Matthew Chapter 12

"The Will of God, Miracles, Effects, and Consequences."

This Bible Study is written by Roger Christopherson, and it's transcription/ location is provided byhttp://www.theseason.org/plough.htm

Matthew 12:1 "At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat."

The Sabbath day is the day of rest. To us today it is the rest that Christ's yoke brings to us. Jesus and His disciples had been traveling, and they were hungry. They went by a field of corn and went right out into the field and plucked the corn and ate it right in the field.

Matthew 12:2 "But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto Him, "Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day."

Notice it is these self-righteous Pharisees that came to Jesus, to give the report as to what God's law says. The law gets a bad reputation because of ignorance down through the years. The law is very good, but it isn't worth anything when you leave another ingredience out of it's application. We will get to that ingredience later.

Matthew 12:3 "But He said unto them, "Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;"

Jesus is using I Samuel 21:6; as the reason for what the disciples did. "So the priest gave him [David] hallowed bread: for there was no bread there but the shewbread, that was taken from before the Lord, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away."

Matthew 12:4 "How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?"

When David did this, it also wasn't lawful for David or his men also to eat the shewbread. The ingredient that was missing by the Pharisees, is "common sense". When common sense is applied to the law then it is good, and can be properly applied.

When an emergency vehicle is going to an emergency and runs a red light, he uses his red light, and that makes his actions right, and is common sense. One hundred percent of understand and applying God's law, must be good old common sense that God gave to each of us, if we will but use it.

Matthew 12:5 "Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?"

The Sabbath day was the busiest day for the priests, for their work was to be done on the Sabbath day, for that is the day of the sacrifices. On that day their duties caused them to break that laws dealing with the Sabbath day, however, they were compelled to do their duties. Common sense tells us that the profane actions of the priest were not a violation of the law. "Profane" in the Greek text means to take something of the Temple, or of God, and treat it as common, or not of the Lord.

Jesus asks these Pharisees, was David not a priest in the eyes of God, and doing His work? David and His men were fighting against ungodly people. The mind of the Pharisee is very common to what we are seeing today in the minds of the environmentalist. They make laws that do not apply in the following of common sense. The things they say about the laws are either not true, or taken out of context. The laws that they respect are not given for the sake of mankind and their well being, but only to advance the control over those that will allow these Pharisee environmentalists to rule over them. This is the type of narrow minded people that were trying to blame our Lord Jesus Christ.

Matthew 12:6 "But I way unto you, That in this place is One greater than the temple."

Jesus is telling these self-righteous Pharisees that in their midst is one greater then the Temple of God itself.

Matthew 12:7 "But if ye had known what this meaneth, 'I will have mercy, and not sacrifice',ye would not have condemned the guiltless.

Jesus is telling these Pharisees that if they would have only used a little common sense you would not have made such statements, and accused these guiltless men, Christ's disciples. This is also stated as part of prophecy in Hosea 6:6.

Matthew 12:8 "For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day."

This is the proclamation by Jesus Christ that He is The Messiah, the Christ, and the promised Redeemer. The "Lord even of the Sabbath" is the Almighty God, and He is the creator of all things, even the Sabbaths. Jesus is reminding these Pharisees that this is who He is. Do you accept that? If you do, then you are one of Christ's; and if you don't, then you're lost.

Jesus is telling them that what His disciples are doing on this day is legal, and if they had any common sense, they would understand it. Christ is the Lord of the Sabbath, and the Sabbath was made for man and not God, then if you have Christ in you, and the Holy Spirit, you would see that the whole purpose of that Sabbath is to be about Christ's business.

Matthew 12:9 "And when He was departed thence, He went into their synagogue:"

There was nothing bashful about our Lord, He left these Pharisees, and went to the synagogue. He went right into the church and taught openly.

Matthew 12:10 "And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked Him, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? That they might accuse Him."

These pack of churchmen were trying to set up a trap to catch Jesus Christ in. There is not much difference today as then. The Sabbath is rest, and when you are resting in Christ, you are honoring the Sabbath.

Matthew 12:11 "And He said unto them, "What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?"

Jesus is pointing out just how sensitive they were to animals. People are real sensitive to animals, and Jesus could be directing this to the common environmentalist of today. However common sense tells you to help the little creatures out when they are in trouble.

Matthew 12:12 "How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days."

Jesus then asks them, How much more is the human being more important then an animal? When you are resting in Christ, you are able to do more on the Sabbath. Like it was pointed out earlier, if you are one of Christ's disciples, or learners, then in fact, you are one of His priests, just as David and his men were, eating the shewbread of the priests.

If it is lawful for one of the priests to take the shewbread on the Sabbath, then it is also lawful of one of His elect. The reason for this is that when we are in Christ, all days are our Sabbaths.

Matthew 12:13 "Then saith He to the man, "Stretch forth thine hand." And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other."

This was the Sabbath, and Jesus Christ healed the man right in front of these religious types.

Matthew 12:14 "Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against Him, how they might destroy Him."

These Pharisees are a real tribe of satanic minds. When they saw the healing of this man with the withered hand, they went right out and started planning, (by way of their own council), to kill Christ. This would make them murders, for their council had planned beforehand to do a criminal act, against Jesus. Down through the centuries, there have been more acts of killing for a religious cause, then any other singular cause, except for natural death.

Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:34; "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword." Each of God's elect carry that sword, and that sword is the Word of God. There is the power that all of God's children carry, and that is where our power comes from. The sword is the Living Word, and it is revealed by the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 12:15 "But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew Himself from thence: and great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all;"

This made the Pharisees and religious leaders more upset, for here came one that just didn't talk, but He used His authority to do what the religious leaders couldn't do. He healed their bodies and gave them peace of mind. He held the power and authority from God, and the people saw it.

Matthew 12:16 "And charged them that they should not make Him known:"

Matthew 12:17 "That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,"

Isaiah taught that this would come to pass, way back in Isaiah 42:1 "Behold my Servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon Him: He shall bring forth judgement to the Gentiles." This is referring to the salvation that Jesus Christ would bring to the Gentiles.

Isaiah 42:2 "He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street."

Isaiah 42:3 "A bruised reed shall He not break, and the smoking flax shall He not quench: He shall bring forth judgment unto truth."

So now we see this word of Isaiah is repeated as prophecy coming true.

Matthew 12:18 "Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon Him, and He shall shew judgement to the Gentiles."

When the dove came down and lighted on Christ's shoulder, the voice from God spoke,"Behold this is my beloved Son of whom I am well pleased." God poured His Spirit out upon Jesus and His work on earth began. The Gentiles are the nations of the earth. With Jesus Christ's death on the cross, His judgment or righteousness was shown to all peoples and nations of the earth.

Matthew 12:19 "He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear His voice in the streets."

What this is saying is that you will not hear some great outcry in the streets by Jesus. When you hear Jesus in the streets it will be with firmness and authority, and it will be in love.

Matthew 12:20 "A bruised reed shall He not break, and smoking flax shall He not quench, till He send forth judgment unto victory."

When a reed is bruised it just falls apart, and can never be healed again or put back together. When ones life is so broken that you think that there is no hope, Christ will take that life, and restore it.

What is this "smoking flax" that is spoken of here? Remember the old oil burning lamps, and the wicks that they used. It struck up with lots of body, and burned bright, however when it was cold, and you touched it, it fell apart into dust. It had no strength. Christ can take those lives that are stretched and burned out to the point of falling apart, and build the strength back into it.

It is saying that God can trim that wick to put forth a much brighter light, without ever putting out the light. When you feel that you are all burned out from the pressures of the world, Christ can restore your life, and give you a new beginning. When you call out to Him, He is there with His gentle voice, ready to forgive, and set you in the right path.

Matthew 12:21 "And in His name shall the Gentiles trust."

Jesus name is the light to the world, and the glory to all Israel. He gives all that will call upon His name a new life and a new start.

Matthew 12:22 "Then was brought unto Him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and He healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw."

This possessed one that was brought to Jesus could neither see nor speak, and was possessed with evil spirits. Can you see why this healing follows the the parable of the flax, and the bruised reed? There are many in this world that are filled with the evil spirits of this world, that can not see nor hear nor see the things concerning Christ. They can't see the truths of the scriptures, for they do not have the "key of David" in them, and they are living in sin and drugs, and all sorts of evil that is becoming common to the worldly mind.

When Jesus touches and heals that soul, they can both see the truths and know the truth, and speak the truth. At that point, the Spirit of God is what fills that heart and mind, and not the spirits of this world. That is why this report follows the parable of the bruised. Jesus can make the change in the heart and soul of a person, regardless of how damaged that soul has become.

When we come to an understanding of the teachings of Christ, we can see the beautiful things that He can bring into our lives. Christ does make a difference, and He can turn things around and take your heavy burdens and lighten your load of the pressures of this everyday world. There is not a single man in this world that can do this for you, for only Christ can take that heavy burden away, He is your Heavenly Father.

Matthew 12:23 "And all the people were amazed, and said, "Is not This the son of David?"

When the people saw who Jesus Christ had taken this poor broken man and made him well instantly, they were amazed, and were starting to put things together. They were calling Jesus the promised Messiah, the "Son of David".

