Jehoshua is on the throne of David in New Jerusalem and He is the King of a New Israel
Luke 4:1-8 (KJV) 1And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,2Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.3And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.4And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.5And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.6And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.7If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.8And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. So here in Luke 4 we are now gonna see the actual beginning of the gospel of the Kingdom being taught and preached by Jehoshua. Prior to His baptism, Jehoshua was being prepared by His Father for the work of the Kingdom. It was after being baptized by John in the Jordan river that Jehoshua is said to be filled with the Holy Spirit. John the Baptist later says in John 3:33-36 that Jehoshua was given the Spirit without measure. Isaiah 11 also prophesies that Jehovah God's perfect 7 manifold Spirit would rest upon the Messiah. It's important to understand this going forward especially in respect to the above pasaage when Jehoshua is tempted by Satan. After Jehoshua's 40 day fast Him and Satan have a much overlooked encounter. Many people read this passage without understanding the significance of verse 1 "being full of the Holy Ghost". This means that everything Jehoshua said in His dialogue with Satan was inspired by the Holy Ghost which is called the Spirit of truth. It's important to understand that Jehoshua was not speaking here in some split dualist human nature apart from His divine nature. Jehoshua was fully human with a full human nature who was filled with Jehovah's Spirit which is the Spirit of truth. This means everything single thing that Jehoshua spoke here is absolute truth without qualification. The first challenge to Jehoshua from Satan is in regards to Jehoshua's Sonship. It is noteworthy that today most denominations pose the same question about the Messiah. Many Churches deny Messiah's true Sonship and have instead promoted Him to be God Almighty Himself. Those who hold fast to the Sonship of Messiah are often ridiculed and mocked and told that they will burn in hell. You almost never hear sermons in Churches regarding the Sonship of Messiah. The sermons are usually about Him being God or the second person of the trinity. Many of the Churches have taken on the same spirit of Satan in that they question the Sonship of Messiah tempting Him with this blasphemous question. In verse 4 Jehoshua directs Satan to the word of God and says that man will live by EVERY word of it. When tempted by the denominations of Christendom if Jehoshua is the Son of God we must do like Jehoshua does and direct them to the straightforward word of God. In verses 5-7, Satan tempts Jehoshua to snatch at eqaulity with God and not give up His right to rule. Satan does this by offering Jehoshua the kingdoms of this world. Remember, Jehovah God foreordained Jehoshua to receive the Kingdoms of this world as His inheritance (Daniel 7:13-14, Hebrews 1:1-3). Jehovah God predestined Jehoshua to rule the nation's with a rod of iron (Psalm 2, Revelation 2:27). However the Father needed His Son to fulfill the plan of salvation first, which required that Jehoshua empty Himself and die on the cross to make a reconciliation for sins. Philippians 2, Titus 2 and Isaiah 53 detail Jehoshua emptying Himself on the cross and how he counted not the being of an eqaulity with God a thing to be grasped at. Unlike Adam, Jehoshua doesn't fall for the wiles of Satan. In verse 8, Jehoshua gives a statement of faith concerning worship thereby rebuking Satan and qouting Deuteronomy 6:13. Jehoshua says that only the Lord thy God is to be worshipped. While many people claim that Jehoshua is the "Lord thy God" the scriptures over and over again contradict this and actually teach that Jehoshua is the Son of the Lord thy God. Remember in John 17:3 that Jehoshua says that the Father alone (only) is the one true God and that eternal life is based on this understanding. So with this understanding of what Jehoshua said being filled with the Holy Spirit, the Lord thy God is the Father. Jehoshua makes it clear that ultimate worship is to be directed to the Father (Lord thy God) alone. Remember, others in scripture are talked about as being worshipped but it's in repsect to the position they have according to the authority God has granted them. This type of worship is more akin to giving one honour. Jehoshua receives this type of worship above anyone else who has ever lived. However it is the Father that receives worship alone as the Almighty God. Infact ascribing worship to anyone or anything else as the Almighty God is a violation of the first commandment of the bible (Exodus 20:1-3, Mark 12:28-34, Deuteronomy 6:4-13). Luke 4:9-13 (KJV) 9And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence:10For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee:11And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.12And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.13And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season. In verses 9-11, Satan again tempts Jehoshua regarding His Sonship in order to put doubt in Him. It is sad that much of Christendom has done the same as they truly don't believe that in identity Jehoshua is the Son of God. They even question those who hold fast to the Sonship of Messiah and say "is Jehoshua really the Son of God, isn't He God Himself?". In verses 12 and 13 again Jehoshua rebukes Satan with the word of God. This is what those of us who hold to the Sonship of Messiah need to do with those who tryto tempt us with the lie that He really isn't the Son of God in identity. Keep in my mind that this dialogue between Jehoshua and Satan was done right after Jehoshua was described as being full of the Holy Spirit. So when Jehoshua says that only the Lord thy God being the Father is to