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PSALM 91:1-4 PROTECTED BY GOD'S PINIONS

PSALM 91:1-2

New American Standard Bible - He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!”

Amplified Classic - He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty [Whose power no foe can withstand]. I will say of the Lord, He is my Refuge and my Fortress, my God; on Him I lean and rely, and in Him I [confidently] trust!

Complete Jewish Bible - You who live in the shelter of ‘Elyon^H5945, who spend your nights in the shadow of Shaddai^H7706, who say to Adonai^H3068, “My refuge! My fortress! My God, in whom I trust!” —

The Passion Translation – When you sit enthroned under the shadow of Shaddai, you are hidden in the strength of God Most High. He’s the hope that holds me and the Stronghold to shelter me, the only God for me, and my great confidence.

Voice – He who takes refuge in the shelter of the Most High will be safe in the shadow of the Almighty. He will say to the Eternal, “My shelter, my mighty fortress, my God, I place all my trust in You.”

SUSIE:  We are sharing this Psalm in several versions in order to help the reader better grasp its message.

SUSAN: The human author of this Psalm is not delineated anywhere. According to the notes in The Complete Jewish Study Bible, it may have been written by Moses or David.

SUSIE: Commentaries note that it seems to have been written in a time of impending war. However, the dangers spoken of in Psalm 91 seem to be left intentionally vague:

John MacArthur Study Bible: Most of the terrors mentioned in this psalm are left undefined, no doubt intentionally, so that no kind of danger is omitted from application. Believers in every age can read this psalm to learn that nothing can harm a child of God unless the Lord permits it.

Reformation Study Bible: 91:1 He who dwells . . . will abide. The verse states the theme of the whole psalm. Those who draw near to God can have peace in Him, however difficult their circumstances.

SUSIE: The first verse explains who are the recipients of the promises that follow. A person who dwells in God’s shadow, who abides (stays) within His presence, i.e. a believer, can be assured of God’s help in time of danger. At first I had a problem with The Passion Translation portraying the believer as “enthroned.” But then I read this footnote:

The Passion Translation footnote: Psalm 91:1 Or “O, you who sits enthroned.” The Hebrew word yashab is often associated with one seated as royalty. It is translated in Ezek. 27:8 as “leaders or rulers.”

SUSAN: Since we are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), adopted into His family (Romans 8:15), are co-heirs with Jesus (Romans 8:17), we are royalty, sons and daughters of the King. Peter confirms this:

1 Peter 2:9 (NIV) But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

SUSIE: God sees as present what we can only see now as future.

Ephesians 2:4-7 (VOICE) But God, with the unfathomable richness of His love and mercy focused on us, united us with the Anointed One and infused our lifeless souls with life—even though we were buried under mountains of sin—and saved us by His grace. He raised us up with Him and seated us in the heavenly realms with our beloved Jesus the Anointed, the Liberating King.  He did this for a reason: so that for all eternity we will stand as a living testimony to the incredible riches of His grace and kindness that He freely gives to us by uniting us with Jesus the Anointed.

SUSAN: We are already seated with Christ, empowered with the Holy Spirit, and God already sees me whole and healed from cerebral palsy even though it is not my present reality. My position in Him is already completed, secured: I am a daughter of the Heavenly Father and co-heir with Jesus, not because of my own worthiness but because of Jesus’s sacrificial death on the cross.

SUSIE: In light of these truths, the fact that we abide in the Lord, we can live with confidence without fear despite the world falling apart around us.

SUSAN: Note that the psalmist emphasizes the power of the God we serve by using three different names for Him. God is self-existent, not dependent on anyone or anything. God is supreme, the Most-High. God is our defender and our provider. Following is the information on the names used in these verses:

Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible:

H5945 (’elyon)  עֶלְיוֹן ʻelyôwn, el-yone’; from H5927; an elevation, i.e. (adj.) lofty (comparison); as title, the Supreme:—(Most, on) high(-er, -est), upper(-most).

https://hebrew.jerusalemprayerteam.org/almighty-el-shaddai/

The name Shaddai may have originated in Akkadian, meaning Mountain, but to a Hebrew audience that hears God introduces himself as El Shaddai, it must have meant My Destroyer, [Our] House Spirit, Self-Sufficient One, the Rain-Maker and Source Of Food For Babies, all at once.   https://www.abarim-publications.com/Meaning/Shaddai.html#.XnvUs9Ejliu

Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible:

H3068 Adonai – The Self-existent or Eternal, YHWH

SUSIE: Since this is the God in whom we trust, we can confidently take shelter in Him in times of trouble. We can rest assured that He will protect, defend, and shelter us; and no harm can come our way unless He allows it for a specific purpose.

