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

Presents 

Chapter 21

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 21

"The Fourth Period; the Kingdom Rejected."

Matthew 21:1 "And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples,"

From this point on, a great deal of teaching will be done by Jesus from this Mount of Olives. The location of the Mount of Olives is just east of the east gate of the the city, just beyond the valley of Kedron. It is on this Mount of Olives that our Lord Jesus Christ will return, and when His feet touch it, this earth age of the flesh will be over. That will mark the end of Satan - the Antichrist's rule, over the entire earth, by his one world religious system.

This mount is less then a mile away from the temple site, and it is named after the olive groves that grew there. It is from the olive trees where the oil of God's people comes from, which is the oil used in all anointing. We must remember, that It is not the oil that does the anointing and that brings the healing, or covering, or miracle to pass, but because it shows our obedience to God in that He told us to anoint in this manner.

It was also on the Mount of Olives where much of Jesus teachings concerning our generation, and the events that we are now witnessing that mark the end of this earth age were given. Jesus taught here, so that we would not be deceived.

Matthew 21:2 "Saying unto them, "Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me."

Matthew 21:3 "And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, 'The Lord hath need of them and straightway he will send them."

In other words, this man will let you take the animals from him.  Notice how God has so laid out His perfect plan, that everything happened right on schedule. Jesus and the disciples came to town at the right time, and the animals were at the right place, right on time. God has complete control of all men and events, and this applies to us also, living in a period of time when the events are coming to pass that are preparing the way for the coming of the false Christ. This should give all of the Elect of God special comfort in knowing the promises of His Holy Word.

The lesson that we get from this is that God leaves not one stone unturned.

Matthew 21:4 "All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,

Matthew 21:5 " "Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass." "

This colt is one that had never been ridden before. This is the time of the First Advent, or coming of Christ where the people, all the people recognized Him as the Messiah. This verse is Old Testament prophecy from the book of Zechariah.

Zechariah 9:9; "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: He is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass." This is the King of kings, and this is His First Advent, or coming. He is just, or fair, and having salvation means He is about to pay the price for that salvation. This is prophecy that had to be fulfilled, and it was.

The ass, or donkey is not the animal of prestige in Jerusalem, or anywhere, but is an animal of lowly people. Now this is the Second Advent in the verse that follows.

Zechariah 9:10 "And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and speak peace unto the heathen: and His dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth."

Ephraim is the larger of the ten tribes of Israel that went north, through the Caucasus Mountains, known as "Caucasians", where this event has become what people refer to as their race, while it has nothing to do with race, but rather their route to the west. This Second Advent of Christ they will not see Him coming on a ass, but a white horse. He will come the second time with dignity and honor, and with a rod of iron in his hand to rule over the entire earth.

Jesus came the first time to pay the price of His shed blood on the cross at Calvary, and then approximately, two thousand years later, He will return as the King of kings.

Matthew 21:6 "And the disciples went, went and did as Jesus commanded them,"

The disciples asked no questions, but just went and did as they were told to do. How do you react to the commands God has given us in His Word. When you ask God to get someone else to do what He asked you to do, He will, and you lose out in the eyes of God. There isn't anything that you can do, that God doesn't have many others willing to do, and without asking, "Why me Lord?"

Matthew 21:7 "And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set Him thereon."

Jesus disciples made Jesus a saddle to sit on.

Matthew 21:8 "And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way."

This is also Old Testament prophecy. The "very great multitude" is in reference to the larger portion of the great crowd that follow Jesus here, spread their garments on the ground, and cut branches to lay in the path.

Matthew 21:9 "And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying,"Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest."

"Hosanna" in the Hebrew tongue means "save now." At a later entry into the city of Jerusalem, as recorded in Luke 19:38, the cry was different in words, but similar in meaning. This entry then marks the final six days before Jesus will go to the cross, and lay His life down for the sins of many. The people are calling out to Jesus to "save us now", as they laid their branches before the colt with Jesus on it.

This is as it was song in song in Psalm 118:25, 26; "Save now, I beseech thee, O Lord: O Lord, I beseech thee, send now prosperity." [25] "Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord: We have blessed you out of the house of the Lord." [26] This song was sung at the feast of the tabernacles, looking foreword to the promised Messiah, the sacrifice for one and all times.

Many find this a time of sorrow, when Jesus came for the purpose of laying down His life. However, at the same time, the saddest of all times is coming.  It is that time just before His  Second Advent, when all but a very few, will follow after the wrong Christ, the instead of Christ, Satan, as he stands in the holy place exalting himself as the true Messiah, and calling himself God.

This is what Daniel calls abomination by the desolator, in Daniel 9:27. This instead of Christ who is known as the Antichrist.  Most of the so-called Christians will whore after this fake, because they have been taught to do so in their rapture doctrine, and lead by their false shepherds. Friend, this is the real sorrow that will take place. Sorrow in the shame that will follow, as they see what they have done with their eternal soul. This is what Jesus meant when He referred to the blind leading the blind.

Matthew 21:10 "And when He was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, "Who is This?"

What is interesting here is in the word "moved", for it is the same word used in "earthquake", or "earth shake" in the text. The city was taken by total surprise on Jesus first entrance into the city, and the overwhelming attention to Him by everyone. Though Jesus was a humble man on the ass of the foal of a colt, this was a shaking event.

Did they know Jesus? No, they still did not know who He was.

Matthew 21:11 "And the multitude said, "This is Jesus the Prophet of Nazareth of Galilee."

This is strange, because there is no writing in the Old Testament that a prophet would come out of Nazareth. This was a very small and obscure place, it is like we would refer to as "back woods", or "country" today.

