Jesus unveils the climax of history

Friday, April 21, 2017 - Devotions: Ps 118, 136; Dan 12:1-3, 13; Acts 4:1-12; Jn 16:1-15

Let us give thanks to YHWH, for He Is good.  Let Israel, and Aaron's house, and all who fear the Lord together proclaim:  'His steadfast love endures for ever.'  When in great distress, I called on God, He answered me and set me free.  With YHWH on my side, I fear nothing; what could mortals do to me?  I will look in triumph on those who hate me.  There is no good in trusting creatures; lean on God alone!   YHWH is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation.  Hearken!  There are glad songs of victory in the encampment of the righteous:  'The Right Hand of the Lord Is exalted; He does valiantly.'  So I shall not die, but live and recount the deeds of my Lord.  Open the gates of righteousness to me, that I may enter and give thanks to YHWH:  I thank You that You have answered me.  The Stone which the builders rejected has become the Head of the corner.  This is YHWH's doing, marvelous in our eyes!  This day is YHWH's; He has made it; let us then rejoice and be glad in His day!  Blessed are all who enter into the name of YHWH; He alone Is God, and He has given us light.  Let the festal procession advance to His altar, bearing branches.  God, my God, I thank You!  You Are my God, and I extol You.  Let all give thanks to the Lord, for He Is good; His steadfast love endures for ever!  Recount His deeds: He alone does great wonders; by understanding He made heavens and earth; He made the great lights--sun, moon and stars; He smote Egypt's firstborn and brought the house of Israel out from bondage; He divided the Red Sea before them, and led Israel through but overthrew Pharaoh and his host.  He led His people through the wilderness; He struck down great kings, among them Og and Sihon, before His people, and gave the lands they had possessed as a heritage to His servants, the people of Israel.  He remembered His own in their low estate and rescued us from all our foes.  He feeds all humanity.  So give thanks to the God of heaven, for His steadfast love endures for ever.

Daniel prophesies: 'Michael, the great prince who is given charge of God's people Israel, will arise, amid a time of trouble unprecedented.  Everyone whose name is recorded in God's book of life will be delivered.  Many who sleep in the dust of earth shall be awakened--some to shame and contempt, others to joy and life eternal.  The wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars, for ever and ever.  For now, go your way till the end, when you may rest; be assured that you will stand in your allotted place at the end of days.'

As Peter and John conferred with the crowd at the Temple, their antagonists--priests, temple guards and Sadducees--came against them, arrested them, and took them into overnight custody.  The next morning, the Jewish authorities--rulers, elders, scribes, and the high priestly family, including Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, interrogated the apostles: 'By what power and name did you heal this once-crippled man?'  Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, answered:  'Rulers of the people and elders: if we are being examined today concerning the good deed, the healing of a crippled man, let you all know this.  This man stands whole before you by the Name of Jesus the Messiah of Nazareth, Whom you crucified, but Whom God raise from the dead.  He Is the Stone Whom you builders rejected, but Who has become the Head of the corner.  There is salvation in no one else; there is no other Name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.'

During the last night before His crucifixion, Jesus addressed His closest disciples in the upper room:  'I have told you many things, so that you will not fall away.  The authorities surely will put you out of the synagogues.  The hour is coming, in fact, that anyone who kills you will think he is serving God in doing so.  They have not known the Father, nor Me.  But I said these things to you, so that when their hour comes, you may remember that I told you this was coming.  I didn't say all this to you from the beginning, because I was with you.  But now I am going to Him Who sent Me.  For this reason, your hearts are filled with sorrow--but I tell you this: it is to your advantage that I go away. Otherwise, the Counselor would not come to you.  But since I Am going, I will send Him to you, and He will convince the world concerning sin, and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin because they do not believe in Me [sin is idolatry, putting anything in God's rightful place]; concerning righteousness because I go to the Father and you will see Me no more [I have descended, and will descend to the lowest place, and then the Father will exalt Me to His right hand]; and concerning judgment because the ruler of this world is judged [Sin and the satan think they are killing me, but in sending me to the cross, the powers of evil are signing their own death warrant and surrendering to God's victory].  I have much more to tell you, but you could neither understand nor bear more truth at this time.  [Wait, then, for the Spirit Whom I will send to you!]'