PONDER THIS:  Are we operating right now as if all this is true in each of our lives? As believers, are we placing our trust in our Heavenly Father rather than our government? Are we obeying the authorities as God has taught us provided that they are not asking us to act contrary to His word? Are we handling our finances as if God is our ultimate provider and worthy of our gifts?

PSALM 91:3-4

NASB - For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.

AMPC -  For [then] He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. [Then] He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings shall you trust and find refuge; His truth and His faithfulness are a shield and a buckler.

CJB - he will rescue you from the trap of the hunter and from the plague of calamities; he will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his truth is a shield and protection.

TPT - He will rescue you from every hidden trap of the enemy, and he will protect you from false accusation and any deadly curse. His massive arms are wrapped around you, protecting you.

VOICE - For He will rescue you from the snares set by your enemies who entrap you and from deadly plagues. Like a bird protecting its young, God will cover you with His feathers, will protect you under His great wings; His faithfulness will form a shield around you, a rock-solid wall to protect you. You can run under his covering of majesty and hide. His arms of faithfulness are a shield keeping you from harm.

SUSAN: To whom does the “He” in verse 3 refer? God—our Self-existent, Supreme, All-powerful, Protector and Provider.

SUSIE: Now we can add to those descriptors, that our Heavenly Father, is also our rescuer. He rescues us from the hunter, or better, the fowler (a hunter of birds) since the psalmist is about to compare us to baby birds. Our Enemy, Satan, is the fowler who would love to ensnare us in any way that he can, sometimes using human adversaries as well as supernatural means.

SUSAN: God has the power, also, to rescue or cure us from plagues, deadly diseases. We can rest assured that God delivers those who are His children. If a believer dies as a result of a plague or pandemic, we can be certain they have been healed all the way home to be with Him. Our confidence is not that the Lord will always snatch us out of harm’s way but that no one or nothing can snatch us out of His hand (John 10:29). My own testimony of being given grace from God to make the decision to have my horribly diseased legs amputated above the knee was to preserve my life and give me more time and opportunity to bring glory to His name. Could God have healed them without that drastic measure? Yes, absolutely. However, He had a better plan to draw me nearer to Him as I experienced being held in His almighty arms.

SUSIE: I have often heard the next sentence explained in the terms of a mother hen protecting and warming her baby chicks under her wings, which is true and is a picture Jesus used as well:

Luke 13:34 (NASB) O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, just as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not have it!

SUSIE: Since God is our Father, Susan and I also thought of the father penguin who incubates the egg under his feathers on top of his feet and then continues to share the responsibility to protect the young penguin chick there until it is large enough with plumage thick enough to protect it from the cold. He is also shielding the chick from predators. As the chick grows both parents take turns covering the chick and hunting for food, passing the chick from one parent to the other.

SUSAN: We think of this as Penguins Practicing Ping-Pong Parenting.

https://animals.mom.me/long-emperor-penguins-care-young-10940.html

SUSAN: God, our Father, covers us with His pinions (feathers); and we are safe and warm in the shelter of His love.

SUSIE: In addition to a bird parent, God is compared to a shield and bulwark or in other translations a buckler. Huh?

SUSAN: Let’s check our favorite dictionary:

The American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828.

BUL'WARK, noun

1. In fortification, a bastion, or a rampart; a mound of earth round a place, capable of resisting cannon shot, and formed with bastions, curtains, etc.

2. A fortification; also, any means of defense; as, a navy is the bulwark of a nation.

3. That which secures against an enemy or external annoyance; a screen or shelter; means of protection and safety.

BUCK'LER, noun A kind of shield, or piece of defensive armor, anciently used in war. It was composed of wood, or wickers woven together, covered with skin or leather, fortified with plates of brass or other metal, and worn on the left arm. On the middle was an umbo, boss or prominence, very useful in causing stones and darts to glance off. The buckler often was four feet long, and covered the whole body.

SUSAN: He protects all of us, from head to toe, or head to remnants in my case. We can now add to our description of God that He is our refuge, our fortress, our safe place.