Matthew 21:12 "And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,"

Have you heard the Kenite mind today, as they say Christians are to be kind and mild like Christ was, as they walk all over them. When the bring their sodomy into the churches and schools, they tell the Christians to show the love and kindness of Christ. Friend this is the kindness and mildness of Christ. It is standing and taking a position when you see God temple and things being profaned.

What do you do, stand and watch? These Kenites in the temple of God had taken the things of God, the sacrifices, the offerings unto the Lord, and turned them into a Kenite heathen business. How do you react to the beggar bags of most ministries of today? Most just can't wait to dump the blessings God gave them, into these beggars bags. They just don't know the difference.

Jesus kindness is fair and just, He took them by the collar and threw them out. What was going on was sort of like the short-cuts of the religious world today. The sacrifices were to be the first of the fruit of your blessings, pure, and the best. However, these Kenites that had taken over the temple had worked this into a business. They made it easy for you to give your sacrifice, you didn't have to bring your first fruits to the temple for your sacrifices. You brought your pocket books, your money, and bought their mite infested birds that these Kenites would provide for you. The Kenite priests would call it "Corban", as recorded in Mark 7:11; which means that the act is of God, and that was to make it so by their words.

This is like stopping at the Quick Shop and getting change for a dollar bill, so you could drop a nickel in the plate that went by. It is a mockery to God, and giving Him a toy, instead of your earnest sacrifice, the tithe of your labor. The Kenites controlled the temple, and the money changers, and priests made a business of merchandising sick birds. The money did not go to the Temple, but in the pockets of the changers, and more then likely, priests.

Matthew 21:13 "And said unto them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.' "

God's house is not a place of business, especially when it is to purchase forms of idolatry. If it came to the point of sacrificing to God in this form of mite infested birds, or just skipping it, you would be better off not taking part in this gimmick for and of idolatry. You do it God's way, or you don't do it at all. God reads the heart of the giver, and if the heart is not there, neither come the blessings.

Jesus saw what they were doing and took a whip and drove them from the temple. Jesus acted with righteous indignation, and acted with authority in overturning the tables of these Kenite heathen, and praise God drove those buzzards out of the temple. It is important that you pay attention to this verse, for it denotes exactly what the temple, or as we call them "churches" are for. It is Jesus telling you the purpose of the church, if it is God's house. "MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER." That isn't to difficult to understand, is it?

If you are interested you can find out how to conduct yourself in the house of God, from the Bible. It is very detailed.  Allowing any "den of thieves" to conduct business within it's doors is wrong. Whether selling Avon, or cars, or even gimmicks to raise money for the vanity of it's members. God will hold you accountable for what you allow to transpire in His house. This definitely is common today, and it is getting worse. They used to do it from the steps out front, and now it is done for the pulpits. That is all they can talk about, money, money.

Matthew 21:14 "And the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple; and He healed them."

Notice here that after Christ came in, and chased the corruption out of the temple, the lame and the poor came in for healing. After Jesus acted in righteous indignation, and used a little strong arm, we see how humble and loving He was to the poor and lame. There was no demand for money, of course not, for that is blasphemy to the name of God. That is hypocrisy when you allow the money changers of today to become as the money changers of Jesus time. It is time to wake up. Drive the thieves out by identifying them, and the activities they are doing. Call what they are doing exactly what it is, extortion.

The tithe to the church when the True Word of God is taught, this, is a right and fitting thing. The man of God that ministers to the flock, and spends his full time to that administration is worthy of his hire. That is what the tithe is for, the advancing of the Gospel of Christ. What is given to them God places on your shoulders, and when you see the need and God places it in your heart, you give.

In Biblical times, the temple was the government that took care of the needs of the people. It provided the welfare for the widows and orphans, and the pension checks, and the tenth took care of what His Word required of the leaders of the Temple.

Editor's comment: Today we pay our U.S. government over 50% of our earnings to perform these same functions, but they don't spend it very efficiently. Or take cave of us very well!

Matthew 21:15 "And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the son of David;" they were sore displeased,"

Stop and take a close look at the tribe of Kenites that were the so-called religious leaders. They called themselves priests of God, yet when the things of God are done, and the very Son of God is present, they become displeased. These wonderful things were the wonders of healing, and saving of souls. The people knew who Jesus was, but the priests only knew that this man called Jesus was messing up their church program, and money making schemes.

The high priest should have been praising God for the mighty works that were being done to the people of the temple, and shouting "Hosanna to the Son of David" himself. However, what did this tribe of Kenites do?

Matthew 21:16 "And said unto Him, "Hearest thou what these say?" And Jesus saith unto them, "Yea, have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise'? "

This "high priest" was a fake, he was not a man of God, but a man that was appointed by the Roman Governor. The high priest represents the connection between Rome, and the Temple, which had been taken over centuries prior by the Nethinims, the Kenites, as we saw in I Chronicles 2:55, and the books of Ezra and Nehemiah.

The high priest was displeased because his kettle of money from the mite infested birds, and rip off artists had been shut down. Friend, if your get near the collection plate of some of these churches of today, you will see the same actions. They even turn on one another to save their own personal empires [not God's]. Their souls are their pocket book.

These priests are asking Jesus, "Do you hear what these people are calling you?" Jesus give them a answer as He quotes from Psalm 8:2; "Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger." The enemy and the avenger are these Kenite religious leaders. That is exactly what Jesus was doing, when these poor and sick people came to Him, and received their strength and healing.

Matthew 21:17 "And He left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and He lodged there."

Jesus spent the night there in Bethany.

Matthew 21:18 "Now in the morning as He returned into the city, He hungered."

Jesus left Bethany and returned to Jerusalem, and was hungry. Now notice something strange is about to happen, but what will happen has a deeper meaning.

Matthew 21:19 "And when He saw a fig tree in the way, He came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, "Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever."

