Luke 21:1-4 ~ contributed

Luke 21:1-4

1 Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, 2 and He saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. [*] 

3 And He said, 

“Truly, I tell you, this poor widow 

has put in more than all of them. 

4 For they all contributed out of their abundance,

 but she out of her poverty 

put in all she had to live on.”

*These steps had 13 Contribution Steps. 

Women

Yes, Jesus taught in the area of the Temple where the treasury and collection boxes were kept, known as the Court of the Women, and women were fully allowed in this specific space.

Women could not enter the Temple. Jesus witnessed the poor widow and her coins here. The trumpets made noise to "show" alms and prevent theft.

The inner area of the Temple contained three courts.

 The easternmost court was the Court of the Women, and it contained the Temple treasury where people donated their money (Mk 12:41-44). Allowing women to contribute to the Temple.

Three gates led into this court, one on the north, one on the south, and a third on the east.

 This third gate on the east side is almost certainly the "Beautiful Gate" that was mention in Acts 3.

 A fourth gate, which was much larger and ornate led from the Court of the Women west into the Court of Israel (women could proceed no further), which was elevated 15 steps higher than the Court of Women.

The 13 Contribution Chests (Trumpets)

According to the Mishnah (Middoth 2,5) the Women's Court was just over 200 feet square between bounding lines. Each court on the outside was 60 feet square. The colonnade ran around the court, and within it, against the wall, the thirteen chests, or 'trumpets,' for charitable contributions were placed.

These thirteen chests were narrow at the mouth and wide at the bottom, shaped like trumpets. There were actually eleven treasure chests of the Temple for the voluntary offerings of money

Their specific objects were carefully marked on them. Nine were for the receipt of what was legally due by worshipers; the other four for strictly voluntary gifts.

Trumpets 1 and 2 were appropriated to the half-shekel Temple-tribute of the current and of the past year.

Into Trumpet 3 those women brought turtledoves for a burnt / sin offering dropped their equivalent in money, which was daily taken out and a corresponding number of turtledoves offered. This saved the labor of steps and allowed modesty of those who might not wish to have their offering publicly known. This trumpet, Mary the mother of Jesus, dropped her offering (Luke 2:22,24) when the aged Simeon took the infant Savior 'in his arms, and blessed God.' 

The poor widow had...

When the Holy Spirit puts Chapters of the Scriptures and the Gospel, there is a deliberate and well thought out discussion on the verses flowing together.

LUKE 20

21 Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, 2 and He saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. 3 And He said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. 4 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

Jesus Foretells Destruction of the Temple

5 And while some were speaking of the Temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings, he said, 6 “As for these things that you see, the days will come when there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” 

7 And they asked Him, “Teacher, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?” 8 And he said, “See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is at hand!’ Do not go after them. 9 And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified, for these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once.”

Jesus Foretells Wars and Persecution

10 Then He said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven. 12 But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake. 13 This will be your opportunity to bear witness. 14 Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, 15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. 16 You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. 17 You will be hated by all for my name's sake. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish. 19 By your endurance you will gain your lives.

Jesus Foretells Destruction of Jerusalem

20 “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it, 22 for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. 23 Alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress upon the earth and wrath against this people. 24 They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

The Coming of the Son of Man

25 “And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, 26 people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 

28 Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

The Lesson of the Fig Tree

29 And He told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. 30 As soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. 31 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the Kingdom of God is near. 32 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My Words will not pass away.

Watch Yourselves

34 “But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. 35 For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

37 And every day He was teaching in the temple, but at night He went out and lodged on the Mount called Olivet. 

38 And early in the morning all the people came to Him in the Temple to hear Him

What other widow in the Scriptures is commended by Jesus Christ?

1 Kings 17:7-16

Elijah and the Widow at Zarephath

7 Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. 8 Then the word of the Lord came to him: 9 “Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.” 10 So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?” 11 As she was going to get it, he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.”

12 “As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.”

