Saturday, January 5, 2013
Comfort!
I have been reading The Inspirational Study Bible -- General Editor Max Lucado. Today I read Luke 9. The devotion was about the question Jesus asked, "Who do you say I am?" and it goes on to say: "Who is Jesus to you? Does your answer depend on who is asking? On your feelings or circumstances? Worship your
Messiah, the Son of God." But the thing that 'jumped out at me' in this chapter is verses 30
and 31 "And behold, two men talked with Him, who were Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of His decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.
I have read this many times but have totally, not seen the words, "of His decease". This says so much to me:Why did God send Moses and Elijah? Why did they talk of His decease? Die Jesus really need encouragement? Had he not already determined what he was going to do? Who is this passage really for?
There is an expression: God never gives you more than you can handle! Well Jesus could handle anything
but God still sent him someone to talk of his decease. Why? To comfort Him? and reassure Him?
I do know one thing God will and has sent someone to comfort us, the Holy Spirit. Is this passage really for us? So we will know that no matter how bad it gets there will always be someone to comfort us.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
ReplyDeleteThis is interesting. I don't read it as "decease". I read it as "departure". I believe that Elijah and Moses were in fact there to
encourage Jesus and strengthen him. Jesus was struggling with the flesh and the flesh was weak. Just as in the garden of Gesthemane the night the Roman soldiers came to get him he struggled again with the flesh...."Take this cup
from me". I believe however that this event was two fold. Jesus was transfigured when he was with Elijah and Moses. I feel that not only was it a time of need to be encouraged, I believe it also was an opportunity for Jesus to show his two chosen disciples His true heavenly body as a witness.
This is one comment I received back via email. I am not going to put his name on it as he responded via email instead of here.
I don't believe this event had any specific purpose as is related to our dealing with difficult times. I think it was a time where Jesus simply struggled with his humanity and knowing that He would be transfigured gave opportunity to encourage and strengthen His disciples in their witness
This is my reply to the last comment: Thanks for your feedback . I agree with what you say in the first paragraph but not in the second. I believe that Gods Word is a constant source of encouragement. And if someone is encouraged or strengthened by a certain passage, it is the Holy Spirit working in their lives. So I guess I kind of answered one of my own questions! lol Just like I never really noted the word decease before, when I read this passage, people can read a passage several time but then, all of sudden it speaks to them. I think if I needed encouragement for something, now I will remember back to this passage.
ReplyDelete