Physically what happened here was that Jesus was hungry, and He went to a fig tree to get figs to eat, and there was no figs on it, so He cursed it and it died. However Jesus is using this tree to teach another lesson, through a parable that is part of the parable of the fig tree.

The fig tree symbolizes the nation of Israel, and that nation was producing no fruit spiritually. When Jesus said, "Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever." He was referring to this age, this dispensation, after Jeroboam II the nation of Israel died spiritually, in the eyes of God, This was about 772 B.C., and shortly thereafter from 745 to 722 B.C. the Assyrians dismantled the nation of ISRAEL and the people and moved them out of the area, to a place north of Lake Van in Iraq of today. From there, they (THE ISRAELITES) migrated through the Caucasus mountains to the places where the different tribes are today. This group of people became known as the ten lost tribes, or the "lost sheep of the House of Israel". Today people call them Caucasians thinking that is their race, but it's not; It was only the route they took leaving the middle east.

They were the ones that Christ instructed that the Word be brought to. Remember back in Matthew 10:6 after Jesus told His disciples not to go to the Gentiles first, "But go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." This was the first great commission. We see that tree wilted as far as retaining the gospel then.

We will also read of another fig tree that Jesus told us to learn all about, and that parable started back in the Garden of Eden. That parable was covered in Matthew 13, and we will see it also in Matthew 23; and 24. It dealt with the sexual union between Satan and Eve, and from that union Cain was born. The offspring of Cain are called "Kenites", as we see in Strong's Hebrew dictionary, number 7013, and # 7017. We will discuss this latter in Matthew. The parable of the fig tree is something that every Christian must understand in order to understand the entire Word of God.

Live Link to- The Parable of the Fig Tree

Some Christians just don't understand why Jesus would walk up and talk to a dumb tree, but He is not talking to a tree at all. He is talking in parable to those who are spiritually ignorant, and simply do not see the parable that He is teaching. Jesus knew that the figs were not on the tree because it was out of season, but He is using the tree in symbolism to teach His disciples a deeper meaning.

Matthew 21:20 "And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, "How soon is the fig tree withered away!"

Matthew 21:21 "Jesus answered and said unto them, "Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, 'Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done."

If you think Jesus is talking about mountains and seas and rivers then you have missed the lesson completely. A mountain is always symbolic of a nation, and that nation is the false nation of fallen Israel. When the Antichrist comes, that whole mountain, or nation will fall right into the sea, or peoples of the earth, and the Antichrist, Satan, will be claiming that His nation is true Israel.

Matthew 21:22 "And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive."

It is a big waste of time to pray if your not a believer. What are you asking for? For wisdom and power to show up that nation that is cast into the sea, to show it up for what it is. Satan will be claiming to be Christ, and that fallen nation Israel will have been deceived into believing his lies. When you pray for power to have control over that nation, God will give it to His elect. In Matthew 24 we will see what we are to do at that time when we are to exercise God's power given to us.

This verse is not talking about asking for a house, car or even a business success, it is not talking about your gimmie list, that most Christians have, it is talking about praying for knowledge to accomplish the thing that Jesus was just talking about. Don't take it out of context.

That subject was the wilting of the fig tree, and it is not difficult to wilt the fig tree, when you see what it symbolized, especially for today. That goes for both the good and the bad figs, and that you should know the difference. It is no problem for God to give you the power to make your voice be the warning to those of that false fig tree. The truth of God's Word will wilt the trunk of that false fig tree, and the unsound doctrine that it is based upon. This power of the prayer is the voice of "God's elect."

Pray for wisdom and understanding in God's Word, and check out all matters that are presented as being from God. Then let the Spirit of God direct your mind in understanding and applying it to your life.

Matthew 21:23 "And when He was come into the temple the chief priests and the elders of the People came unto Him as He was teaching, and said, "By what authority doest Thou these things? and who gave Thee this authority?"

Jesus is now coming back into the temple, and here come these chief priests, and elders of the people. They want to know by whose authority Jesus had the right to come into their temple, and overthrow the money changers, and upset their business activity. Jesus flat tore up the polluted activities, and He made their religion look very bad. Jesus produced love, healing, instruction, and kindness, and all they could do is rip people off. The words that Jesus gave the people jumped to life, as there never could. As Christ took the scroll, or page, and read to them it melted the peoples hearts.

Matthew 21:24 "And Jesus answered and said unto them, "I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things."

This is Jesus answer to the Pharisees and the chief priests. If you answer my question, then I will answer yours.

Matthew 21:25 "The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men?" And they reasoned with themselves, saying, "If we shall say, 'From heaven;' He will say unto us, 'Why did ye not then believe him?"

This is also how we are to answer those that think they know it all of the Scripture, we answer their question with our question, and turn the explanation from your shoulders to theirs. If you know the Word of God it should be no great task to show their lack of wisdom. It doesn't matter how many degrees you have from the seminaries, if you don't have the wisdom that only God's Spirit can place in you, you will look ignorant to a true Bible student. So here Jesus is asking the question to these religious leaders.

The baptism of John was well known in Jerusalem, and many from Jerusalem were baptized by Him. Even the chief priest sent a lot of his deacons out there to see what was going on. John was considered a prophet from God, and his position was elevated upon his death. This was a touchy subject.

These religious jokers take this question from Jesus, and go off into a corner, and murmur and reason amongst themselves.

Matthew 21:26 "But if we shall say, 'Of men;' we fear the people, for all hold John as a prophet."

Jesus knows their hearts, and what they are reasoning, and these religious men have a tough question to answer, because if they saw John as a prophet of God, then the question is,why did you reject him when he came to you.

