Dr. Terry Threadwell's Blog

“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. “Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Mat 5:11-12 NKJ)

Notice here that it doesn’t say “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely because you’re lazy, obnoxious, hard to get along with, or a hypocrite. Sometimes persecution comes because the Christian isn’t being Christlike.  Remember, Christ had the biggest impact on his society by his words and deeds as he ministered within the laws and protocols of his society and culture.  When we imitate the life of Christ in this way, we can expect trouble.  The Message puts it this way, “count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens.” I would hasten to add that ‘the truth’ should be God’s Word and not your opinion, and truth that you applied to your life first.

When this happens to you rejoice, because you join a long line of those that have gone before you—some have even paid the ultimate price.  There is nothing that can be said or done to you that they did not do to Jesus.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Mat 5:10 NKJ)

This text follows directly after the call of the Christian to be a peace-maker. In other words, if you live the life of a peace-maker, persecution will follow for two reasons. First, because you stand up for righteousness. The Hebrew word is ‘tsedaqah,’ meaning righteousness-justice. Not just any righteousness or any justice, but that which comes from the Kingdom of God. The Christian that is persecuted lives their life to serve the King and to implement his Words, deeds and actions here on earth (Matt 6:10).

Have no doubt in your mind, we live in the kingdom of darkness that is ruled by, “the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience. (Eph 2:2-3 NKJ) Our spiritual battle is against, “principalities (demonic forces), against powers (those who serve the kingdom of darkness (Eph 6:12 NKJ) They do not want you bringing Kingdom light into the world. So when the world tells you to be quiet—turn up the volume.

Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God. (Mat 5:9 NKJ)

Is there a difference between peace-making and pacifist?  The dictionary defines a pacifist as, “a person who believes in pacifism or is opposed to war or to violence of any kind.”  That same dictionary defines peace-maker in terms of action rather than just a belief. It states that a peace-maker is, “a person, group, or nation that tries to make peace, especially by reconciling parties who disagree, quarrel, or fight.”

Perhaps then the Christian peacemaker should go further than just responding to a situation and become more pro-active in bringing to be Kingdom principles of love, peace, and righteousness, and as I have stated before, righteousness in the Old Testament is intrinsically linked to justice.  We should be more pro-active, and the idea of war for a Christian should be absurd.

“The way of peace they have not known, And there is no justice in their ways; They have made themselves crooked paths; Whoever takes that way shall not know peace. Therefore, justice is far from us, Nor does righteousness overtake us; We look for light, but there is darkness! For brightness, but we walk in blackness!” (Isa 59:8-9 NKJ)

As Christians we need to reconcile our thoughts and actions with those of the gospel, they are not separate.  We’re told to love God, love our brother, even our neighbor and yes, our enemies too.  Hezbollah, the terrorist group in Lebanon, won the hearts and minds of the people, not with gun, but providing food, aid and medical care. The American president, Dwight Eisenhower said, “Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and who are not clothed.”

A peace-maker should be about the ministry of reconciliation, working in our societies to find common ground.  Looking for those areas where we can agree and join together, rather than separate.

Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. (Mat 5:7 NKJ)

 What does it mean to be merciful? Mercy is really about showing compassion and forgiveness.  Jesus told his disciples, “In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. “But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (Mat 6:9-15 NKJ)

Even though a person might deserve judgment, mercy is shown them, just as we too deserved judgment but God showed us mercy. The Pharisees was all about law and legalism, but Jesus told them, “go and learn what this means: `I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” (Mat 9:13 NKJ)

I might have an ATM card, but when I last checked the bank requires that I make a deposit before I can make a withdrawal.  There was a well know preacher who constantly condemned a certain group of people until one day he was caught in that same sin.  He wanted mercy, but his account was empty. How’s your mercy bank balance?

Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth. (Mat 5:5 NKJ)

The meek shall inherit the earth? This is a total contrast to the world’s system that believes that world conquest only comes through strength, power, ability, self-assurance and aggressiveness. What would happen next Wednesday, if somebody in authority were to call this nation to a day of prayer, to unity and healing? Not the kind of rally that stirs up one group over another, but a gathering that seeks to find God in the midst of the carnage.

Actually, I already know what the outcome would be. Look at the example of Jehoshaphat, “Then some came and told Jehoshaphat, saying, “A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea, from Syria; and they are in Hazazon Tamar ” (which is En Gedi). (2Ch 20:2 NKJ)And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. So Judah gathered together to ask help from the LORD; and from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD………Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, ….., in the midst of the assembly. And he said, “Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the LORD to you:`Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. `Tomorrow go down against them. They will surely come up by the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the brook before the Wilderness of Jeruel. `You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the LORD is with you.” (2Ch 20:2-3; 14-17 NKJ). The enemy was defeated!!

Meekness comes in prayer and calls upon the one who is greater than I. All these radical groups that we see around us are just manifestations of a spiritual reality.  In Ephesians, Paul tells us not to fight flesh and blood, but the spiritual entities of wickedness in the heavens.  Arrogance will seek t run from God; meekness will cause you to pray.

Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted. (Mat 5:4 NKJ)

This text has two parts, first is the mourning that comes from the realization that our sinfulness grieves the heart of God, like any good parent, the Father want to see his kids do well.  The second part of this text speaks of mourning because we are touched by the heart of God and feel for the things that Father feels. There are several scriptures that speak to this point but look at this text from Isaiah.  Twenty-nine times in Isaiah, God address the subject of poverty.

`Why have we fasted,’ they say,` and You have not seen? Why have we afflicted our souls, and You take no notice?’ “In fact, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, And exploit all your laborers. Indeed you fast for strife and debate, And to strike with the fist of wickedness. You will not fast as you do this day, To make your voice heard on high. Is it a fast that I have chosen, A day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush, And to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Would you call this a fast, And an acceptable day to the LORD? “Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide yourself from your own flesh? (Isa 58:3-7 NKJ)

The people of Isaiah’s day were very much like us.  They were experiencing problems in their society and instead of inquiring of the Lord, they put their trust in financial wealth, military might, and others idols.

In chapter 58, God finds them going through the religious rituals, fasting and praying, but it’s all external.  The actions of their hearts tell a different story. God confronts their hypocrisy, “In fact, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, And exploit all your laborers. Indeed you fast for strife and debate.” Their laborers are forced to work because they have no choice, they’re not employed but enslaved.  God tells them to share the wealth, create opportunities, so that the poor don’t have to struggle. Today we’re told that to increase the minimum wage would hurt business and put jobs at risk, but is a job that doesn’t allow a person to pay their bills and feed their families a job worth having?  It is a slave-slave master mentality and an affront to God.

And we haven’t touched the other subjects of creation care, social injustice, and the so-called ‘just war.’ Why should we care? Because God cares and because of that we are comforted.

Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted. (Mat 5:4 NKJ)

Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, `Show us the Father ‘? (Joh 14:9 NKJ)

In the context of Jesus’ day, the Pharisees were all about being seen to be righteous rather than being righteous.  Jesus wanted to combat this falsehood. So, what can we learn?

Do you desire to please God? For years, we’ve interpreted holiness as being all about the external, what we wear and how we’re seen by others.  Could it be that God is more concerned about the condition of our hearts, about our relationship with Him and like all relationships, not wanting to hurt those we love?  Jesus tells us ‘Happy are those who mourn when they know they have offended, grieved, hurt the Father.’  The comfort comes because we know that when we blow it, mess up and do the wrong thing, there is a comfort that comes from being in his presence.  The comfort comes when I realize the joy of sins forgiven, reconciliation, and the comfort that is ours when we want to do those things that please the Father.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Mat 5:3 NKJ)

 The world thinks that being poor is spirit means that you’re weak and bankrupt.  The danger is that the Church then in seeking to please man begins to follow the ways of the world by seeing success as being financial gain and the ownership of possessions and power becomes nothing more than a chest thumping war cry.  With the self-sufficient is not where you find the Lord.  Isaiah writes, “For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” (Isa 57:15 NKJ)  It’s with the contrite, the humble and the poor in spirit.

 People like King David who said: “Who am I, O Lord GOD? And what is my house, that You have brought me this far? (2Sa 7:18 NKJ)  or Gideon who said, “O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” (Jdg 6:15 NKJ)  Even Moses showed humility when he said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” The reality was that as a prince of Egypt Moses was trained and educated yet, he felt inadequate for the task that God had for him.(Exo 3:11 NKJ) Finally, Isaiah said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, (Isa 6:5 NKJ)

 Poor in spirit means I can do nothing by myself, but I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Phi 4:13 NKJ)

“And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.” These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth. And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire. (Rev 11:3-6 NKJ)

In the midst of the persecution, and following John prophetic commissioning, John brings the vision of the two witnesses.  The description is loaded with OT symbolism that would remind the readers of OT prophets and images of the Spirit.  Torah requires that there be two people to obtain a witness, so what is John telling the church?

The two witnesses are the Word and the Spirit, working prophetically and when the anti-Christian forces came against them the full might and power of God were felt.  Remember if God is for us who can be against us?

Dr. Terry Threadwell

Director Institute of Progressive Pentecostal Studies

Dr. Threadwell is an Adjunct Professor of Religious Studies, American Public University.

Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, “Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. “But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months. (Rev 11:1-2 NKJ)

The symbolism in this text may be hard for us to understand, but the measuring rod is synonymous with several OT scriptures but also associated with the act of prophetic writing. (Isa 28:16-17; Jer 31:38-40; Ezek 40-48; Mic 2:5 and Zec 1:6; 2:1-2) Those in John’s day may have recognized that the instrument he is given here is the same instrument he uses to write to the elder in 3 John, suggesting that measuring may be associated with prophetic writing.

John never in all his writings refers to the temple as a literal physical building, but the dwelling place of God’s people in Christ, that’s the place of safety.  The outer courts are for those who failed to overcome and sought after the things of the world, there is no point writing to them, they will just trample the things of God underfoot.

To the church he reminds them that the tribulation they are facing (under the rule of the Roman Empire and by those who call themselves Jews) will not last forever, it is for a short period of time. For the Christian in one of the seven churches, death spells the end.