Matthew 12:24 "But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, "This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils."

"The Pharisees heard it", they heard what the people were saying, and how they were starting to claim Jesus the Messiah. So immediately they went on the offense, and said that the deeds and healings were not of God but of Beelzebub. "Beelzebub" in the Hebrew means, "lord of the flies". They were saying that Jesus was from Satan, and that His works were the works of the Devil; of evil spirits.

These Pharisees in most cases were Kenites, those priests that were from the Nethinims that crept into the Levitical priesthood in Ezra's day, and dominated the duties that were set aside by God, for the sons of Aaron. The Pharisees knew that Jesus was not of the devil, for they know the works of their father Satan, through Cain, and healing was not one of those works.

This action of the Pharisees is very common today, for when a ministry that does teach the truth comes along, and point out the errors in the traditions of men, the religious world tares into them just as the Pharisees of old tore into Christ. They lie, and start the rumors, and even plot to end that ministry. Living in the last ten years, there have been attacks where church leaders have assisted the government agencies to support lies, and give assistance to bring one of God's ministries down. This Kenite mind is very much alive today, both in and out of the church world.

The sword of God will do it's work, and in these final days the Spirit of the Living God, the Holy Spirit is coming forth, and lives are being saved in spite of the movement to quench it.

Matthew 12:25 "And 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:"

Denominationalism means divisions. A house divided against itself cannot stand. There is only one Christ, one house, and one Book of Record, for what God would have His people know. That book is our Bible and it is called the Lamb's book of life. Friend if you are not in that book, and know it, you are not alive. Spiritually speaking, your soul is dead. You may have a letter in the records of your church house, but is your letter also in the Lamb's book of life.

Matthew 12:26 "And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?"

Lets put this into another light; if Christian cast out Christian, can that divided house fall? If Satan divided his own house, how can his house stand?

Matthew 12:27 "And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out: therefore they shall be your judges."

Jesus is now turning the table on these Pharisee hypocrites, "if I be of Satan, and my works are of the devils, then by whose works do your children cast them out." Those Kenites knew who they were and who Christ was, that is why the conflict exists in the first place. Jesus is saying for them to go to their own people and ask the question, for if Christ be of the devil, then He became one of them, and that was not acceptable, for they wanted nothing to do with God, or things of Christ.

Remember, the mind of the Kenite is to protect their father Satan, who in the next chapter is documented as such, through the sexual relations with Eve in the Garden of Eden. God has already judged Satan to death [perdition], and that is why Satan is called "the son of perdition".

Paul told us in II Thessalonians 2:3; "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition," Satan's time on earth is coming very shortly, and it will be prior to the coming of the true Messiah. The mind of the Kenite would have you believe differently, for those doctrines of demons will deceive you into accepting their father, the Antichrist as the true Messiah.

By what power do you cast out demons today? Do they stay gone, and depart for the holding place of demons, or do they hang around? What Jesus is calling the Kenite Pharisees attention to was the fact that they did not cast out devils, for they were of the Devil themselves. They have murder and destruction in their hearts that cannot stand the truth.

Matthew 12:28 "But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you."

Jesus is telling them that if His casting out of devils, and healing of the sick is not of Satan, then the Kingdom of God is come unto them now. Jesus is telling them point blank that if I am not of the Devil, then I am the Messiah.

When the Holy Spirit of God is come into your life, then the kingdom of God has come unto you also. That kingdom is already here on earth, through the Spirit of the Living God.

Matthew 12:29 "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 his house."

In other words, the house is the body of the man that Christ cleansed. Jesus cast out the dumb and blind spirit from that house, or man's body. Satan wanted to keep that individual blind and dumb, and we have seen that some of the greatest workers for God, are those that have been at the bottom, and then having seen the light, come out of their sin. They have experienced the hardships that Satan can bring upon somebody, and then they were cleansed to where they could hear, and speak the Word of God; and they become great ambassadors of Jesus Christ.

What Jesus is saying, is that if Satan saw what would happen when the blind and dumb were healed, he would have kept them in their broken condition. But I, the Kingdom of God, cast those devils from him, and now he has the light.

Matthew 12:30 "He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad."

This is how you tell the houses apart, whether they are of Satan, or of Christ. If your are in God's Word, then you can understand the flow of the plan of God, and the Spirit of that understanding will let you know if the work is of God or of Satan. If the teaching, or the words follow the plan of God, then you know that it is of God, and that person is true. You can't have it two ways; you are either for God, or against Him. Any twisting of God's Word, is what Satan does.

It doesn't matter what church a man goes to if they are in God's Word, and studying chapter by chapter, and verse by verse to get the entire Word in its context. To have the truths that Jesus taught, it should also be explained in terms that the lay person can understand. The purpose of the teaching is to give all men and women the hope and life that only Jesus can give. That is what Christianity is all about. It is the reality of changing lives, and changing them for the better. There is only one Christ, and His battle is against Satan.

Matthew 12:31 "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."

Jesus is telling you that all manner of sin is forgivable, except the sin committed by elect of God when he refuses to allow the Holy Spirit of God to speak through him when he is delivered up in the time of the end. This sin is spoken of in Mark 13:11; "But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought before hand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye, for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.".

Matthew 12:32 "And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come."

You can call Jesus Christ what ever you want to, and even deny Christ before men, and upon repentance that act of sin will be forgiven of you. When the Holy Spirit of God wishes to use you, Jesus is warning you against not allowing Him to use your mouth, for He will do the thinking, and do the premeditating for you. When Christ healed the blind and dumb man, he both saw Christ, and spoke of Him. He spoke of the good news that Christ brought to him. This denying of the Holy Spirit then, is the unforgivable sin that only God's elect can commit.

Matthew 12:33 "Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is know by his fruit."

If you have a good tree then the fruit off of it will also be good. Jesus is telling these Pharisees to look at Him as a tree. They have looked at Christ as doing the works of Beelzebub, the devil; but Christ is saying, look at the works that I have done. Is there evil in the works of making this man whole? Is this good fruit or is it bad fruit?

Jesus Christ is telling us that before we follow some man, check out his fruit. What does he talk about, and what are his main topics of conversation. Are they of God, or of the world. Observe that preacher, and learn to discern, and the standard is whether or not it checks out with the overall plan of God.

Matthew 12:34 "O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh."

Jesus is telling them that what they speak of, is what is in their heart, and that is what is in their mind. What they speak is what comes from their father the devil. Jesus calls them a "generation of vipers", or snakes, because that is the role of their physical father Cain, the offspring of the affair between Eve and Satan. Satan is the serpent in the Garden of Eden. We will get into this, in Matthew thirteen.

The Kenites speak of evil because that is what is in their heart, however upon repentance they become one of the children of God, and they are just as clean in their heart as any other part of the body of Christ.

Matthew 12:35 "A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things."

It is just that simple, watch and learn. The man is inside exactly what is coming out of his mouth, and the deeds that he is doing. What he holds dear in the physical life is the reflection of the man's heart, and what is in his mind.

Matthew 12:36 "But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment."

This applies directly to those that claim to teach the Word of God, only instead of giving forth the truth of God's Word, they preached the traditions of men and false doctrines. They will be held accountable for all the sins committed when they spoke of things that were not in God's Word, and presented them in God's name. Every idle word is accountable.

When one does this in ignorance, and then comes to the knowledge of his deeds, and repents, then these words are forgiven. When you say, the Lord saith, and He did not, that is what you will be judged upon.

Matthew 12:37 "For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by they words thou shalt be condemned."

Whether you go to Heaven or are condemned to hell, it will be done by the words and deeds that you have committed. You have the choice of the path that you will take, and that choice will either save, or condemn you.

Matthew 12:38 "Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, "Master, we would see a sign from thee." "

Even after seen the blind and dumb man healed, and all the other healings, these spiritually dead scribes and Pharisees still are blind to who they are talking to. They call him "Master", or teacher, and they will not believe any of His teachings. They still want a sign. All men will be judged, and if your words are truth, then your judgment brings rewards and blessings to you.

The point that is made here is there are some people that you just can not show the truth to. Even when they have seen with their own eyes, they just won't believe, there minds and hearts are closed.

Matthew 12:39 "But He answered and said unto them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall not sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:"

The word "Jonas" in the Hebrew tongue means "the dove". It points to the warmth of the dove, in love and understanding. Spiritually the dove is the Holy Spirit. When Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit came down and rested upon Him, and a voice came down from heaven saying, "This is My Son in whom I am well pleased."

What is this sign of Jonas the prophet, that Jesus told these scribes and Pharisees would be there only sign?

Matthew 12:40 "For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."

Jesus is telling these Pharisees that even as Jonas was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, so also Christ would be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. This is a direct quotation from the Book of Jonah: 1:17; "Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights."

Jesus told these religious Pharisees in advance, yet they all refused to listen when the event occurred, and still tried to lie and cover it up. When Christ went into the tomb, the guards were not posted to verify His resurrection, but just the opposite, to show that Jesus was not the Christ, and be stolen away.

Matthew 12:41 "The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here."