On the other side of the answer, if they say the baptism is of men, then John's teachings are void, and you appear to be mocking the people for the baptism that had through the ministry of John the Baptist. Friend, it is time for a coffee break, for there is no answer that they can give Jesus, and not either put their foot in their mouth, or start a riot.

Matthew 21:27 "And they answered Jesus, and said, "We cannot tell." And He said unto them, "Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things."

We see that John taught the people, but the religious types were still in the dark. They wanted to be the leaders, and in control the money bucket, so to speak. But keep in mind just who they were, these leaders were the offspring of the Kenites, the Nethinims, that took over the duties of the Levitical priests in Babylon, as we read in Ezra and Nehemiah. Friend they are not men of God, and they have so twisted the truth of God's Word that they don't know the truth.

The simplicity of wisdom is beautiful, and it is absolute. As truth becomes shaded with half truths by the traditions of men, it becomes an entanglement of lies, and hard to defend. It becomes confusion that in the end, leads to deception.

Just as they could not answer the question that Jesus put to them, that would show them for the fools that they were, so Jesus would not tell them by what authority He acted. It would be like tossing your pearl before the swine.

Matthew 21:28 "But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, 'Son go work to day in my vineyard.' "

Jesus is giving them a parable for His answer though.

Matthew 21:29 "He answered and said, 'I will not;' but afterward he repented, and went."

After the son said that he would not go, he apologized to his father, and went to the field to work. As a student of God's Word we know that upon repentance, there is forgiveness, and this son would have a new start with the father.

Matthew 21:30 "And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, 'I go, sir:' and went not."

This son lied to his father. He said he would go, and he did not go.

Matthew 21:31 "Whether of them twain did the will of his father/" They say unto him, "The first." Jesus saith unto them, "Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you."

Jesus question was which one of these sons did the will of the father? These self-righteous religious leaders finally caught on to one of Jesus parables, and Jesus then in turn used it against them.

Matthew 21:32 "For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him."

Even after these so-called religious leaders had seen the miracles, and heard the teaching, they repented not afterwards. These Chief priests sat over the temple, and the writings of the prophets of God, and they knew what was required of a priest of the Almighty Father, and what was required of for repentance and healing, and they knew as Jeremiah 7:11 taught, that God's house is a house of prayer; and they made a money making event out of it. Whereas these publicans and harlots knew nothing of God's Word, until after they were told by John the Baptist, and then they repented and turned from their ways.

Matthew 21:33 "Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:"

Jesus is giving these Pharisees and elders another parable; they understood the first, and were upset by it. This is an analogy to God, and his creation, and He did plant seed here. The husbandmen were those that He left in charge, or the priesthood. Notice that He built a winepress, and a tower.

The winepress is a vat, or basin for preparing the fruit, and collecting the juices from it's fruit. The tower is a watch tower, a tower that from the group, there is to be appointed watchmen to keep the evil one away.

Matthew 21:34 "And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it."

When you have a vineyard, and plant a crop you expect to get fruits from it. We are talking about God's kingdom on earth, and to have what He has established to grow and multiply and produce fruit.

Matthew 21:35 "And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another."

The husbandman is our Heavenly Father, and His servants are the Prophets of God. They are the authors of the Books of the Old Testament.

Matthew 21:36 "Again, he sent other servants more then the first: and they did unto them likewise." 

After the Major Prophets, God sent the twelve Minor Prophets, and they did likewise to them.

Matthew 21:37 "But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, 'They will reverence my son.' "

God the Father sent His only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, and Jesus is facing these Pharisees, and they have no idea in the world who they are talking to. This then, requires a review of the thirteenth chapter, the planting of the tares in the vineyard, to see how they came there in the first place.

Matthew 21:38 "But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, 'This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.' "

They came as a thief in the night, while the House of Judah was in captivity in Babylon, and ceased the Levitical priesthood, and the duties of the scribes from those who had inheritance for those duties, from the time of Moses and Aaron. The return out of Babylon by the Jews is what the entire books of Ezra, Haggai, and Nemehiah is about, and those books record how the Nethinims [Kenites] took over the duties of the priesthood from top to bottom, and the religious leaders allowed it.

Then in I Chronicles 2:55; "And the families of the scribes which dwelt at Jabez; The Tarathites, the Shimeathites, and Suchathites. These are the kenites that came of hemath, the father of the house of rechab." This is from the listing of families that were coming out of Babylon in about 509 B.C., and they are the tares that have seized on Levi's inheritance of the scribes, which was given by God.

Matthew 21:39 "And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him."

Matthew 21:40 "When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh what will he do unto those husbandmen?"

Jesus is putting this parable forth to these religious leaders as a question. Keep in mind that these religious leaders are now going to pronounce their own sentence on their souls. They will understand shortly that Jesus is talking directly about them.

Matthew 21:41 "They say unto him, "He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons."

This is exactly what has happened. In this First Advent Jesus was totally refused and crucified, and through the disciples, and later the apostles, God's vineyard will be turned over to other husbandmen, and taken from these Pharisees and scribes. The Gospel was spread, and He sent others also, as these religious leaders were replaced after the resurrection of Christ. When the riddle was put to them, they did pass the correct judgment upon themselves.

Matthew 21:42 "Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the Scriptures, 'The Stone Which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?"

Jesus is telling these Pharisees and scribes that everything that I've told you in these parables and teachings is from the Scriptures, haven't you read it? Lets go over to Psalm 118:22 and read it.

Psalm 118:22, 23; "The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner." [22] "This is the Lord's doing; It is marvelous in our eyes." [23]

Jesus is telling these Pharisees that, "I am the Messiah standing directly before you."

Psalm 118:24; "This is the day that the Lord hath made; We will rejoice and be glad in it."

Remember what "Hosanna" meant in the Hebrew? It meant "save now"; Psalm 118:25; "Save now, I beseech Thee, O Lord: O Lord, I beseech Thee, send now prosperity."

