John the Baptist “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?” (Matthew 11:7 ESV). — Jerry Wesol Our Lord Jesus had been preaching and healing the sick, the blind, the lame and raising the dead back to life. During this time, he was visited by disciples of John the Baptist, when he had been imprisoned. They brought a question from John inquiring if Jesus was truly the long‑awaited Messiah, or should they expect another […]
The Spirit of the Law “Return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts, not your garments” (Joel 2:12‑13 ESV). — Matt Kerry God wanted Israel to love Him. He wanted them to understand His purposes, the reasons for His laws, and the effect that sacrifices were supposed to have on their hearts. Instead, they viewed God’s laws as a series of traditions, and many persisted in aiming to achieve worldly success. In […]
Narratives with Meaning “The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63). — John Bivol Not only the apostles and disciples saw the spirit of God in our Lord, but even temple officers remarked, “No one ever spoke like this man!” (John 7:46 ESV). It is difficult to understand why anyone would not follow such a man if invited. The time his disciples spent with him was their greatest experience in life. However, they still […]
Our Goal “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat” (Matthew 23:2). — Micah Hess Despite witnessing the ministry of Jesus first‑hand, the hearts of most Pharisees were not moved. Instead, they sought ways to stumble and test him. In Matthew 23 Jesus directly addresses the obstinance of the Pharisees by exposing how their faith had drifted into a mere form of religion. They had transformed the Law into a set of ostentatious rules that could be used to exalt themselves […]
The Fig Tree: An Anchor in the Stream of Time “Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh” (Matthew 24:32). — Dave Larson The ability to discern the current point in time with respect to God’s plan for mankind has long been of importance to His followers. As the current Gospel Age draws to a close, this need has become even more critical. During his ministry, […]