The very Son of God, Himself came to preach to the people of Judah, and these religious leaders refused to hear or believe in what He had to say. Jesus said because of the rejection they gave to Christ, the men of Nineveh were going to be the ones to judge these scribes and Pharisees. In that judgment, the Jews and Kenites will be found guilty, and condemned. The people of Nineveh heard Jonah's preaching, and they were convicted and repented, they were made righteous before God.

Matthew 12:42 "The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, a greater than Solomon is here."

This comes from I Kings chapter ten. When she was in that far off kingdom, the Queen of Sheba heard of the wisdom of God that Solomon was preaching, and she knew the value of it. She brought great wealth to Solomon, and with her, the Navy of Hiram to bring the gold and precious trees, and and the wealth of stones to pay for the wisdom. She knew the value of the teachings of Christ through Solomon, and she repented, and sought the truths of Solomon from God.

Jesus is saying that even this converted heathen queen will stand in judgment of this generation that crucified our Lord.

Friend, this can apply also to today, for the religious community again is turning their backs on the Word of God, the Wisdom of Solomon, and taking up the traditions of old. The Kenites were blind and dumb to it, and in large part so are many of those leading the church today. God will have His elect, and they will see and understand, for the Holy Spirit will reveal the Word to them. This generation will also be judged; How will those men of Nineveh judge you?

Matthew 12:43 "When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none."

Jesus Christ is telling you that an unclean spirit, an evil spirit will not exist out side the body of a man woman or child.

Matthew 12:44 "Then he saith, 'I will return into my house from whence I came out;' and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished."

This evil spirit goes on to say, if I leave a man, I will return to that same man to fine him all cleaned up. What this is saying, is that some Christian came along and planted a seed in the mind of a sinner, and then left a little of the milk of the Word with him, and left. Shortly this man that was saved had nothing to sustain himself with from God's Word, and turned back to the things that he was saved out of. This evil spirit continues to say that he will return to that same person, and will enter right back into him, and he will be received.

When you plant the seed of God's truth, and that person is converted, do you leave him alone, or do you put the meat of the word into His mind so that he has something to stand against the evil spirits?

Matthew 12:45 "Then goeth he and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked then himselp, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation."

This applies to the generation we are now in, as well as that of Christ's time. In the first influx of the Nephilim [fallen angels], that is to say the seven unclean spirits, for there are seven thousand of them, just as there are seven thousand of the elect; and the documentation of this is found in Revelation 11. For those seven thousand unclean spirits shall die in the streets of Jerusalem, when the two witness rise from the dead.

Those unclean spirits shall come back a second time with many more unclean spirits, when Satan is booted out of heaven, and all the evil spirits are booted out with him. The second influx of demons will be far worse then the first, for this will be a time that the world has never seen before, and the minds of the men on earth will be sealed by God, and then you will either have the marking [seal] of God, or you will have taken the mark of the beast.

Jesus told us in Matthew 24:36; "But as the days of Noe [Noah] were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." In the days of Noah, the fallen angels came to earth and intermarried with with the daughters of man. They were marring and taking in marriage with mankind and the entire world was infested with these evil beings. Friend, Jesus is telling you that that is exactly how it will be when He comes again. Christians will be intermarry in a spiritual and physical sense, with these evil angels, thinking they are the people of God.

You will see this come to pass before you see our Lord Jesus Christ coming back to earth. This will happen in this last generation, and we had better be aware of it and not caught off guard. In Matthew 24:40 says; "Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left." The first one that is taken is taken by the Antichrist, and his evil angels, which the one remaining in the field is the one that is faithful to God to the end.

Better than ninety percent of the churches today teach that it is alright to be taken in adultery to the first christ to come, through their rapture doctrine. That Christ is the Antichrist. They find bliss in their ignorance, as they follow their traditions of men.

Matthew 12:46 "While He yet talked to the people, behold, His mother and His brethren stood without, desiring to speak with Him."

They came there from their home, to speak to Him.

Matthew 12:47 "Then one said unto Him, Behold, "Thy mother and Thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with Thee." "

They wanted to talk to Jesus a minute.

Matthew 12:48 "But He answered and said unto him that told Him, "Who is My mother? and who are My brethren?"

Jesus was not belittling His mother, or His earthly family; He is stating that He came to this world to minister to all the people.

Matthew 12:49 "And He stretched forth His hand toward His disciples, and said, "Behold My mother and My brethren!"

This is as it is in the family of God, and many times you become closer and find more love in the family of God, then within your earthly family. They are your true brethren, and this bonding of the true brethren will become even stronger, as we come closer to the times of the end, of this generation.

Matthew 12:50 "For whosoever shall do the will of My Father Which is in heaven, the same is My brother, and sister, and mother."

God is the Father of all, and His will is written in His Word. Jesus is stating, If you want to be in His family, joint heirs with Jesus Christ in His heavenly kingdom, you will learn what is in His Fathers will and do it. God created all souls, and called them His children, however sin has separated our Heavenly Father from His children. Because of sin, our Heavenly Father wrote a plan in the heavens [constellations], and sent His Son to fulfill that plan, and it is written in His written Word. This Word, is God's will and Testament that exists in two parts. Those parts are called the Old and the New Testaments. They are "the will of God".

Jesus is telling us that to become a member of the family of God, and Joint heirs with Christ in His kingdom, we must do the deeds that are written in God's will [the Bible]. That is the only way. That way starts when you see yourself as a sinner against God, and repent, You must believe in Jesus, and turn from your sinful ways to do this, for it is only through Christ blood that God the Father will forgive you.

The American Wisdom Series 
 http://www.americanwisdomseries.com

Presents 

Chapter 12

Caution to students of God's Word - Please remember two things when using our studies: #1. Our commentary is not God's Word. It is only our interpretation or understanding of "His Word" and even though we try our best to be accurate we may or may not be correct. #2. The King James translation, or any other translation, of the original Hebrew text has some words which were given different translations at different places probably because of the interpreters preconceived ideas of what they think God meant to say. For example: According to the notes in the "Drake's Annotated Reference Bible" the Hebrew word hayah in the KJV is Trans. (became) 67 times, (becamest or came to pass) 505 times, (become) 66 times, and (come to pass) 131 times, but for some reason in Genesis 1:2 it is translated (was)! That sure changes the way a person perceives the original creation of the earth, doesn't it?  Gen. 1:2 And the earth was (became) without form, ... Having said that, let us continue with our "Key Knowledge" lessons. These are pamphlets containing knowledge, we believe, you must have to fully and accurately unlock and understand the Word of God.

John 15:26
But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

John 16:13-14
[13] Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. [14] He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

This Bible Study was originally written by Roger Christopherson,
 published at http://www.theseason.org/ 

Without the leading by the Holy Spirit, there is no understanding of the truths, for all the truth of the Scriptures are revealed to us by God's Spirit.

 Now here is our revised study of:

The

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO

MATTHEW 

Chapter 12

"The Will of God, Miracles, Effects, and Consequences."

Matthew 12:1 "At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat."

The Sabbath day is the day of rest. To us today it is the rest that Christ's yoke brings to us. Jesus and His disciples had been traveling, and they were hungry. They went by a field of corn and went right out into the field and plucked the corn and ate it right in the field.

Matthew 12:2 "But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto Him, "Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day."

Notice it is these self-righteous Pharisees that came to Jesus, to give the report as to what God's law says. The law gets a bad reputation because of ignorance down through the years. The law is very good, but it isn't worth anything when you leave another ingredience out of it's application. We will get to that ingredience later.

Matthew 12:3 "But He said unto them, "Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;"

Jesus is using I Samuel 21:6; as the reason for what the disciples did. "So the priest gave him [David] hallowed bread: for there was no bread there but the shewbread, that was taken from before the Lord, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away."

Matthew 12:4 "How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?"

When David did this, it also wasn't lawful for David or his men to eat the shewbread either. The ingredient that was missed by the Pharisees, is "common sense". When common sense is applied to the law then it is good, and can be properly applied.

When an emergency vehicle is going to an emergency and runs a red light, he uses his red light, and that makes his actions okay, for it makes common sense. One hundred percent of understanding and applying God's law, must be good old common sense that God gave to each of us, if we will but use it.

Matthew 12:5 "Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?"

The Sabbath day was the busiest day for the priests, for their work was to be done on the Sabbath day, for that is the day of the sacrifices. On that day their duties caused them to break that laws dealing with the Sabbath day, however, they were compelled to do their duties. Common sense tells us that the profane actions of the priest were not a violation of the law. "Profane" in the Greek text means to take something of the Temple, or of God, and treat it as common, or not of the Lord.

Jesus asks these Pharisees, was David not a priest in the eyes of God, and doing His work? David and His men were fighting against ungodly people. The mind of the Pharisee is very common to what we are seeing today in the minds of the environmentalist. They make laws that do not apply in the following of common sense. The things they say about the laws are either not true, or taken out of context. The laws that they respect are not given for the sake of mankind and their well being, but only to advance the control over those that will allow these Pharisee environmentalists to rule over them. This is the type of narrow minded people that were trying to blame our Lord Jesus Christ.

