Monsterlizard - Born Again

13“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.  (Matthew 7:13-14)

This is really eye opening to me.  If we see the masses doing something, it is probably the wrong thing to do.

 15“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.  (Matthew 7:15-20)

When ever I hear the word fruit used in the Bible, I think of the Garden of Eden.  I am not sure if I am supposed to or not, but that is the image that pops into my mind.  This passage really brought me there because it also talks about thornbushes and thistles: in Genesis 3 it says

17 To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat of it,’
       “Cursed is the ground because of you;
       through painful toil you will eat of it
       all the days of your life.

 18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you,
       and you will eat the plants of the field.  (Genesis 3:17-18)

I think Jesus wanted us to think about Genesis here.  The serpent (Satan) offered bad fruit to Eve, just as he offers to us today.  The people he works through may sound godly, but if what they are asking goes against the teachings of God, then they are evil.

 21“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ 23Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’  (Matthew 7:21-23)

This for me throws a wrench into many teachings of Christians today.  We are told that faith in Jesus will give us ever lasting life.  However, I think Jesus is telling us that there is another step we have to take.  Having and spreading faith in Jesus is not enough, we must obey the will of God.  If we are called to do something, and we ignore that calling, then we are heading toward that broad gate.

Ok, bear with me here. If you are not into history, you might want to stop reading now. However, I have found all this information incredibly interesting. Heather and I have been watching the HBO series Rome, and much of what I have been discovering when researching Herod links back to what we have been watching on Rome.

In chapter 2 of the Book of Matthew when Jesus is born, the King Herod that wanted the wise men to take him to baby Jesus was Herod the Great. This Herod was the son of Antipater who was an Idumæan.

Antipater
Idumæan had been known as Edom in the Old Testment see Genesis 36. Antipater became a client of Pompey Magnus when Pompey conquered Judea. He also was an aid Julius Caesar in Alexandrea and was eventually made procurator of Judea, with the right to collect taxes. The Idumæan were forcibly converted to Judiasm by the Hasmoneans, and before which were pagan. He was not a blood Jew, but a converted Jew of Arab decent whom had been Hellenized and colluded with Rome. When Ceasar is killed, Antipater sides with Cassius against Marc Antony. Antipater is finally poisoned and dies.

Herod the Great
Herod the Great was appointed governor of Galilee at age 25 by his father. In 40 BC he fled to Rome after Judea was invaded by Parthians. In Rome, he is elected King of the Jews by the Roman Senate. When he died (and Joseph was called back out of Egypt Matthew 2:19), his will was upheld by Octavian (by this time named Augustus). Israel was split up:
Herod Antipas was to rule Galilee and the east bank of the Jordan as a tetrarch; Philip was to be tetrarch of the Golan heights in the north-east; and Archelaus became the ethnarch of Samaria and Judaea.

Herod Antipas
This Herod is the ruler during the time of Jesus in Galilee. He like his brothers rule the various areas of Israel and surrounding locations. The also were all educated in Rome. These rulers were more Roman than they were Jewish. Herod Antipas like his father married and divorced many times. I believe this is what Jesus was refering to in Matthew 5:31-32. I plan to write an entire post about that later. This Herod is also the one Luke 23 whom Pilate first sent Jesus too because he was thought to be a Galilean.

During all this research, I am amazed to see just how involved Rome was during the time of Jesus. I don’t think we really think about this much. That the leaders of Israel were really Romans and not Jews. It wasn’t limited to Pilate. I have always found myself skimming past the parts of the Bible that explains lineage and location, but I think we really need to study this to put the words into context.

More reading:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herod_the_Great
http://www.livius.org/he-hg/herodians/herod_the_great01.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herod_Antipas
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/romans/rome_timeline.shtml
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hyrcanus
http://www.preceptaustin.org/bible_maps_4.htm
http://www.historicjesus.com/maps/index.html
http://www.sacred-destinations.com/israel/footsteps-of-jesus.htm
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07289c.htm
http://www.livius.org/he-hg/herodians/herod_antipas.html

Since ancient times no one has heard or perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who intervenes for those who wait for him. Isaiah 64:4

The unbeliever does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him. And he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.  The one who is spiritual discerns all things, yet he himself is understood by no one.  For who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to advise him? 1 Corinthians 2:14-16

These are 2 verses I was drawn to this morning.  I Googled daily devotionals when I got to work to start my day, and this is what the Holy Spirit let me to. Upper Room - Daily Devotional  I am amazed at how clear the Bible is in explaining what we are here to do.  I am sure I am on the correct path now, but I am still unsure where it will lead me.  I just pray to have the dedication that Abraham in Genesis 12:1 had, and can walk the path before me without question.