The Clarion, Jan. 2025
Welcome
We welcome the New Year and we accept the challenge to all of our New Year’s resolutions. But I wonder if our New Year’s resolutions have anything do with becoming a better person, or better yet, drawing closer to God. Do we examine ourselves as God’s Word asks us to? 2 Corinthians 13:5, “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Messiah Yeshua is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!” And 1 Peter 1:1-11 says this, “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence, by which He has granted to us His precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Messiah Yeshua. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Messiah Yeshua.” If we only want to improve our body or mind that leaves a big gap, for our souls are really the heart of the matter. As we begin this New Year let us make it a point to make every effort to grow our faith and our virtues so that our light will shine even brighter for the Lord this next year. Just think of the fruit that we will grow by next year at this time. As Yeshua tells us in John 15:8, “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be My disciples.”
Yeshua our Example of a Life in the Spirit, Part 1
We read in Galatians 5:22-23 this, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. So what does this mean that against such things there is no law?”
Well, when you practice these things then there is no need for a law. The Bible tells us to love, and to have joy, and live in peace, and so on. Galatians 5: 24-25 goes on to say, “Moreover, those who belong to the Messiah Yeshua have put their old nature to death on the stake, along with its passions and desires. Since it is through the Spirit that we have Life, let it also be through the Spirit that we order our lives day by day.”
Yeshua is our example and we are going to look at the fruit of the Spirit in His life. So let’s start with love. The definition of love is an intense feeling of deep affection. Some people say love is an emotion, a feeling, and others say no it is not an emotion. If it is an emotion then we should be able to control it. If it is just a feeling then that feeling can go away. No, I would say love is a lifestyle. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a says this, “Love is patient and kind, not jealous, not boastful, not proud, rude or selfish, not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not gloat over other people’s sins but takes its delight in the truth. Love always bears up, always trusts, always hopes, always endures. Love never ends.”
Love never ends, that means it is eternal, like God. 1 John 4:8 tells us this, “The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” So if God is love, then His only begotten Son should also be love. If love is a lifestyle then let us look at the life of Yeshua. Let’s start with Mark 10:17, when a rich young ruler came to Yeshua and asked Him this question. “Good Teacher, what shall I do so that I may inherit eternal life?” Yeshua knowing this man’s heart answers him this way. Mark 10:18-19 goes on to say, “Yeshua said to him, ‘Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: “Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.”’
It’s interesting that Yeshua does not start with the first commandment, “You shall have no other gods before Me” being that the man was rich, but we will see why. Mark 10:20-22 continues to record this conversation, “And he said to Him, ‘Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth.’ Looking at him, Yeshua showed love to him and said to him, ‘One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.’ But he was deeply dismayed by these words, and he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property.”’
This man’s god was his riches, and Yeshua knew it, but He wanted him to have the chance to do the right thing. So Yeshua told him the truth, but the man could not give up his possessions, and so he sadly walked away. Yeshua showed His love in every miracle and even with the little children, He would lay His hands on them and bless them as Matthew 19:13-14 tells us.
He also showed His love when Lazarus died as John 11:33-36 says, “Therefore when Yeshua saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled, and He said, ‘Where have you laid him?’ They said to Him, ‘Lord, come and see.’ Yeshua wept. So the Jews were saying, ‘See how He loved him!”’
When Yeshua saw the crowd, He had pity on them. He loved them and fed them, like in Matthew 15:32-37, “Now Yeshua called His disciples to Him and said, ‘I feel compassion for the people, because they have remained with Me now for three days and have nothing to eat; and I do not want to send them away hungry, for they might faint on the way.’ The disciples said to Him, ‘Where would we get so many loaves in this desolate place to satisfy such a large crowd?’ And Yeshua said to them, ‘How many loaves do you have?’ And they said, ‘Seven, and a few small fish.’ And He directed the people to sit down on the ground; and He took the seven loaves and the fish; and after giving thanks, He broke them and started giving them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up what was left over of the broken pieces, seven large baskets full.”’
The Apostle James would have been there and he writes this in James 2:14-17. “What use is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone says he has faith, but he has no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,’ yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? In the same way, faith also, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.”’
The Apostle John also was there and he writes in 1 John 3:17-18, “If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” Even when they came to arrest Yeshua He still loved by healing the man’s ear.
Luke 22:47-51 says this, “While He was still speaking, behold, a crowd came, and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading the way for them; and he approached Jesus to kiss Him. But Yeshua said to him, ‘Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?’ When those who were around Him saw what was going to happen, they said, ‘Lord, shall we strike with the sword?’ And one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear. But Yeshua responded and said, ‘Stop! No more of this.’ And He touched his ear and healed him.”’
Yeshua practiced what He preached by loving His enemies.
In Matthew 5: 43-48 Yeshua tells us this, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may prove yourselves to be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Even the tax collectors, do they not do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Even the Gentiles, do they not do the same? Therefore you shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
Yeshua even cried over Jerusalem because of His great love. He knew what the future held for this city, but He also knew that one day He would come and sit on the throne of King David for 1000 years. Matthew 23:37-39 says this,
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who have been sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. Behold, your house is being left to you desolate! For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, ‘Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord!”
