And In His Name Shall the Gentiles Trust - Part 1103

"And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, [but] it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever." (Daniel 2:44)

Jesus said, "Also, I say unto you, "Whosoever shall confess Me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God. But he that denieth Me before men shall be denied before the angels of God. And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven. And when they bring you unto the synagogues and unto magistrates and powers take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: for the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say." (Luke 12:8-12)

In another example, Jesus said, "But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you." (Matthew 12:28)

Herein, we note that great multitudes followed Jesus and He healed them all. But He also charged them that they should not make Him known that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet. (Matthew 12:15-21; Isaiah 42:1-4; 49:3) Then, as Matthew writes, "there was brought unto Him one possessed with a devil -- blind and dumb -- and He healed him, insomuch as the blind and dumb both spake and saw. And all the people were amazed and said, "Is not this the son of David?" But when the Pharisees heard, they said, "This doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils." (Matthew 12:22-24)

Note that Jesus "healed" the man that was blind and dumb. He did not cast out devils as occurs in other scriptural examples.

Herein, however, Jesus knew their thoughts and said unto them: "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: and if satan cast out satan, he is divided against himself. How shall then his kingdom stand? And if I by beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast [them] out? Therefore, they shall be your judges. But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? And then he will spoil the house. He that is not with Me is against Me, and he that gathereth not with Me scattereth abroad. 

Wherefore I say unto you, "All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men but the blasphemy [against the Holy] Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him, but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the [world] to come. Either make the tree good and his fruit good or else make the tree corrupt, for the tree is known by [his] fruit." (Matthew 12:25-33)

The same observation was reached by the Pharisees in Matthew 9. "As they went out, behold, they brought Him a dumb man possessed with a devil. And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake and the multitudes marvelled, saying, "It was never so seen in Israel." But the Pharisees said, "He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils." And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people." (Matthew 9:32-35; Matthew 4:23)

Basically, the Pharisees were accusing Jesus of casting out devils through the prince of the devils, or as in the scripture from Luke, beelzebub, the chief of devils. Ironically, these Pharisees did not view the man's sight and speech as a healing. They still referred to the miracle as "casting out devils through the prince of devils." (Matthew 9:32-35)

Further, the example of Jesus casting out of the devil was also recorded by Luke. "And [Jesus] was casting out a devil and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake and the people wondered. But some of them said, "He casteth out devils through beelzebub, the chief of the devils." But He knowing their thoughts said unto them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house [divided] against a house falleth. If satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? Because ye say that I cast out devils through beelzebub, and if I by beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast [them] out? Therefore, shall they be your judges. 

But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you. When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace. But when a stronger than he shall come upon him and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils. He that is not with Me is against Me and he that gathereth not with Me scattereth. When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places seeking rest, and finding none, he saith, "I will return unto my house whence I came out." And when he cometh, he findeth [it] swept and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh [to him] seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there; and the last [state] of that man is worse than the first." (Luke 11:14-26)

We have all heard the scripture, "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." (Matthew 6:24-34)

Jesus said, "Whosoever therefore shall confess Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father which is in heaven, but whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 10:32-33)

There has never been a more urgent time to press into Jesus. Let him who hath ears to hear, hear. Stand in the offering plate.