Tuesday, March 31, 2020

Jesus is alive, Jesus loves us. (an unusual victory) - 2

After the resurrection, it is striking to note how different this victory parade is.

Luke 24 The Ascension
Then Jesus led them to Bethany, and lifting his hands to heaven, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up to heaven. So they worshiped him and then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy. And they spent all of their time in the Temple, praising God.


Contrast it with the victory parade of Elijah.

1 Kings 18Immediately the fire of the LORD flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up all the water in the trench! And when all the people saw it, they fell face down on the ground and cried out, “The LORD—he is God! Yes, the LORD is God!”
Then Elijah commanded, “Seize all the prophets of Baal. Don’t let a single one escape!” So the people seized them all, and Elijah took them down to the Kishon Valley and killed them there.

With Elijah, the opposing team was publicly humiliated and even slaughtered.

With Jesus, Ananias and Caiaphas, Herod, Pilate, the Sanhedrin remained on their thrones and continued their evil.

With Elijah, God sent down fire from heaven as public proof which side was right. Which was the true God. This was the sign from heaven that the Pharisees demanded of Jesus.

With Jesus, he appeared only to his disciples. There was no public proof. As Jesus said, the only sign given to this generation is that of Jonah. The crucifixion of Jesus and his resurrection from the dead after 3 days.

With Elijah he spoke to rulers and authority.

With Jesus, he appeared to the most ordinary and inconsequential of people. Not because they were poor, but because they were seeking him.

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