Yeshua’s greatest act of love was done in the Garden of Gethsemane as Matthew 26:42 tells us, “He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, ‘My Father, if this cup cannot pass away unless I drink from it, Your will be done.”’
Luke 23:34 tells us that He showed His love once again and forgave His enemies while dying on the cross. “Yeshua said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’ And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.”’
We too, are to lay our lives down as an act of love for one another. John 15:13 says, “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that a person will lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you.” And we must end with Yeshua’s act of love forgiving Peter for denying Him and commissioning him to tend the flock.
John 21:15-17 says, “Now when they had finished breakfast, Yeshua said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?’ He said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.’ He said to him, ‘Tend My lambs.’ He said to him again, a second time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love Me?’ He said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.’ He said to him, ‘Shepherd My sheep.’ He said to him the third time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love Me?’ Peter was hurt because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?’ And he said to Him, ‘Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.’ Yeshua said to him, ‘Tend My sheep.’”
Safetyzoneforteens.com For Old Times Sake
Here we are once again bringing in a New Year. When you look back, time seems to have gone by so fast. When you think about the year it can be hard to believe that you did so many things, little things, big things but a lot happened over the span of a year. The question is, did you do good things? Did you do things that made a difference? Or did you have a year that well, it’s over and done with and who cares? Our lives are so short as it is. When you look ahead at time it seems like it goes so slow, but when you look back at time you realize just how fast time is going. When you are young, life and time seem so meaningless, but as those years go by you realize just how important every day is. Maybe we had harsh words with someone this past year. Maybe we haven’t talked to someone for quite a while or even seen them. You see, life is like building a building. Every year is like a new floor being added. But when you build a building or just build a life, you have to have a good strong foundation, if not, one day it will all come crashing down. There’s a song that is played every year at New Years celebrations, it’s called, “Ol Lang Syne.” It means, old long since, or since long ago, or in plain English, for old time sake. It was written by a poet named Robert Burns back in 1788. Here is the English version: “Should old acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind? Should old acquaintance be forgot, and old lang syne? And there’s a hand my trusty friend! And give me a hand o’ thine! And we’ll take a right good-will draught, for auld lang syne.” (Chorus) For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne, we’ll take a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne.” Yes, it sounds like a great drinking song between friends. But this song has become tradition over the years because it reminds us that we need to start the New Year in friendship and not with holding grudges toward one another. How about you? Maybe there is someone you need to forgive and let bygones be bygones. How about this song by Gilbert O Sullivan from his album Driven: “Why not let bygones be bygones, what do you say? Why let a difference of opinion get in our way? We both seem to think that it’s the other who’s to blame and unless we can agree, some form of closure, how can we as friends remain. Why not let bygones be bygones, look at us now, having a minor spat between us go way beyond a row. Friends think we’re crazy, letting this go on. It’s insane and if a line can not be drawn under it, surely the only way to ease the pain. Let bygones be bygones. What do you say?” The Bible tells us this, “Never be bitter, angry, or mad. Never shout angrily or say things to hurt others. Never do anything evil. Be kind and loving to each other. Forgive each other the same as God forgave you through Messiah.” Do you have loose ends that need to be tied up before the New Year, for old times sake?
Hebrew Corner: The Second Persecution Under Domitian
Domitian was Emperor of Rome from 81-96, the son of Vespasian and the younger brother of Titus, his two predecessors on the throne, he was the last member of the Flavian dynasty. He was known to be ruthless. He grew up seeing how others ruled before him and he took that knowledge and decided that he was going to outdo those who went before him. He was the longest to rule in the Flavian dynasty. Domitian firmly believed in the traditional Roman religion, and personally saw to it that ancient customs and morals were observed throughout his reign. In order to justify the divine nature of the Flavian rule, Domitian emphasized connections with the chief deity Jupiter, perhaps most significantly through the impressive restoration of the Temple of Jupiter on the Capitoline Hill. One way Domitian controlled his potential opponents was to have them exiled as Revelation 1:9 tells us, “I, John, your brother and fellow participant in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance in Yeshua, was on the island called Patmos because of the Word of God and the testimony of Yeshua.” Historian Eusebius writes, The teaching of our faith glowed so brightly at that time that even writers alien to our belief cited the persecutions and martyrdoms in their histories.’
It was during this time of intense persecution under Domitian that many people believe the Book of Revelation was written. Iranaeus, a prominent leader in the early church, writing around 180 AD, states that the vision in Revelation was: “… announced by him who beheld the apocalyptic vision. For it was not seen for a very long time since, but almost in our day, towards the end of Domitian’s reign.” Revelation 2:12-13, “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: The One who has the sharp two-edged sword says this: ‘I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is; and you hold firmly to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.” It was during this time of intense persecution under Domitian that many people believe Revelation 6:9 is a reference to all those he martyred. “When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been killed because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained; and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who live on the earth?” It is believed that Nicodemus was martyred under Domitian and also Timothy. Over the last several decades we have seen an increase of persecution to Jews and Christians alike. Pray for those who are being persecuted around the world for the sake of God’s Word. Revelation 12:17 says, “So the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her children, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Yeshua.”
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