In chapter 14 verses 1-12 of Matthew Herod is struck with terror on hearing of the miracles of Jesus. Herod Antipas, a convert of the Sadducees (and therefore a non believer in the resurrection of the dead) was convinced that John the Baptist had been raised from the dead. Our Lord is told of John's brutal decapitation and in response seeks solitude to reflect. Verses 13-22 tell us that Jesus is interrupted by a multitude seeking him out and his compassionate response to their need of a shepherd to teach them: compare Numbers 27 verse 17. Jesus feeds 5,000 of them and heals many. John 6 tells us that their desire was to take him by force and make him their king. Jesus summarily dispersed the crowd and went into a mountain to pray. Verses 24-33 speak of Jesus sending the Apostles by boat to the other side of the lake. After praying on the mountain our Lord saw the Apostles toiling in rowing on a storm tossed sea and failing to make any progress. The Lord came to them through the storm, walking on the water. Peter alone showed the faith and courage to briefly do likewise. Though Peter's faith faltered he alone had the courage to walk on the Sea of Galilee at the request of his master. O that such trust in our master and such confidence was ours that Peter then displayed! Peter was rescued by his Master. Their port of destination was Capernaum - meaning the city of consolation. This speaks of our destination and finding comfort when our Lord, the Father's Son and our hope and consolation, has come. Verses 34-36 tell us that Jesus on reaching the other side of the lake Jesus healed many at Gennesaret.

This presentation discusses the remarkable story of Deborah and Barak, highlighting the lessons in leadership and the prophetic significance of the events described in the book of Judges. It explores the contrast between the faithful leadership of Deborah and the unfaithful leadership of Sisera's mother, who represents the spirit of greed, arrogance, and cruelty. The presentation also draws parallels between the events in the book of Judges and the prophecies of Armageddon and the subjugation of Catholic Europe, as depicted in the book of Revelation.Highlights🌟 Deborah and Barak's leadership inspired a cascading and rolling enlightenment through the nations, leading to the recovery and restoration of Israel's territories.🌟 Sisera's mother, the queen-like figure in the story, is contrasted with Deborah, representing the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman.🌟 Sisera's mother's obsession with the spoils of war and the acquisition of slaves and fine garments symbolises the greed and arrogance of the Harlot system of Catholic Europe.🌟 The destruction of Sisera's army and the subsequent battle against Jabin, the king of Canaan, foreshadows the two-stage victory of Armageddon and the subjugation of Catholic Europe.🌟 The song of Deborah and Barak is a prophetic message of hope, relief, and warning, encouraging the saints throughout time to stand up and serve God wholeheartedly.Keywords1. Leadership2. Prophecy3. Armageddon

Deborah and Barak: #4 'The Tribes, The Insensitive Deserters'
SummaryThis presentation discusses the biblical story of Deborah and Barak, highlighting the importance of leadership and the spirit of volunteering among the Israelites. It explores how the lack of leadership and the people's disregard for God led to their oppression, and how Deborah and Barak's inspired leadership and the willingness of some tribes to volunteer and sacrifice their lives turned the tide against their enemies.Highlights🌟 The presentation emphasizes the connection between leadership and the spirit of volunteering among the people, with Deborah and Barak seeing this as the key to their victory.🌟 Deborah and Barak sing a song that praises the governors of Israel who offered themselves willingly, and they call out the tribes who failed to respond to the call for help, highlighting the importance of self-sacrifice and care for one's brethren.🌟 The presentation draws parallels between the events of Deborah and Barak's time and the Exodus, seeing their struggle as a reenactment of God's deliverance of His people and the establishment of His kingdom.🌟 The presentation emphasizes the importance of understanding and applying the principles of the truth, and how true leadership requires the spirit of love and self-sacrifice, just as demonstrated by God's ultimate sacrifice of His Son.Keywords1. Leadership2. Volunteering3. Sacrifice

