Hour-of-Trial

ONE FAMILY PLAN

Hour of Trial

"As the elephant in the battlefield withstands the arrows shot from a bow, even so will I endure abuse; verily most people are lacking in virtue." (Buddhism.

Dhammapada 320)

"In Ch'en, supplies ran short and his followers became so weak that they could not drag themselves onto their feet. Tzu-lu came to the Master and said indignantly, 'Is it right that even gentlemen should be reduced to such straits?' The Master said, 'A gentleman can withstand hardships; it is only the small man who, when submitted to them, is swept off his feet.'"(Confucianism.

Analects 15.1)

Who will give up EVERYTHING - jobs, power, money, stuff, friends, and family - for the cause of Christ?

“Jesus said to him, ‘If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, FOLLOW ME.’" (Matthew 19:21)

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—SUCH A PERSON CANNOT BE MY DISCIPLE.” (Luke 14:26)

“And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:27)

“Who” or “What” is our foundation?

“…THOSE OF YOU WHO DO NOT GIVE UP EVERYTHING YOU HAVE CANNOT BE MY DISCIPLES.” (Luke 14:33)

They/We may hang around for a while but when the “goin gets tough” – when the “stuff” is threatened, when the friendships with the world are threatened – they/We WILL be gone!

“Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but THE WORRIES OF THIS LIFE, THE DECEITFULNESS OF WEALTH AND THE DESIRES FOR OTHER THINGS come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.” (Mark 4:18-19, NIV)

THE SPIRIT OF ANTICHRIST… the “last hour” … and the betrayal

“Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that ANTICHRIST IS COMING, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that IT IS THE LAST HOUR. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for IF THEY HAD BEEN OF US, THEY WOULD HAVE CONTINUED WITH US. BUT THEY WENT OUT, THAT IT MIGHT BECOME PLAIN THAT THEY ALL ARE NOT OF US.” (1 John 2:18-19, ESV)

The “last hour” is a time of testing and it is during this time the true followers of Christ are separated from the antichrists. Our hearts will be revealed.

“Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I WILL ALSO KEEP YOU FROM THE HOUR OF TRIAL that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.” (Revelation 3:10, NIV)

“Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, ‘Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, THE HOUR HAS COME, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! HERE COMES MY BETRAYER!’” (Matthew 26:45-46)

"NOW is My SOUL TROUBLED [Greek: DISTRESSED, IN TURMOIL!]; and what shall I say? Father, save Me from this hour: but for his cause came I unto THIS HOUR." (John 12:27)

It is the hour of betrayal! …a time of the blind leading the blind

IT IS 3 DAYS AND 3 NIGHTS IN THE “HEART OF THE EARTH!”

“FOR AS JONAH WAS three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, SO THE SON OF MAN WILL BE three days and three nights IN THE HEART OF THE EARTH.” (Matthew 12:40)

“Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the stomach of the fish, and he said, ‘I called out of my distress to the LORD… I cried for help from the depth of Sheol; You heard my voice. ‘For You had cast me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas… All Your breakers and billows passed over me. ‘So I said, 'I HAVE BEEN EXPELLED FROM YOUR SIGHT Nevertheless I will look again toward Your holy temple.' ‘Water encompassed me TO THE POINT OF DEATH

The great deep engulfed me…’” (Jonah 2:1-5, NASB)

“THE HEART OF THE EARTH” is the hour of trial: hell on earth… THE GREAT BETRAYAL…

"Now that He ascended [which He did], what is it but that He also descended first into the LOWER [DEPTH, LOWER, UNDER, LOWEST LEVEL, etc.] parts of the earth?" (Eph. 4:9).

Herein is found the “lower parts of the earth.”

“Water encompassed me TO THE POINT OF DEATH. The great deep engulfed me, Weeds were wrapped around my head.” (Jonah 2:5)

“I descended to the roots of the mountains. The earth with its bars was around me…” (Jonah 2:6)

“…But Thou hast brought up my life from the pit, O LORD my God.” (Johan 2:6)

“A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow BECAUSE HER HOUR HAS COME; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.” (John 16:21-22)

Nineveh is Jonah’s prize, or child:

“The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.” (Luke 11:32)

Prior to His hour He was untouchable:

“Therefore they sought to take Him; but NO ONE LAID A HAND ON HIM, BECAUSE HIS HOUR HAD NOT YET COME.” (John 7:30)

“These words Jesus spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and NO ONE LAID HANDS ON HIM, FOR HIS HOUR HAD NOT YET COME.” (John 8:20)

Christ’s 3 days/nights in the “heart of the earth” began BEFORE the Passover:

“NOW BEFORE THE FEAST OF THE PASSOVER, WHEN JESUS KNEW THAT HIS HOUR HAD COME that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.” (John 13:1)

“Then He came the third time and said to them, ‘Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough! THE HOUR HAS COME; BEHOLD, THE SON OF MAN IS BEING BETRAYED INTO THE HANDS OF SINNERS.’” (Mark 14:41)

After His “hour” had come upon Him, He was tied up, beaten, ridiculed, and killed! Christ was NOT 3 days and 3 nights in a tomb ONLY! “FOR AS JONAH WAS…” He was 3 days and 3 nights in the belly of the whale! These are 3 periods of time, times of testing…

It was at this hour ONLY He was delivered into the hands of the world:

“Jesus answered, ‘You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above...’” (John 19:11)

The trial began before the Passover and ended at the Resurrection!