be worshipped it is a Holy Ghost inspired statement and is not simply something He said in His human nature. This is the foundational truth of the gospel of the Kingdom which is that the Father is alone to be worshipped as the Lord thy God. Having this understanding then allows us to truly understand who Jehoshua is in identity. Luke 4 14And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.15And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.16And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.17And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, 18The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,19To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. Verse 14, Jehoshua returned from His encounter with Satan being filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. This is the second reference to Jehoshua being filled to the full with the Holy Spirit and they are both post baptism. It also destroys the false notion that some words He spoke only in His human nature. Jehoshua was a whole being and fully human who was filled with God's Spirit. Verse 15, His anointing gave Him a teaching ministry in which many people were blessed even glorifying Him. Being filled with the Holy Spirit obviously made Jehoshua a great teacher of Jehovah's Torah. Verse 16, while many point to Jehoshua's resurrection being on a sunday as proof of sunday being the new holy day of the Messianic faith, it's noteworthy that the official proclamation of the beginning of His ministry was on the Sabbath day. Verses 17-19, Jehoshua reads from Isaiah 61 and Jehoshua says that the Spirit of Jehovah was upon Him referencing His baptism in which He received the seven manifold Spirit of Jehovah God His Father not another distinct person. This is proven because Jehoshua says that "He" anointed me. The "He" is obviously a reference to the Father Jehovah. The Father anointed Jehoshua with His (Jehovah's) very own Spirit (mind, presence, power) not another distinct person. Jehoshua needed the anointing (consecrated) Spirit from the Father in order to perform the work of preaching the gospel of the Kingdom. Jehoshua was consecrated by the Father at His baptism for the work of the ministry. If we are to be followers of Jehoshua then we need to follow in His footsteps by preaching good tidings, proclaim liberty to those who are captive to sin and recovery of sight to the spiritually blind. We are to bind the broken hearted and bruised. We are to proclaim the acceptable year of Jehovah meaning that this is the day of salvation. Are message is to be one of good news and healing. Of course a warning of the judgement to come is also to be trumpeted. Isaiah 61 goes on to say that Jehovah's anointed would also declare the day of God's wrath and comfort those who mourn. The rest of the passage details a beautiful picture of how the gospel message is to uplift the hurting and turn them unto righteousness. Isaiah 61:2-3 (ASV) 2to proclaim the year of Jehovah`s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;3to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them a garland for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of Jehovah, that he may be glorified. The above passage shows us what the content of the Kingdom gospel is suppose to entail. It's all about restoration. Restoration of the hurting and bruised. When we seek to heal people in the name of our Lord Jehoshua then a restoration of society as a whole follows: Isaiah 61:4-5 (ASV) 4And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.5And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and foreigners shall be your plowmen and your vine-dressers. Restoration always starts with the individual then moves towards society as a whole. The gospel of the Kingdom is supposed to be a healing agent not a tearing down of people. Just as Jehoshua didn't come to condemn neither are we to condemn. The full restoration will take place at the second advent. If we follow the divine prescription given to us in this passage regarding what the gospel of the Kingdom is supposed to entail then we will be called priests of Jehovah God and inherit the future consummated Kingdom of Jehovah God. Isaiah 61:6-7 (ASV) 6But ye shall be named the priests of Jehovah; men shall call you the ministers of our God: ye shall eat the wealth of the nations, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.7Instead of your shame [ye shall have] double; and instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess double; everlasting joy shall be unto them. If we follow the Messiah and preach the same gospel of the Kingdom that He did which entails the first 5 verses of Isaiah 61, then we will have the privilege of being called priests of Jehovah God. This is a high calling and not to be taken lightly. We are called Messianic's because we are followers of Messiah. To be a follower of someone means to actually do the things they do. Our calling as Messianic's is to bind up the broken hearted, proclaim liberty to the captives and comfort those who mourn along with warning of the judgement to come. If we don't do these things then we have no right to call ourselves priests. Only kings and priests will inherit the Kingdom of Jehovah. If we fufill this high calling to preach glad tidings unto the meek then men will call us ministers of God. People will recognize that you are filled with God's Spirit. "Ye shall eat the wealth of the nations" This is a reference to the saints inheriting the Kingdom to come after Messiah's second advent. Remember though, this is provided we fufill our calling as kings and priests. Verse 7 of Isaiah 61 further details the blessings in the Kingdom to come that the saints will enjoy. Peter talks about this inheritance being reserved for us: 1 Peter 1:3-4 (ASV) 3Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy begat us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,4unto an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, In this life Messianic's will be