Palm Snday 2020*



 

All four Gospels give an account of the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem (Mt. 21, Mk. 11, Lk. 19, Jn. 12), which we call Palm Sunday, because the great multitudes spread palms on the road, and waved palms in the air in welcome and praise Him. The words the crowd cried out fulfilled prophecy (Ps. 118:25-26). The colt miraculously supplied that Jesus rode into Jerusalem was a fulfillment of prophecy (Zech. 9:9).

There were other events that happened around the time that Jesus entered into the city for Passover. He went into the temple, and began clearing out the merchandizing which had taken over the house of God, saying:

"It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer (of all nations), but ye have made it a den of thieves".  Mt. 21:12-13 (Mk. 11:17) (see also Isa. 56:7, Jer. 7:11).

The people were astonished, but His zealous action of cleansing the temple was resented and His authority was called into question by the religious leaders of the city. They began to plot against Jesus because the people were listening to Him (Mk. 11:18, 27-28). At His first coming, Jesus judged and punished the merchandizing and corruption of the temple, the house of God. This is a prophetic warning to us, the Church, to cleanse ourselves in preparation for His arrival again. The Church has become defiled, and we as individuals have become defiled by the buying and selling of religion.

Also during that time, Jesus sought fruit from a fig tree, although it was not yet the season for fruit. Finding no fruit, He curses the fig tree, saying to it, "Let no one eat fruit from you ever again." The fig tree withered from its roots. (Mk. 11:13-14, 20-21). At His first coming, Jesus expected fruit without excuse. This is a warning to us that He will expect us to have produced fruit in our lives when He comes again.

After this eventful entrance into Jerusalem, His disciples asked Jesus, "What shall be the sign of thy coming? (Mt. 24). They were asking about the signs accompanying His return, and the end of the age. After describing the signs to watch for, many of which we are already seeing today, Jesus begins to describe His return with a wedding parable (Mt. 25:1-13). In this parable of the ten virgins who were to be at the marriage, Jesus describes the different outcomes awaiting the five who were wise and prepared for the bridegroom's coming, and the five who were foolish and unprepared. The five wise virgins, who were prepared with trimmed lamps and extra oil when the sudden cry went out of the bridegroom's arrival at midnight, went with him to the marriage. The door was shut after them. When the five foolish virgins arrived late because they had been unprepared, they were not allowed in, and the bridegroom/Lord told them, "Verily I say unto you, I know you not."

At the end of the parable, Jesus exhorts us, "Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh." We do, however, know the times and the seasons. We know the signs as written in scripture. We are not meant to be unaware or unprepared for the sudden moment of His return. The Apostle Paul wrote to the church:

"But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night." 

                                                                                               1 Thess. 5:1-13

Paul made it  point to teach the churches the signs to watch for regarding the return of Jesus, because he wanted them to be prepared. Though the world may think that peace has been established, the day of the Lord comes with sudden destruction. We are not to be overtaken as if this moment is unexpected, like a thief's ambush. "For God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that...we should live together with him."

Paul goes on to say that the work of those who are our spiritual leaders is to teach us these things and to admonish us in preparation. We are to value and esteem those teachers who faithfully prepare us.

Peter also wrote to the church who profess the belief in Jesus, that they should stir up their pure minds in remembrance of what the prophets have written and what the apostles have taught concerning the last days, and the signs of the return of Christ (2 Pet. 3:1-14). He wrote:

"Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless."

Revelation also speaks about the bride who has made herself ready to enter the marriage  of the Lamb, arrayed in fine linen, clean and white, which is the righteousness of saints (Rev. 19:7-9).

As the signs reveal to us the approach of the time of Christ's return, we are to take the prophetic lesson from His entry into Jerusalem, and we are to be prepared for His sudden appearance at any moment. There will be no time to prepare when the moment comes.