“…But You have brought up my life from the pit, O LORD my God.” (Jonah 2:6)

“He is not here, but He has risen…” (Luke 24:6)

And WE (ALL of us) are the prize of Christ:

“But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, THAT HE, BY THE GRACE OF GOD, MIGHT TASTE DEATH FOR EVERYONE.” (Hebrews 2:9)

BE ye therefore followers of GOD… NOT THE CROWD!

“Now AM I TRYING TO WIN THE FAVOR OF MEN, OR OF GOD? Do I seek to please men? If I were still seeking popularity with men, I should not be a bond servant of Christ (the Messiah).” (Galatians 1:10, Amplified)

“Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; NOT WITH EYESERVICE, AS MENPLEASERS; BUT AS THE SERVANTS OF CHRIST, DOING THE WILL OF GOD FROM THE HEART…” (Ephesians 6:5-6)

THE CURSE

“This is what the LORD says: ‘CURSED IS THE ONE WHO TRUSTS IN MAN, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the LORD.’” (Jeremiah 17:5, NIV)

Crowd pleasers:

“…who draws strength from mere flesh…”

“That person will be like a bush in the wastelands; THEY WILL NOT SEE PROSPERITY WHEN IT COMES. They will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives.” (Jeremiah 17:6, NIV)

“Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for THEY LOVED THE PRAISE OF MEN MORE THAN THE PRAISE OF GOD.” (John 12:42-43)

THE BLESSING

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him.” (Jeremiah 17:7, NIV)

“…We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts.” (1 Thessalonians 2:4)

“Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, NOT WITH EYESERVICE, AS MEN-PLEASERS, BUT IN SINCERITY OF HEART, FEARING GOD. And WHATEVER YOU DO, DO IT HEARTILY, AS TO THE LORD AND NOT TO MEN, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; FOR YOU SERVE THE LORD CHRIST. But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality.” (Colossians 3:22-25)

“You will keep him in PERFECT PEACE, Whose mind is stayed on You, BECAUSE HE TRUSTS IN YOU.” (Isaiah 26:3)

ENEMIES AT PEACE?

“When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.” (Proverbs 16:7)

Are a righteous man’s enemies really at peace with him? If things are going great and everyone loves us, is it a sure sign our ways are pleasing to the Lord? What about this:

“Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. IF THEY HAVE PERSECUTED ME, THEY WILL ALSO PERSECUTE YOU…” (John 15:20)

“And YE SHALL BE HATED of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.” (Matthew 10:22)

“Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I CAME NOT TO SEND PEACE, but a sword.” (Matthew 10:34)

“…and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God…” (Ephesians 6:17)

"For THE WORD OF GOD is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any TWO-EDGED SWORD, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Heb. 4:12)

"And a man’s foes [Gk: ‘enemies’] shall be they of his own household." (Matt. 10:36)

Were Jesus’ ways pleasing to the LORD? Of course! Were Jesus’ enemies “at peace with him?” NO WAY!! They wanted to kill Him!!

“Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, and they schemed TO ARREST JESUS SECRETLY AND KILL HIM. ‘BUT NOT DURING THE FESTIVAL,’ they said, ‘or there may be a riot among the people.’” (Matthew 26:3-5, NIV)

However, they were "CAUSED" to be at peace with Him [‘…but not during the festival…”] UNTIL His HOUR had arrived. UNTIL then, he was untouchable…

“Therefore they sought to take Him; but NO ONE LAID A HAND ON HIM, BECAUSE HIS HOUR HAD NOT YET COME.” (John 7:30)

“These words Jesus spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and NO ONE LAID HANDS ON HIM, FOR HIS HOUR HAD NOT YET COME.” (John 8:20)

When it did come…

"NOW is My SOUL TROUBLED [Greek: DISTRESSED, IN TURMOIL!]; and what shall I say? Father, save Me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto THIS HOUR." (John 12:27)

“Jesus answered, ‘You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above...’” (John 19:11)

Now, let’s look at this again…

“When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.” (Proverbs 16:7)

Herein is a MUCH BETTER TRANSLATION:

“…Even his enemies doth he cause to make peace with him.” (Proverbs 16:7, Rotherham Literal Translation)

And the NIV:

“When the LORD takes pleasure in anyone’s way, he causes their enemies to make peace with them.” (Proverbs 16:7, NIV)

“In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.” (2 Cor 13:1)

They were ALL “CAUSED” to make peace with Him UNTIL His HOUR had arrived!! When His HOUR did arrive, there was most certainly NO PEACE on behalf of His enemies!

"Hear, O my people...I will testify against you... I am God, your God...'YOU THOUGHT I WAS ALTOGETHER LIKE YOU. But I will rebuke you and accuse you to your face.'" (Psalm 50:7,21)

THINK ON THESE THINGS!

"Whatever is true... noble...right... pure... lovely... admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy think about such things." (Phil. 4:8)