SUSIE: He provides protection on every side, from every angle. He surrounds us with His presence:

Psalm 34:7 (AMPC) The Angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him [who revere and worship Him with awe] and each of them He delivers.

PONDER THIS: Think about the near misses in your life, the times you could have been harmed but weren’t. Thank God for His protection. I, Susan, was premature and “died” twice during delivery, but God had a purpose in bringing me into this world. According to doctors, my life expectancy was 24 years, but God has preserved my life. I’m not on doctor’s time or borrowed time but on God’s time, as we all are. We do not know the future, but as one of Susie’s favorite songs says, “But I know Who holds the future, and I know Who holds my hand.” Take a look back at the names used for God in this passage and thank Him for each of those attributes. God has you on this planet at this moment in history for His purpose. Seek His purpose and plan for you and ask Him for the grace to carry out your assignments.

LUKE 24:50-53 TO JERUSALEM WITH JOY

TO JERUSALEM WITH JOY

LUKE 24:50-53

Luke 24:50 And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.

Susie: After commissioning His first followers as His witnesses or emissaries, Jesus led them to Bethany, the home of His good friends Mary, Martha, and Lazarus which was less than two miles from Jerusalem:

John 11:1 Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.

John 11:18 Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off:

https://www.answers.com/Q/How_many_miles_are_there_in_15_furlongs

There are 8 furlongs in a mile. Therefore, 15 furlongs is equal to 15/8 = 1.875 miles.

Susan: Jesus stood and raised His hands over the group of His followers—those He had led to Bethany and told to wait for the Spirit. He blessed them. A blessing was a pronouncement of all that was true and good for their lives and for their future. He, more aptly and efficiently than any earthly father could pronounce this blessing, because He was the only omniscient, ultimate “blesser.”  

http://www.joyfulheart.com/scholar/hands.htm

To bless an individual, the person laid his hands on him. To bless a group, hands were lifted and extended over them, as in the priestly blessing (Leviticus 9:22) and Jesus' blessing of the disciples at His ascension (Luke 24:50).

Leviticus 9:22 And Aaron lifted up his hand toward the people, and blessed them, and came down from offering of the sin offering, and the burnt offering, and peace offerings.

Luke 24:51 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.

Susie: As Jesus was lovingly pronouncing a blessing over His disciples, He was drawn up into the heavens. Acts 1:9 states that, “a cloud received him out of their sight.” You may be thinking, “Doesn’t Acts 1:12 say that the disciples came back from Mt. Olivet after the ascension? Here they are in Bethany!” This really is not incongruent as Bethany is on the eastern slope of Mt. Olivet.

Luke 24:52-53 And they worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.

Susan: After being with Jesus in the flesh for three plus years to watching the horror of the crucifixion to numerous interactions with the risen Jesus in the flesh, His disciples were convinced that Jesus was the genuine article. He was the great “I Am,” both completely man and completely God, the God-Man.

Susie: Imagine the immense joy they had in realizing they had been in the physical presence of the Almighty. These disciples who had been hiding, fearing for their own lives, downcast and distraught are now making a joyful journey back to the city of Jerusalem to await the power Jesus had promised them.

Susan: These disciples were all experiencing that internal blaze of the Eternal that Cleopas and his companion had felt on the road to Emmaus. They were not idle as they waited for the promised Holy Spirit. They spent their days worshipping, exalting, and praising Emmanuel—God with us—in His temple.

Ponder this and Apply it: Jesus went back to Heaven, to the right hand of the throne of God. His disciples obeyed His command to wait in Jerusalem but had no idea exactly what form this power they were awaiting would take. We know from the second chapter of Acts this power was the Holy Spirit taking up residence inside them. We receive this same gift as soon as we receive Jesus’s free gift of salvation. We have the mighty power of God available to us, empowering us to understand and obey all the instructions in God’s word. We may not be in the temple in Jerusalem or even in our local place of worship every day, but we can choose to spend our days worshipping, exalting, and praising Emmanuel—God, who in the form of His Son Jesus, came down to make a relationship with Himself available to us!

LUKE 24:44-49 WITNESSES TO WAIT

WITNESSES TO WAIT

LUKE 24:44-49

Luke 24:44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

Susan: Jesus, in this instance, reminded His disciples that He had told them previously on more than one occasion that in order to fulfill prophecy and the purpose for which He had been sent, He must suffer crucifixion, be buried, and be resurrected.

