Tivet is the Biblical month.
PREPARE YE THE WAYS – Scripture: Matthew 4:1-25
From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand... And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. Matthew 4:17, 23
O – Observations:
In this passage we have Yehoshua (Jesus) meeting with the evil one in the wilderness. Yeshoshua is said to have fasted for 40 days and nights and after that this time of testing came when he was hungry. If you have ever known anyone to fast for 40 days something incredible happens to them ~ yes, while they may be hungry and ready for "breakfast" (to break the fast) they get full of energy ... you might think they become lethargic, but in actuality an energy and glow takes place. So in the midst of this as our LORD is about exit the wilderness along comes the evil one to tempt. In reading this passage one might gloss over it like two "men" having a conversation, but in verse 11 it says the angels came to minister to Him. This word "minister" could mean many things, one meaning is "to wait at a table and offer food and drink to the guests" another is "to take care of the poor and the sick". Perhaps the angels prepared a table in the presence of His enemy (as the Psalmist writes in Psalms 23) or perhaps they ministered to Him as one who was "sickly" from His encounter with the evil one. The Bible is not clear on the matter as to what type of ministering was going on here, but we know it is angels in the plural, more than one came to minister and it was directly after the evil one "left him". All heaven was being held back wondering if Yehoshua would pass these three tests. And because of His obedience to the WORD and in trusting it's truths He passed.
O – Observations:
In this passage we have Yehoshua (Jesus) meeting with the evil one in the wilderness. Yeshoshua is said to have fasted for 40 days and nights and after that this time of testing came when he was hungry. If you have ever known anyone to fast for 40 days something incredible happens to them ~ yes, while they may be hungry and ready for "breakfast" (to break the fast) they get full of energy ... you might think they become lethargic, but in actuality an energy and glow takes place. So in the midst of this as our LORD is about exit the wilderness along comes the evil one to tempt. In reading this passage one might gloss over it like two "men" having a conversation, but in verse 11 it says the angels came to minister to Him. This word "minister" could mean many things, one meaning is "to wait at a table and offer food and drink to the guests" another is "to take care of the poor and the sick". Perhaps the angels prepared a table in the presence of His enemy (as the Psalmist writes in Psalms 23) or perhaps they ministered to Him as one who was "sickly" from His encounter with the evil one. The Bible is not clear on the matter as to what type of ministering was going on here, but we know it is angels in the plural, more than one came to minister and it was directly after the evil one "left him". All heaven was being held back wondering if Yehoshua would pass these three tests. And because of His obedience to the WORD and in trusting it's truths He passed.
Out of the wilderness Yeshoshua hears of his cousin Yochanan (John) being imprisoned. That is where the above Scripture comes into place because now that Yochanan is imprisoned Yehoshua takes over the message "Repent" ... and in preaching this message by the Sea of Galilee he begans to acquire his first four followers, or disciples. Namely, fisherman, two actively fishing and casting nets and two mending the nets in a boat with their father and here we meet Simon Peter, Andrew his brother, James and his brother John the sons of Zebedee. All four are said to eutheos - immediately get up and follow Him. I do not see any questions here, simply followers obedient to the call. Was this the first time they had seen Him? Did they know Him before somehow? What drew these four fisherman out of their ordinary lives to follow a man declaring the word "Repent" along the shores of Galilee? But they did, as should we ...
Yehoshua and his four followers went about teaching, preaching and healing.
A – Application for today: What does this mean for me today?
I think first it is important to spend time alone in our personal wildernesses preparing ourselves for what God has called us to do. Certainly our LORD had quite the mission on him and he had to endure the cross set before Him, a huge calling. I do not think any of us could claim to have such a call on our lives, but we are called to leave our "nets" and follow Him. And to whatever degree He has called you, you will have an influence on those around you. You will be given opportunity to be bold about the WORD and teach and preach to others. I'm not saying each of us is to be visible behind a pulpit laying out the WORD to a group of people each week, but we will come in contact with people that need a word, the WORD, so prepare yourself through spending alone time with Him certainly daily and also in seasons of "fasting and prayer".
In a very real way you can set aside 40 days to commit to surrendering to Him. I am not saying each of us is called to fast for 40 days, certainly this takes a true calling to do this, but at the same time we can fast from things. How about 40 days without TV? Or 40 days of missing one meal to spend it in the WORD and prayer? 40 days of getting up a little earlier to spend time with Him in the Quiet moments of the day? Any sacrifice you make will bring a huge blessing to you, but it is not just about turning off the TV or about missing a meal ... we must turn from those things and TURN TOWARDS Yeshoshua ... we must fill that time or space with Him so in the end we can be prepared to go out and keep the message going "Repent, the kingdom of God is near ..." We need to bring healing to those around us, we need to bring the Great Physician to them in word and deed and bring them to Him ... we can be ministering angels to those who are hungry in this world, physically, spiritually and emotionally ... by bringing them and introducing them to the Savior ... we can pick up the call to follow Him and keep spreading His fame, His message and His calling ...
Is there something to thank God for or rejoice in in this passage? I thank Him that He didn't bow to Satan. That He knew and rightly divided the WORD of Truth. I appreciate the example we have in Jesus, our Emmanuel.
Is there something to thank God for or rejoice in in this passage? I thank Him that He didn't bow to Satan. That He knew and rightly divided the WORD of Truth. I appreciate the example we have in Jesus, our Emmanuel.
P - Prayer
LORD you are the Great Physician and there are so many I know who need your direct hand of healing right now, those who are acute ill or suffering from injury. They need miracles in their lives and you know them all. In this passage in Matthew 4:24 it says the people brought you their sick and You healed them. I bring to you my sick ones, you know them by name, it is your desire to heal the sick and I bring them to you.
LORD may we who call you LORD be willing to lay down our "nets" to follow you completely. To leave our loved ones for a Higher Calling. Prepare our hearts in the individual ways so that we can minister to those around us who need to hear your message of repentance. Let that message sink deeply into our own hearts first so we can share our very real experiences of true repentance and change in our own lives with others.
In the name of our Savior and LORD, Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu melech HaOlam (Blessed are you LORD our God, King Forever and ever). Amen and Amen.
Fishermen on the Sea of Galilee
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