Never to Forsake
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The intimidation to forsake our God is always most intense just before the breakthrough. Persist. Stand firm. Resist. Build the wall! Remain united. Fill the gaps. Impossible tasks accomplished in God intimidate the enemy and cause fear. Put not your trust in the rich, powerful, and influential. Put your trust in God alone. Amen!
Jesus knew the time was coming. The temptation to bail weighed. The religious leaders had plotted and planned to put Jesus to death. They found a weak spot in the armour of His disciples. Judas would sell out His Lord for thirty pieces of silver. He loved money more than He loved Jesus. Did he love Jesus? Or did he love the spotlight of being with Jesus, and seen with Jesus, by the adoring crowds.
Why waste an opportunity. Jesus spoke about dying. Jerusalem was going to be His death. He was not going to bring in the kingdom to overthrow the Romans. Might as well get something out of this charade. The thirty pieces of silver today would be worth $197.40 US. Back then it was the price of a slave (Ex. 21:32 ). It was also an insult. The religious leaders did not value Jesus as Lord, nor as a prophet, or His prophecy. Just as Zechariah the prophet was not valued and rejected as a shepherd of Israel and Judah (Zech. 11:11-14).
It was annulled on that day, and so the afflicted of the flock who were watching me knew that it was the word of the Lord. Then I said to them, “If it seems right to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.” So they weighed my wages, 30 pieces of silver. “Throw it to the potter,” the Lord said to me—this magnificent price I was valued by them. So I took the 30 pieces of silver and threw it into the house of the Lord, to the potter. Then I cut in two my second staff, Union, annulling the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
The temptation to forsake the LORD overcame Judas. The true Messiah would not die, but would conquer and bring in the Kingdom of God that way. Judas succombed to intimidation. Jesus was going to die. What can I get out of this?
The Prophet Nehemiah Rebuilding the Walls of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 5-6)
The prophet Nehemiah, sickened by the devestated and disgraceful state of Jerusalem and it’s walls, requests the favor of King Artaxerxes, to return to Jerusalem and rebuild it’s walls (Nehemiah 2:4). Having received the king’s favor, Nehemiah returns to Jerusalem and begins rebuilding the walls. Alarmed by the progress of Nehemiah and the Exiles, Sanballat and Tobiah (Government officials), along with the Arabs, Ammonites and Ashdodites work to stop and discourage the rebuilding (Neh. 4). Neh 6:9
For they were all trying to intimidate us, saying, “They will become discouraged in the work, and it will never be finished.” But now, my God, strengthen me.
Have you ever been freightened into forsaking a God thing? A new opportunity comes up, a difficult situation, something that would require a lot of hard work and commitment, or an impossibility? And instead of leaning in and following God’s will and direction, you bail? What was the result? A nagging feeling of regret? The feeling of a missed opportunity? To face intimidation, not forsake God, requires a sword and spine.
Nehemiah and the Exiles work, rest and eat with trowel in one hand and a sword in the other. One would defend, the other would build (Neh. 4:15-23). Day and night they fought to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, for the Lord had given them this purpose and frustrated their enemies schemes (Neh. 4:15).
What are we willing to fight for day and night? How does one fight? By remembering the great and awe-inspiring Lord Jesus (Neh 4:14). He gave His life for His Father’s will, to build the Kingdom with us living stones. Remember the Lord’s sacrifice, the Lord Jesus’ promise, “I am with you always” (Mt. 28:20).
Matthew 28:20 (HCSB)
“And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me.
The Lord is near the brokenhearted; He saves those crushed in spirit.
Intimidation, and the temptation to forsake, comes when you are progressing in the will and work of God. At it’s height is when the breakthrough is about to happen. Stand firm. Persist.
Resist. Build the wall! Remain united. Fill the gaps.
Nehemiah rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem in 52 days! According to Jewish Historian, Josephus, Nehemiah rebuilt 4.5 miles of wall (33 Stadia), the circumference of Jerusalem. That means the area within the walls was about 960 acres and 1.5 square miles. To put it in perspective, an acre is about the size of an American football field. Take 960 football fields and square them together and you have size enclosed. How long would it take to walk around the walls of Jerusalem? 3 minutes/acre = 2880 minutes/60 = 48 hours. Scripture records what the nations response was to this news (Neh 6:16).
When all our enemies heard this, all the surrounding nations were intimidated and lost their confidence, for they realized that this task had been accomplished by our God.
Impossible tasks accomplished in God, intimidate the enemy, cause fear and a loss of confidence. How Egypt has feared Israel all these years after Pharoah was defeated by God, at the hands of Moses staff. How the Philistines ran and abandoned the fight when David struck Goliath with one stone from his sling.
1 Samuel 17:26 (HCSB)
“What will be done for the man who kills that Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Just who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?”
What will indeed be done for the one who removes disgrace from God? From the church? From his/her family? Who stands up to those who would defy and despise the living God by discouraging His people, the army of His living stones! He will be glorified and stand with Jesus for ever!
And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.
Communion
From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over the whole land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Elí, Elí, lemá sabachtháni?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling for Elijah!” Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, fixed it on a reed, and offered Him a drink.
But the rest said, “Let’s see if Elijah comes to save Him!” Jesus shouted again with a loud voice and gave up His spirit.
Suddenly, the curtain of the sanctuary was split in two from top to bottom; the earth quaked and the rocks were split. The tombs were also opened and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. And they came out of the tombs after His resurrection, entered the holy city, and appeared to many.
Put not your trust in the rich, powerful, and influential. But put your trust in God alone. How great is our God! Praise Jesus, Father and Holy Spirit. Amen!