9, verse 30, The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes. In John Chapter 9, the blind man brought out the marvel of him receiving His sight, it was a time to rejoice, and not to be upset, however, in John Chapter 5, the man with no name is still possessed of his own self interests. Man has a self-presence because of sin; therefore, it is me, I and my. Man acts and is motivated as his own center; consequently his world revolves around the hub of self. Mankind never looks into the center of his own ungodly heart, his wicked heart, his deceptive heart which he received at birth from his ancestor Adam. Man looks on his outward being, rarely on his inward being. We should remember that before the fall of Adam, the spirit ruled the flesh, after the fall of Adam, the flesh ruled the spirit. (This is brought out in detail in Romans Chapter 8.)

He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk. (John 5:11)

Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk? (John 5:12)

And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place. (John 5:13)

   This is not a joyous occasion with the Pharisees. They were looking for someone to condemn. The Pharisees were so narrow sighted that they didn’t ask him of his prior condition. They were just concerned about the breaking of the Sabbath, and whom they could blame. The Pharisees wanted a name, but the unnamed man could only refer to another unnamed man. Again, we see the Scriptures so plainly that the Lord Jesus walked among them, and they knew Him not. They could give almost any title to a man, but to the Lord of glory, the only titled that they gave Him, was the title of rejection.

Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. (John 5:14)

   It was the Lord Jesus who later found him, for the man was not looking for the Lord Jesus. This is the second time that the Lord Jesus came into his presence and both times the man was not looking for the Lord of glory, but the Lord of glory was looking for him. In verse 14, the Lord reminds him of his former sin, and the danger of a future sin. The words in John verse 14 become almost prophetical.

   The Pharisees were well aware of the presence of the Man called Jesus. We know from the testimony of John in Chapter 1 that they were gathering against John the Baptist, as they now gathering against the Lord Jesus Christ. This generation of vipers were showing their fangs; they were preparing to strike at the Christ of God. It would have been better for this former impotent man to walk away from the temple and the religion of the Jews, and to return to his home after he had learned the identity of the Lord Jesus. The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born: (Matthew 26:24)

   This is a verse that is very rarely used from the pulpit; yet, we have an example not only with Judas Iscariot but with this man in John Chapter 5.

   Sometimes God gives a test to a man, in Adam, to see what that man will do. In the case of this man who was made whole, he had been bound by his own sin, and now he had been loosed, and the Lord Jesus gave him an ultimatum, not a suggestion, that if he continued in sin, a worse thing could come upon him. The man knew the penalty that the Pharisees wanted to enact against the Man who had made him whole. Yet, when this man knew that it was Jesus who had made him whole, he quickly went to report Jesus to the Pharisees.

The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole. (John 5:15)

   This verse shows an act of betrayal. The man never attempted to bring the Jews to Jesus; he never described his previous condition to them, nor is it recorded that he verbally expressed what a marvelous thing that it was that he was made whole.

And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day: (John 5:16)

   This verse adds to the betrayal, immediately after he told the Jews the name of Jesus, they persecuted the Lord, which had to be direct acts against the Lord because persecution is an act against another. However, they were not satisfied with persecution; they also wanted to slay him. Why? Because He (on the sabbath day) had done these things, notice the plural. They were no longer concerned with the man carrying his bed, they were after the Lord Jesus for healing the man as well because he had done these things on the sabbath day. We see an active role of the Jews because in their persecution of the Lord Jesus Christ they came face to face with Him, and condemned Him.

But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. (John 5:17)

   In verse 17 we have the Lord’s answer to their condemnation. The Jewish leadership knew exactly what the Lord was referring to when He used the words, My Father. He had unveiled the position of His Sonship, and this enraged the Jews so much that they sought the MORE to kill Him.

Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God. (John 5:18)

   They understood completely the words, My Father. Christ was showing His equality with God as God.

Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. (John 5:19)

   We see the first, Verily, verily, Truly, truly, Amen and amen. In Chapter 5 the words, Verily, verily occur three times. We should realize that every time that the Lord used the words, Verily, verily, that this was a profound message from the heart of God to the heart of man. Whether it is received, or it is rejected, the fact that profound truth (monumental to all men) is always preceded by the words: Verily, verily.

   The Lord Jesus again addressed Himself directly to the Pharisees, He declared His equality WITH God as God. How this one fact has been argued over the centuries in the Church is because of the pharisaical heart. Whenever you read these words, Verily, verily, you must look at what follows Verily, verily with the heart and mind of God, and not with the heart and mind of man. The Lord Jesus is not declaring that there is an inequality in the Son of God, but that He is EQUAL to ALL that is God. He does nothing of Himself because He is EQUAL with God. As He told Phillip in John Chapter 14, those who have seen the Lord Jesus have also seen the Father. Paul, by the Spirit, puts it this way: For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:6) It is still the glory of God in the Man in heaven for us, Jesus Christ.

   Whatever the Father does, the Son also does likewise. There is no division here. This is complete equality. This is exactly why in the manifestation of Jesus Christ we have the FULLNESS of the Godhead bodily. For Jesus Christ is the express image of God. The pharisaical heart could not believe. They also could not believe the words documented in verse 20 of Chapter 5.

For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. (John 5:20)

    The Lord was speaking of a love that fallen man cannot understand. The love between God the Father, and God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit cannot be known by man in Adam. Therefore, the twisted self-righteous heart had no love for the Son of God; because there is this love relationship between the Son and the Father, they work in complete unity, and in complete approval of each other. The controlling factors in all the movements of the Godhead are regulated by God’s righteousness, and within God’s righteousness there is a righteous love that mankind cannot understand.