Luke 9:22 . . . saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.”

Luke 9:44 “Let these words sink down into your ears, for the Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men.”

Luke 18:31-33 Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished. For He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon. They will scourge Him and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.”

Luke 22:37 For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me: ‘And He was numbered with the transgressors.’ For the things concerning Me have an end.”

Susie: By saying the law of Moses, the Psalms, and the Prophets, Jesus was indicating that the entire Old Testament contained prophecies concerning Him, the Messiah.

Luke 24:45-47 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Susan: Jesus supernaturally opened their minds to enable them to perceive and understand the revelation of scripture concerning Himself.

Susie: Jesus then gave a summary of what had been taught concerning Him—His suffering, death, and resurrection—and that His witnesses would carry His message of repentance and forgiveness around the world. He may have referred to Old Testament scriptures such as Isaiah 50:6, Psalm 22:1-31, Daniel 9:24, and Psalm 67:24 among many others.

Luke 24:48-49 And ye are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

Susan: Luke gives a condensed version of what has come to be known as “The Great Commission.” Mark states it briefly as well, but Matthew details it for us:

Mark 16:15 (NKJV) And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

Matthew 28:18-20 (NKJV) And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Susan: Jesus commanded the disciples to wait in Jerusalem until they received the power that He had promised them. What was that power? He wasn’t a “what” but a “who”—the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit was and is the person of the Trinity who enables the believer to trust in the Lord, understand His word, and become a bold witness moving passionately and powerfully in God’s purposes for his or her life.

John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

John 15:26-27 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.

Susie: Luke sets up his sequel to his gospel, the book of Acts, which is the story of how these witnesses received the power of the Holy Spirit and carried Jesus’s message to the world.

Ponder this and Apply it: Another reason we should not be too hard on these first followers of Jesus is that even though they walked and talked with Him daily for about three years, they did not yet have the benefit of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Those of us who have trusted Jesus after the events of Acts chapter two, are enabled to understand the events of scripture because of the Holy Spirit inside us. They were still awaiting that powerful filling at the end of Luke’s Gospel. If you are a believer, praise the Lord for the work of the Holy Spirit in your own life, and remember to always ask Him to reveal truth to you when you read your Bible. If you do not yet know the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life because you have not yet surrendered your life to Jesus and would like to know more, please contact us through our website: www.PreciousJewelsMinistries.org. We would love to tell you more about our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

LUKE 24:38-43 JESUS IN THE FLESH, EATING FISH

JESUS IN THE FLESH,

EATING FISH

LUKE 24:38-43

Luke 24:38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?

Susan: We know from earlier lessons that as God, Jesus is omniscient (all-knowing). He knew their hearts were tormented by the possibility that what they were seeing was a ghost, or perhaps that Jesus might have been angry with them for their doubts, fears, and unbelief after His crucifixion.

Susie: I imagine Jesus speaking this in a firm but kind tone, a mild rebuke.

Luke 24:39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.

Susan: Jesus invited them to check Him out thoroughly. He offered to let them not only examine his hands and feet closely but to physically touch His wounds to know that He truly existed in the flesh. To know that “I AM.”

Susie: He pointed out that phantoms would not have flesh and bones as He did. The Apostle John testified to having “handled” the Lord.

1 John 1:1-3  That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

Luke 24:40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.

Susie: Some manuscripts omit verse 40, but it is logical that after offering them the opportunity to examine His wounds, He would show them to them.

Susan: Sometime later, on another occasion, Jesus gave Thomas the same opportunity to examine all His wounds, including His side that was pierced by the Roman soldier’s spear:

John 20:27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

Luke 24:41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?

Susan: The fact that Jesus was standing before them in the flesh was still too overwhelming to comprehend.

Susie: They were ecstatic with the possibility that Jesus was alive, but on the other hand, it seemed too good to be true. . .

Susan: . . . too fantastic to be real. Jesus, determined to remove all questions, asked them for some food. What He wanted them to see, know, and realize by His eating food that in all ways, He was not an apparition.

Luke 24:42-43 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. And he took it and did eat before them.

Susie: They handed Him the staple foods of their meal, fish and honeycomb.

Susan: I am sure the disciples gawked in wonder as Jesus consumed the food before their eyes.

