The Coming Storm

Permit me to take you back in time. It is AD 31 in Judaea, a province of the Roman Empire. The Jewish people are preparing for their Passover feast, held in the month of Abib (or Nisan), on the 14th day. In the Jewish calendar, Abib/Nisan is the first month of the year, occurring around March-April of our calendar. During this time, Pontius Pilate was Governor of Judaea and (Joseph ben) Caiaphas was High Priest. Annas was the father-in-law of Caiaphas.

Pontius Pilate was the Roman governor of Judaea during the time of Christ. Although he did not find Christ guilty, he still went on to please the Jews. He sanctioned the crucifixion of Christ.

Few days to the feast, news went round of a young man called Lazarus. He had died and been buried for four days. Notwithstanding, he was resurrected by a young Rabbi, aged 33, from Nazareth, a village in Galilee. This signal miracle spread throughout Judaea and the Middle East as all Jews from around the world were gathered or heading towards Jerusalem for this special feast.

It therefore dawned on the Jewish people that this young man from Nazareth, Galilee, was none but the promised Messiah. For never was it heard since antiquity, that one could raise the dead back to life except God alone!! “Is this therefore the Son of God prophesied of by the Law and the Prophets?”

Caiaphas was high priest when Christ began His ministry. It was Caiaphas who prophesied that it is better for one man to die (and both save and unite the nation) than the whole nation perish. He was instrumental in plotting the death of Christ with the Sanhedrin. He also pursued the Christians after the death of Christ.

The acceptance🫂 of this young Galilean as the Messiah by the masses aroused the envy and hatred of the leaders, who were alarmed at his unfettered influence over the people. They therefore met and plotted his death, including that of Lazarus, whom He resurrected. Towards this end, they bribed one of His disciples to betray Him and got people to speak falsely against Him. So bent were they to destroy Him that nothing seemed impossible for them.

What was His crime?

He was too popular.
He was loved and believed by the people.
He called Himself the Messiah, the Son of God
He criticized the sins and hypocrisy of the leaders.

For these, He had to die…

The raising of Lazarus from the dead sealed the fate of Christ. This miracle convinced the Jews that this was indeed the Messiah. As all the people thronged to Him, the Jewish leaders became alarmed and determined to end His life once and for all.

Friends, these were so-called priests, teachers of the Bible, Levites, and lawyers of God’s Word. If they were so selfish and bent on keeping their power over the people as to do anything, what makes us think the ruling class and ecclesia (pastors) of our day won’t do likewise? Need we be therefore surprised of the sins, debauchery, envy, and worldliness of religious leaders in our day?

Just as they did to Jesus, so will they do to His true followers today, who are bold enough to rebuke the excesses and sins of our time. Just as they killed Him, so will they kill His true followers.

Throughout all ages, those who do and stand for the right are persecuted and killed. Christ was not alone, and He has not been the last to be killed for doing nothing wrong. His followers shall face a similar fate.

True Christianity is never popular. It’s hated and despised. It’s crucified and chased out just as it happened to the Huguenots of France! What many call Christianity today, is only a diluted and “edited” version of the true. Just as the religion of the Jews in Christ’s day was grossly perverted that His teachings seemed so different. All these shall happen when the Antichrist becomes ruler again and enforces anti-Biblical laws…already, these laws are being made and passed! May God prepare His people for the storm ahead.

A Happy Sabbath day of peaceful rest to all!