   While the Lord had their attention, He spoke not only of the works that He had done, but greater works yet to come, so that they may marvel. I only refer to one, and this was the raising of Lazarus in John Chapter 11. When this took place, the Pharisees were furiously besides themselves in a rage; not only did they want to kill the Lord Jesus, but they also sought to kill Lazarus as well. The Lord was almost giving them a list of some of things (in Chapter 5) that He was going to do accomplish. For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. (John 5:21) Christ stated that not only did the Father raise the dead, as He did with the widow of Zarephath through the prophet Elijah, but the Son will also quicken whom He will. I am sure that this statement was looking ahead in time to the raising of Lazarus, and further ahead beyond time to the great resurrection of the just and the unjust.

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A NECESSARY SIDE MEADOW

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More Than By-Pass Meadow

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Side Note / Side Bar / Side Trip

And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day: (John 5:16)

   Let’s begin to reflect on John the Baptist and the Lord in relationship to the persecution of both. According to the gospel of Luke Chapter 1, verse 5, There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth: only Zacharias had the qualifications to be high priest because both he and his wife were direct descendants of Aaron, and according to the law of Moses, Zacharias should have been the rightful high priest. Although the Pharisees loved to quote the law of Moses, they denied Zacharias the right to be high priest. Consequently, the persecution of the just began by the unjust Pharisees against Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist. This also would have qualified John, the son of Zacharias, to be high priest. Yet, John was denied ANY position in the Jewish religion. He was persecuted for who he was, a messenger of the Lord with divine qualifications.

   Since both Elizabeth and Zacharias were beyond the age of childbearing, God (in a supernatural work) allowed Zacharias and Elizabeth to have a son; God even sent his name by His angel: that they should call him John. The message of the dove of peace will present the Prince of peace to Israel. Only the high priest (on God’s part) could present the sin offering to the Lord. It was the privilege of John, as well as the fulfillment of his prophetic office, to present to Israel the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.

   John did not choose the wilderness because of his own condition; he came preaching from the wilderness because of the condition of Israel. His baptism was the baptism of remission: he preached repentance toward God, and in this message was also a message of judgment if they would not repent. John was not liked by the Pharisees and the Sadducees because they could see in his person a man sent by God, a prophet indeed to the nation of Israel. In fact, John was the last old testament prophet. According to the book of Isaiah Chapter 40, John was fulfilling his prophetic office.

The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. (Isaiah 40:3)

Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: (Isaiah 40:4)

And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. (Isaiah 40:5)

The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field: (Isaiah 40:6)

The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass. (Isaiah 40:7)

The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever. (Isaiah 40:8)

   These prophetic words are directly attributed to John the Baptist in Matthew Chapter 3, verses 1 thru 3. In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, (Matthew 3:1) And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. (Matthew 3:2) For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. (Matthew 3:3) This is what is lost today in the gospel message: one MUST repent of their sin. This was the message of John in preparing a way for the Lord Jesus Christ. This was also the message of the apostle Paul in the book of Acts, 20:21, that it is repentance toward God, and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

   John the Baptist spoke as a man sent from God. (John Chapter 1) There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. (John 1:6) The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. (John 1:7) He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. (John 1:8)

    The message of the Pharisees, in John’s day, was one of darkness by those who walked in darkness, and veiled their true identity as children of the devil in the darkness of Satan himself. As we mentioned previously in Matthew Chapter 3, that John called them ‘vipers;’ to the Pharisees of THIS day, this name still applies. Why is a viper such a dangerous and poisonous snake? The rattlesnake gives you a warning before it strikes, so you might be able to avoid its strike. The viper hides beneath the leaves, shrouds itself in the darkness of the jungle and waits for his prey, and its bite is deadly to all who are bitten. It is not a creature of light, but a creature of darkness. Yes, this snake was well suited to describe the Pharisees, and their father: the devil. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. (John 8:44)

   From Matthew’s gospel Chapter 3, verse 7, we find that both the Pharisees and the Sadducees were well represented for being described as vipers. Contained also in this verse was the wrath of God against those who would not repent. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Was this a popular message? Not hardly! John added another sting (when he was face to face with the Pharisees and Sadducees, and other religious leaders) by telling them to bring forth fruit and meet for repentance. Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance. (Matthew 3:8) John was condemning their religious system. In order to serve God, His commandments, and His kingdom, they needed to change their carnal commandments.

   In this interview which is continued in John Chapter 1, when both these priests and Levites were present, John revealed to them that he was NOT God’s Christ. This was his record to the Jews. They had come from Jerusalem and they had asked him, Who art thou? First, he dealt with the profound truth of his message to them and to all of Israel that he was there to introduce God’s Christ to the world.

And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? (John 1:19) 　

And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. (John 1:20)

And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No. (John 1:21)

Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? (John 1:22)

He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias. (John 1:23)

And they which were sent were of the Pharisees. (John 1:24)

And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet? (John 1:25)

John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; (John 1:26)

He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose. (John 1:27)

    We see that this was not a friendly prayer meeting. The priests and Levites had come in a spirit of conflict against John and against his message. They were not looking for their own salvation, or for the salvation of Israel. They were there to condemn this man who was sent by God. They tried to weave a web of words in an attempt to pull pride out of the heart of John, but John would not submit to their venomous treachery. John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; (John 1:26) He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose. (John 1:27) These verses show John’s self-appraisal and conclusion of who he was: that he was only there to present that One who is coming after him, and who is preferred before him. Why is this such an important moment? They were trying to take John’s heart and mind off his message, and to make himself the message, They were trying to draw out the pride of life from the man who had been sent by God. Since John was the last old testament prophet, he had the greatest message of all the prophets who had previously come before him. He was a burning and shining light to reveal the true Light of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ.