Susie: The Apostle Peter included the fact that the resurrected Jesus ate with them in His testimony to Cornelius:

Acts 10:39-41 And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree: Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly; Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.

Ponder this and Apply it: Jesus had to prove Himself to the ones with whom He had the closest earthly relationships—the Eleven. Even with the facts before them, they couldn’t take in that Jesus was physically risen from the dead. We have the benefit of their writings about Jesus. Do we sometimes doubt what we read in the New Testament? We may say to ourselves that had we walked and talked with Jesus on earth, it would be easier to believe; but we see how difficult it was for the disciples. He had to prove His divinity to them for them to believe He was the Messiah, and then He had to prove His humanity to them after He rose. Our minds still have difficulty reconciling the fact that Jesus was completely God and completely man at the same time. This is where faith comes in. The Holy Spirit draws us to God and gives us the faith to believe and trust in Jesus. Praise the Lord that it does not depend on our ability to completely, intellectually comprehend all of His majesty!

LUKE 24:33-37 CLEOPAS AND COMPANION CONFIRM CHRIST'S QUICKENING

CLEOPAS AND COMPANION

CONFIRM CHRIST'S QUICKENING

LUKE 24:33-37

Luke 24:33-34 And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.

Susie: The Emmaus road travelers had urged Jesus not to travel at night. Now, they set aside that fear and rush immediately out the door to trek the seven miles back to Jerusalem, excited to tell the Eleven and any other followers who were with them that they had seen the Lord. They probably arrived well after dark.

Susan: The Emmaus travelers arrived safely in Jerusalem. Before they could share the exciting news they were bursting to share, the Jerusalem crew said Jesus’s resurrection was old news because He had appeared to Simon Peter.

Luke 24:35 And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.

Susie: Therefore, Cleopas and companion confirmed what the disciples already knew by relating what happened to them on their way home.

Susan: They admitted that regretfully, they had not recognized Jesus at all until He blessed the bread and broke it. It was only after He disappeared from their sight that they recalled the warmth that had filled them as He explained the scriptures.

Luke 24:36 And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

Susan: Suddenly, as they were recounting their experience, Jesus appeared in their midst. Jesus blessed them with, “Peace be unto you.” Peace is a word with many layers in the Greek:

Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible

εἰρήνη eirḗnē, i-ray'-nay; probably from a primary verb εἴρω eírō (to join); peace (literally or figuratively); by implication, prosperity:—one, peace, quietness, rest, + set at one again.

Susan: The peace Jesus offers is more than tranquility and calmness. It is to be “one” again, in other words, to be in right relationship with God which brings lasting peace. He offers us the opportunity to be in harmony with God instead of in discord.

Luke 24:37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.

Susie: What?! They had all just been confirming that Jesus was alive and had appeared to both Peter and the two from Emmaus, and now they are scared witless?

Susan: They had just been joyfully testifying about the resurrection, but now they think He is merely an apparition? I get that it could be disconcerting that He has just appeared in the middle of the room when the door was closed and locked:

John 20:19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

Susie: As we will see in the next lesson, Jesus proved Himself to be restored to life in a real body to quiet their fears.

Ponder this and Apply it: We are a little hard on these first people to see Jesus after He rose from the grave. They are torn between wanted to believe He is truly alive and thinking it is too good to be true. Many people have that reaction to the Gospel message. Salvation is a free gift? I don’t have to earn it? That’s too good to be true! NO, it isn’t!!! That is the truth. Praise the Lord!

LUKE 24:25-32 HEART AFIRE

HEART AFIRE

LUKE 24:25-32

Luke 24:25-26 Then he said unto them, O fools⁴⁵³, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?

Susan: I wondered about Jesus calling the couple “fools” since He taught against calling a brother a fool in the Sermon on the Mount. However, these are two different words in the Greek.

Matthew 5:22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool³⁴⁷⁴, shall be in danger of hell fire.

Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible

G453 – ἀνόητος anóētos, an-o'-ay-tos; from G1 (as a negative particle) and a derivative of G3539; unintelligent; by implication, sensual:—fool(-ish), unwise.

G3474 — μωρός mōrós, mo-ros'; probably from the base of G3466; dull or stupid (as if shut up), i.e. heedless, (morally) blockhead, (apparently) absurd:—fool(-ish, X -ishness).

Susan: I think Jesus is saying their understanding of the events is foolish but not that their basic character is that of a fool.

