Luke the beloved physician shared how Jesus' disciples asked Him, “Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass? And he said, Take heed that you be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draws near: go you not therefore after them. But when you shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by. Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven. But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake. And it shall turn to you for a testimony. Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what you shall answer. For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist”, and in chapter twenty-one and verse sixteen of his book Luke shared how Jesus said, “you shall be betrayed” by family “and friends” where we read:
And you shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends;
and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.
The verse reads, “And you shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends;” Luke began with the words, “and you shall be betrayed” or “and you, disciples of Jesus, will be given up, delivered, condemned, judged, punished and scourged” “both by parents” which means “also and indeed by way of the disciples' immediate ancestors and progenitors”, “and brethren” or “and brothers by the same two parents or of the same mother or father”, “and kinsfolks” which refers to “relatives, fellow countrymen or cousins”, “and friends” or “and associates, neighbors and companions of whom the disciples are familiar”. Luke shared how Jesus said His disciples would be “condemned and judged” by their “ancestors, brothers, relatives and companions”.
The verse continues, “and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.” Luke added the words, “and some of you” or “and a small number or few of Jesus' disciples” “shall they” which means “will the people who judge and condemn Jesus' disciples” “cause to be put to death” or “will be made to die, rendered extinct and mortified”. Luke shared how Jesus said “some” of His disciples would “die” for their faith and trust in Him.
When we consider Luke's words in this verse, we learn how Jesus told His disciples in addition to their suffering arrest and persecution, the people who were closest to the disciples would “betray” them. Parents, brothers, relatives and friends” would be among those who turn the disciples of Jesus over to the authorities. Some of Jesus' disciples would also “give their lives” for the sake of His gospel because they would be “killed” for their faith in Him. God desires to have a personal relationship with every person through His Son Jesus, and when they submit their lives to Him, there is no promise that they will live without arrest, persecution, betrayal and even death because they believe, but He has promised to be with them regardless of what they encounter.
Next time Luke shares how Jesus says, “you shall be hated of all men for my name's sake”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book
“Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the
marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the
Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms
Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County"
in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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