The Kingdom of God is at hand.

Saturday, 19-4-2014, at Starbucks Station 18 Ipoh, (continued)

Reading Mark 2: 1-2; 3-12; 23-28 NKJV

Mark 2: 1 - 2 NKJV
And again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house. Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them.

The Master Yeshua the Messiah (the Lord Iesous Christos) entered the city of Capernaum on the northern side of the Sea of Galilee after some days. Verse 2 records that Iesous "preached the word" to those who crowded into his house, so much so that there was no room even at the door.

What was this "word" that our Master Yeshua preached in verse 2b? We can get a better understanding from Mark 1:15, where Yeshua put it in a few words, saying,

Mark 1: 15 NKJV
The time is fulfilled,
and the kingdom of God is at hand.
Repent and believe in the gospel.

This "word" is further explained by Yeshua telling the multitudes about the significance of the ministry of John the Baptist in Matthew chapter 11 where he explained that the Torah and the Neviim prophesied (were given) until John only, i.e. no more prophecies would be added to the Law and the prophets after that. In
other words, the scripture has been completed, one might perhaps even say "sealed" and no more new prophecies will be recorded in them from that time onwards.

Instead, Yeshua the Messiah (the Lord Iesous Christos) declares that, beginning from the days of John the Baptist, the Kingdom of God is "taken violently".

Matthew 11:12, 13 NKJV
And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.

A similar statement is recorded in Luke chapter 16, where Yeshua told the people that everyone is "pressing" into the kingdom of God.

Luke 16:16
The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time, the kingdom of God has been preached and everyone is pressing into it.

What did our Master Yeshua mean when he said that the kingdom of God is taken by violent force? In what way is God's kingdom suffering violence? There are some who think that Yeshua (Iesous Christos) is alluding to the prophecy written in Micah 2: 12-13 which likens the remnant of Israel to a flock of sheep breaking through the gate of their sheep pen, with their King ahead of them.

Micah 2: 12 - 13 NKJV
“I will surely gather all of you, Jacob;
    I will surely bring together the remnant of Israel.
I will bring them together like sheep in a pen,
    like a flock in its pasture;
    the place will throng with people.
The One who breaks open the way will go up before them;
    they will break through the gate and go out.
Their King will pass through before them,
    the Lord at their head.”

Yes, this is the "word" that our Master Yeshua the Messiah (Iesous Christos) preached. He is telling us that, starting from the times of John the Baptist, the kingdom of God is at hand, and that many are returning to God in repentance, and are pressing into the gates of the kingdom with great force.

Let us join the remnant of Israel. Like a flock of sheep. let us break through the gate with our Messiah ahead of us.

God satisfies the longing soul.

Saturday, 19-4-2014, at Starbucks, Aeon Station 18 Ipoh.

Psalm 107: 1 - 3 NKJV
Oh, give thanks to YHWH, for he is good!
    For His mercies endure forever.
Let the redeemed of YHWH say so,
    Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy.
And gathered out of the lands,
    From the east and from the west,
    From the north and from the south.

Psalm 107: 8 - 9 NKJV
Oh that men would give thanks to YHWH for His goodness,
    And for His wonderful works to the children of men.
For He satisfies the longing soul,
    And fills the hungry soul with goodness.

These passages from Psalm 107, entitled "Thanksgiving to YHWH for His great works", reminds and urges us to be always thankful to God for His mercies and His goodness.

Verse 1 gives the most fundamental reason why we, the redeemed people of YHWH, should give thanks: simply because "He is good".

Verses 8 and 9 goes on to tell us to thank YHWH for His wonderful works and for satisfying the souls of those who long for Him. Yes, the hungry and longing soul is filled with the goodness of YHWH!

This reminds us of a verse in an earlier psalm, in Psalm 37:4 where King David writes that YHWH shall give us what our hearts desire, i.e. our hunger and our longing, when we delight ourselves in YHWH.

Psalm 34:7 NKJV
Delight yourself also in the Lord,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

The same truth is taught by our Lord Iesous Christos (Yeshua the Messiah) in Matthew chapter 6, when he opened his mouth and taught the disciples and the multitudes on a mountain:

Matthew 6: 6 NKJV
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.

Brothers and Sisters in Christos, what are we longing for today? What are we hungry for? And what are we thirsting over?

Let us long for our God, the God and Father of our Lord Iesous Christos, Yeshua the Messiah.