SummaryThis presentation explores the story of Jael, the displaced wife, and her role in the deliverance of Israel from the oppression of the Canaanites. It highlights the faithfulness and leadership of Deborah and Barak, as well as the consequences of Heber the Kenite's decision to separate himself from his faithful family.Highlights🌟 The story of Jael, the displaced wife, is a key part of the series on Deborah and Barak's leadership in delivering Israel from Canaanite oppression.🌟 Heber the Kenite, a member of a faithful family, made the decision to separate himself and his family from the rest of the Kenites, relocating to the northern region near the Canaanites. This decision was driven by the pursuit of economic prosperity and better employment opportunities.🌟 Jael, Heber's wife, was a strong and resilient woman who embodied the rugged and isolated lifestyle of the Kenites, in contrast to her husband's desire for a more comfortable and civilised existence.🌟 When the Canaanite commander, Sisera, fled to Jael's tent for refuge, she seized the opportunity to kill him, using a tent peg and a workman's hammer, in a crime of passion fuelled by her frustration with the disruption to her family's way of life.🌟 Barak, who had initially been hesitant in his leadership, was inspired by Jael's actions and the realisation that God had used her to deliver Sisera into the hands of a woman, as Deborah had prophesied. This led Barak to boldly lead the Israelites in completing the task of overthrowing the Canaanite king, Jabin.Keywords

• Faithfulness
• Leadership
• Displacement
• Canaanite oppression

SummaryThis presentation discusses the story of Deborah and Barak, focusing on Barak's hesitance to take on the leadership role that God had called him to. Deborah, a prophetess, encourages and empowers Barak to step up and fulfil his responsibilities, demonstrating effective leadership principles that can be applied in ecclesial life. The presentation also explores the military strategy and divine intervention that led to the defeat of Sisera's army.Highlights🌟 Deborah recognises that God had already called Barak, and gently reminds him of his responsibilities and the need for his leadership.🌟 Deborah uses a coaching model to inspire Barak, seeking to understand his challenges before guiding him towards the desired outcome.🌟 The presentation highlights the importance of receiving and giving advice with an open heart and mind, without seeking personal glory.🌟 Barak's hesitance reveals a trust deficiency, which God addresses by showing that He can work through anyone, even a woman, to achieve victory.🌟 The divine intervention of the storm and the subsequent destruction of Sisera's army demonstrate God's power and the importance of perseverance in fulfilling one's responsibilities.Keywords

• Leadership
• Mentoring
• Divine Intervention

SummaryThis presentation discusses the story of Deborah and Barak, a pivotal period in Israel's history during the time of the Judges. It highlights the challenges of faithless leadership and the importance of transferring the truth from one generation to the next. The presentation emphasises the lessons that can be learned from this period, particularly regarding the responsibilities of older and younger generations in maintaining and passing on the faith.Highlights🌳 The land was subdued under Joshua's leadership, but the Israelites failed to completely drive out the remaining nations as commanded, leading to a gradual compromise of their divinely appointed position and purpose.🔍 The failure to transfer the truth and inspire the next generation resulted in a leadership vacuum, where "every man did that which was right in his own eyes" and the nation fell into idolatry and moral decay.💼 True leadership is about service, not position. Deborah, the prophetess, stepped up to provide wise counsel and inspiration when the appointed leaders failed to fulfil their responsibilities.Keywords

• Faithless leadership
• Generational transfer of truth
• Inspiring leadership

Description: In the times of Deborah and Barak, there was a problem with leadership. Faithless leadership in Israel cost them their inheritance, when they did not drive out the Canaanites from the land. Deborah encouraged Barak to lead Israel.

Deborah, as a mother in Israel inspired others to achieve great outcomes without a claim to glory. True leadership, like that shown by Deborah and Barak, has vision and tenacity to see things through, right to the very end.

They worked together until the enemy was completely destroyed.

Matthew 13 is the greatest chapter of parables in all Scripture, containing in all seven parables. Four are centred on "seed" and the other three about understanding, valuing, and teaching others of, and encouraging them to seek and prepare themselves for the Kingdom of God. The parable of the Sower is said by our Lord to be the greatest of, and key to, all parables. The parable of the Sower, called by many the parable of the soils - for in each case the seed sown is identical; the characteristic of the soil is tested and determined on the basis of the individual response to the Word of God - and this parable, together with that of the 'tares', or weeds are the only two explained. That Jesus would use the parable as the foundation of his teaching method, and the reasons for this, were prophesied in Isaiah 6:9-10 and Psalm 78 verses 1-4. Matthew quotes both Isaiah 6 and Psalm 78; and tells us that the predicted response was forthcoming, verses 14-17 for the citation from Isaiah and verses 34-35 for the Psalm. All these parables were spoken in Galilee, by the sea; and they too invariably led to his rejection among his own folk at Nazareth. One of the high points of the chapter are the verses 45-46 where the disciple discovers that in understanding the gospel the pearl of immeasurable price has been found. What are we prepared to sacrifice for this great treasure? Hopefully everything!

