Thursday, March 22, 2012

EMMAUS REVELATION


Time with Jesus - Friday, 23 March 2012
Hi all,
Have you ever wanted to be a “fly on the wall”? Most of us do at one time or another. For me there is one Bible Study I would love to have heard. The Bible study when Jesus taught the two believers on the Emmaus Road. Later, when He appeared to the Apostles the following is recorded: 44 Then he said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled." Luke 24:44 ESV It must have been an extraordinary teaching. Direct from the lips of the “Author” through the various Scripture writers. WOW!
The Jewish Bible is different from ours. The books were the same but they were classified differently. The Law (Genesis to Deuteronomy) is the Pentateuch. (The same as ours) Their next classification was “the Prophets”; the former Prophets and the latter Prophets. The final classification was what they called “the Writings”. The Writings included the Psalms and similar books. There are reasons why the Christian Old Testament and the Jewish Scriptures are not classified the same way. Whether or not the reasons are valid is something about which I’m not sufficiently qualified to comment.
Strangely enough, they include the Book of Daniel among the Writings. Whether this makes any difference as far as interpretation is concerned is not clear to me.
Who were these two disciples of Jesus? One of them was thought to be Cleophas or Alphaeus. The name of the other is thought to be Luke the Gospel writer or possibly Nathaniel. If Luke was one of them it would be interesting to note that Jesus walked with a Gentile after His resurrection.
As stated above, I would have loved to have been with them.
For our meditation today I’ve focused on the Emmaus walk. The dialogue is imaginary. I’ve tried to stick to what we know from Scripture. I’ve also tried to weave some of the other evening Scriptures into the meditation. It’s up to you to decide if I've achieved this.
Blessings
Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Emmaus Revelation

What a mess!” he stated, “And after these three years!
“I thought He would deliver us. But finally, the jeers,
And mocking words they hurled at Him. Had we got it wrong?
The wondrous things He did for us. I thought he had a strong,
Claim as the Messiah. How could it end that way?
To friends who said “I told you so”. To them what will we say?”
I wish I had an answer” the other man replied.
“How could this man of miracles be flogged and crucified?
I cannot understand it. It makes so little sense.
He seemed to walk so close to God; Was that His recompense?”
And then a voice behind them said, “What is it that you speak?”
“We’re talking of the person. A young man at His peak.
We thought He was Messiah. But all our hopes were dashed.
The Romans flogged and murdered Him and all our trust was smashed.”
“Perhaps I can explain it!” the voice behind them said.
And then He started talking of things deep in their head.
The prophets had predicted it. The Law showed it was true.
The writings showed exactly what the people would all do.
It wasn’t by an accident this man they loved had died.
He showed them that their Scriptures said He would be crucified.
What a Scripture study! I wish I had been there.
To hear the Lord expounding and speaking of the care,
That God had for all sinners; a love so deep and true.
He’d come and He’d be crucified for folk like me and you.
He’d come into His garden; the world forged by His hands.
He’d come to reassure them He’d smashed the devil’s bands.
He said He hadn’t spoken in secret, locked away.
His words were very simple. They said to Him “Please stay”.
But He had other purposes and when He broke the bread,
He vanished from their vision before they all had fed.
For forty days He stayed with them and He played “peek-a-boo”.
“Now you see Me. Now you don’t. But I am still with you”.
He said He’d never leave them, forsaken and alone.
He’d send His Holy Spirit the way that He had shown.
And so when they were gathered in groups of two or more,
His presence would be with them to be worshiped and adored.
And to this very moment, for some two thousand years,
We know that when we gather, our words are in His ears.
Jim Strickland 
Written Friday 23rd March 2012




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