WHO DO YOU SAY HE IS?
This is a brilliant
article on the Biblical backstory of a Pandemic and worth reading to the end
for sure! It’s written by Lloyd Philips and he posted it on FB on the 11th
of February.
Keys over Pandemic-
There's a place in
northern Israel where the Canaanites worshiped the god Baal (Judges 3:3). King
Jeroboam of the northern kingdom of Israel set up an altar to Baal nearby. In
time this whole region was known for pagan worship and Baal worship. Years later
when the Greeks conquered the region they renamed the city Panias after the
Greek god Pan. Pan, like Baal before it, was considered the fertility god, and
likewise had worship that was associated with bloody sacrifice and all sorts of
sexual deviancy.
Pan also was said to be
able to strike terror into the hearts of people and groups of people causing
uncontrollable fear and irrational behavior. It is from this attribute that we
get our word panic. We also get our word pandemonium, and finally the word pandemic
also comes from Pan.
There was a great cave
with a deep cavern at the spot where the worship of Pan took place and where
the temple was later built for worshiping Pan. Worshipers believed that the
spirits would travel from the underworld, called Hades, through this cavern in
the earth. They would throw their sacrifices down into the cavern where they
believed Pan and other gods would receive their bloodied offerings. It was a
demonic portal.
After the death of Herod
the Great the Romans divided his kingdom between his three sons and Philip was
placed over the region which included this area. Philip renamed the city
Caesarea Philippi honoring Caesar and himself.
This is the spot where
Jesus came with His disciples when He asked the question, "who do men say
that I am?" They told Him what people were saying, and then He asked,
"who do you say that I am?" Peter responded, "you are the
Christ" or the Messiah. Jesus said to him, “flesh and blood hasn't
revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven, and upon this rock, the
revelation that Jesus is the Messiah, I will build my church and the gates of
Hades will not prevail against it.”
Matthew
16:13 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His
disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”
14
So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or
one of the prophets.”
15
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
16
Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
17
Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh
and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.
18
And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My
church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
19
And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on
earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed
in heaven.”
I think that Jesus chose
this spot strategically to reveal His true identity to His disciples and
declare while at the actual gate of Hades that no gate of hell can prevail
against Jesus building anything that He has come to build.
Who do you say that He is?
Who is Jesus in your life and has He been allowed to build what He wishes in
you?
We find ourselves in
situations where people panic, where there is pandemonium over buying and
travel and gatherings, where there is a call of a pandemic. But Jesus is still
Lord, those who have a revelation of who He is, including the protector,
including the healer, including the Prince who is peace, have been given keys
to His Kingdom and will not walk in fear, but will have the confidence to walk
in faith.
Scripture says that we
should not be anxious for anything but in everything with prayer in specific
request should make our requests known unto God. Those who have confidence in
the Lord Jesus, who is the Messiah, have no reason to fear.
Philippians
4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
5
Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
6
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with
thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
7
and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts
and minds through Christ Jesus.
Those who have faith have
no reason (or excuse) to worry. Consideration, yes, wisdom also, but not worry.
Trust and worry are antithetical to one another. Fear is a form of faith, a negative
faith, and it brings similar results, but in the negative form. Fear and worry
can be more contagious than a virus, but we can quarantine our soul through
faith. Any crisis is an opportunity to show your strong faith. Don't let Pan
bring panic to your door, but rather let faith be your spiritual key to letting
Jesus be your door to peace, power, and blessings.
Who do you say that He
is?”
Love, Carolyn
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