Jesus is using this prophecy to tell them that they are refusing the chief cornerstone, and here again is the repeat of the cry "Hosanna".

There is another rejection that will take place just prior to the Second Advent, and that is the fact that there are two Jesus and two Saviors. The false one comes first, and then the true Messiah. There will not be a flight out of here, as many teach, for in its place will be a great deception, or apostasy. Men will be led to the wrong Christ, which is Satan, the Antichrist. That time is coming very shortly, in our generation. Many of the signs of the times are now history to us today, in many cases, and it is time to seal in your mind that you will not see the True Christ in your physical body.

The world was deceived by these religious types at the First Advent, and there will also be another great deception, built from traditions of men at the Second Advent. Those with eyes to see will understand, and the others simply will not. They will be harvested out of season, and taken by the wrong Christ. They will have already taken their husband, when the True Christ comes to claim His bride.

Live Link to- Will you endure until the end or be take by the spurious messiah?

Matthew 21:43 "Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof."

Just thinking you have the truth is not enough, you must know the truth, and prepare for the kingdom of God. You make that preparation in studying God's Word to know the signs of the times, and knowing the simplicity of Christ's teaching. Learn the difference between the Word of God, and the traditions of men.  Much of that understanding is given in the Old Testament.

Matthew 21:44 "And whosoever shall fall on this Stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever It shall fall, It will grind them to power."

 Editor again: Are you reading and studying the old testament prophets or are you sitting in church Sunday after Sunday listening to a one verse rev. talk about hinself and current events.

The time is coming very shortly when this stone, Jesus Christ shall fall on many, and their very teeth shall gnash, and grind together, to the very gum itself, as they realize they have given themselves over to the wrong Christ. The timetable is in effect, and today many fear receiving the mark of the beast in their mind. The modern day Pharisees are making much money selling them their twisted ideas of gadgets, when it is free for the taking from God's Word.

That "Mark of the Beast" from Revelation 13:17 is already here, it is not on your forehead, or on your right hand, but in you forehead and in your right hand. Your brain is in your forehead, and that is what you think with. The mark is what you believe to be true, and act upon. If it's in your right hand, that means you are already one of Satan's right hand men. It is when you think Satan the Antichrist is Jesus, and you act on the assumption.

As far as the mark on the right hand is concerned, Jesus is on the right hand of the Father, doing the work of the Father, and anyone that does the work of another man is his right hand man. The symbol of the right hand is the pledge of commitment of yourself to another person, or covenant you have made with him. If you lead your brother, or family member to the wrong Christ, then you have received the mark of the beast in the right hand. It has nothing to do with electronics.

Matthew 21:45 "And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard His parables, they perceived that He spake of them."

These old religious scholars finally wised up, and caught on that Jesus was talking of them. They perceived, or knew the Scriptures, but they had applied the Scriptures to themselves in a different way. Did the understanding change their wisdom, and find them repenting and changing their ways? Not at all. These religious men were even more determined to kill him.

This is just as the religious community is today, for when you tell them that their doctrines are misleading the people, the anger is the same, for it comes from the same source. It comes from the evil spirits that are binding them. They are binding their people in fear of a great physical destruction that will come on the earth, lead by Satan, and demonic beings of strange descriptions. They have prepared a false escape for them, and the people are becoming so frightened from their kind of a teaching (that the earth will be destroyed), that upon the appearance of Satan, as the false-christ, they will run to him for protection. Our religious community takes the Word of God, and make it a lie.

Contrary to what they are preaching, the time of the Antichrist is a time of peace and prosperity, as Daniel chapter eight points out; that is Satan's policy to make you feel safe, and well off. Then five months later your false peace and hope is shattered at the return of Jesus Christ, and Satan and all evil go to the pit. Then where does that leave you? This is what we will discuss in Matthew 24.

Matthew 21:46 "But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they feared the multitude, because they took Him for a prophet."

Jesus had been teaching the multitude from the Scrolls with authority, and healing the blind and the sick, and they looked to Him as a prophet. They knew that they would have a fight on their hands if they tried to take Jesus. They will take Him at the appointed time, and what they do with Jesus will be exactly as written by the prophets.

As we read later of the whipping and scourging that He will go through, and the thorns the pierced deep into his head, though it is terrible, the very Son of the God did that just for you. The stripped Him in public, and spit and mocked him, and then took him through the streets to hang Him on the cross. They drove spikes through his hands and feet, and ran a spear through his side, and He did it so you could cry out to Him in repentance, forgive me Lord, for I have sinned against you.

Friend, after all Jesus has gone through just for you, if you have too much pride and vanity to say, "forgive me Father, in Jesus name;" then you are just too righteous for Jesus Christ's kingdom. Jesus Christ the very Word of God, left his throne in heaven, to be born on this earth as a baby, and go through all the insults that ended on the cross, just to draw you, mankind, back to himself.

These Pharisees and chief priests that wanted to get their hands on Christ, will later be the ones that finally succeed, only it will be at God's appointed time, and in the manner prophesied. For you and me; What they think is their gain is their doom, and what they think was their gain is our victory. Praise God.

As Jesus just said in Matthew 21:21, "It shall be done"! And so it SHALL... for it is written.

We have now come to the fourth period of Christ's ministry whereby the Kingdom shall be rejected and our Lord and Saviour shall be delivered up and crucified to pay to price to offer forgiveness and salvation to "whosoever will". As Jesus Christ has now explained numerous times to His disciples, this was the plan of God from the beginning as it is written in the Law and the Prophets which teach us about and lead us to know Jesus Christ.