    Since John the Baptist was qualified (on heaven’s side) to be the proper earthly high priest, then he MUST be the one to introduce the sacrifice for sin. The high priest MUST take the Lamb of God into the depths of death in the Jordan river. The high priest and the Lamb of God (that taketh away the sin of the world) MUST unite in the righteousness of God and place their feet on the twelve stones buried underneath the waters of the Jordan (as in the days of Joshua). 

   Scripture discloses a tremendous testimony of John the Baptist, revealing his supernatural knowledge, and the supernatural record of the baptism of the Lord Jesus Christ. John described his own experience that he saw the Spirit of God descending from heaven ‘like a dove’ and this image abode upon Him. Why is this important to us? And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. (John 1:32) As the dove returned to the ark when the waters subsided, so also, the image of a dove came upon the true Ark of God as the Lord Jesus came out of the Jordan, the river of death. Christ, the Ark, stood upon dry land as the Lamb of God to bring peace to man. Let us spend a little time underneath the lamp post . . . .

    Who was the prophet in the Old Testament who had a message of repentance to the Gentile world? His name was Jonah, which means ‘a dove.’ A dove is a symbol of peace and God has used the dove as a symbol of His peace to mankind. It began with Noah, when the dove of peace returned with the olive branch of mercy in its beak. In Jonah, we have a man bearing the name of a dove, the symbol of God’s peace with a message of repentance. In the case of John the Baptist, it was given unto him to present the Son of God to the world, not just to Israel, but to the whole world. This is why the Spirit of God used the term ‘taketh away the sin of the world.’ John’s name is very similar to Jonah, however, we see something else contained in this name that was sent from heaven; not only do we see the dove, but we see the olive branch of mercy. John’s message was complete, he was there preaching repentance toward God, and then publically he presented the mercy of God to the world in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. In Chapter 1 of the gospel of John, verse 34, we have the exclamation point placed on the record of John.

And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. (John 1:33) And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. (John 1:34)

    At this point in time, the Pharisees were already persecuting John. They were not friendly, and they were not passive to John’s message. They disagreed with it, and deliberately discouraged those who came to John’s baptism. They were there at the Jordan not to condone his message, but to show by their presence their disapproval and their disagreement with his message. They had all their tentacles wrapped around the vineyard and would not let one portion of their vineyard go. It is amazing that their stranglehold on the people of Israel was foretold by Isaiah centuries earlier.

Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: (Isaiah 5:1) And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. (Isaiah 5:2) And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. (Isaiah 5:3)

Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! (Isaiah 5:20) Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! (Isaiah 5:21)

   Not only do we have this wonderful section in Scripture from the book of Isaiah, but we have the parable of the vineyard in the gospel of Luke Chapter 20, verses 9 -19.

Then began he to speak to the people this parable; A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it forth to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long time. (Luke 20:9)

And at the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard: but the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away empty. (Luke 20:10)

And again he sent another servant: and they beat him also, and entreated him shamefully, and sent him away empty. (Luke 20:11)

And again he sent a third: and they wounded him also, and cast him out. (Luke 20:12)

Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him when they see him.(Luke 20:13)

But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.(Luke 20:14)

So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them? (Luke 20:15)

He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid. (Luke 20:16)

And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner? (Luke 20:17)

Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. (Luke 20:18)

And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them. (Luke 20:19)

   Prior to this parable, the Lord Jesus asked the chief priests a question about John’s baptism, The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? (Luke 20:4)? They refused to answer because they feared the people; however, they did not fear God. Therefore, to unveil their hearts of wickedness, the Lord Jesus told them about His vineyard, and how they had wickedly usurped and took possession of His vineyard, And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. (Isaiah 5:2) These usurpers were putting forth bitter and sour fruits of wild grapes.

   When Christ concluded the parable, they knew that His message was personally directed to them, that they had collectively stolen His vineyard by stealth, by thievery, by murder, by treason, and by the persecution of His prophets. Lastly, Christ prophetically told them that they were going to cast Him out of His vineyard. They are going to kill God’s dear Son.

   And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor. In verse 20 of Chapter 20 we have the stealth of the viper: they watched him, they sent forth spies, who played the part of just men in order to twist His words to condemn Him; then, when they had relayed their lying news to the Pharisees, and to the power, and to the authority of the governor, then they would be able to cast the heir of the vineyard out of His vineyard.

   If our modern day culture with its sanctimonious religious community and its lying political partner (and a lying news media) did not exist, we would not need this message of repentance today. They can all be addressed as children of their father: the devil. Venom drips from their lips and their fangs spit out poisonous lies. Consequently, we live in the days of John the Baptist. We live in the days of Noah. We live in the days of Elijah. We live in the days of Malachi, and so much more, as we reflect on the history of mankind.

   In the gospel of Luke, Chapter 20, verse 20, it was the self righteous pretentious religious community who sent spies to watch the Lord Jesus, just as they had sent out spies to watch John the Baptist. They feigned themselves to be just men, as they also do today.

   I have a little test that I use, and I am sure that others use this test also, whenever I meet someone who professes the Lord Jesus Christ. I immediately begin speaking about the Lord Jesus Christ and the Word of God. If that person interrupts me and begins to talk about their church, and about its gospel outreach, and about its missionary program, and about its bus ministry, and about its Christian school without one mention of the Lord Jesus Christ, I see the empty hollowness in their profession, but it also reveals their meaningless commitment to a temple, to a building, to a message of socialism, and to a world organization (whether it is local or global) with tentacles spread throughout the world. It is the same self righteous pretentious religious community that existed in the days of John the Baptist. I don’t say this lightly: the word of God gives John’s complete story in the gospel according to Luke, and it agrees in both its religious and political actions with the same self righteous pretentious religious community of today.