13 Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. 14 For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’”

15 She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. 16 For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.

When Jesus mentions Zarapheth in Luke 4, in Nazareth

The town feels like the holiness they strive for is bypassed by Jesus bar Joseph? 

Mr. La Te Da.  And they are good and upset with Jesus for moving to Capernaum and taking ALL of Capernaum to His Ministry, the very first day. With a miracle for Peter's mother-in-law and many in Capernaum. The hometown boy is flaunting in their faces, they could have had a Rabbi Jesus, but never managed this.  He wasn't supposed to come home and say they missed a thing or two about the Real God. 

And try to teach their elders who KNEW that story about Jesus, Mary, Joseph and that odd character called Gabriel. Those Shepherds went on and on about this birth. With the mess in the Temple for their cousins, that Rabbi Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth and the miracle, old age conception of John. John, the man in the camel hair eating locusts and living in the wild. And starting some kind of hippie commune in the wilderness. 

Zarapheth is a bookend in the Gospel of Luke's Chapter 20

Zarapheth is also a woman of hope. She hopes she and her son both survive the impending starvation. She isn't sure she wants to serve the last meal to a stranger, but why not share a last meal?  Mercy is the meal, and the result is a miracle.  Blessed are the merciful, they shall receive a Merciful Miracle. 

The opposite end of this story is the Poor Widow. 

Putting everything she has into the Temple, an age never seen before in the recorded history. The Temple had so much gold, Caesar's employees are part of the Judean puppet state and in the Temple.  The Royal Stoa, the Temple Treasury, was a massive, colonnaded public basilica along the southern edge of the Temple Mount used for commerce and administration. Named for Rome. So much gold that the soon-to-be Emperor Titus brings home to Rome more gold than any other conquered nation.  The slaughter of animals is incredibly lucrative with all those pilgrims from all over the globe.  Jesus Christ Himself is offended.

Zarapheth is the true event of giving to support life itself. Meager. Merciful.  

The Poor Widow is cajoled by all aspects of the Temple, constantly in renovation for the duration of the Herods.  The Glory of Herod.  Trumpets sound with her simple gift from the way alms are set up.

Jesus does not glorify the widow's gift in the way Jesus can truly promote messages of the heart. He is grieved for the lessons on the money given. Deception.

1. Jesus foretells the Temple is going to ruin.

2. The Cultural Cornerstone falling

3. Will lead to wars caused by greed and lack of peaceful effort. Let's go to the bone and say murder and horror will ensue. 

4. The Government and the people living near the Government and fallen worship of God will fall into the mess they began.

5. The environment will see calamity. Hyperparasitism. All components of life lean upon each other.  Families will not support each other physically, financially, spiritually, or even in housing.  Rather destruction.

6. What will feed the faithful and nurture them? 

The Word of God will sustain them into the next growing season of life.  

In the chaos, The Kingdom of Heaven Is at Hand.

Choose this day Whom you will serve.

Romans 8:19-25

19 For the creation 

waits 

with eager longing 

for the revealing of the sons of God. 

20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope 

21 That the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain 

the freedom of the Glory of the children of God. 

22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.

 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 

24 For in this hope we were saved. 

Now hope that is seen is not hope. 

For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, 

we wait for it with 

patience.

And in the consideration of yesterday's post. Manna.

The overwhelming gift of Manna, making the sacrifice of Zarapheth and the incredible miracle of survival, outdo Elijah's completely.

This is the parable of the ministry of Mankind to that of JESUS CHRIST, SON OF GOD. Who lavishes us with His Complete Sinless Perfection.  LOVE FOREVER AND ALWAYS in HIS HOUSE. 

The Living Word of the Gospels is for us. Today.

Abba, Father!

WE PRAY 

BLESSINGS 

And

Gratitude

Every Day

To be 

the Voice

of LOVE

Joy, Peace, Patience,

Goodness,

Faithfulness,

gentleness

and

SELF CONTROL

Let's pray

for the departure

of what

 is not

good.