Those who are students of His Word know that there is a stark contrast between the first advent, where we "see" the magnificence of the King of kings and Lord of lords enter into Jerusalem on a lowly ass as the most humble servant ever there was, and the second advent where He shall come in His Glory and Majesty and ride in on a white horse with ALL power and authority to establish His kingdom and subject ALL nations (bend every knee) to His righteous rule!

Keep this contrast in mind as we begin our study.

Matthew 21:1
And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples,

Zech. 14:4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.

olive, elaia, el-ah'-yah, Greek 1636; feminine of a presumed derivative from an obsolete primary; an olive (the tree or the fruit) :- olive (berry, tree).

olive, zayith, zah'-yith, Hebrew 2132; probably from an unused root [akin to Hebrew 2099 (Ziv)]; an olive (as yielding illuminating oil), the tree, the branch or the berry :- olive (tree, -yard), Olivet.

oil, shemen, sheh'-men, Hebrew 8081; from Hebrew 8080 (shaman); grease, especially liquid (as from the olive, often perfumed); figurative richness :- anointing, × fat (things), × fruitful, oil ([-ed]), ointment, olive, + pine.

Christos, khris-tos', Greek 5547; from Greek 5548 (chrio); anointed, i.e. the Messiah, an epithet of Jesus :- Christ.

chrio, khree'-o, Greek 5548; probably akin to Greek 5530 (chraomai) through the idea of contact; to smear or rub with oil, i.e. (by implication) to consecrate to an office or religious service :- anoint.

Now here are the instructions Jesus gave to the two disciples He sent into the village to fetch an ass and a colt with her:

[2] Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me.

[3] And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.

[4] All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,

Remember we discussed this in our very first study. Here is an excerpt from that study:

"Haven't you read", for "It is written", that Jesus Christ would come and fulfill all the things foretold of Him by the prophets? That is why you will find in this opening book of the New Testament those phrases and others such as "that which was spoken" and "that it might be fulfilled which was spoken" along with over 60 references to the Old Testament, to document beyond any reasonable doubt that Jesus Christ, the Messiah, fulfilled the Law and the Prophets at His coming! To that end, the special object and "Divine purpose in the Gospel of Matthew is to set forth the Lord as Yahveh's King. Hence those events in His ministry are singled out and emphasized which set forth His claims as the Messiah - sent to fulfill all the prophecies concerning Him" (Companion Bible, pg. 1306).

Matthew 2:4-6
And when he (Herod) had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. [5] And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, [6] And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

Here is Matthew's quote of the scripture that Christ was fulfilling. It is from Zech. 9:9 concerning the first advent of the King. Verse 10 speaks of the second advent so don't forget to go check it out.

Matthew 21:5
Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.

Zech. 9:9
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: He is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

Matthew 21:6
And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them,

[7] And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set Him thereon.

You "see", ALL knees shall bow before Him one way or the other when He comes, whether it be willing or unwillingly, bow they shall. This too is written in both the Old and the New Testaments.

Isaiah 45:22
Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.

[23] I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.

[24] Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed.

Now here is it in the New Testament, quoted by Paul from that which was already written, even that which we just read in Isaiah 45:

Romans 14:11
For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.

Matthew 21:8
And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.

[9] And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.

Psalm 118:25-26
Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity.

[26] Blessed be He that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD.

Matthew 21:10
And when He was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this?

moved, seio, si'-o, Greek 4579; apparently a primary verb; to rock (vibrate, properly sideways or to and fro), i.e. (genitive) to agitate (in any direction; cause to tremble); figurative to throw into a tremor (of fear or concern) :- move, quake, shake.

[11] And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.

Remember the rich man also called Him "Good Master". Nevertheless, true it was that Jesus was "the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee", but you "see" He was the Son of David, Yashua Messiah, Yahveh's Savior, the Anointed One of God, the Son of the Living God, Emmanuel God with us!

Now it is time to perk up our ears to "hear" and to open wide our eyes to "see" the effect of the casting out of the "buyers and sellers" in "the temple", and overthrowing the "tables of the moneychangers", and unseating those who "sell" profane sacrifices to our people as a way to please God! To that end, the next three verses (12-14) are taken together in context. Keep in mind as with all the teachings of Christ, the picture of what we are about to "see" is given to us to as a visual aid to the spiritual lesson He is teaching.

Matthew 21:12
And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,

You see, true disciples of Christ need to expose these crooks for who and what they really are, an easy task indeed if you are familiar with His Word! Remember back in Matthew chapter ten Christ told His disciples two specific things concerning money when they go out to teach. One, they were NOT to take a purse, which means they did not need financing (neither their own nor a financier's), and two,they were NOT to take a "scrip" which is a beggar's bag! In other words, His teachers and representatives are not to beg people nor continually ask them for money. Christ promises that if you do things His way, according to His commands, that you won't have to worry about money.This ministry is living proof of that promise in that we have never had a fundraiser nor ever passed a collection plate nor ever ask anyone for money, nor do we ever intend to. The point is that any church that focuses on money is not following Christ's directions which means there is something wrong!

Now, obviously Christ is not teaching us that in exposing the moneychangers and overthrowing their tables we are to physically enter into churches and flip over the collection plates. Remember, He is just giving us a picture to see in our mind's eye. But spiritually we are to inform and educate our brothers and sisters when the opportunity presents itself that the "house of God" is to be a house of prayer, which is your true sacrifice, not the giving of your money to rip-off artists who sell you doves or pass the basket in the name of Jesus.