Susie: Jesus points out their inability to understand the crucifixion and resurrection in light of all the Prophets had taught about the Messiah.

Susan: Jesus asked them the rhetorical question, “Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?” Considering all the prophecies about the Messiah in the Old Testament, they should have understood that in order to fulfill His mission, the Christ must be the Suffering Servant and sacrificial Lamb of God before becoming the triumphant Savior and victorious King.

Luke 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

Susie: Since Jesus knows they are unable to piece together the puzzle for themselves, He proceeds to teach them the highlights of the scripture concerning Himself.

Susan: He gave them the abridged (Reader’s Digest) version of Messianic prophecy. I like the way The Passion Translation puts it:

Luke 24:27 (TPT) Then he carefully unveiled to them the revelation of himself throughout the Scripture. He started from the beginning and explained the writings of Moses and all the prophets, showing how they wrote of him and revealed the truth about himself.

Susie: That may sound like a lot of information in a short amount of time (think 3- week summer course in college); but they were traveling seven miles on foot! I always thought of Moses as more of a historian rather than a prophet, but the books of Moses are where Jesus began in this discourse.

Susan: Speaking of summer courses . . . I studied Greek in FOUR weeks! Yikes! The very first prophecy concerning the Messiah was written by Moses who was quoting God:

Genesis 3:15 (AMP) “And I will put enmity (open hostility) Between you and the woman, And between your seed (offspring) and her Seed; He shall [fatally] bruise your head, And you shall [only] bruise His heel.”

Susan: The Jews loved to focus on the prophecies concerning the Messiah as Deliverer and King but too often ignored the passages about His suffering. They wanted to eat dessert without having to digest meat. Jesus helped the travelers chew on the entire meal.

Luke 24:28 And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.

Susie: When they arrived at the outskirts of Emmaus, the destination of Cleopas and companion, Jesus pretended He was going to keep walking.

Luke 24:29 But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.

Susan: The couple entreated Jesus to eat dinner and stay the night with them since it was late and would soon be dark. He accepted their invitation. After walking seven miles, He may have been hungry; but I believe He stayed in order to reveal Himself to them. He wanted to have a revelation party.

Luke 24:30-31 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.

Susie: Something to note in this scene is that Jesus presumed the position of host. Normally, it would be the host rather than the guest who would pray the blessing and begin the meal. I remembered seeing exactly what kind of blessing Jesus would have prayed in the Complete Jewish Bible:

Luke 24:30 (CJB) As he was reclining with them at the table, he took the matzah, made the b’rakhah, broke it and handed it to them.

Complete Jewish Study Bible note on Matthew 14:19 (the Feeding of the 5000)

Although not mentioned in the text, it is reasonable to believe that Yeshua recited the customary b’rakhah (blessing or benediction) which Jews have recited for more than two thousand years prior to meals including bread: “Praised be you, Adonai our God, King of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.”

Susan: As Jesus broke the bread and blessed it as He had done at the feeding of the 5000 and the Passover Seder, their eyes (their minds) were thoroughly opened. Christ’s message, mission, and Person were completely revealed.

Susie: As soon as Jesus had opened up their understanding, He vanished! His resurrected body, although touchable and able to eat, could disappear and walk through closed doors!

Luke 24:32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?

Susan: Some translations make “heart’ plural, but if Cleopas’s traveling companion were his wife, it would make sense for them to emphasize that their hearts were in sync, feeling the same thing. Another detail that makes me think she may have been his wife is that they shared a home.

Susie: They reflected on the fact that even before they knew He was Jesus their hearts were kindled by His explanation of the Messianic scriptures. They were “fired up” by their new understanding of the prophecies concerning the Lord.

Susan: Jesus had ignited an impassioned bonfire in the couple from Emmaus!

Ponder this and Apply it: Perhaps Cleopas and the other traveler knew the scriptures well but like many of their contemporaries, focused on the Messiah as conquering King. This could be why they were so downcast. How can He conquer if He is dead? Jesus revealed the entire message about Himself to them. Are we guilty of reading or studying only the “feel good” passages of scripture and ignoring the ones that bring conviction? When Jesus explained scripture to them, their hearts “burned.” The truth found in the word of God, even when it is difficult or seemingly unpleasant, can light a fire in our hearts when the Holy Spirit enables us to understand and apply it in our lives.