Effie Darlene Barba

Long before the Levitical system was laid out, God had chosen a priestly king to be a part of the story.  Melchisedek was a portrait in sense of Jesus Christ.  King of Salem, Melchisedek was “the priest of the most High God (Genesis 14:18).”  If we thought God’s calling forth of Abraham meant full exclusivity, we would be wrong.  There were others who followed God’s command even during that time separate from Abraham and his descendants. We know this also from reading the book of Job.  One such follower of God was Melchisedek, King of Salem.  Not only was Melchisedek King of Salem, it is designated that he was chosen by God to be a priest.  His very name means king of righteousness.  Thus, He was a King and a Priest. The lineage for Kings among the Jewish nation was King David. Priests were to be Levites.

Melchisedek was a priestly King during this time.  There occurred a battle amongst several kings including the King of Sodom, the King of Elam, and the King of Gomorrah. During the battle, the lands and possession of Lot were taken as were those of Sodom and Gomorrah.  Abraham went out and rescued his nephew Lot, along with his possessions.  In doing so Abraham also regained the possessions of Sodom and Gomorrah.  On his return, he was met by Melchisedek, King of Salem who was never mentioned as part of the battle.  Abraham was also met by the King of Sodom.

 

A Priestly King Arrives

Continue reading “Why is it Important that Jesus be a Priestly King?”

Although thousands had gathered around Him joyously celebrating His entry into Jerusalem.  The crowds were overwhelming as they threw their coats along the path, symbolic of surrender to His rule as King.  At that moment they were certain, He was the Messiah who would free them from the Roman tyranny.  Certainly, He would set up His Kingdom.  However, it would be this same crowd that would reject Him and cry out for His crucifixion only a few short days later.  Why did they so quickly reject Jesus as King?

Shortly after His triumphal entry, Jesus goes to the temple where He drove out the merchants and money changers.  “⁷ And he taught, saying unto them, ‘Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves” (Mark 11).  In this He quoted, Isaiah 56:7 and the fulfillment of Jeremiah 7:11. “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.”

They Reject Jesus as King of Righteousness

Continue reading “Why Did They Reject Jesus as King?”

Jesus is riding the colt.  The crowds crying forth “Save Us” are surrounding Him-it would appear that the multitudes believed in Him as the long-awaited Messiah He was. Yet, as the city comes into view, Jesus weeps over Jerusalem.

⁴¹ Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, ⁴² saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. ⁴³ For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, ⁴⁴ and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation” (Luke 19 NKJV).

Did He weep knowing it would this same crowd who cried out for His crucifixion in only a few days?  For they did not want salvation from their own sin.  Instead they wanted only to be saved from the Roman oppression. They wanted health, wealth and prosperity.  Not to bow down to worship God.  No, not really to make Him Lord of their life.  Rather than to love the giver of the gifts, their eyes were on the gifts only.

Furthermore, He saw the great devastation that lay ahead of them.  There would be the decimation of the temple in 70 AD by the Roman emperors trying to squelch a Jewish revolt.  Some estimate that more than a million Jews died during that time period.  Additionally, they essentially lost all hold of their land from 120 AD until 1948.

Jesus Weeps

Scripture presents an earlier scene where Jesus weeps.  As He approached the crowd gathered and weeping at the tomb of Lazarus, we are told “Jesus wept”.  So, often people present this as an exemple of Jesus compassionate empathy for those weeping.  Yet, as He approached Bethany that day, He knew He came with the greatest gift of all.  He knew that He was going to raise Lazarus from the dead, so He did not weep for the death of Lazarus.  Instead, He wept because the crowd and His dear friends did not really understand fully His deity.  If they had, they would not have been mourning.  They did not understand He held the keys to the Kingdom of God and the power over death.  Theirs had been a mournful cry.  Now this cried who joyfully cried out “Hosanna, Lord, Son of David” did not really know who He is either.

Now once more Jesus came with the greatest gift of all-life.  He came to bring spiritual life, but the crowd did not understand.  Much as was foretold by Jeremiah.

¹Oh, that my head were waters,
And my eyes a fountain of tears,
That I might weep day and night
For the slain of the daughter of my people!
² Oh, that I had in the wilderness
A lodging place for travelers;
That I might leave my people,
And go from them!
For they are all adulterers,
An assembly of treacherous men.

³ “And like their bow they have bent their tongues for lies.
They are not valiant for the truth on the earth.
For they proceed from evil to evil,
And they do not know Me,” says the Lord. (Jeremiah 9)

Still, Jesus Weeps Today

I am certain that Jesus weeps today as He looks down upon our nation and the world.  He came that He might bring life.  Dying on the cross, He paid the penalty of our sin.  Then, He arose from the grave and sits upon His throne in heaven.  One day, He will return to gather His church—all who have accepted Him as Savior and Lord to be with Him in heaven.  He will return to establish His Kingdom on earth during His millennial reign.  Then, He will bring final judgement upon all sin.  Satan will be cast into hell for eternity along with all who refused to accept the gift that Jesus freely offers. I am certain Jesus weeps, as He watches our nation foolishly chases after false ideologies of Him and do not really know Him.  So many proclaim the name of Christ; yet, do not know Him.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). Do you know Him as Savior and Lord of your life?

DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD?

If you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you to go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link.  There is nothing more important than this; because,  He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.

ARE YOU IN OF NEED PRAYER?

If you have a prayer request email me by clicking here

Furthermore, if you would like to tell me your story or thoughts  comment here

Books Available

If you want to know more about books I have written. Then, please click on this link to discover a world of Book Resources.

