Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem(9/29/23)[Prayer]

The Holy Scriptures | 9/29/23 | left that other site

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Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

John 18

Jesus Before Pilate

28 Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness they did not enter the palace, because they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. 29 So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?”

30 “If he were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed him over to you.”

31 Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.”

“But we have no right to execute anyone,” they objected. 32 This took place to fulfill what Jesus had said about the kind of death he was going to die.

33 Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

34 “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?”

35 “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?”

36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”

37 “You are a king, then!” said Pilate.

Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”

38 “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him. 39 But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?”

40 They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part in an uprising.

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New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

God Bless America.

ML/LTOS

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Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

God Most High,
Exalted and Glorious,
Beyond Our Power To Imagine!
The Earth is Yours,
And All it Contains,
There is Nothing We Can Give You
That You Don't Already Own.
You Tell us plainly What is required of Us,
And Look at the heart.

Let all that has been Concealed
Be Revealed.

Father, We Pray For The Peace Of Jerusalem,
According To Your Will and Promise.
We Pray That You Will Forgive The Sins
of Our Own Nation,
and Lead us all to Godly Repentance.
Create in Us Clean Hearts, Oh LORD,
and Renew a Right Spirit Within Us.

This we Pray Together,
As We Await Your Messiah,
Blessed Be He,
To Set Up His Kingdom,
And Make All Things Right.

God Bless America.

ML/LTOS

[left that other site]

Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

John 18

Jesus Before Pilate

28 Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness they did not enter the palace, because they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. 29 So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?”

30 “If he were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed him over to you.”

31 Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.”

“But we have no right to execute anyone,” they objected. 32 This took place to fulfill what Jesus had said about the kind of death he was going to die.

33 Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

34 “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?”

35 “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?”

36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”

37 “You are a king, then!” said Pilate.

Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”

38 “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him. 39 But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?”

40 They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part in an uprising.

_______________________________________________________

New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

There is a strange dynamic working here between Pilate and the Jewish Leaders. Rome was an occupying force, and they could do whatever they wanted. However, they're dealing with a People who were chafing under the oppression, and very rebellious. So, in a way, they feared the very mob that they oppressed. The Jewish Leaders feared Rome, but were able to manipulate Pilate to do their bidding, even to the point of releasing an admitted criminal and prosecuting an innocent Man.

Not only was Rome an occupying force, they tried to remake Judea into their own image. Many ruins that we now explore in Israel from that period are of Roman design. The city of Caesaria Maritima looks like the remains of an Ancient Roman city, complete with an Aqueduct and a huge theater. It was the Administrative Center for the Roman Occupying Government, and is right on the Mediterranean with the same climate as Greece. (Nice!) Jerusalem, however, was landlocked without even a navigable river. So Pilate would often make the journey from Caesaria to Jerusalem, without the benefit of an Air-Conditioned Tour Bus. Jerusalem was where all the Rebels, Thieves, and Religious Fanatics were, so it was an unpleasant part of his job. Why were these Jews so difficult? They refused to add the Roman gods to their pantheon...in fact their "pantheon" only had ONE God, so it didn't qualify as a "pantheon" at all. They didn't like statues, not even really pretty ones done in the perfect style of Ancient Greece. They had all kinds of laws about ritual purity, and wouldn't even enter the home of a "Gentile", of which he was one. As if he were "unclean"! A Roman Citizen, who had hot and cold baths, fresh water piped in from the sparkling snows of the mountains, magnificent buildings, games and circuses for the People, and other benevolent actions that should have endeared him and Rome to the People. Not only that, but Rome had a system of Law and Order, which was CIVILIZED, for crying out loud. Although there was a Death Penalty, it wasn't used without a Trial. In order to prevent the Jews from executing just anyone for "blasphemy" or some other nebulous reason, Rome had decreed that only they themselves could employ the Death Penalty, and What a Penalty it was! It didn't seem to work as a deterrent though, because there were still plenty of Rebels, Thieves, and Murderers to deal with. The prison was full of them awaiting execution, and among them was Barabbas. All we know about this guy was that he was a Murderer who had taken part in an insurrection.

Pilate could see that it was a religious dispute that brought Jesus before him. Why the Religious Establishment didn't just excommunicate this person was beyond him. How could they possibly demand the Death Penalty for someone they disagreed with on religion?

Then he hit upon an idea. Give the People a choice for the holiday. Surely they would choose the innocent Jesus over the murderous rebel sitting in the dungeon!

To this day, people puzzle over the choice that the crowd made. Were they convinced that Jesus was indeed a Blasphemer? Did they think that maybe Jesus would use His supernatural Messianic Powers to destroy Rome on the spot and set them all free? Were they paid off? Were there moles in the crowd that got everybody else worked up? Whatever the reason, there is Gospel evidence that Pilate was truly stunned by their choice. Now that they had chosen, he had to go through with it or he would lose his credibility. And so, he made the dramatic gesture if washing his hands in front of them all, attempting to absolve himself of his own guilt in the matter.