looked at and treated with shame by the world, however in the coming Kingdom they will be exalted and glorifed. They will have everlasting joy and possess the land that was promised to Abraham's descendants. As Messianic's our gospel is to be exactly the same one that the Son of God preached. This is called the gospel of the Kingdom. Luke 4:21-22 (ASV) 20And he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down: and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on him.21And he began to say unto them, To-day hath this scripture been fulfilled in your ears. Jehoshua began His preaching of the gospel of the Kingdom on a Sabbath day. This is another reason to honour the 4th commandment. Luke 4:41-44 (ASV) 41And demons also came out from many, crying out, and saying, Thou art the Son of God. And rebuking them, he suffered them not to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.42And when it was day, he came out and went into a desert place: and the multitudes sought after him, and came unto him, and would have stayed him, that he should not go from them.43But he said unto them, I must preach the good tidings of the kingdom of God to the other cities also: for therefore was I sent.44And he was preaching in the synagogues of Galilee. Even the demons knew the true identity of Jehoshua acknowledging His Sonship and His Messiahship. Unfortunately these demons have a more accurate view of the identity of Jehoshua than most of Christendom who believes He is actually the Almighty God. In verse 43 Jehoshua would not stay in one place because of His calling to preach the good tidings of the Kingdom of God in other cities. This shows us that in Luke 4:23-40 Jehoshua was preaching the gospel of the Kingdom. What was the content of Jehoshua's preaching during in these verses? Warning of the wrath of God to come for those who reject the gospel of the Kingdom (verses 23-27). Teaching the word of God on the Sabbath day (verses 31-32). Casting out demons (verses 33-37). Healing sickness (verses 38-40). Jehoshua called all these things the good tidings of the Kingdom. Just like Jehoshua we are not to stay in one place but we are to take the gospel of the Kingdom to other cities and places outside of where we live. This is actually commanded by Jehoshua: Matthew 28:19-20 (ASV) 19Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit:20teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. The blessing is that we will not be alone when we go out and preach the gospel of the Kingdom. Jehoshua said He will be with us until the end of age, world without end. After His ministry started Jehoshua then called disicples to assist Him in preaching the gospel of the Kingdom (Luke 5). This is similar to us in that upon our baptism we are to start our work in the ministry and seek disciples. Of course, these disciples are to follow Messiah but we are also to train them in the ways of the Kingdom. One of the characteristics of the Kingdom gospel is a move away from legalism to living by the Spirit of the law. One example of this is something that took place on the Sabbath day. Luke 6:1-5 (ASV) 1Now it came to pass on a sabbath, that he was going through the grainfields; and his disciples plucked the ears, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands.2But certain of the Pharisees said, Why do ye that which it is not lawful to do on the sabbath day?3And Jesus answering them said, Have ye not read even this, what David did, when he was hungry, he, and they that were with him;4how he entered into the house of God, and took and ate the showbread, and gave also to them that were with him; which it is not lawful to eat save for the priests alone?5And he said unto them, The Son of man is lord of the sabbath Jehoshua's lesson to the Pharisees was that providing for man's need was not in contradiction to the prinicples of the Sabbath. Often times, those who are legalistic will neglect the needs of others in order to keep some strict often self imposed rules in order to preserve the Sabbath. Helping those in need actually fits with the spirit of true Sabbath keeping even if it appears to others that you are violating the letter of Sabbath keeping. Right before performing a work of healing on the Sabbath, Jehoshua said this to the Pharisees in Matthew 12:12-13: "12 How much then is a man of more value than a sheep! Wherefore it is lawful to do good on the sabbath day.13Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, as the other. In the gospel of the Kingdom it is the Spirit of the law that is emphasized over the letter of the law, which is often times perverted by religous teachers. Jehovah God wants us to understand the spiritual intent of His law not get tied down in the minutia of the letter which kills. Jehoshua's purpose was to encourage people to look beyond the "letter of the law" to the "spirit of the law"...the principles behind the commandments and the law's intention. Jehoshua quotes the book of Deuteronomy and Leviticus: "All the Law can be summed up in this: to love God with all your heart, all your mind and all your soul, and to love your neighbor as yourself" (paraphrased). The bible says that Jehoshua is the end which really means He is the goal of the law. Romans10:4 (ASV) 4For Christ is the end of the law unto righteousness to every one that believeth. This does not mean that the law has ended or is abolished but rather that Jehoshua is the goal of how the law is to be applied in one's life. The word end comes from the Greek word "telos" and means "goal; a point aimed at as a limit". If one wants to keep the law then they need to look to Jehoshua as He is the goal of how to keep it. Jehoshua's teachings and manner of life is the example to follow in keeping the law. This is how the law is applied in the gospel of the Kingdom in that it finds it's fufillment in Jehoshua's teachings and manner of life. The sermon of the mount is the perfect exposition of the law.
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