Matthew 12:6 "But I way unto you, That in this place is One greater than the temple."

Jesus is telling these self-righteous Pharisees that in their midst is one greater then the Temple of God itself.

Matthew 12:7 "But if ye had known what this meaneth, 'I will have mercy, and not sacrifice',ye would not have condemned the guiltless.

Jesus is telling these Pharisees that if they would have only used a little common sense you would not have made such statements, and accused these guiltless men, Christ's disciples. This is also stated as part of prophecy in Hosea 6:6.

Matthew 12:8 "For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day."

This is the proclamation by Jesus Christ that He is The Messiah, the Christ, and the promised Redeemer. The "Lord even of the Sabbath" is the Almighty God, and He is the creator of all things, even the Sabbaths. Jesus is reminding these Pharisees that this is who He is. Do you accept that? If you do, then you are one of Christ's; and if you don't, then you're lost.

Jesus is telling them that what His disciples are doing on this day is legal, and if they had any common sense, they would understand it. Christ is the Lord of the Sabbath, and the Sabbath was made for man and not God, then if you have Christ in you, and the Holy Spirit, you would see that the whole purpose of that Sabbath is to be about Christ's business.

Matthew 12:9 "And when He was departed thence, He went into their synagogue:"

There was nothing bashful about our Lord, He left these Pharisees, and went to the synagogue. He went right into the church and taught openly.

Matthew 12:10 "And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked Him, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? That they might accuse Him."

These pack of churchmen were trying to set up a trap to catch Jesus Christ in. There is not much difference today as then. The Sabbath is rest, and when you are resting in Christ, you are honoring the Sabbath.

Matthew 12:11 "And He said unto them, "What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?"

Jesus is pointing out just how sensitive they were to animals. People are real sensitive to animals, and Jesus could be directing this to the common environmentalist of today. However common sense tells you to help the little creatures out when they are in trouble.

Matthew 12:12 "How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days."

Jesus then asks them, How much more is the human being more important then an animal? When you are resting in Christ, you are able to do more on the Sabbath. Like it was pointed out earlier, if you are one of Christ's disciples, or learners, then in fact, you are one of His priests, just as David and his men were, eating the shewbread of the priests.

If it is lawful for one of the priests to take the shewbread on the Sabbath, then it is also lawful of one of His elect. The reason for this is that when we are in Christ, all days are our Sabbaths.

Matthew 12:13 "Then saith He to the man, "Stretch forth thine hand." And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other."

This was the Sabbath, and Jesus Christ healed the man right in front of these religious types.

Matthew 12:14 "Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against Him, how they might destroy Him."

These Pharisees are a real tribe of satanic minds. When they saw the healing of this man with the withered hand, they went right out and started planning, (by way of their own council), to kill Christ. This would make them murders, for their council had planned beforehand to do a criminal act, against Jesus. Down through the centuries, there have been more acts of killing for a religious cause, then any other singular cause, except for natural death.

Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:34; "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword." Each of God's elect carry that sword, and that sword is the Word of God. There is the power that all of God's children carry, and that is where our power comes from. The sword is the Living Word, and it is revealed by the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 12:15 "But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew Himself from thence: and great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all;"

This made the Pharisees and religious leaders more upset, for here came one that just didn't talk, but He used His authority to do what the religious leaders couldn't do. He healed their bodies and gave them peace of mind. He held the power and authority from God, and the people saw it.

Matthew 12:16 "And charged them that they should not make Him known:"

Matthew 12:17 "That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,"

Isaiah taught that this would come to pass, way back in Isaiah 42:1 "Behold my Servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon Him: He shall bring forth judgement to the Gentiles." This is referring to the salvation that Jesus Christ would bring to the Gentiles.

Isaiah 42:2 "He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street."

Isaiah 42:3 "A bruised reed shall He not break, and the smoking flax shall He not quench: He shall bring forth judgment unto truth."

So now we see this word of Isaiah is repeated as prophecy coming true.

Matthew 12:18 "Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon Him, and He shall shew judgement to the Gentiles."

When the dove came down and lighted on Christ's shoulder, the voice from God spoke,"Behold this is my beloved Son of whom I am well pleased." God poured His Spirit out upon Jesus and His work on earth began. The Gentiles are the nations of the earth. With Jesus Christ's death on the cross, His judgment or righteousness was shown to all peoples and nations of the earth.

Matthew 12:19 "He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear His voice in the streets."

What this is saying is that you will not hear some great outcry in the streets by Jesus. When you hear Jesus in the streets it will be with firmness and authority, and it will be in love.

Matthew 12:20 "A bruised reed shall He not break, and smoking flax shall He not quench, till He send forth judgment unto victory."

When a reed is bruised it just falls apart, and can never be healed again or put back together. When ones life is so broken that you think that there is no hope, Christ will take that life, and restore it.

What is this "smoking flax" that is spoken of here? Remember the old oil burning lamps, and the wicks that they used. It struck up with lots of body, and burned bright, however when it was cold, and you touched it, it fell apart into dust. It had no strength. Christ can take those lives that are stretched and burned out to the point of falling apart, and build the strength back into it.

It is saying that God can trim that wick to put forth a much brighter light, without ever putting out the light. When you feel that you are all burned out from the pressures of the world, Christ can restore your life, and give you a new beginning. When you call out to Him, He is there with His gentle voice, ready to forgive, and set you in the right path.

Matthew 12:21 "And in His name shall the Gentiles trust."

Jesus name is the light to the world, and the glory to all Israel. He gives all that will call upon His name a new life and a new start.

Matthew 12:22 "Then was brought unto Him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and He healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw."

This possessed one that was brought to Jesus could neither see nor speak, and was possessed with evil spirits. Can you see why this healing follows the the parable of the flax, and the bruised reed? There are many in this world that are filled with the evil spirits of this world, that can not see nor hear nor see the things concerning Christ. They can't see the truths of the scriptures, for they do not have the "key of David" in them, and they are living in sin and drugs, and all sorts of evil that is becoming common to the worldly mind.

When Jesus touches and heals that soul, they can both see the truths and know the truth, and speak the truth. At that point, the Spirit of God is what fills that heart and mind, and not the spirits of this world. That is why this report follows the parable of the bruised. Jesus can make the change in the heart and soul of a person, regardless of how damaged that soul has become.

When we come to an understanding of the teachings of Christ, we can see the beautiful things that He can bring into our lives. Christ does make a difference, and He can turn things around and take your heavy burdens and lighten your load of the pressures of this everyday world. There is not a single man in this world that can do this for you, for only Christ can take that heavy burden away, He is your Heavenly Father.

Matthew 12:23 "And all the people were amazed, and said, "Is not This the son of David?"

When the people saw who Jesus Christ had taken this poor broken man and made him well instantly, they were amazed, and were starting to put things together. They were calling Jesus the promised Messiah, the "Son of David".

Matthew 12:24 "But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, "This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils."

"The Pharisees heard it", they heard what the people were saying, and how they were starting to claim Jesus the Messiah. So immediately they went on the offense, and said that the deeds and healings were not of God but of Beelzebub. "Beelzebub" in the Hebrew means, "lord of the flies". They were saying that Jesus was from Satan, and that His works were the works of the Devil; of evil spirits.

These Pharisees in most cases were Kenites, those priests that were from the Nethinims that crept into the Levitical priesthood in Ezra's day, and dominated the duties that were set aside by God, for the sons of Aaron. The Pharisees knew that Jesus was not of the devil, for they know the works of their father Satan, through Cain, and healing was not one of those works.

This action of the Pharisees is very common today, for when a ministry that does teach the truth comes along, and point out the errors in the traditions of men, the religious world tares into them just as the Pharisees of old tore into Christ. They lie, and start the rumors, and even plot to end that ministry. Living in the last ten years, there have been attacks where church leaders have assisted the government agencies to support lies, and give assistance to bring one of God's ministries down. This Kenite mind is very much alive today, both in and out of the church world.

The sword of God will do it's work, and in these final days the Spirit of the Living God, the Holy Spirit is coming forth, and lives are being saved in spite of the movement to quench it.

Matthew 12:25 "And 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:"

Denominationalism means divisions. A house divided against itself cannot stand. There is only one Christ, one house, and one Book of Record, for what God would have His people know. That book is our Bible and it is called the Lamb's book of life. Friend if you are not in that book, and know it, you are not alive. Spiritually speaking, your soul is dead. You may have a letter in the records of your church house, but is your letter also in the Lamb's book of life.

Matthew 12:26 "And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?"

Lets put this into another light; if Christian cast out Christian, can that divided house fall? If Satan divided his own house, how can his house stand?

Matthew 12:27 "And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out: therefore they shall be your judges."

Jesus is now turning the table on these Pharisee hypocrites, "if I be of Satan, and my works are of the devils, then by whose works do your children cast them out." Those Kenites knew who they were and who Christ was, that is why the conflict exists in the first place. Jesus is saying for them to go to their own people and ask the question, for if Christ be of the devil, then He became one of them, and that was not acceptable, for they wanted nothing to do with God, or things of Christ.