Jewish customs concerning preparation for marriage is a parallel to the preparations to be made by the bride of Christ, and Jesus, her Bridegroom. A previous message concerning these marriage customs titled, "Preparing for the Marriage of the Lamb" has been posted to the right of this entry as the "featured post" for your convenience. There is also a link here. Please read it for additional information concerning this subject.
Be watching also for a special live broadcast this week from Dr. Stevenson on the Shroud of Turin.
 





*The above is based upon the 4/5/20 message to the Church from Dr. Kenneth Stevenson. 
To Contact/Submit prayer requests/Support the ministry/Order the book, "NAZAH-White Linen and the Blood of Sprinkling", and to help us get out the message, to contribute to the Book of Remembrance for Sean Stevenson:

Dr. Kenneth Stevenson
P.O. Box 154221
Waco, TX  76705

https://twitter.com/everlastingcov8

http://endtimeschool.com/

To watch/hear Dr. Stevenson's complete message:

https://twitter.com/everlastingcov8

Sermon.net/EverlastingCovenant
 

Prayer of Salvation for all who desire to receive Jesus as their Savior: Lord Jesus, I desire to know You, and to know Your salvation. I believe that You died for me, and that You were resurrected for me. Forgive me of my sins. Come into my heart, change me, fill me with Your righteousness. Inscribe my name in the Lamb's book of life. Baptize me in Your Holy Spirit, so that I can learn the truth of Your Word and ways, and be strengthened in my walk all the days of my life. You are the hope of my life, and You are my eternal life. I place my trust in You, Lord, for myself, and my whole household. Use me to do the will of the heavenly Father, Who sent You, in Whose name You came. In Your name, and in thanks and praise I pray, Amen.

 

Dr. Stevenson's newest book is now available:
  

To order "NAZAH": https://twitter.com/everlastingcov8     http://endtimeschool.com/ 

To send testimonies for the Book of Remembrance to be published in the memory of Sean Stevenson:
 

You can send your testimonies to:

everlastingcovenant@ymail.com or PO Box 154221, Waco, TX  76705.

 



Sean Stevenson

Palm Sunday 2019*

 

We are familiar with the events of Palm Sunday, when Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a small donkey, as the crowds, laying their garments on the ground upon which for Him to ride, waved palm branches. The crowds were shouting in triumphant welcome to the one whom they believed had come to rule and deliver them as a king. They shouted:

"...Hosanna: Blessed is the king of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord...Hosanna to the Son of David: blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest...Blessed be the kingdom of our father, David, that cometh in the name of the Lord..."  Jn. 12:13, Mt. 21:9, Mk. 11:10

Both Jesus' riding on a donkey, and the shouts that greeted Him, were fulfillment of prophecy that day. There was much about the events of those days that followed Christ's entry into Jerusalem that fulfilled prophecy, and also prophesies to us regarding the times in which we are living now. 

All Jerusalem was in an uproar over Jesus. People were asking, "Who is this?" (Mt. 21:10). The religious leadership of the day were afraid and annoyed at this spectacle, and the cries of the children and others who hailed Jesus. They told Jesus to command them to stop this shouting. The leaders sought a way to destroy Him, because they feared His influence over the people (Mk. 11:18). Before Jesus had even entered Jerusalem, He had performed the miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead. The leadership began even then to fear Him. They said among themselves in outrage, "...behold, the world is gone after him." (Jn. 12:19).

Doesn't this also prophesy to us today of how many refuse to see the glory of God, even in miracles and evidence done before their eyes?

There were those in leadership who stayed quiet although they believed that Jesus came to deliver them, because they feared being thrown out of the synagogue for their belief. They feared men more than they believed God. They sought the approval of men, more than the deliverance of God:

"Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue. For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God."   Jn. 12:42-43

Wasn't this prophetic at the time of the same condition that exists today in many of the leadership of the Church? Fear to speak the truth. Fear to bring the Word of deliverance. Fear to declare the remedy for sin, because they will not call sin, sin. The leaders of the Church prefer the praise and acceptance of men, rather than bringing the Word of salvation to those who are perishing.

