Bro. John:
I have nothing to add to what you have written here, but I just wanted to share with you some feelings while I was reading this section.
When I got to the ending, “Those like Satan, who hated Jesus but wanted him to be king, and those like Peter, who loved Jesus and wanted him to be king, would have done as much damage as the priests and elders would have done if they had been able to kill Jesus and keep him dead.”, I just had to sit there and let that one thought roll over and over in my heart. It struck me as terrifying that one may think they are doing right when it can be as wrong as can be without the Spirit of God leading. As you said here, Satan and Peter, one motivated by hate, the other by love, but both of their desires not according to the will of God. This thought made me realize how much we poor humans need the holy Ghost. How very valuable is the Spirit of God guiding us everyday in our lives so that we please Him who made us!
I remember you telling us in a message a while back that if there was anyone doing the will of God on the day Jesus died, it was the ones who crucified him. That was a new thought to me, a forward thought from God. Who was doing the will of God on that day? The ones who appeared to be doing what was right or the ones doing the will of God, who appeared to be doing wrong?
I am just overwhelmed with what we are receiving from God. I know it is not just for us. The Lord reminded me of the verse in Romans 11:1-5
“I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,
Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.
But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.
Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.”
For these hearts, God is still seeking. There is still so much hope and love in Jesus. This kind of love just makes the heart weep and at the same time overflow with joy . . . . and want to kiss the Son. 🙂
Praying God will open up the storehouse for you (and us), John, to get this to His people.
Sandy 🙂
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That was a remarkable thought about Satan and Peter, Sandy, but it was not quite perfect. I had to re-write it as follows:
“If they had had their way, Satan and Peter, who wanted Jesus to be king of the world, would have done as much damage to the work of God as Satan and Israel’s elders would have done if they had been able to kill Jesus and keep him dead.”
At different times, Satan was on both sides of that issue. And either way he had it, if he had accomplished what he wanted, it would have been bad.
jdc