Remember, the mind of the Kenite is to protect their father Satan, who in the next chapter is documented that he was their father, through his sexual relations with Eve in the Garden of Eden. God has already judged Satan to death [perdition], and that is why Satan is called "the son of perdition".

Paul told us in II Thessalonians 2:3; "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition," Satan's time, in person, here  on earth is coming very shortly, and it will be five months prior to the coming of the true Messiah. The mind of the Kenite would have you believe differently, for those doctrines of demons will deceive you into accepting their father, the Antichrist as the true Messiah.

By what power do you cast out demons today? Do they stay gone, and depart for the holding place of demons, or do they hang around? What Jesus is calling the Kenite Pharisees attention to was the fact that they did not cast out devils, for they were of the Devil themselves. They have murder and destruction in their hearts that cannot stand the truth.

Matthew 12:28 "But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you."

Jesus is telling them that if His casting out of devils, and healing of the sick is not of Satan, then the Kingdom of God is come unto them now. Jesus is telling them point blank that if I am not of the Devil, then I am the Messiah.

When the Holy Spirit of God is come into your life, then the kingdom of God has come unto you also. That kingdom is already here on earth, through the Spirit of the Living God.

Matthew 12:29 "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 his house."

In other words, the house is the body of the man that Christ cleansed. Jesus cast out the dumb and blind spirit from that house, or man's body. Satan wanted to keep that individual blind and dumb, and we have seen that some of the greatest workers for God, are those that have been at the bottom, and then having seen the light, come out of their sin. They have experienced the hardships that Satan can bring upon somebody, and then they were cleansed to where they could hear, and speak the Word of God; and they become great ambassadors of Jesus Christ.

What Jesus is saying, is that if Satan saw what would happen when the blind and dumb were healed, he would have kept them in their broken condition. But I, the Kingdom of God, cast those devils from him, and now he has the light.

Matthew 12:30 "He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad."

This is how you tell the houses apart, whether they are of Satan, or of Christ. If you are in God's Word, then you can understand the flow of the plan of God, and the Spirit of that understanding will let you know if the work is of God or of Satan. If the teaching, or the words follow the plan of God, then you know that it is of God, and that person is true. You can't have it two ways; you are either for God, or against Him. Any twisting of God's Word, is what Satan does.

Live Link to- The Plan of God

It doesn't matter what church a man goes to if they are in God's Word, and studying chapter by chapter, and verse by verse to get the entire Word in its context. To have the truths that Jesus taught, it should also be explained in terms that the lay person can understand. The purpose of the teaching is to give all men and women the hope and life that only Jesus can give. That is what Christianity is all about. It is the reality of changing lives, and changing them for the better. There is only one Christ, and His battle is against Satan.

Live Link to- Church is not Christianity. God's Word is Christianity.

Matthew 12:31 "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."

Jesus is telling you that all manner of sin is forgivable, except the sin committed by elect of God when he refuses to allow the Holy Spirit of God to speak through him when he is delivered up in the time of the end. This sin is spoken of in Mark 13:11; "But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought before hand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye, for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.".

Matthew 12:32 "And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come."

You can call Jesus Christ what ever you want to, and even deny Christ before men, and upon repentance that act of sin will be forgiven of you. When the Holy Spirit of God wishes to use you, Jesus is warning you, you had better allow Him to use your mouth, for He will do the thinking, and do the premeditating for you. When Christ healed the blind and dumb man, he both saw Christ, and spoke of Him. He spoke of the good news that Christ brought to him. This denying of the Holy Spirit then, is the unforgivable sin that only God's elect can commit.

Matthew 12:33 "Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is know by his fruit."

If you have a good tree then the fruit off of it will also be good. Jesus is telling these Pharisees to look at Him as a tree. They have looked at Christ as doing the works of Beelzebub, the devil; but Christ is saying, look at the works that I have done. Is there evil in the works of making this man whole? Is this good fruit or is it bad fruit?

Jesus Christ is telling us that before we follow some man, check out his fruit. What does he talk about, and what are his main topics of conversation. Are they of God, or of the world. Observe that preacher, and learn to discern, and the standard is whether or not it checks out with the overall plan of God.

Matthew 12:34 "O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh."

Jesus is telling them that what they speak of, is what is in their heart, and that is what is in their mind. What they speak is what comes from their father the devil. Jesus calls them a "generation of vipers", or snakes, because that is the role of their physical father Cain, the offspring of the affair between Eve and Satan. Satan is the serpent in the Garden of Eden. We will get into this, in Matthew thirteen.

The Kenites speak of evil because that is what is in their heart, however upon repentance they become one of the children of God, and they are just as clean in their heart as any other part of the body of Christ.

Matthew 12:35 "A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things."

It is just that simple, watch and learn. The man is inside exactly what is coming out of his mouth, and the deeds that he is doing. What he holds dear in the physical life is the reflection of the man's heart, and what is in his mind.

Matthew 12:36 "But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment."

This applies directly to those that claim to teach the Word of God, only instead of giving forth the truth of God's Word, they preached the traditions of men and false doctrines. They will be held accountable for all the sins committed when they spoke of things that were not in God's Word, and presented them in God's name. Every idle word is accountable.

When one does this in ignorance, and then comes to the knowledge of his deeds, and repents, then these words are forgiven. When you say, the Lord saith, and He did not, that is what you will be judged upon.

Matthew 12:37 "For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by they words thou shalt be condemned."

Whether you go to Heaven or are condemned to hell, it will be done by the words and deeds that you have committed. You have the choice of the path that you will take, and that choice will either save, or condemn you.

Matthew 12:38 "Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, "Master, we would see a sign from thee." "

Even after seen the blind and dumb man healed, and all the other healings, these spiritually dead scribes and Pharisees still are blind to who they are talking to. They call him "Master", or teacher, and they will not believe any of His teachings. They still want a sign. All men will be judged, and if your words are truth, then your judgment brings rewards and blessings to you.

The point that is made here is there are some people that you just can not show the truth to. Even when they have seen with their own eyes, they just won't believe, there minds and hearts are closed.

Matthew 12:39 "But He answered and said unto them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall not sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:"

The word "Jonas" in the Hebrew tongue means "the dove". It points to the warmth of the dove, in love and understanding. Spiritually the dove is the Holy Spirit. When Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit came down and rested upon Him, and a voice came down from heaven saying, "This is My Son in whom I am well pleased."

What is this sign of Jonas the prophet, that Jesus told these scribes and Pharisees would be there only sign?

Matthew 12:40 "For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."

 Editor's Note::: 3 days AND 3 nights, that isn't Friday afternoon until Sunday at sunrise, NO MATTER WHAT YOUR CHURCH TEACHES! 

Live Link to- 3 DAYS AND 3 NIGHTS

Jesus is telling these Pharisees that even as Jonas was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, so also Christ would be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. This is a direct quotation from the Book of Jonah: 1:17; "Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights."

Jesus told these religious Pharisees in advance, yet they all refused to listen when the event occurred, and still tried to lie and cover it up. When Christ went into the tomb, the guards were not posted to verify His resurrection, but just the opposite, to show that Jesus was not the Christ, and be stolen away.

Matthew 12:41 "The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here."

The very Son of God, Himself came to preach to the people of Judah, and these religious leaders refused to hear or believe in what He had to say. Jesus said because of the rejection they gave to Christ, the men of Nineveh were going to be the ones to judge these scribes and Pharisees. In that judgment, the Jews and Kenites will be found guilty, and condemned. The people of Nineveh heard Jonah's preaching, and they were convicted and repented, they were made righteous before God.

Matthew 12:42 "The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, a greater than Solomon is here."

This comes from I Kings chapter ten. When she was in that far off kingdom, the Queen of Sheba heard of the wisdom of God that Solomon was preaching, and she knew the value of it. She brought great wealth to Solomon, and with her, the Navy of Hiram to bring the gold and precious trees, and and the wealth of stones to pay for the wisdom. She knew the value of the teachings of Christ through Solomon, and she repented, and sought the truths of Solomon from God.

Jesus is saying that even this converted heathen queen will stand in judgment of this generation that crucified our Lord.

Friend, this can apply also to today, for the religious community again is turning their backs on the Word of God, the Wisdom of Solomon, and taking up the traditions of old. The Kenites were blind and dumb to it, and in large part so are many of those leading the church today. God will have His elect, and they will see and understand, for the Holy Spirit will reveal the Word to them. This generation will also be judged; How will those men of Nineveh judge you?

Matthew 12:43 "When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none."

Jesus Christ is telling you that an unclean spirit, an evil spirit will not exist out side the body of a man woman or child.

Matthew 12:44 "Then he saith, 'I will return into my house from whence I came out;' and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished."

This evil spirit goes on to say, if I leave a man, I will return to that same man to find him all cleaned up. What this is saying, is that some Christian came along and planted a seed in the mind of a sinner, and then left a little of the milk of the Word with him, and left. Shortly this man that was saved had nothing to sustain himself with from God's Word, and turned back to the things that he was saved out of. This evil spirit continues to say that he will return to that same person, and will enter right back into him, and he will be received.

When you plant the seed of God's truth, and that person is converted, do you leave him alone, or do you put the meat of the word into His mind so that he has something to stand against the evil spirits?

