April 21st, 2020

Good morning dear people. Psalm 87 speaks of God’s love for Jerusalem more than all the dwellings of Jacob. The Psalm speaks of all the surrounding and distant nations acknowledging the God of Zion. So this Psalm alludes to the millennial reign when all nations will acknowledge the God of Zion. In Ezekiel 7 God tells the exiles that the end has come several times. Israel’s idolatry must be judged. God says in verse 27b “I will deal with them according to their conduct, and by their own standards I will judge them. Then they will know that I am the Lord.” Then we come to Matthew 9 where Matthew establishes the purpose of miracles in the healing of the paralytic. Jesus begins by telling the man that his sins are forgiven. The teachers considered this blasphemy. Which it would be if anyone except Jesus has said it. But Jesus asked which is easier, to forgive the man his sins or to tell him to rise up and walk? So he heals the man to show He has authority to forgive sin. Thus the purpose of the miracles. They show that aJesus is who He says He is, the Messiah. Let us all put our confidence in Jesus’ ability to forgive sins. God bless all of you.

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