   In the 15^th year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontus Pilate, the man who sentenced the Lord Jesus Christ was governor of Judaea, making the word ‘governor’ very important in Luke 20:20. Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene. (Luke 3:1) This was the political system in the day of John the Baptist. It was a cult political system, very similar to the contrived political web of today that we understand to be the UniParty of both Republican and Democrats jointly corrupted and united together, yet, controlled and enforced by Democrat tyrants and world leaders. If you think this is too harsh a statement, what do you think of the message of John? It cost him his life and his head. You can’t make light of this, you have to open your eyes and see that we are in a world of religious and political evil men. If John were here today, they again would want his head. Just a note: when John was cast into prison, none of the Pharisees or the Levites tried to persuade Herod to release John. When John was beheaded none of the Pharisees or the Sadducees went to bear his body, only the disciples of John went to take him away to bury him.

   The list of names that God gives continues. In Luke 3:1, God the Holy Spirits sets the political side and in Luke 3:2 God gives us the names of two of the religious vipers of that day. Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.(Luke 3:2) Annas and Caiaphas were both together the high priests. Together they shared the office of high priest. This was totally a false position given to both of these individuals by nefariously evil men — not by God, never by God and against all that is God.

   Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. (Luke 3:2) After the Spirit of God forever documents the arrogance of these two usurpers of both being the high priests, He gives us the name of the His true earthly high priest, and the previous high priest in both John and his father Zacharias. It was the word of God, not the word of man, that came unto John while he was in the wilderness because there was no place for the true high priest in Judea, or in Jerusalem, or in the temple. God uses Luke 3:1and 2 to set the stage and the state of the condition that existed in the days of John.

   In our age, the arrogance of religious usurpers has multiplied a thousand times over with thousands of names, and thousands of Pharisees, and thousands of corrupt rulers, so what would be more appropriate then to preach a message of repentance? As the Psalmist of Psalm 137 sat down and wept over the captivity of the people of God, the psalmist (through the Spirit of God) recognized the depth of the sadness of souls in their ruined condition, How shall we sing the LORD’S song in a strange land?

By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. (Psalm 137:1) We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. (Psalm 137:2) For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. (Psalm 137:3) How shall we sing the LORD’S song in a strange land? (Psalm 137:4)

    Should we (as Christians) not recognize that we also are in a strange land? Should we not recognize the true stage and state of the condition of the current professing Church? What should be more important? To sing, ‘Shall we gather at the river,’ or to weep concerning our sins in repentance toward God seeing the river of death before us?

   In Luke Chapter 3, we have John’s message magnified from Matthew Chapter 3, not only do we see the viperous Pharisees and Sadducees, but we see the viperous political community as well. When John spoke to the Pharisees and the Levites as vipers in Matthew 3, and also in Luke 3, verse 7, he addressed the message to the whole community of Israelites who stood before him.

Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? (Luke 3:7) Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. (Luke 3:8) And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. (Luke 3:9)

   The condition of Israel at the time of John the Baptist was this: God had suspended His voice and His word in the Old Testament. The last book in the Old Testament penned by the prophet Malachi (and Spirit driven) tragically revealed the condition of the people of God in the days of Malachi. They refused to even open the doors to the house of God unless they were paid to do so, as also all the hirelings of this age. Then God was silent in His writings, but not in His actions; He still oversaw, and overruled the kingdoms of men. If you think that we live on a space ship wandering through space with no controls, you are totally and absolutely wrong. God counts ever rotation of the planet Earth. God counts every sun rise and sun set. God counts every river and stream. God speaks to the oceans, and tells the proud waves, This far and no further. God holds the winds in His fists. God lights the stars. God SPEAKS through His divine Word, and His Word SPEAKS to the hearts of men. GOD IS NOT SILENT.

   God allowed Ninevah a reprieve from His wrath and judgment because the city repented. God held back His judgment, but over the years, they again refused to obey God, and again fell into the wicked ways and evil hearts of rebellion and sin against the holiness and righteousness of God. Therefore, Ninevah is no more.

   In the days of the true earthly high priest of God, John the Baptist, God looked down, and this is what He saw: (Genesis 6:5) And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. God not only saw this continuous evil, but He documented this exact time period twice when Christ spoke of the days of Noe in Matthew Chapter 24 and in Luke Chapter 27.

But as the days of Noe [were], so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. (Matthew 24:37) For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, (Matthew 24:38)　

   And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. (Luke 17:26) They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. (Luke 17:27) And we have arrived at this precise time once again. God looks down on the children of men today as in Genesis 6:5. And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

   Noah lived in two distinct periods in time: the end of the age before the flood, and the beginning of an age in a world washed clean and fresh; we also live in the LAST times, in Romans, we are told that the night is far spent, and the day is at hand. We are told that we live in the end times, and we are told to expect the Lord Jesus at any moment in time to translate us into the glories of heaven. Knowing this, what does the Word of God tell us? It tells us what kind of people we should be. We are not citizens of the world, but citizens of heaven. We are the messengers of life and light to a world about to be swamped and overtaken in death and bondage. Our message is centered and possessed in and by the Lord Jesus Christ. Take away all the tinsel, take away all the wood, the hay, and the stubble and concentrate on the word of God.

  The Israelites who sought out John the Baptist were weeping at John’s baptism, they were seeking God and not a ceremony. They were casting themselves on God’s mercy, not on the traditions of men. And as then, the very voice today, in the Spirit of Elijah, from the book of Isaiah is the preaching of the prophet saying, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. This message still has the power of the Almighty God. The book that I hold in my hands, the KJV Bible, is the anointed appointed and verified word of God by the Spirit of God; all others are headless horsemen galloping through the darkness of night with no life, with no grace, with no truth, for one seed of error corrupts the whole plant. God has given us a window of hope in this day, but we have not taken advantage of this window.

