When you've sat in a few Bible Studies inevitably Judas is brought up. Can we condemn Judas?
Truly, I'd personally rather be compared to John. Let God help me to be John, too.
So if we had to Biblically understand the Longest Living, Recording thoughts of a Long Life reflecting on time spent with Jesus
- versus the ruin of Judas who is recorded both as hanging to death in a cemetery and falling down and bowels gushing - (one does not preclude the other - Judas could have hung in the tree until he fell and burst open - so Bible truth and accuracy recorded by witnesses who were horrified more of one than the other.) And Biblically Judas was judging the Christ of God for His deeds for merit. Judas wanted Jesus to look shinier. More saintly. And then we are told Judas 'turned to his own interests'.
Now John - went on the Second Century having survived being boiled in oil. In fact, John lives well and beyond when Titus goes in (after Paul records in the Bible that the daily sacrifice continues in the working Temple in Jerusalem - forget the nonsense the Bible is 400 A.D. Christian Era). And John lives well beyond when Judea is brought to ash and rubble by the Roman Empire.
So John, having lived past the trouble of the collapse of Jerusalem, Temple, and Judea - is, of course, going to run into more Trouble. John is boiled in oil in the Coliseum and the Coliseum is going to erupt in faith for Jesus. In fact, historically, the second Emperor after Domitian - is going to decide to be nice to Christians.
Domitian – Hauled St. John from Ephesus and exiled him to Patmos. Continued to be fearful of Christians. Conducted one of the fiercest battles against Christians. Under Domitan, the Church split in half. Half ran - and God used this to the Good of His Plan.
Domitan Heresy - the Church is only for saints. Domitan tortured until Christians surrendered every fragment of the Gospels and New Testament he could find. 81-96. Because of Domitan – we have the word traitor . Part of the Church wanted to forever exile anyone who lied to get out of torture or gave up Scripture. Forgiveness is the business of the Church and Jesus Christ. This is why we have a Bible today. In our casual usage. Amazing.
John In the Coliseum - which is recorded by -
Trajan (c. 53 - 117) Philosopher Pliny the Younger's letter to Trajan on the subject of the Christians and the response of Trajan to Pliny the Younger. On Early Christian Writings. How to torture Christians to discredit the claims of Jesus Christ.
Hadrian (c. 76 - 138) Foxe's Book of Martyrs -- Persecution Under Trajen...... The forenamed authors, Antoninus and Equilius (Clarification Foxe's Book of Martyrs took evidence from many historians, a few are named here. Published in 1563 by John Day.) And there is a Church in Rome dedicated to John Boiled in Oil.
Emperor Antoninus Pius (c. 86 - 161) saw too much of Goodness being killed for evil. Instead of stirring up persecution against the Christians, he extended to them the strong hand of his protection throughout the empire. Rather than give occasion to that oppression which he regarded as inseparable from an emperor's progress through his dominions, he was content to spend all the years of his reign in Rome, or its neighborhood. Under his patronage the science of jurisprudence was cultivated by men of high ability, and a number of humane and equitable enactments were passed in his name.
This is a great question when reading the Word of God. Necessary. This Roman History is the sign of our times.
Hurricanes. Earthquakes. Ideas of Belief. Faith. Help. Selfishness.
Jesus spoke of this as the Seed Parables.
166 188 A.D. Christian persecution returned
- The period was one of ever-increasing calamities.
The earthquakes which had alarmed Asia under Antoninus were but the prelude to more serious convulsions. The Tiber rose to an unprecedented height and swept away the public granaries. This was followed by a famine, and that by a pestilence, which spread from Egypt and Ethiopia westward. Everywhere on the frontiers there were murmurs of insurrection or invasion. The year 166 was long known as the "annus calamitosus," and it was in that year that the persecution broke out and that Justin suffered. These calamities roused the superstition of the great mass of the people, and a wild fanaticism succeeded to an epicurean atheism. The gods were wrath, and what had roused their anger but the presence of those who denied them?
What happened to John?
When we read the long life of John - we find more and more and more and more Graciousness of God.
John saw the world as the world was - and John was more and more in awe of Jesus. John did not sneer up in judgement of others. John saw the goodness of God loving the world. John looked to see the Goodness of God. John Lived During this Tumult.
I got a great phone call this weekend. Our Priest and his wife Margaret. Father Bill is now 91 Years Old. In his 70's Bill had a massive, massive heart attack. He lived and walked 2 miles every day. At age 89/90, he started to die of heart failure. Margaret cried Bill would never get out of bed and never leave their small town again. Jesus our God had other plans, so on the phone, Bill was making plans to grocery shop by himself, driving himself confidently on down the journey of Life. God's Plan.(We got to see them Last Thanksgiving here in Texas!!!)