Since there weren't any extra-Biblical records of Pontius Pilate, liberal scholars doubted his existence for many years. Then, in 1961, archaeologists found This.

I have seen both the original in the Israel Museum, and the copy in Caesarea, just outside the Theater.

Every day, new discoveries in the earth confirm the Word of God. Even the ROCKS sing out.

Come and Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.

"He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification." (Romans 4:25)

God Bless America.

Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.

Hallelujah and Amen

ML/LTOS

[Hiskid]

Amen. May America once again honor and show favor to Israel.

[TianaHighrider]

Good morning and thank you.
Blessings and Prayers up, in Sweet Jesus Holy Name.

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Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Thank You, Hiskid, For Your Prayers For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.

"He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification." (Romans 4:25)

God Bless America.

Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.

Hallelujah and Amen

ML/LTOS

[left that other site]

Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Thank You, TianaHighrider, For Your Prayers For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.

"He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification." (Romans 4:25)

God Bless America.

Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.

Hallelujah and Amen

ML/LTOS

[DarthVader]

Amen !!! <><

Psalm 7

A Shiggaion of David, which he sang to the Lord concerning Cush, a Benjaminite.

1 O Lord my God, in you I take refuge;
save me from all my pursuers, and deliver me,
2 or like a lion they will tear me apart;
they will drag me away, with no one to rescue.

3 O Lord my God, if I have done this,
if there is wrong in my hands,
4 if I have repaid my ally with harm
or plundered my foe without cause,
5 then let the enemy pursue and overtake me,
trample my life to the ground,
and lay my soul in the dust.
Selah

6 Rise up, O Lord, in your anger;
lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies;
awake, O my God;* you have appointed a judgement.
7 Let the assembly of the peoples be gathered around you,
and over it take your seat* on high.
8 The Lord judges the peoples;
judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness
and according to the integrity that is in me.

9 O let the evil of the wicked come to an end,
but establish the righteous,
you who test the minds and hearts,
O righteous God.
10 God is my shield,
who saves the upright in heart.
11 God is a righteous judge,
and a God who has indignation every day.

12 If one does not repent, God* will whet his sword;
he has bent and strung his bow;
13 he has prepared his deadly weapons,
making his arrows fiery shafts.
14 See how they conceive evil,
and are pregnant with mischief,
and bring forth lies.
15 They make a pit, digging it out,
and fall into the hole that they have made.
16 Their mischief returns upon their own heads,
and on their own heads their violence descends.

17 I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness,
and sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.

[Hebrews 11:6]

Although Old Testament Scripture has an abundance of detail on the crucifixion itself (Ps. 22, Is. 53, etc.), curiously it seems to be silent on its attendees (Mr/Mrs Pilate, Annas/Caiaphas, Barabbas, two thieves, centurion, etc.--while mentioning the gamblers). One suspects the reason is to keep attention focused on the main event.

Therefore, thanks for the link to Pilate's rock. And AMEN!

[NEWwoman]

Amen, left that other site

Joining in prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem and for our beloved America.

Interesting note I stumbled upon.

Some early Christians believe Pilate converted, was martyred, and consider him a saint.

https://aleteia.org/2018/02/25/why-do-some-christians-consider-pontius-pilate-a-saint/

Like the conversion of the Apostle Paul, it would be wonderful if it were true.

[left that other site]

Good Observation!

That’s why the four Evangelists all differ slightly re: The Passion of the Christ. We are treated to different perspectives, different characters (Pilate’s wife, Barabbas, Youthful Mark losing his tunic, Malchus, etc).

By putting them all together, we get the larger picture. :-)

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Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Thank You, DarthVader, For Your Prayers and Awesome Psalm For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.

"He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification." (Romans 4:25)

God Bless America.

Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.

Hallelujah and Amen

ML/LTOS

[left that other site]

Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Thank You, Hebrews 11:6, For Your Prayers For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.

"He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification." (Romans 4:25)

God Bless America.

Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.

Hallelujah and Amen

ML/LTOS

[left that other site]

We do know that God spoke to Mrs. Pilate in a dream, so maybe she had a good influence on her husband.

[left that other site]

Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Thank You, NEWwoman, For Your Prayers For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.

"He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification." (Romans 4:25)

God Bless America.

Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.

Hallelujah and Amen

ML/LTOS

[Silentgypsy]

Amen and thank you.

[Jeanbl]

AMEN!! Praying for the Peace of Jerusalem. Thank you.

[left that other site]

Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Thank You, Silentgypsy, For Your Prayers For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.

"He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification." (Romans 4:25)

God Bless America.

Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.

Hallelujah and Amen

ML/LTOS

[left that other site]

Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Thank You, Jeanbl, For Your Prayers For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.

"He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification." (Romans 4:25)

God Bless America.

Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.

Hallelujah and Amen

ML/LTOS