   As Jonah, the preachers of today do not want to compromise their religious positions for the truth of God’s word. The world of the self righteous pharisaical religious community still sends out spies, and they come and feign themselves as just men trying to entrap the true servants of God. I speak from experience. I have met these Pharisees face to face. I have looked into the eyes of these spies and seen their twisted souls. I have watched the darkness as it floods over their faces with lying words. Therefore, I can relate to the days of John the Baptist. I can relate to the days of Noah. I can relate to the days of Malachi. I can relate to the days of the Lord Jesus Christ; I can relate to the state and condition of our own age: that mankind should repent, and weep because of their sins for sin has truly brought a flood upon all of humanity. No matter how prosperous we are, we live in a dark cave of spiritual depravity away from God. The message is that all men should repent, not just some. That all should believe, not just some, but few there are in our day who really see the brightness of the morning star. Few there are who have laid hold of eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord.

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But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. (John 5:17)

Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God. (John 5:18)

   In John Chapter 5, verse 17, when the Lord Jesus proclaimed His deity, the venom of the vipers frothed out from their mouths, and they sought the more to kill the Lord of glory. They understood Him completely that His equality was with the Father, and also equality with the Spirit. That is why in Romans Chapter 8, we are told that it is the Spirit of Christ because of the unity of the Godhead. The word ‘trinity’ is a human substitute for the word ‘Godhead.’ The word ‘trinity’ takes the authority away from the Godhead, the word ‘Godhead’ specifically denotes a Being who created all things, directed all things, contains all things, and is the fullness of all things, and from that Head of authority continually upholds all things by the word of His power. GodHead has a manifest image, and this image is the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. They were standing in the presence of God; He was claiming His authority over His works AS God. They understood that He was telling them that He was equal with God the Father, and this is why we have the first Verily, verily, the first, Truly, truly; the first, Amen, and amen in Chapter 5 of the gospel of John. He was declaring the truth. Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. (John 5:19)

I and my Father are one. (John 10:30)

And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. (John 17:11) And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: (John 17:12)

    Upon comparing the words from the Son of God with the words of Pharisees, Sadducees, and the leaders of the Jews notice that the Lord Jesus never wastes one word. ALL His words have eternal meaning. However, the opposition continually speaks but says nothing. Their opposition did not attribute anything to the glory of mankind, but takes away any glory that they may have left. In many cases, their words rotate around the circle of sin. What is the circle of sin? It is the sin that Adam brought into the world, and the end of that sin was in the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ. He completed the circle, and presented to mankind eternal life in Himself, for He is the true tree of life.

For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. (John 5:20)

   Reading the articles on these web sites that God has given to us, we stay with the texts from the King James Bible: in everything that is said, one should use a precise measurement and a precise tool to measure. No one would take a 12″ ruler and cut it to 9″ and then claim that it was a 12″ ruler, however, over the centuries the cunningness of Satan, and his servants, have deliberately tried to change the consistent and divine teaching of the Word of God in the King James Bible.

   The Holy Spirit has all the parts to enact His word in the hearts of men. He is not limited by anyone. He can take three words from Scripture and give everlasting thoughts to the mind, to the heart, to the soul, and to the spirit. He can take an entire chapter of Scripture and condense it into new divine thoughts for that particular moment. His power is limitless in giving, in deciphering, and in presenting the Holy Word of God. Therefore, when the Lord Jesus said, Verily, verily, it is up to us to pay attention to that particular word that flows from the mouth of the Son of God.

   For the Father loveth the Son, there is no greater love in the entire universe, or in the whole creation, then the connection of the love of the Father for the Son. In Colossians Chapter 1, verse 13, we read: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: Again we would like you to see that the Father loveth the Son. These words his dear Son specifies Son of His love, and both attribute to the depth of the love that the Father had, and has, for His eternal Son with the power of an endless life. No matter how you view this statement, it always comes out as Son of His love, For the Father loveth the Son.

   The Lord Jesus has expressed, through the Scriptures, that God the Father has committed all things into His hands. The Holy Spirit through the epistles of Paul has opened the eyes of mankind to see that IN the Lord Jesus Christ, and BY the Lord Jesus Christ is ALL the eternal power of creation. Within the very Being of the Lord Jesus Christ is the manifest image of God, and the FULLNESS of the Godhead Bodily.

Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: (Colossians 1:15)  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: (Colossians 1:16) And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. (Colossians 1:17)

   In verse 20 of John Chapter 5, the Lord Jesus used the word ‘marvel.’ This again shows His omniscience, for although they were in opposition to God’s Christ they had already marveled at the miracles that He had previously performed. Yet, their hearts were so wicked that they could not see through the veil of darkness called sin. Therefore, the Lord Jesus declared, greater works than these will be coming, and they will marvel also at the tremendous works that He will yet do. However, sin will deter their mind, their hearts, their souls, and their spirits from receiving, acknowledging, and knowing the Son of God, the Son of the Father’s love. The Father loveth the Son, this is far greater than God so loved the world. (John 3:16) However, this One who was/is cherished as God’s dear Son, the Son of His love, God sent into the world to be the visible and actual sacrifice for the sin of the world.

For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. (John 5:21)

    We have already mentioned Elijah, and how the Almighty God used him to raise the son of the widow of Zarephath; we have already mentioned Lazarus, these were both examples of God’s eternal power of resurrection. The word quickeneth adds to the very power that is enacted in resurrection. Job declared that with his eyes in resurrection he would behold his Creator and God. For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: (Job 19:25) And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: (Job 19:26) Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me. (Job 19:27)

   We also understand that in the power of the resurrection of the just they are also quickened: meaning God has put within them (in their resurrected state) His eternal Being to perform His eternal purpose in the new heaven and the new earth. Although in the ministry of the Lord He unveiled His power of resurrection, the soul that received life would have to pass from this world once again; however, His eternal purpose was upon them, and He had already made them His own for eternity.