Here is a question: "What is your duty and service to God?" Does He want your sacrifices and burnt offerings? No, He wants your love as it is written Hos. 6:6, "For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings."Does He want you to do that which the rich man wanted to do, i.e. some good thing, to save himself? No, you are to get rid of all the idolatrous things you possess and obtain the pearl of great price and then give His precious truths to the poor in spirit, those whose spirits need healing. That is your sacrifice, NOT money! You "see", it is much easier to plop some cash in a money plate than to be willing to so much as stop by the wayside to help a poor spiritually blind brother or sister! Do you want to be great in the kingdom of heaven. Then if there be any sacrifice let it be the sacrifice of service and ministering unto the poor in spirit. And when you bring your sacrifice unto the LORD thy God, make sure is in not lame nor blind nor has any ill blemish. The shadow, which is a type, was given in the law for us to "see".

Deut. 15:21
And if there be any blemish therein, as if it be lame, or blind, or have any ill blemish, thou shalt not sacrifice it unto the LORD thy God.

And so it is that His truth, the Word of God, exposes con-artists and overturns the tables of the moneychangers and explains what His house is all about!

Matthew 21:13
And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

Jeremiah 7:11
Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the LORD.

Matthew 21:14
And the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple; and He healed them.

[15] And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased,

[16] And said unto Him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?

Psalm 8:2
Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.

Matthew 21:17
And He left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and He lodged there.

[18] Now in the morning as He returned into the city, He hungered.

Nevertheless, Jesus Christ was returning to the city when He saw a fig tree "in the way"!

[19] And when He saw a fig tree in the way, He came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.

Matthew 24:32
Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: [33] So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. [34]Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.  .

Remember again that what we are picturing in our mind is a visual aid to help us "see" the spiritual (invisible) things Christ is teaching.Now notice that when He spoke, the fig tree presently, meaning instantly, withered away, as in dried up "right before the eyes of the disciples"! And it would not grow any fruit from this point on! What does that mean? Let's read the next verse and then see what Christ has to say regarding this drying up.

Matthew 21:20
And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!

[21] Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.

Paul explains it very plainly.

Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

substance, hupostasis, hoop-os'-tas-is, Greek 5287; from a compound of Greek 5259 (hupo) and Greek 2476 (histemi); a setting under (support), i.e. (figurative) concrete essence, or abstract assurance (object or subject) :- confidence, confident, person, substance.

Rev. 18:21
And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.

Matthew 21:22
And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

Amen

Many churches today concentrate more on fund raisers, pledges of money, pass the plate, building funds, etc., etc., than on teaching God's Word.
How is your church doing?

In our last study Jesus Christ instructed us concerning some very important things we need to know in this final generation of the fig tree, even things we need to allow the Word of God to expose, cast out, and whither in the eyes of our brethren, like religious scam artists and that bad fig tree who shoots forth leaves and covers up the truth while claiming to be God's chosen people.You see, that false tree stands in the way (blocks the minds) of many Christians by claiming to be a good tree. In other words, they claim their family tree goes back to Abraham and that they therefore are the children of God... but their father is not God (Jn. 8:44) and they bear no fruit for the kingdom of God.In understanding the Parable of the Fig Tree we know that they are the bad figs of Jeremiah 24 who are nothing but a bunch of liars and are of the synagogue of Satan. These things are spoken of in detail in Christ's instructions to the messengers of the seven churches in Revelation chapters 2 & 3, which represent all the Christian churches of today ("7" is the number of completeness, even spiritual completeness). For example, does your church permit the doctrine of Baalam as does the church of Pergamos?

Rev. 2:14
But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.

Here is His advice and warning to them:

Rev. 2:16
Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.

And how about the "fig tree"? Have you learned the Parable of the Fig Tree (as per Christ's command in Mat. 24, Mark 13, & Luke 21) to know that there are both good and bad figs? The bad figs are the sons of Cain who are those tares we learned about back in chapter 13. There are only two churches out of the seven in Revelation 2 & 3 who teach our people who those bad figs are and have the faith and courage to whither that false lineage (tree) before the eyes of our brothers and sisters. They are the two churches of Philadelphia (Rev. 3:9) and Smyrna (Rev. 2:9). That means if your church is not teaching who the kenites are, i.e. the sons of Cain, then your church falls into the category of one of the other 5 churches ALL of whom Christ has a problem with. They are asleep to the truth and need to begin filling their lamps with the El-i-Yah (olive oil) we spoke of in our last study.

However, when one does according to the Word of God and begins to teach our brothers and sisters the truth concerning Jeremiah 7:11 in that the house of God is to be a house of prayer and not a cash cow for those who come in the name of the Lord and deceive our people with their unholy traditions, he or she may encounter some opposition from those who don't like that bold teaching of His Word, like showing and explaining those "pictures" of casting out and withering. They actually do not like and become "sore displeased" when members of their church turn to Christ, to the Word of God, and are healed and set free and thus no longer support their religious enterprise with either their prayers, their labor, or their money!

To that end, let us read and learn as Jesus Christ is now paid a visit by the chief priests of the temple and the elders of the people who have come to Him to question His authority! Who knows, you may be paid a visit or receive a phone call yourself for boldly teaching the truth of God's Word and setting a captive brother or sister free. So pay real close attention to how Christ handles the situation for as we shall see, it is "wisdom" that prevails!

Matthew 21:23
And when He was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto Him as He was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?

Now remember that these chief priests were those who were "sore displeased (vs. 15)" with the things Christ did in the temple, in the house of God. Jesus had cast out all "them that sold and bought in the temple" and turned over their ATM (Automated Tithe Machine) and now these guys want to know "Who gave thee this authority?" The question itself shows that these are unbelievers and do not serve God, for they have not the Spirit of God. They are not filled the oil of the olive and yet it is they who are the chief priests and the elders of the people, the religious leaders of the community.The truth of the matter is though, God did not send them.

Now Jesus is going to use wisdom to cause them to both "expose themselves" as the religious hypocrites that they are and even "pass judgment upon themselves"!

[24] And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things.

Here is the question:

[25] The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; He will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?