And Margaret said, in her Charleston voice, "If peeeeople knew Bedddar, they would DO Beddddar." If we never put our hearts and hands for kindness, we have not let our soul warm up. God is going to fully accomplish God's Plan without us. We have the opportunity to be kind.
Margaret said having been in the Church all these years, the most saintly woman said to the Church, "Judgement is a Peach of a Sin."
Christians in the First Century AD did not let go of the Bible, we can believe this with all our might, they just didn't let go of Mercy instead of Sacrifice. Mercy and Love - won the war of good vs evil.
WHAT HAPPENED TO FAITHFUL JOHN IN ALL THIS TRAUMA AND UPHEAVAL AND WEATHER AND POLITICAL UNREST???
God's Provision.
John survived some pretty terrible ordeals. Life was not a picnic.
Philippians 4:19 19
And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
John stood when other's fled. John ran to the Tomb. John was eager for Jesus. Loved Jesus. Saw God as God of Love.
2 Timothy 2:19
Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness."
John believed Jesus as Messiah.
Psalm 37:40
The LORD helps them and delivers them; He delivers them from the wicked and saves them, Because they take refuge in Him.
We casually repeat this:
The Kingdom, The Power and the Glory are Your's.
In the cave, John saw Jesus one Sunday afternoon 63 years after Jesus Lived. And in fright, Jesus assured John, their Love and Joy is Jesus Triumphant. Revelations 1 and Revelations 6.
Early mosaic of John writing Revelation, near the entrance of the cave.
John 10:9
I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.
Entrance to the Cave of the John - who is historically recorded by local historians as living here even in the second century.
Now this is what John watched from his door.............
2 Corinthians 9:8
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
View from the cave - now, now, now - we know why John lived in this Cave!
Was John rewarded with an easy and cush life? John lived near Timothy with Mary, Mother of God. The town had ups and downs with faith. We can't say all of John's life was easy or trouble free having seen Jesus die. John continued to be the good seed in God's good soil.
Matthew 9:36 36W
hen he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
Matthew 7:15-29
Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
Was John rewarded with an easy and cush life? John lived near Timothy with Mary, Mother of God. The town had ups and downs with faith. We can't say all of John's life was easy or trouble free having seen Jesus die. John continued to be the good seed in God's good soil.
Matthew 9:36 36W
hen he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
Matthew 7:15-29
Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
Here in the 4 meter Cave of the Apocalypse, John lived & slept. Historically, this is where Revelations is written. Critics of Revelation often feel that Revelation comes without Biblical background, which is not correct.
Apocalypse is the Greek word for revealing or disclosure. And Ezekiel, Daniel, Isaiah and John agree on the Living Kingdom of God. God of the Living.
(Looks rather like Hobbits. JRR Tolkein must have seen this place.)
John 21
21 When Peter saw him, he asked, "Lord, what about him?"
22 Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me." 23 Because of this, the rumor spread among the brothers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?"
24 This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.
25 Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.
John, still according to Church tradition, survived unharmed Emperor Domitian literally throwing John into a boiling cauldron of oil. Domitian had no other way to put John away other than exile.
Unsurprisingly, God had use of John's long life and they wrote one of the most memorable books of the Bible, with the most glimpses of heaven. Small wonder Heaven confuses us with the descriptions of such splendor.
Critics of Revelation believe John must have found wild mushrooms as he was having these visions. Nothing could be more wrong, these unusual details were also written thousands of years before Revelation met John's parchment. The prophets who also saw such splendor were: Moses, Ezekiel, Daniel, Zechariah, Isaiah and Jesus Himself.
Exodus 19:19-20
19 and the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder. Then Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him.
20 The LORD descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain.
Zechariah 4:2
And he said to me, "What do you see?" I said, "I see, and behold, a lampstand all of gold, with a bowl on the top of it, and seven lamps on it, with seven lips on each of the lamps that are on the top of it.
Ezekiel 1:28
Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around.
Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking.
Isaiah 6:2-3
Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.
And one called to another and said:
"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!"
Revelation 1
Our Abba,
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood
And made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father,
to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wailb on account of him. Even so. Amen.
We thank You, Father, for hearing our prayers. Increase the Love showing the Holy Spirit and help us with the political upheaval and storms. We ask Your mercy on the people You have given us. And for Your Love and care of the people we love. We lift up our concerns to You, knowing Your Love.
Amen in Jesus Christ.
8“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
9I, 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.”
12Then 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, 18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore."
Our Good News is Jesus Christ. Amen.
♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †
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