   Now, in the resurrection of the unjust, we have verse 22 in Chapter 5: For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: In this verse we behold the great white Throne Sitter with all His majesty, with all His power, and with all His glory. He will sit upon that throne, and He will judge as the Son of God. This judgment will be so great against the unjust that the earth and the heavens will hide their faces from the Throne Sitter. The heavens and the earth will flee, and there will be no place found for them. And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. (Revelation 20:11)

   This is a judgment as no other judgment that has ever been passed onto Adam living or dead. Even the fires of hell gives way to this judgment. Yet, mankind thinks they will be able to escape from this judgment of God; whether small or great, whether rich or poor, whether slave or free man, whether master or servant, all will stand before the great White Throne. There will be no defense nor accusation (as the Pharisees made against Christ) for all things are documented in the books of God. The book of life is opened, and the dead are judged out of those things which were written in the books. These books contain these facts of all the works of mankind. There will be no smart lawyer, or groups of lawyers who attempt to redefine words in acts of warfare against God’s judgment. There will be no lawyers to use deception to turn the guilty into the innocent. There will be no lawyers to argue with God, for they themselves will also stand in the presence of God — and be found guilty. Woe, unto you lawyers. In the books of God, all the facts will be revealed, all the works that have been committed in dark rooms behind the walls of deception in the minds of the deceivers will be laid bare before them. They will be without excuse (Romans 1) when the divine Throne Sitter pronounces His judgment against them, as they are cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:15) And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. (John 5:23)

   All man-made religions, all the thoughts of man concerning themselves, and all the ways that mankind thinks that he can obtain heaven or eternal life will be condemned. All the trusts that man places in himself is removed in this verse. For all men should honour the Son. There is no exception here, for all who claim God the qualification is that they should honour the Son. And if they do not honor the Son, then they do not honor the Father, and in this, they do not honor God. For they know not the Son. In this verse we also see the preexistence of the Lord Jesus Christ, for the Father sent Him to be the Savior of the world. We see this divine character of eternity in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. No one can understand all the determinant counsels of God, for we are not privy to the inner workings of this divine counsel of Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

   We have been given a road map of life in the word of God, a tapestry of eternity and endless life as a wondrous mural that presents a glorious Creator who has created all things, and a matchless revelation of the true God of heaven and earth and of all creation: the Lord Jesus Christ. For by Him, and for Him were all things made. As your heart beats today, He upholds every beat by the word of His power that all mankind should honour the Son.

    Our Chapter now expands itself to a greater height and to a greater depth in the second, Verily, verily, Truly, truly, Amen and amen.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24)

   This is the second divine witness that Christ gave to the Jews who opposed Him; and who counseled together to kill Him, Yet, in the mercies of God, He stated to them that those who believe on Him, those who believe on the Father who has sent Him, have everlasting life. Now this is a wonderful thing. He proclaimed eternal life was made available to His enemies: those who had exhibited a hatred for Him for they had already conspired how they could slay Him. And yet, He offered them everlasting life. That those who believe on Him, and believe on the Father who had sent Him, has everlasting life. And they shall not come into condemnation for they are delivered from the sin that so easily besets them. They are delivered from the sin that Adam brought into this world. They are delivered from the sin that they committed in their lifetime. There is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus who walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Romans 8:1) For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:2)

   In the last seven words in John 5:24: but is passed from death unto life, we have the conclusion and the revelation of our new birth. At our new birth we are passed from death. For death has been overcome by the Lord Jesus who holds within His Being the power of an endless life. Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. 　 (Hebrews 7:16)

   When Adam left the garden, for he was driven out by God, he did not go willingly for God drove him out. God placed cherubim and the flaming sword at the east gate to Eden to prevent Adam from ever returning to the place of peace, communion with God, and to the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. By the way: the Lord Jesus is going to return as lightning out of the east, But this is for another message.

   In our new birth, we are passed from death into life. Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; (Hebrews 2:14) And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. (Hebrews 2:15) We have been all our life time subject to the bondage of death before our new birth. In our new birth, we are no longer subject to that death, or to the fear of death for we have been delivered by the Possessor of an endless life. And this is how He delivered us.

But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. (Hebrews 2:9) For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. (Hebrews 2:10)

   Notice verse 9 that there is no elitism with God. God speaks to ALL of mankind, the Lord Jesus has tasted death for ALL of mankind so that ALL may come to salvation, so that ALL can personally know the Captain of their salvation by taking the flaws of sin in Adam upon Himself He, therefore, tasted death for everyone. It was through the suffering of the cross that the Lord Jesus entered into a perfection that He did not possess prior to His sufferings; yes, within Him was still all the divine power of the Godhead, even in the hours of darkness, when He suffered at the hands of Satan, and fought against the wall of death and overcame the sin of the world, but He had not done this before. Of twain He made one new man; as the Son of man, He endured the sin of the cross. As the Son of God, He poured His righteousness over that sin in His own precious blood, so that those who believe in Him (believe in the glorious Man at the right hand of God who bore all our transgressions on the tree) pass from death unto life eternal in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. (John 5:25)

   This is the third Verily, verily, Truly, truly, Amen and amen in this Chapter. Think back, when was the last time in our previous Chapters that we had three Verily, verily, Truly, truly, Amen and amen? It was in John Chapter 3. These words surrounded the new birth, and eternal life; therefore, in the 3^rd Chapter we have the recognition of the Godhead: Father, Son and Holy Ghost. In verse 11 of Chapter 3 following the words Verily, verily, we have I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. Christ revealed, through these words, the exhaustiveness of the Godhead including the fullness of the Godhead in Himself: the manifest image of God.