  The editor again: When your church reaches and saves a sinner, does it then teach him the meat of God's word, book by book, chapter by chapter, verse by verse, rightly dividing the "Word of Truth" or does your church continue to give him the same milk to drink that touched his heart in the first place? Sunday after Sunday; whereby, he never grows in his understanding of God's Word. Does he remain a baby Christian forever? Never learning to tell the difference between what is holy (Jesus) and what is profane (Satan)

Is this new Christian being set up to worship Satan when he comes to earth, five months prior to Christ's return, claiming he is God? Will he endure until the end?

Live Link to- Endure til the end

Matthew 12:45 "Then goeth he and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked then himselp, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation."

This applies to the generation we are now in, as well as that of Christ's time. In the first influx of the Nephilim [fallen angels], that is to say the seven unclean spirits, for there are seven thousand of them, just as there are seven thousand of the elect; and the documentation of this is found in Revelation 11. For those seven thousand unclean spirits shall die in the streets of Jerusalem, when the two witness rise from the dead.

Those unclean spirits shall come back a second time with many more unclean spirits, when Satan is booted out of heaven, and all the evil spirits are booted out with him. The second influx of demons will be far worse then the first, for this will be a time that the world has never seen before, and the minds of the men on earth will be sealed by God, and then you will either have the marking [seal] of God, or you will have taken the mark of the beast.

Jesus told us in Matthew 24:36; "But as the days of Noe [Noah] were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." In the days of Noah, the fallen angels came to earth and intermarried with with the daughters of man. They were marring and taking in marriage with mankind and the entire world was infested with these evil beings. Friend, Jesus is telling you that that is exactly how it will be when He comes again. Christians will be intermarry in a spiritual and physical sense, with these evil angels, thinking they are the people of God.

 Live Link to- Just as it was in the days of Noah.

You will see this come to pass before you see our Lord Jesus Christ coming back to earth. This will happen in this last generation, and we had better be aware of it and not caught off guard. In Matthew 24:40 says; "Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left." The first one that is taken is taken by Satan the false-christ, and his evil angels, which the one remaining in the field is the one that is faithful to God to the end. Because most proclaiming Christians will believe he is Jesus!

Better than ninety percent of the churches today teach, through their rapture doctrine, that you want to be taken by the fake christ. The first supernatural being to come along claiming to be God. That fake christ is the spurious messiah and he come five months before Christ's actual return. Those proclaiming Christians find bliss in their ignorance, as they follow their churches traditions, which are written and taught by men. 666

Matthew 12:46 "While He yet talked to the people, behold, His mother and His brethren stood without, desiring to speak with Him."

They came there from their home, to speak to Him.

Matthew 12:47 "Then one said unto Him, Behold, "Thy mother and Thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with Thee." "

They wanted to talk to Jesus a minute.

Matthew 12:48 "But He answered and said unto him that told Him, "Who is My mother? and who are My brethren?"

Jesus was not belittling His mother, or His earthly family; He is stating that He came to this world to minister to all the people.

Matthew 12:49 "And He stretched forth His hand toward His disciples, and said, "Behold My mother and My brethren!"

This is as it is in the family of God, and many times you become closer and find more love in the family of God, then within your earthly family. They are your true brethren, and this bonding of the true brethren will become even stronger, as we come closer to the times of the end, of this generation.

Matthew 12:50 "For whosoever shall do the will of My Father Which is in heaven, the same is My brother, and sister, and mother."

God is the Father of all, and His will is written in His Word. Jesus is stating, If you want to be in His family, joint heirs with Jesus Christ in His heavenly kingdom, you will learn what is in His Fathers will and do it. God created all souls, and called them His children, however sin has separated our Heavenly Father from His children. Because of sin, our Heavenly Father wrote a plan in the heavens [constellations], and sent His Son to fulfill that plan, and it is written in His written Word. This Word, is God's will and Testament that exists in two parts. Those parts are called the Old and the New Testaments. They are "the will of God".

Jesus is telling us that to become a member of the family of God, and Joint heirs with Christ in His kingdom, we must do the deeds that are written in God's will [the Bible]. That is the only way. That way starts when you see yourself as a sinner against God, and repent, You must believe in Jesus, and turn from your sinful ways to do this, for it is only through Chris'st blood that God the Father will forgive you.

If you think you know Jesus Christ and yet you are ignorant of His Word, you are deceiving yourself and headed for a great fall when Satan shows up as the false-christ.

Jesus Christ told us at the conclusion of Matthew chapter eleven that if you are heavy laden and a willing "laborer", meaning that you are willing to "come to Him" and "take His yoke upon you" and "learn about Him", then He will give you "rest"!

Matthew 11:28-29
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

[29] Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

Hebrews 4:11
Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

[12]For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

You "see", as Christians we must go to Him and "learn of Him" and mature to the point that we understand that Jesus Christ, the Word of God, is our rest which means He is our "sabbath". In fact, the word "sabbath" means "rest". Yet there are those even this day who teach that you must keep a certain "day", even from sunset to sunset, in order to be in good standing with God. Is that true? We will find out in this study as Christ teaches us concerning the sabbath day.

Matthew 12:1
At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and His disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat.

[2] But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto Him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.

"In the ninth chapter of Hebrews Paul compares the details of the earthly tabernacle, along with the ordinances of divine service, to the true tabernacle, Jesus Christ, and what He has done for us as our High Priest who entered into the Holy of Holies once and for all time. By teaching us in this manner, Paul shows us how perfectly the Old Covenant explains the New by letting us "see" how those shadows represent the true tabernacle, which is Jesus Christ. Col. 2:17 "Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ." For you see, the New Covenant is simply the fulfillment of, the reality of, the Old Covenant, that schoolmaster which brings us to know and understand Jesus Christ, the true tabernacle.

The ordinances of "divine service" and the "worldly sanctuary" were only figures, visible likenesses, images of the true tabernacle, Jesus Christ. In other words, they were earthly things our flesh eyes could see, things made and services performed to show us and teach us as a schoolmaster the things which cannot be seen, even His eternal power and Godhead, that power which can forgive sins and grant us "life" eternal. Romans 1:20 "For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse."

And so it was that the worldly (earthly) tabernacle was made by men's hands according to the "pattern" God gave Moses, and the ordinances of divine service were ordained so that we might be able to clearly "see" and "understand", and come to know Jesus Christ, the true tabernacle and the one and only true sacrifice for sins. He was the "real thing", the reality, the One promised by the sworn oath of Almighty God who would come and "open the way", fulfilling all things. And once the reality came, all those representative "things" were completely done away with (Col. 2:14-17).

To that end, Paul is now going to give us a description of how the earthly tabernacle was set-up and what the ordinances of divine service (vs. 1) entailed pertaining to the Holy of Holies, the Holiest part of the sanctuary, and compare them to Christ. He speaks first of that part of the sanctuary wherein all the priests could go.

Hebrews 9:2 For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary.

The candlestick or lampstand with the seven lamps, the detailed description of which you can read in Ex. 25:31-40, was placed on the south side of the first apartment of the tabernacle, opposite the table of shewbread (Exodus 25:37) and it was lit permanently to give light inside the Holy Place. Wise virgins might find it interesting to know that the priests in the tabernacle were responsible, evening and morning, for trimming the wicks and filling up the seven lamps with the purest of olive oil sufficient to keep it burning throughout the night (see Mat. 25:1-13).

Exodus 27:20-21
And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always. [21] In the tabernacle of the congregation without the veil, which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall order it from evening to morning before the LORD: it shall be a statute for ever unto their generations on the behalf of the children of Israel.

You will also find that the shewbread, consisting of "twelve" loafs of "unleavened" bread, was placed on the "pure" table before the LORD and set in two rows of six cakes each.

Leviticus 24:5-7
And thou shalt take fine flour, and bake twelve cakes thereof: two tenth deals shall be in one cake. [6] And thou shalt set them in two rows, six on a row, upon the pure table before the LORD. [7] And thou shalt put pure frankincense upon each row, that it may be on the bread for a memorial, even an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

One should take it upon himself or herself to study and learn all he or she can about the tabernacle and the things contained therein and the ordinances of service. Why? Because they teach us all about the true tabernacle, Jesus Christ, and the things of the spirit."

---

Matthew 12:3 But He said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;

Now notice that Jesus relates what has happened, i.e. His disciples going through the field plucking and eating the grain, to what David did in 1 Samuel 21 when he and his men were an hungered and they entered into the tabernacle and ate the shewbread!

[4] How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?

1 Samuel 21:5-6
And David answered the priest, and said unto him, Of a truth women have been kept from us about these three days, since I came out, and the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in a manner common, yea, though it were sanctified this day in the vessel.

[6] So the priest gave him hallowed bread: for there was no bread there but the shewbread, that was taken from before the LORD, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away.

Now here is another teaching of Christ regarding the sabbath days!

Matthew 12:5
Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?

[6] But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.

[7] But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.

Here is the verse Christ quoted from the great Book of Hosea, whose name means "salvation"!

Hosea 6:6
For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

Matthew 12:8
For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.