In Matthew 12 we have two incidents, both deliberately performed on the Sabbath day, illustrating that Jesus was indeed the Lord of the Sabbath, in contrast to the Sabbath having authority over our Lord Jesus. The first of these confrontations between the Pharisees and Jesus' disciples was whether the disciples had the right to pluck and eat the ears of grain ( Jesus cites the precedent in David's eating of the shewbread, which our readings from two days ago highlighted). The second incident was the healing of the man with the withered hand. In all likelihood the Pharisees had planted this man at the front of the synagogue in Capernaum as a challenge to our Lord. Would he heal on the Sabbath day, or not? This healing proved that our Lord Jesus Christ was Yahweh's chosen Servant of Isaiah 42. These incidents are followed by grievous charges being leveled against Jesus of doing miracles by the power of Beelzebul - the lord of the dung heap - the prince of the demons. Jesus claims that this charge amounted to blasphemy against God's power which was being flagrantly denied despite incontestable evidence that Jesus was from God. Then follows the lesson of the fruits. Our Lord Jesus declares that the type of tree we are is shown by the fruits - ie actions of our lives - Jesus kindly words, actions and healings proved that he was the Son of God. And their hatred, words and enmity towards our Lord illustrates that they were acting from minds that were carnal in every respect. Our Lord would advance further incontestable proof of his Sonship with a prophecy of his resurrection from the dead as the sign of Jonah - the prophet from Galilee (see John 7:50-52). The chapter concludes with the parable of the unclean spirit seeking a lodging place. It leaves its abode and starts to look for another house. But finding no place it returned to its original home and found it to be swept clean. The spirit then found another 7 vile creatures to return and take possession of the original house. This spoke of John the Baptist and our Lord Jesus Christ purging the house of Israel. Only for the foul priests and Pharisees uniting to kill our Lord Jesus Christ: Matthew 23 verses :19-39. Lastly the chapter records that Jesus' own family sought to 'rescue' him from the trouble he had seemingly caused. His family were not impressed with his head on confrontations with the nation's religious leaders. Perhaps they believed he needed rest and time to reflect on a better course of action and not antagonise Israel's leaders. Jesus tells his family that he is doing the work of his God and that those who choose to listen to his Father's Word are his true family.

Isaiah 66 verses1-2 tell of the greatness of our Omnipotent Creator and His requirement for His children to show Him the reverence that is due to Him. His Word is powerful and the faithful must tremble before God's Word. Interestingly the sect of the Quakers used Isaiah 66 verse 2 as the foundation clause of their beliefs. The sense of the Hebrew of verse 2 that Yahweh is actively seeking worshippers who are similar to Himself: compare Isaiah 57 verse 15. Our God, despite His Majestic Grandeur, is of a humble disposition and can only be worshipped by humble people: James 4 verses 7-10; 1 Peter 5 verses 5-7. Verses 3-4 describe God's detesting of the nation's hypocrisy and formalism in Israel's worship. Verse 5 tells the faithful to patiently endure despite what they had suffered for their choosing God's ways. Verse 6 says that God will vindicate His people and repay their enemies. Verses 7-14 speak of the LORD's blessings on His people at the time of His Son's kingdom. God's first people Israel will become the focus of the worship of the Almighty during the kingdom: Isaiah 2 verses 1-5; Jeremiah 3 verses 16-17; Zechariah chapters 8, 13 and 14. The reborn nation will be centred in Mount Zion. This nation will spring into existence from the time of their acceptance of the Lord Jesus Christ as their Messiah: Romans 11 verses 15-36; Galatians 4 verses 21-31. This will be a time of great joy and gladness. Verses 15-23 speak of the final glories of the Creator being brought to fulfilment in the earth. The commencing of this process is a time of severe judgment against the world and its abominations. Verses 18-20 describe some nations receiving more favourable treatment during this time than others and those who have shown favour to Israel will receive mercy from the LORD according to His promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3. After Armageddon these nations will assist in the bringing of Jewish people to their homeland. And from among the returning Jews our God will make some of them mortal priests in the Land. Slowly read verses 22-23 aloud and let your mind contemplate the glory of that time when all flesh shall worship Yahweh in the glory of holiness. Verses 24 concludes the prophecy with the total eradication of the wicked.