   In Chapter 5 (the number five speaks of grace) there are three more phrases containing these words: Verily, verily, Truly, truly, Amen and amen. What is the subject in each reference that begins with Verily, verily? In verse 24, it is everlasting life for those who have passed from death unto life in the new birth. In verse 25, Verily, verily, Truly, truly, Amen and amen, it is the dead who will hear His voice unto life. Comparatively speaking we have the complete authority of the new birth and everlasting life in John Chapter 3. We have that same authority and the same eternal result in John Chapter 5. For they who hear the voice of the Son of God and believe on Him shall live. At the moment and very instant of being born anew, the new creature in Christ receives eternal life from Him who has the power of life in Himself. In Him was life and that life was the light of man. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. (John 1:4)

   In the first, Verily, verily, in Chapter 5, verse 19, of the gospel of John, Christ declared His Sonship. Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

   In the second Verily, verily, He proclaimed the new birth to those who believe on Him, that He is the Minister of everlasting Life: Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24)

   In verse 25, we have the third Verily, verily: Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. (John 5:25) We see the One who has the power of life and resurrection not only in the case of Lazarus, but in the last resurrection of the just and the unjust. He is presented to us as the Judge who sits upon the great White Throne as the Son of man.

   Twelve times (in the gospel of John) the phrase, the Son of man, is mentioned. In this number of twelve is a witness to all the tribes of Israel. Two times in this section of Scripture, He declared that, The hour is coming, in verse 25 of Chapter 5 of John’s gospel, and in verse 28, Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice.

   The first mention of the hour is coming (by the Lord) is fulfilled in Ephesians Chapter 4, verse 9. We have here not only the ascension of the Lord, but that He descended into the lower parts of the earth to lead captivity captive. Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Ephesians 4:8) (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? (Ephesians 4:9) In the sacrificial death of the Lord He led captivity captive. He descended to the spirits of men, and the spirits bound by chains of sin and death. In Colossians 2:15, the Lord Jesus bound death, sin, and the corruption of your flesh, in Adam, upon His cross, and therefore, He is able to quicken us, as He quickened the spirits of men. We see in Colossians that it is not only those upon the earth that He quickens, but those beneath the earth He also quickens. In 1^st Peter and Ephesians we have the ministry of the Lord between His death and His resurrection. This was accomplished so that man living, or dead, would be without excuse, and this is one of the mysteries of the eternal counsels of God.

And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; (Colossians 2:13) Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; (Colossians 2:14)  And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. (Colossians 2:15)

By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; (1^st Peter 3:19) Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. (1^st Peter 3:19)

   For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. (1^st Peter 4:6) This all took place in the great battles for the souls of men, and will totally be fulfilled at the great White Throne.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. (John 5:25) In the first hour coming in verse 25 of John 5, the Lord Jesus was speaking of His sacrificial death, that He who had ascended and had also descended into the lower parts of the earth. To confirm that those who are dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they who hear shall live, we are speaking about those who have died in faith, and who are part of God’s elect. Christ is able to give life and He has the authority to present life to those who He chooses, and they shall rest for a season

And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? (Revelation 6:10)

And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. (Revelation 6:11)

   In the days of the Lord Jesus there were many who perished; yet, to show forth His power and the glory of resurrection, He raised up Lazarus for the glory of God. He gave life to Lazarus from Himself, the life that Lazarus then possessed was the life of Galatians 2:20: I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

   The power of resurrection is not just the physical life of Christ, but the embodiment of life, the authority of life, the giver of life, and the possessor of life is revealed to us in the second time that the Lord Jesus referred to that the hour is coming, this is in the distant future. He will be the Judge over the just and over the unjust. God the Father has given Him complete authority in the last resurrection to judge between good and evil, between just and the unjust. God takes us back to the tree of good and evil.

   What took place there had to have the finality of God’s righteous judgment to justify those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Son of man. He took the foundation of sin upon Himself and defeated it along with the penalty of sin which is death. So the results of Adam’s transgression, and Adam himself, was taken out of the way by the judgment that was placed upon the flesh of the Son of God. The hours of darkness was His conflict in the battle between good and evil. In those three hours of darkness He defeated all the works of the devil. The devil/ Lucifer/ Satan is the author of evil this is where (in the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ) we see the judgment against the devil, against the man of sin, and against the false prophet as a separate judgment by the Son of God. The Son of God will cast them into the lake of fire into a place prepared for them. They are separated somewhat from the great White Throne: a place of judgment against the unjust, those who have not faith in the Son of God; those who chose to bare their own sin and the judgment of that sin which will come to its finality at the great White Throne. All these things lay the ground work for what the Lord Jesus is about to proclaim. He was speaking to those who did not believe: the Pharisees, Sadducees, and the rulers of the Jews.

   The Father sent Him to be the Divine Witness of the Godhead to both Israel and to the world. Christ the last great divine witness of God to mankind. His witness is not just for an hour or for a day or a year: it is for all eternity. In His witness of the truth He stated to the Jews that He is doing all things according to the will of the Father, and not only of His own will.

Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. (Hebrews 10:7)　

Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: (Hebrews 10:5)

Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. (Hebrews 10:9) By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Hebrews 10:10)

Heb 10:14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.(Hebrews 10:14)

   The Lord Jesus delighted to do the will of the Father for His will was exactly the same as the will of the Father. It was the divine will of the Godhead bodily united through the span of eternity. In the body that was prepared for Him as the Son of man, in His manifestation, He completed the will of Godhead. As the Son of God within Himself He has the divine will of God as part of His central Being unifying His will with His Father’s will, and of course, the Holy Spirit is also united in the total will of the righteousness of God and the determinate counsels of God.

SENT

   In this 5^th Chapter the Lord spoke quite plainly that He has come from another place, and He has been SENT into the world. Six times, in these verses in Chapter 5, the Lord Jesus referred to Himself as being ‘sent.’