John 1:6
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. [7]The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

Mark 1:7
And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. [8] I indeed have baptized you with water: but He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.

Matthew 21:26
But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet.

[27] And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And He said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.

Now Wisdom is going to give them a simple analogy, as in paint an earthly picture for them that they can easily see and relate to in their mind's eye on the flesh level, and cause them to judge themselvesout of their own mouths and declare that they do NOT the will of God.

This is an incredible display of wisdom indeed!

Matthew 21:28
But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard.

[29] He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.

[30] And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.

[31]Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.

Now here is the point Christ is making with the parable.

[32] For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.

As so it is that "wisdom" from the Word of God has convicted the guilty who out their own mouths have not only declared themselves to be so, but in our next study will actually sentence themselves by determining and uttering the very punishment they should receive for their own deeds and for the deeds of their forefathers down through the ages! How precious indeed is the wisdom and righteousness of the Word of God. What a witness and testimony Jesus Christ is giving as an ensample for us to "see".

In our next study, Jesus Christ, the wisest one of all, is going to continue showing us "wisdom" by giving another parable to and concerning the history and ultimate fate of these wicked ones. In fact, it even has to do with the wisdom spoken of in Rev. 13:18!

It is hard for many Christians to understand that Jesus Christ becomes a stumbling block, to those who stumble at His Word, i.e. do not hear His voice but rather follow the traditions of men.

Jesus Christ has been confronted by the chief priests and elders of the people as He was teaching to show by what authority He did the things He did and who gave Him that authority. Christ said He would tell them if they would first tell Him whether the baptism of John was from heaven above or of men. Since they refused to tell Him (actually they lied and said they could not tell) He in like manner would not tell them where He got His authority. However, Jesus then asked them to consider a few stories (which will be parables about them) and draw some conclusions and make some judgments. In this manner Christ reveals much knowledge and wisdom while at the same time causing the kenites, the sons of Cain, to pass judgment upon and sentence to perish both themselves and their forefathers for their wicked deeds.

Matthew 21:33
Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:

Isaiah 5:1-2
Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: [2] And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.

wild grapes, be'ushiym, be-oo-sheem', Hebrew 891; plural of Hebrew 889 (be'osh); poison-berries :- wild grapes.

be'osh, be-oshe', Hebrew 889; from Hebrew 877 (bo'r); a stench :- stink.

Isaiah 5:7
For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah His pleasant plant: and He looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.

Matthew 21:34
And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.

[35] And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.

Matthew 23:34-36
Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: [35] That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. [36] Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.

Matthew 21:36
Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise.

[37] But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.

[38] But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.

[39] And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.

Now the chief priests and elders of the people who are listening to this indicting parable of Christ have not quite put two and two together to come up with enough smarts to understand that He is speaking about them and their forefathers. However, even they can see and understand on the flesh level the wickedness of these husbandmen. Therefore Christ asks them to "declare judgment" on them, which means that they shall unwittingly pass judgment upon and sentence themselves and their forefathers to be "destroyed", i.e. to perish, and the vineyard to be taken from them. Oh the wisdom of Christ!

[40] When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?

[41] They say unto Him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.

destroy, apollumi, ap-ol'-loo-mee, Greek 622; from Greek 575 (apo) and the base of Greek 3639 (olethros); to destroy fully (reflexive to perish, or lose), literal or figurative :- destroy, die, lose, mar, perish.

Apollyon, Apolluon, ap-ol-loo'-ohn, Greek 623; active participle of Greek 622 (apollumi); a destroyer (i.e. Satan) :- Appollyon.

[42] Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?

The scriptures that Christ is referring to in asking them "Did you never read", which even if they had it is obvious they did so without understanding, come from the 118th Psalm. You may recall that is the same Psalm quoted back in verse 9 when Jesus entered into Jerusalem riding on a lowly ass! Psalm 118:26 "Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD. You "see", one can either praise the LORD and hear His voice and believe in Him, i.e. Jesus Christ who is the Rock of our salvation, and enter into the kingdom or he or she can reject Him and be crushed by the very Rock they reject. It is an individual choice with clearly defined consequences either way... to have eternal life or to perish in the lake of fire.

Psalm 118:21-24
I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.

Psalm 118:21 speaks of the purpose of the first advent, which is to bring salvation, while the next verse declares the second advent when Christ will enter into Jerusalem again, only this time He will not be riding on a lowly ass but rather on a white horse as King of kings and Lord of lords to whom every knee shall bow in submission!

[22] The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.

2 Peter 3:9-10
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. [10] But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

[Ps. 118:23] This is the LORD'S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.

[24] This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

Matthew 21:43
Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

[44] And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

Isaiah 8:14-15
And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

[15] And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.

Matthew 24:1-2
And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and His disciples came to Him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.

[2] And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

However, when the chief cornerstone appears, that "stone" cut out without hands, i.e. Jesus Christ, He shall fall upon that evil system (the NWO) and crush it to smithereens along with the "stones" who make up the temple of Satan, the false-christ. Daniel 2:34 "Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces." In fact, check out the words "thrown down" in Matthew 24:2 and you see that it means to "disintegrate" as in "grind to powder"!

thrown down, kataluo, kat-al-oo'-o, Greek 2647; from Greek 2596 (kata) and Greek 3089 (luo); to loosen down (disintegrate), i.e. (by implication) to demolish (literal or figurative); specially [compare Greek 2646 (kataluma)] to halt for the night :- destroy, dissolve, be guest, lodge, come to nought, overthrow, throw down.

Matthew 21:45
And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard His parables, they perceived that He spake of them.

[46] But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they feared the multitude, because they took Him for a prophet.

In our next study Christ is going to "speak unto them again by parables", this time about a certain king which made a marriage for his son!

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