As Jesus entered the temple in Jerusalem, He first looked around it upon all things (Mk. 11:11). When He returned the next day, He overturned the tables of the money changers, and cast out those who bought and sold. Jesus expressed His outrage, which also fulfilled prophecy, saying:

"Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves."   Mk. 11:17 (Isa. 56:7, Jer. 7:11)

Is Jesus not prophesying the very condition of much of the Church today? The success of a church to many in leadership is not measured by the number of anointed prayers going up, nor by the effort to spread the Gospel, but rather by the number of people in the seats.

After Jesus had examined the temple that first day, He came upon a fig tree and sought its fruit, even though it was not the season for bearing fruit. He cursed the fig tree and said that no man would eat fruit of it forever (Mk. 11:14). Returning the next day, His disciples noted that the same fig tree had withered from the roots. As the disciples brought this to His attention, Jesus told them that things spoken in faith in God would come to pass, including being forgiven as we forgive (v. 20-26). What is today's Church believing and speaking?

If Jesus examines His Church, will He find fruit upon it? Has the Church withered today because of lack of fruit? Upon seeing Jerusalem, Jesus wept over it. He saw its future destruction and the scattering of its inhabitants, which was later fulfilled in 70 AD. Their destruction came as a result of missing the visitation of their Deliverer (Lk. 19:41-44). After two thousand years, in this generation, Jerusalem has been restored, and its inhabitants brought back from all nations. Doesn't this speak to us as a sign of Jesus' soon return? What is the Church declaring about this sign, if anything?

There in the temple, Jesus did the work of the temple, which was not buying and selling. He healed the sick, and taught the truth of God daily (Mt. 21:14, Lk. 19:47). Though many saw the miracles at his hands, "yet they believed him not."  (Jn. 12:37). Because of their lack of faith, the prophecies of Isaiah came upon them that they should not be able to see or hear, nor understand in their hearts to be converted and healed (Jn. 12:39-40). If we prefer spiritual blindness when evidence is before our eyes, then deep spiritual blindness in fact will come upon us. The Apostle Paul also addressed this in Romans 1, regarding those who do not like to retain ("echo"-hold, own, possess, to lay hold of a thing, to adhere or cling to, to be closely joined to) God in their knowledge, so God gave them over to a reprobate mind (Rom. 1:28). Paul was speaking of those to whom God had manifested Himself, who had received the knowledge of God, but had not retained it. This also is the condition of our time, even among those who have known God.

The conditions of the temple and the religious leaders of that Palm Sunday two thousand years ago, have prophetic importance to the Church today. We should seriously heed the words of Jesus regarding them.

 

*The above is based upon the 4/14/19 message to the Church from Dr. Kenneth Stevenson.

 

To Contact/Submit prayer requests/Support the ministry/Order the book, "NAZAH":

https://twitter.com/everlastingcov8

http://endtimeschool.com/

To watch/hear Dr. Stevenson's complete message:

https://twitter.com/everlastingcov8

https://everlastingcovenant.sermon.net/main/main/21320220
 

Prayer of Salvation for all who desire to receive Jesus as their Savior: Lord Jesus, I desire to know You, and to know Your salvation. I believe that You died for me, and that You were resurrected for me. Forgive me of my sins. Come into my heart, change me, fill me with Your righteousness. Inscribe my name in the Lamb's book of life. Baptize me in Your Holy Spirit, so that I can learn the truth of Your Word and ways, and be strengthened in my walk all the days of my life. You are the hope of my life, and You are my eternal life. I place my trust in You, Lord, for myself, and my whole household. Use me to do the will of the heavenly Father, Who sent You, in Whose name You came. In Your name, and in thanks and praise I pray, Amen.

 

Dr. Stevenson's newest book is now available:
  

To order "NAZAH": https://twitter.com/everlastingcov8     http://endtimeschool.com/