Mark 2:27-28
And He said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:

[28] Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

Since this seems to be so difficult for so many people, let us go to Colossians chapter two and nail this down once and for all!

Paul writes:

Col. 2:8
Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

[9] For in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

[10] And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power:

[11] In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:

[12] Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

[13] And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

[14] Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross;

[15] And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

[16] Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:

[17]Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

Let us return to Matthew 12 where Christ has just finished explaining to the Pharisees that the Father does not want burnt offerings and sacrifices from His children. He wants them to turn to Him and love Him and learn of His ways. To that end, even the sabbath was made for man to teach him about God's love and the rest He will give all those who labor.

Matthew 12:9
And when He was departed thence, He went into their synagogue:

[10] And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse Him.

We see the real motive for these religious types in questioning Jesus Christ, the Word of God. It should be obvious that they ask not TO SEEK THE TRUTH but rather to find fault and make accusations that they may justify and perpetuate their own religious ordinances and traditions.

[11] And He said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?

Note: Interestingly enough, this was not against their traditions at this time but they would shortly hereafter make it such.

[12] How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.

[13] Then saith He to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.

So... after seeing that miracle you would think that the Pharisees would be overjoyed at the wonderful works of God, wouldn't you? However, they were not in the least bit concerned about the welfare and healing of the people who they themselves have spiritually handicapped and kept in the pits. I mean, if you lift up the lame, and heal all the blind and diseased people, thereby setting them free in Christ, in the truth of His Word... then who would you have left to yourself to fill your own tabernacle and extract tithes and offerings from?

You "see", you can't have both a religion and Jesus Christ at the same time! One or the other must go! Unfortunately, it seems that "religious leaders" will always choose religion!  Therefore, the Truth must go!

[14] Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against Him, how they might destroy Him.

John 8:32
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

When you blaspheme the Holy Spirit, you have got big, big problems!

If you recall from our last study, Jesus Christ had entered into the church of the Pharisees, which was their synagogue, their house, and proceeded to set one of His sheep free from the pit by healing a man's hand that had withered on the unfruitful vine. Matthew 12:9-10 "And when he was departed thence, He went into their synagogue. [10] And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him." Now this miraculous healing from the Word of God Himself shall be the beginning of their house becoming divided. So, put on your eyes to see for understanding and picture in your mind's eye the following scene.

Matthew 12:14
Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against Him, how they might destroy Him.

Watch and observe the wisdom and power of Messiah.

[15] But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all;

This will all be explained in a parable a few verses hence, but first notice that not only did great multitudes of people follow Jesus Christ as He departed from the synagogue, He healed all those who followed Him! Wow! You "see", they ALL needed (spiritually) healed after withering to the point of (spiritual) death in that "God forsaken" house!

Then He charged them not to make Him known, as in renown. In other words, He was not looking to "make a big splash" and be publicly exalted. Remember what we read of Him in Matthew 11:29 "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls."

[16] And charged them that they should not make Him known:

[17] That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,

The next few verses are quoted from Isa. 42:1-4.

Matthew 12:18
Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved (Son), in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon Him, and He shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.

Isaiah 42:1
Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.

Matthew 12:19
He shall not strive, nor cry (aloud); neither shall any man hear His voice in the streets.

Isaiah 42:2
He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.

Matthew 12:20
A bruised reed shall He not break, and smoking flax shall He not quench, till He send forth judgment unto victory.

Isaiah 42:3
A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.

[4] He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.

[21] And in His name shall the Gentiles trust.

So Jesus, now having perceived that the Pharisees were plotting to kill Him, walked out of their synagogue with a great multitude of people following Him and He healed them ALL.

Now notice what happened next.

Matthew 12:22
Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and He healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.

[23] And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?

Here's what they came up with...

[24] But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.

But you see, here is the clincher! The Pharisees also just admitted that He did in fact cast out evil spirits which is a victory over Satan's kingdom!

Here is the wisdom with which Christ handled this and convicted them.

[25] And 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:

So Christ has just made an irrefutable statement which has been true by observation since time immemorial, and that is that any kingdom or city or house which is divided against itself cannot stand! (Keep in mind what has transpired in that their house has just been divided!)

[26] And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?

[27] And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges.

[28] But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.

But wait, there's even more logic and proof declaring that Jesus Christ has the Spirit of God and the power over Satan!

[29] 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 his house.

[30] He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.

Do you know what the unpardonable sin is?

Many Christians worry that they might have already committed it because they are laden with guilt feelings or are ashamed because of some sin or sins they may have committed... such as committing adultery. However, in today's study we are going to learn that the only sin which shall not be forgiven unto men (anthropos) has nothing to do with your falling short in the flesh, nor is it even possible to commit at this present time.

To that end and in order to prepare our minds for understanding exactly what the unpardonable sin is, let us go to the Word of God and learn about the first one who committed the unforgivable sin. His name was Lucifer and although it happened in the "world that then was (2 Pet. 3:6)" when man was not in the flesh, keep in mind that there is "nothing new under the sun" and just as he was judged and consequently sentenced to be hewn down as a "corrupt tree" to be cast into and perish in the lake of fire at the end of the Millennium, so shall those who follow in his footsteps by becoming corrupt trees themselves, likewise be sentenced to perish and be cast right along with him into that lake of fire (Rev. 20:15).

We begin in the 28th chapter of Ezekiel.

Ezekiel 28:12
Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.

Now notice the status of this one among the children of God.

[13] Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.

In other words, he was a priest of God, one who was anointed by God (next verse) to cover (guard) the mercy seat by upholding and maintaining our Father's truth and justice!

Ezekiel 28:14
Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.

[15] Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.

It was not just that iniquity was found in him, but that he "sinned", he "missed the mark", which is "chata" in Hebrew.

[16] By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence [i.e. corruption], and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.

sinned = chat*a', khaw-taw', Hebrew 2398; a primitive root; properly to miss; hence (figurative and general) to sin; by inferance to forfeit, lack, expiate, repent, (causative) lead astray, condemn :- bear the blame, cleanse, commit [sin], by fault, harm he hath done, loss, miss, (make) offend (-er), offer for sin, purge, purify (self), make reconciliation, (cause, make) sin (-ful, -ness), trespass.

[17] Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.

[18] Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.

[19] All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.

We also find this same knowledge of Satan as the corrupt tree, the Assyrian, "te-ashshur*" (box-tree), of Ezek. 31:3 who led astray and deceived all great nations in the first earth age and caused them all to dwell under his shadow (of darkness).

Ezekiel 31:3
Behold, the Assyrian* was a cedar in Lebanon with fair branches, and with a shadowing shroud, and of an high stature; and his top was among the thick boughs.

* See note in the Companion Bible, page 1150.

[4] The waters made him great, the deep set him up on high with her rivers running round about his plants, and sent out her little rivers unto all the trees of the field.

[5] Therefore his height was exalted above all the trees of the field, and his boughs were multiplied, and his branches became long because of the multitude of waters, when he shot forth.

[6] All the fowls of heaven made their nests in his boughs, and under his branches did all the beasts of the field bring forth their young, and under his shadow dwelt all great nations.

[7] Thus was he fair in his greatness, in the length of his branches: for his root was by great waters.

[8] The cedars in the garden of God could not hide him: the fir trees were not like his boughs, and the chesnut trees were not like his branches; nor any tree in the garden of God was like unto him in his beauty.

[9] I have made him fair by the multitude of his branches: so that all the trees of Eden, that were in the garden of God, envied him.

Nevertheless, Satan willingly and unrepentantly committed sin (chata) for which there is no pardon by standing against the Holy Spirit of God and denying truth and justice to flow through him. You "see", he chose of his own free will rather to lead astray God's precious children. So with that knowledge and background in mind concerning the first unpardonable sin, and knowing that there is nothing new under the sun (i.e. in this flesh age), we are ready to return to Matthew and learn what "blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is", for it is the only sin which shall not be forgiven unto men in this flesh age!

First however, you may recall from our last study that Jesus Christ revealed His power and His Spirit unto the Pharisees who not only witnessed His good works but even admitted that they were good works when they said that He did cast out evil spirits. However, rather than joining with Him and acknowledging the power of the Holy Spirit of God to overpower Satan's house, his evil empire, and "rescue the sheep from the pit", i.e. free the people from the evil one, they chose to willfully and purposely, because of the evil in their hearts (minds), stand against Him and deny His power and authority by actively accusing Him before the people of casting out evil spirits by the power of Beelzebub, one of Satan's names which means Lord of the Dunghill (how fitting). In other words, they attributed the good fruit He produced of coming from the "evil tree", of being produced by Satan himself, so that they could maintain their own self-exaltation, i.e. their power and authority over God's children, and keep them in bondage to their traditions of men, keeping also the children's hands withered that they might not be able to stretch forth and be healed and labor for the Lord!  Remember also that Jesus Christ "knew their thoughts", i.e. what was in their hearts, and they had become unrepentant corrupt trees which could only bear corrupt fruit!

Matthew 12:25
And 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:

Matthew 12:30
He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.

John 10:12
But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.

Matthew 12:31
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.