We pray the Blessing

of Love and Peace

Shining

The Light of Love Peace and Joy

upon

The Teachings of Jesus Christ.

God of Love

God of Encouragement

God of the Bible. 

The safety 

of those

helping the earth 

to heal.

Let evil and practicing evil

depart 

far 

from us

and our children.

With Your Help

We will act justly

 and to love mercy

 and to walk humbly with You, our God.

We ask for the healing

of Edward's eye and the next eye.

For the peace and prosperity of

Family Dreams.

For the Peace of

Families in our Nation and worldwide.

Nations without

deception.

Cover us

in peace worldwide.

Give us more of 

Your Strength

and Hope.

Dwell in me,

Dwell in us,

Dwell in those we Love,

Help us to seek You first.

And we will finish well, 

in Jesus Christ. 

Help us seek and find 

and bring,

to become,

 more Heaven

to this earth.

For California

putting out the fires

speedy insurance

claims

and fast rebuilding

realizing the standard building codes

even of Reagan

were safe.

Peace

And in Jesus - This Hope.

Faith and Love - we will rise up Believing Jesus.

Amen

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Yes The Lord Fulfills His Purpose

Thank You Jesus The Lord

Revelation 20 ~ The Throne of White

 

Revelation 20

20 Then I saw an angel coming down from Heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. 2 And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, 3 and threw him into the pit,

 and shut it and sealed it over him, 

so that 

he might not deceive the nations any longer, 

Until the thousand years were ended. 

After that he must be released for a little while.

4 Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. 

They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! 

Over such the second death has no power, 

but they will be priests of God and of Christ, 

and they will reign with Him for a thousand years.




7 And when the thousand years are ended, 

Satan will be released from his prison 8 

and 

will come out to deceive the nations 

that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, 

to gather them for battle; 

their number is like the sand of the sea. 

9 And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, 

but fire came down from Heaven and consumed them, 

10 and 

the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

11 Then I saw a Great White Throne 

and 

Him who was seated on it. 

From His Presence 

earth and sky fled away, 

and no place was found for them. 

12 And I saw the dead, great and small, 

standing before the Throne, 

and 

Books were opened.

 Then another Book was opened, 

which is 

The Book of Life. 

And the dead 

were judged by what was written in the Books, 

according to 

what they had done. 1

3 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, 

Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 

14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. 

This is the second death, the lake of fire. 

15 And if anyone's name was not found written in the Book of Life,

 he was thrown into the lake of fire.

There are so many questions about Revelation and Heaven. All of them are answered by Jesus Christ. He is seated on the Great, White Throne.

 Jesus 

Light of the world.

 And in this great Love He has for us earth and sky melt away.

When we hear of near death experiences, we find the Mercy of God is plentiful and so many have seen Life. Immediately. Life pleasing to God. From the Author of Life.

Revelation 1:1-19

8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” 

says the Lord God, 

“Who is and Who was and Who is to come, 

The Almighty.”

9 I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the Word of God and the Testimony of Jesus. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a Loud Voice like a trumpet 11 saying, “Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.”

12 Then I turned to see the Voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the lampstands 

One like a Son of Man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around His chest. 14 The hairs of His head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, 15 His feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and His voice was like the roar of many waters. 16 In His Right Hand He held seven stars, from His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and His face was like the sun shining in full strength.

17 When I saw Him, 

I fell at His feet as though dead. 

But He laid His Right Hand on me, saying, 

“Fear not, 

I am the First and the Last,  

and 

the Living One. 

I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, 

and 

I have the keys of Death and Hades. 

19 Write therefore the things that you have seen

Abba, Father God,

Thank You for Your Blessings. 

More Heaven on earth. 

The Love and Mercy of Jesus to cover us all. 

Amen in Jesus.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Bless the Lord Jesus

Thank You, Jesus

Yes, The Lord Fulfills His Purpose!