Blasphemy
Antichrist
Blasphemes God
"I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another
little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up
by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man,
and a mouth speaking great things" Daniel 7:8
"I beheld then because of the voice of the
great words which the horn spake:" Daniel
7:11
"And he shall speak great
words against the most High..." Daniel
7:25
"And there was given unto him a
mouth speaking great things and blasphemies;
and power was given unto him to continue
forty and two months.
And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God,
to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them
that dwell in heaven." Revelation 13:5-6
Fulfillment
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Jesus
Christ Honors God
"The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue
of the learned,
that I should know how to speak a word in season
to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by
morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned."
Isaiah 50:4
Fulfillment
"And all bare him witness, and wondered at the
gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth.
And they said, Is not this Joseph's son?" Luke
4:22
"Then
came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees;
and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought
him? The officers answered, Never man spake
like this man." John 7:45-46
"Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but
I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me." John
8:54
"For he received from God the
Father honour and glory, when there came such
a voice to him from the excellent glory, This
is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." 2
Peter 1:17
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In the scriptures below are recorded two instances where Jesus
was accused of blasphemy.
"I and my Father are one. Then the Jews took up stones again
to stone him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I
showed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone
me? The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone
thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a
man, makest thyself God." John 10:31-33
"And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy,
lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the
sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven
thee.
9:3 And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth."
Matthew 9:2-3
According to the Bible, a man who thinks he can forgive sins
or makes himself as God is a blasphemer.
However, was it ok
for Jesus to claim to be God and forgive people's sins? Yes.
"For whether is easier, to say,
Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? But
that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to
forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,)
Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house." Matthew
9:5-6
"While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them:
and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my
beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him." Matthew
17:5
Never Man Spake Like this Man
Many who were convinced that Jesus was the Son of God were misled by the false
reasoning of the priests and rabbis. These teachers had repeated with great effect
the prophecies concerning the Messiah, that He would "reign in Mount Zion,
and in Jerusalem, and before His ancients gloriously;" that He would "have
dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth." Isa.
24:23; Ps. 72:8. Then they made contemptuous comparisons between the glory here
pictured and the humble appearance of Jesus. The very words of prophecy were
so perverted as to sanction error. Had the people in sincerity studied the word
for themselves, they would not have been misled. The sixty-first chapter of Isaiah
testifies that Christ was to do the very work He did. Chapter fifty-three sets
forth His rejection and sufferings in the world, and chapter fifty-nine describes
the character of the priests and rabbis.
God does not compel men to give up their unbelief. Before them are light and
darkness, truth and error. It is for them to decide which they will accept. The
human mind is endowed with power to discriminate between right and wrong. God
designs that men shall not decide from impulse, but from weight of evidence,
carefully comparing scripture with scripture. Had the Jews laid by their prejudice
and compared written prophecy with the facts characterizing the life of Jesus,
they would have perceived a beautiful harmony between the prophecies and their
fulfillment in the life and ministry of the lowly Galilean.
Many are deceived today in the same way as were the Jews. Religious teachers
read the Bible in the light of their own understanding and traditions; and the
people do not search the Scriptures for themselves, and judge for themselves
as to what is truth; but they yield up their judgment, and commit their souls
to their leaders. The preaching and teaching of His word is one of the means
that God has ordained for diffusing light; but we must bring every man's teaching
to the test of Scripture. Whoever will prayerfully study the Bible, desiring
to know the truth, that he may obey it, will receive divine enlightenment. He
will understand the Scriptures. "If any man willeth to do His will, he shall
know of the teaching." John 7:17, R. V.
On the last day of the feast, the officers sent out by the priests and rulers
to arrest Jesus, returned without Him. They were angrily questioned, "Why
have ye not brought Him?" With solemn countenance they answered, "Never
man spake like this Man."
Hardened as were their hearts, they were melted by His words. While He was speaking
in the temple court, they had lingered near, to catch something that might be
turned against Him. But as they listened, the purpose for which they had been
sent was forgotten. They stood as men entranced. Christ revealed Himself to their
souls. They saw that which priests and rulers would not see,--humanity flooded
with the glory of divinity. They returned, so filled with this thought, so impressed
by His words, that to the inquiry, "Why have ye not brought Him?" they
could only reply, "Never man spake like this Man."
The priests and rulers, on first coming into the presence of Christ, had felt
the same conviction. Their hearts were deeply moved, and the thought was forced
upon them, "Never man spake like this Man." But they had stifled the
conviction of the Holy Spirit. Now, enraged that even the instruments of the
law should be influenced by the hated Galilean, they cried, "Are ye also
deceived? Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on Him? But this
people who knoweth not the law are cursed."
Those to whom the message of truth is spoken seldom ask, "Is it true?" but, "By
whom is it advocated?" Multitudes estimate it by the numbers who accept
it; and the question is still asked, "Have any of the learned men or religious
leaders believed?" Men are no more favorable to real godliness now than
in the days of Christ. They are just as intently seeking earthly good, to the
neglect of eternal riches; and it is not an
argument against the truth, that large numbers are not ready to accept it, or
that it is not received by the world's great men, or even by the religious leaders. |