Let us look at the Greek word for "blasphemy" which is the act of being "blasphemous".

blasphemy = G988 e?mia blas-fay-me'-ah
From G989; vilification (especially against God): - blasphemy, evil speaking, railing.

blasphemous = G989 blasphemos blas'-fay-mos
From a derivative of G984 and G5345; scurrilous, that is, calumnious (against man), or (specifically) impious (against God): - blasphemer (-mous), railing.

blapto = G984 ??????? blapto blap'-to
A primary verb; properly to hinder, that is, (by implication) to injure: - hurt.

against = G5345 ????? pheme fay'-may
From G5346; a saying, that is, rumor (“fame”): - fame.

[32] 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.

Again, what was the example set forth in Matthew 12? The Pharisees, the spiritual leaders, refused to teach the people the truth that the Tree of Life was present before them, that the Kingdom of God had come, and having seen and witnessed His power they stood right before Jesus Christ and knowingly and publicly denied His Spirit and taught others that His power was of Satan! That constitutes blaspheme against the Holy Spirit! Here it is:

[30] Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.

Matthew 12:33
Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.

So if we were to ask the question, "Who can commit such an unforgivable sin?" The answer would be "trees"! Again, a word to the wise is sufficient. To that end, let's go back to Matthew 7 and review verses 15 to 20.

Matthew 7:15
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

[16] Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

[17] Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

[18] A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

[19] Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

[20] Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Matthew 12:34
O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

generation = gennema, ghen'-nay-mah, Greek 1081; from Greek 1080 (gennao); offspring; by analogy produce (literal or figurative) :- fruit, generation.

vipers = echidna, ekh'-id-nah, Greek 2191; of uncertain origin; an adder or other poisonous snake (literal or figurative) :- viper.

[35] A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

[36] But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

idle = argos, ar-gos', Greek 692; from Greek 1 (a) (as a negative particle) and Greek 2041 (ergon); inactive, i.e. unemployed; (by implication) lazy, useless :- barren, idle, slow.

ergon, er'-gon, Greek 2041; from a primary (but obsolete) ergo (to work); toil (as an effort or occupation); by implication an act :- deed, doing, labour, work.

speak = laleo, lal-eh'-o, Greek 2980; a prolonged form of an otherwise obsolete verb; to talk, i.e. utter words :- preach, say, speak (after), talk, tell, utter. Compare Greek 3004 (lego).

[37] For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

Luke 12:8
Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God:

[9] But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.

denieth = arneomai, ar-neh'-om-ahee, Greek 720; perhaps from Greek 1 (a) (as a negative particle) and the middle of Greek 4483 (rheo); to contradict, i.e. disavow, reject, abnegate :- deny, refuse.

[10] 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.

However, if your heart is pure and you are a true servant of God, then you need take no anxious thought nor premeditate what you shall say when you are delivered up, for as it is written the Holy Spirit shall speak through you as He did those on that first Pentecost Day following the resurrection.

[11] 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:

The point is, stay in His Word and be filled with His Spirit and then there is no need to be anxious nor even think about what you will say at the time of the delivering up, for as He promised those who stand with Him, He will never leave you nor forsake you.

[12] For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.

Until then, stay yoked with Him and focused in His Word. Remain steadfast as a faithful laborer with Christ until the end of this age and He shall indeed confess your name before the angels.

Thank you Father for your Word!

What part of three days and three nights don't our church leaders understand?

There is so much precious truth and wisdom contained in the Word of God that if one will only take the time with "opened eyes and ears" to go to His Word (open the Book) and ask and seek and knock, then the door to spiritual riches beyond compare to any material riches "under the sun" shall be opened unto him. In fact, one can find eternal life and peace and happiness contained therein! John 5:39 "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think [means to know] ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me."

However, some would rather play church and rather than search the scriptures which testify of Him, building their foundation of faith upon the Rock, they choose rather to seek other things as evidence to testify of Him, like sideshows and signs and wonders.

Therefore consider the following scripture which begins today's study:

Matthew 12:38
Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.

Stop and think about it a moment! Think about the fact that they had "in their midst" the "Tree of Life", the Living Word of God, yet even after seeing His power whereby people were healed and demonic spirits were cast out they still would not open their ears to "hear Him" and believe His words.

Well I suppose as wise old Solomon (mentioned by Christ later in this chapter) said, there is nothing new under the sun, for many people today have the written Word of God "in their midst" and yet they likewise will not open their ears to "hear Him" and believe His words! No, they would much rather listen to men and follow vain religious traditions which make void the Word of God.

Nevertheless, these "certain scribes and Pharisees", no doubt the same "generation of vipers", i.e. kenites, that He has been addressing, answered Christ by tempting Him (Luke 11:16) and challenging Him both as a "Master" (teacher of the law) and as one whose power and authority comes from God. As the saying goes, "Like father, like son", for their father the devil (Jn. 8:44) did tempt Christ after the same manner in Matthew 4:6 at which time "Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God (Mat. 4:7)."

Of course those who possess wisdom concerning "good trees" and "corrupt trees" as per our last study, know that a "sign" would not satisfy the unbelief of these "certain scribes and Pharisees" which stems from an unrepentant and idolatrous heart. Here is what Jesus said to the gathered crowd concerning their demand for a sign:

[39] But He answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:

And so it came to pass that Jonah, whose name means "Dove" which is used symbolically of the Holy Spirit, did die and was in the belly of the great fish three days and three nights and was then vomited up on the shore to bring salvation to the gentiles, even the Assyrians! And guess what? When Jonah preached unto them they did repent*!

* It should be noted that the Assyrians worshipped Dagon, the "fish god", so when the people saw and/or heard that their god brought forth Jonah alive from its mouth, they took heed and "heard Jonah's words" and did repent. In other words, in their minds they believed Jonah was sent from God, and He was, just as Christ was sent from God!

Therefore as Jonah was sign unto the Ninevites, so likewise it would come to pass that the Son of God would be brought forth out the heart of the earth after three days and three nights and bring salvation to the gentiles... to "whosoever will".

[40] For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Now the "Master" gives them a witness and a Bible lesson!

[41] The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.

And not only would they not repent, they had no desire to seek His wisdom, the wisdom from the Living Word of God who was standing right there before their very eyes! Compare that to the following testimony of the Queen of Sheba.

[42] The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

1 Kings 10:1-2
And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions. [2] And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.

1 Kings 10:7
Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard.

1 Kings 10:8-10
Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom. [9] Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the LORD loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice. [10] And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices very great store, and precious stones: there came no more such abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon.

Chances are you are not even aware that they wrote it because the "light snuffers" have had it removed from the publications of most Bibles... which only gives further witness to the darkness of their motives!

Here is just one excerpt from that letter (emphasis ours):

"Now the Church of Rome would seem at the length to bear a motherly affection towards her children, and to allow them the Scriptures in their mother tongue: but indeed it is a gift, not deserving to be called a gift, an unprofitable gift: [Sophecles] they must first get a License in writing before they may use them, and to get that, they must approve themselves to their Confessor, that is, to be such as are, if not frozen in the dregs, yet soured with the leaven of their superstition. Howbeit, it seemed too much to Clement the Eighth that there should be any License granted to have them in the vulgar tongue, and therefore he overruleth and frustrateth the grant of Pius the Fourth. [See the observation (set forth by Clemen. His authority) upon the 4. rule of Pius the 4. his making in the index, lib. prohib. pag. 15. ver. 5.] So much are they afraid of the light of the Scripture, (Lucifugae Scripturarum, as Tertulian speaketh) that they will not trust the people with it, no not as it is set forth by their own sworn men, no not with the License of their own Bishops and Inquisitors. Yea, so unwilling they are to communicate the Scriptures to the people's understanding in any sort, that they are not ashamed to confess, thatwe forced them to translate it into English against their wills. This seemeth to argue a bad cause, or a bad conscience, or both. Sure we are, that it is not he that hath good gold, that is afraid to bring it to the touchstone, but he that hath the counterfeit; [Tertul. de resur. carnis.] neither is it the true man that shunneth the light, but the malefactor, lest his deeds should be reproved [John 3:20]: neither is it the plain dealing Merchant that is unwilling to have the weights, or the meteyard brought in place, but he that useth deceit. But we will let them alone for this fault, and return to translation."

You "see", if one goes to the Word of God and is enlightened by the Tree of Life, then he or she will discover that there is only one High Priest and there is only one Mediator between God and man and that One is Jesus Christ. The truth will then sent that person free of the captivity of religion and men's traditions (as a sheep lifted out of the pit) and their blind eyes shall be opened and their withered hands will be made whole whereby they can labor for Him.

Matthew 12:43
When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.

[44] Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.

However, if your house (mind) remains empty and swept and garnished, then you are inviting in more trouble than you started with!

[45] Then goeth he, and taketh with himself 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. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

Rev. 18:2
And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.

Matthew 12:46
While He yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with Him.

[47] Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.

[48] But He answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?

[49] And He stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!

[50] For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

In our next study we are going to begin the great 13th chapter of Matthew wherein is contained a parable that Christ said must be understood if one is to have the wisdom to understand any of His parables!

How truly precious is the Word of God and we plan to do some digging!

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