   The first is in verse 23: That all [men] should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.　

   The second is in reference to belief in the Father who had sent Him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24)

   The third, once again, relates to the Father, to do the will of the Father. I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. (John 5:30)

   The fourth was to show His obedience to the Father through the works that He was given to fulfill the will of the Father: But I have greater witness than [that] of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. (John 5:36)

   In this fifth reference the Lord Jesus (in verse 37) reaffirms that the One who had sent Him is the Father of light and perfection. And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. (John 5:37) In this verse He divides His personality and His Being from the Father. Although He proclaims the Father, this does not divide the Godhead, but the text from which we are reading proves the unity of the Godhead, and the divinity of both God the Father and God the Son. For it is God the Father who bore witness at the baptism of the Lord Jesus Christ to fulfill all righteousness. The heavens were opened and God the Father declared, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am will pleased, thus, confirming not only the Sonship of the Lord Jesus Christ, but the fulfillment of prophecy (in Psalm Chapter 2) therefore, confirming the authority and the divine truth that is within the word of God. In verse 37, the Lord stated that they have not heard His voice at any time, nor seen His shape. They were oblivious to the truth because the word of God had no place within them.

   The sixth and last reference of the word ‘sent’ is found in John 5:38: And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. They could not believe the prophecy of Psalm 2 applying to the Lord Jesus Christ. They could not accept the heavens opening and the declaration from God the Father that, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. They could not accept the witness of John that this was the Son of God. They could not accept that the One before them (through His miracles) was a witness of the divine Godhead to mankind bearing within Himself salvation for all of Adam’s race who would believe in Him.

   The Lord Jesus falls on the authority of Scripture in verse 39: Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. The Lord Jesus presented an opportunity to them. He proclaimed that ‘they’ these unbelieving Jews should search the scripture. This also applies to the unbelieving Church that surrounds us today: the Church of the Laodiceans, and not the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus told those unbelieving Jews that in the scriptures there is a witness of eternal life; however, He specified that eternal life is dependant on Him. For if the scriptures did not testify of Him, there would be no eternal life for He is the fulfillment, and the possessor, and the power of eternal life.

And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. (John 5:40)

    In the number 40, we have the number of testing, and also the number of judgment as when it rained for forty days and forty nights, and as Israel spent 40 years in the wilderness. In the testing of Moses, his life was divided into three 40 year segments. He was tested in the world of Egypt, and this test led him to forsake Egypt. He was 40 years in the wilderness being prepared and taught by God, and then, he spent 40 years as the servant of God leading Israel out of Egypt through the wilderness of sin. Therefore, in the number of 40, the Lord Jesus stated that they would not come to Him specifically addressing their unbelief and that by denying Him, they would not have life.

   I receive not honour from men. In verse 41, we see the emptiness of mankind. Man is not capable of giving divine honor because man is in the centrifuge of sin: the never-ending cycle of evil that surrounds man. This is to show us the depth of the evil within the hearts of man. Remember, that prior to this statement, because of His witness against them, they were seeking to kill Him. He was still addressing this same group of evil Jews, and He reaffirmed that His honor does not come from man, but from God alone. And then He dropped the veil, He dropped the veil between them and Him.

   But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you. (John 5:42) The Lord Jesus was looking directly into their faces, into their eyes, into their hearts, and into their serpentine souls. He told them —I know you — with the omniscience of His Being He knew them; I know you — each and every one of you. He knew every facet of your lives — I know you. He knew all their perverted thoughts — I know you, and He knew that ye have not the love of God in you.

I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. (John 5:43) How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only? (John 5:44)

   These verses reveal not only their nomination boards, but all committees who have the charge of nominating men to serve as The Leader of their church group. They favor not the things of God, but the things of mankind. Christ, being sent of God, does not need the honor of men, but they will always seek to honor man and not to honor God. Mans traditions, vanity,  pride,  appearance,  sweet words, and mans unbelief will always seek to overturn the authority of God. What God has allowed mankind to do only discloses  the desperate condition that is within all of humanity.

   Even those who fall on the law of Moses do not believe the law of Moses, for in the age of Christ they were not upholding the law of Moses. Even today, there are those who find themselves engrossed in the Law, but do not obey the Law. The Jews stated that they trusted in the words of Moses, and yet, the words of Moses condemned them.

Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. (John 5:45) For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. (John 5:46)

   The Lord Jesus continued by stating that: If they had believed Moses and the words that Moses had written, then they would believe in the Son of God; for He was contained in the entire canon of Scripture. Of course, He was referring to the writings of Moses in the Old Testament. If one cannot believe the writings of Moses (even in our age) of the divine Creator, but unquestionably accepts the theory of evolution, thereby, replacing God with a false unsustainable supposition that mankind somehow began in a bubbling mud puddle from maybe a single dust particle probably from space debris, then the fall of man has been great indeed. Evolution is the enigma of the mind of fallen men. Evolution removes all responsibilities from the hearts of mankind. He cannot even obey his own laws, he cannot do justice, for justice has to have a root of a divine Being who discerns the difference between good and evil. Mankind in his own estate has no life within him; he is dead to God.

But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words? (John 5:47)

   The ignorant proudly boast of their unbelief in the word of God. They celebrate their ignorance of God and of His Christ, and because of the total neglect and rejection of the written word and of the Living Word we have come to this moment in time. The whole world is in a whirlpool of sin, and the destruction of mankind is being prepared by a Holy and Righteous God. The world is being prepared for its final hour, and the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is YOUR FINAL CALL!

Verily, verily;

Truly, truly;

Amen and amen.

© Copyright 2020, Michael Haigh

This article may be used, but not for gain. Freely ye have received, freely give.

All Scripture references are from the Authorized King James Bible. (KJV)