Or you can find all my books on Amazon.com, search just by searching Effie Darlene Barba.  Or click this link to be taken there

Furthermore,  for inspirational photos or home decor click here.

Series:  Finding Faith on the Road to Emmaus

Did Jesus Come to Offer Salvation to All?

How to Certainly Know Jesus As the Lion of Judah

 God Works All Things According to His Will

How Can I Be Certain Jesus is the Christ?

Was Jesus the Savior they Waited For?

How was Christ’s Suffering a Part of His Glory?

Why is it so Important to Know All the Truth?

How Faith is Found on the Road to Emmaus

Poetry:

Trust in You

Thy Greatest Glory Be Thy Love Poured Out On Calvary

Disclosures

©Effie Darlene Barba, 2018
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

 

As the time was right Jesus came to enter Jerusalem.  The crowds surrounding Him were thousands.  He stopped in Bethany along this journey where Mary the sister of Lazarus anointed His feet with oil.  There is no doubt that He had been telling the apostles and these His dear friends that He must suffer many things and must die.  They had all seen Lazarus rise from the dead at His command.  But still they did not fully understand, nor did they know the significance of all the prophecies.  After all this group of followers were not the learned of the nations.  The scribes and pharisees versed in scripture had denied Him, despite His truth being displayed throughout their scriptures.  Now it was time for the King of Kings to enter Jerusalem, to become the Passover Lamb whose blood was shed to redeem all those accepting His atoning gift of salvation.

The crowds swelled to thousands pressing around Him.  He sent forth His apostles to a nearby town and told them where to find a donkey and a colt.  Just as always, He was in perfect Sovereign control.  They went and found the donkey with her lowly colt and brought them to Jesus, after asking permission of their owner, just as Jesus told them.  He would ride the colt, while they lead the mother.  Donkey colts could be quite unruly if the mother wasn’t there to lead them.  It was the day that Jews would choose their Passover Lamb.  Furthermore, it was the exact day foretold by Daniel 9:25; but, no one really recognized that scripture was being fulfilled.  They and the crowds wanted the King to enter and overthrow the Romans, establish rule.  Little did they know; He came to address sin and death instead- their sin and ours.

 

The King of Kings Salvation Brings

With all the pomp and circumstance, the crowds threw their clothes along the path.  Symbolic of surrender to the King of Kings; crying forth

“Hosanna to the Son of David!
‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’
Hosanna in the highest!” Matthew 21:9

Hosanna being “Save Us Now” was perfect repeating of Psalm   118 ²⁵ Save now, I pray, O Lord;
O Lord, I pray, send now prosperity.
²⁶ Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!

Oh, they wanted Him to save them from Roman oppression; but, did not realize what they needed most is what He came to give.  Salvation from their chains of sin.  What they needed was a Passover Lamb.  One that once and for all paid the price for their sins.  He, the King of Kings came as just that.

He came riding on a donkey’s colt, not a big white stead.  Lowly, meek He rode into town.  He did not carry a sword nor a royal robe; but, He came at the exact time told by Daniel predicted and precisely how Zecariah said He would.

 

Zechariah 9: 9

 

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your King is coming to you;
He is just and having salvation,
Lowly and riding on a donkey,
A colt, the foal of a donkey.

Daniel 9: 25

“Know therefore and understand,
That from the going forth of the command
To restore and build Jerusalem
Until Messiah the Prince,
There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks;
The ^[a]street shall be built again, and the ^[b]wall,
Even in troublesome times.

Greater scholars than I have shown that from the time that the decree of Artaxerxes in March of 444 BC until Christ’s entrance into Jerusalem as the Messiah in April 33 AD was exactly 173,880 days which equals the 483 years calculating them as 360 days per year as was done in the Jewish Calendar.  You can read a lot more about this fulfillment by going to a post I wrote in 2016, How to Have Joy and Hope by Understanding Truth.

Concluding thoughts:

Every detail of His triumphal entry, the King of Kings who came as the Passover Lamb, was foretold in Old Testament Scripture.  Yet, as John 12: 16 tells us, “these things understood not his disciples at the firs: but when Jesus was Glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of Him and that they had done these things unto Him.”

But, we can look back and see how miraculously Jesus Christ fulfilled every detail of Old Testament Scripture.  Oh, I say miraculously; but, truth be known the King of Kings was always in perfect Sovereign Control.  He had written Old Testament Scripture foretelling His life and His triumphal entry into Jerusalem through the hands of many prophets over thousands of years.  It was His choice to come, suffer, and die that He might provide salvation to all who would believe.  He truly came to be the Passover Lamb to redeem all who would by faith accept His gift of Salvation.

DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD?

If you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you to go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link.  There is nothing more important than this; because,  He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.

ARE YOU IN OF NEED PRAYER?

If you have a prayer request email me by clicking here

Furthermore, if you would like to tell me your story or thoughts  comment here

Books Available

If you want to know more about books I have written. Then, please click on this link to discover a world of Book Resources.

Or you can find all my books on Amazon.com, search just by searching Effie Darlene Barba.  Or click this link to be taken there

Furthermore,  for inspirational photos or home decor click here.

Series:  Finding Faith on the Road to Emmaus

Did Jesus Come to Offer Salvation to All?

How to Certainly Know Jesus As the Lion of Judah

 God Works All Things According to His Will

How Can I Be Certain Jesus is the Christ?

Was Jesus the Savior they Waited For?

How was Christ’s Suffering a Part of His Glory?

Why is it so Important to Know All the Truth?

How Faith is Found on the Road to Emmaus

Poetry:

Trust in You

Thy Greatest Glory Be Thy Love Poured Out On Calvary

Disclosures

©Effie Darlene Barba, 2018
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.