Bethany:the house of song; the house of affliction

Martha:who becomes bitter; provoking

Lazarus: (whom God helps).

Mary: (a tear)(Smith's) rebellion (Hitchcock's) Hebrew Miriam.

Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, and that name means a house of affliction, but also a house of song. He goes in to the house of Lazarus, Mary and Martha. At the table with Jesus is Lazarus, and his sister Mary takes a pound of much valued perfume, spikenard, very precious and costly, probably the most expensive possession she had, and anointed the feet of Jesus. The very feet that would be nailed to a cross, she rubs with oil and wipes it with her hair. The very feet that walked this earth, wanting so badly to show hard hearted people the heart and image of God for us and our lives and souls.

The disciples were also there, because when she did this, Judas Iscariot spoke up in protest. Interesting, the name Judas means the praise of the Lord; confession (same as Judah, Jude, Judea, Judith, Jew) But Iscariot means a man of murder, a hireling, according to Hitchcock's Bible Names.

In verse 6, it's very interesting that Judas, the thief in the bunch, had the money bag, he was the treasurer of the group. The one who coveted money the most the Lord entrusted with the responsibility for keeping it. I find that very interesting in light of the knowledge the Lord knew his innermost thoughts and feelings. The Lord knew his heart. Considering we all know how Judas ended up, the money was his downfall, was it not? I know it goes much deeper than that, but on the surface, there is so much more to be gained in these scriptures, but as I understand, I write. I meditate. I want more. I know there is more to this that I don't yet see. God help the one who thinks they've got it all figured out. Eternity would not be long enough I don't think, to completely understand the Mind and ways of Almighty God. But, for now, as I read this, it appears Satan exploited the man's greed, desire for gain, and ultimately destroyed him with it.

Word must have spread quickly around the town that Jesus was in Lazarus' house, and people came, not only to see Jesus but also the man he'd raised from the dead. The curious. But the chief priest starts plotting to kill Lazarus, too. People knew he'd been dead. Now he wasn't. It caused many people to believe in Jesus, and the religious crowd felt threatened. They didn't want to lose their position, their comfort, their wealth, they didn't want the boat rocked, but Jesus would turn it completely upside down. The Pharisees had taken ten commandments, and created some 600 plus rigid laws they forced down the people's throats. They lorded their position over the people. They were hypocrites, unbelievers, insisting the people keep the law strictly, while they themselves didn't even though they appeared to, outwardly, in their clothes. Their rituals.

Hosanna: save I pray thee; keep; preserve

Imagine the horror of the Pharisees as they see these people who'd been there when Lazarus was raised and they'd flocked to the house and saw him, perhaps listened to him teach, and they were so caught up in this, there was a spirit of praise broke out and people were adoring Jesus, and the children were crying Hosanna, calling him the King of Israel that comes in the name of the Lord. He was fulfilling prophecies right before their very eyes, and surely the Pharisees knew the prophecies. They must have convinced themselves that Jesus had just read the prophecies and was putting on a show based on them. They refused to believe in Him, even after he raised the dead.

Today people who knew me 5 years ago and know me now, know what a mess I was. They know I was killing myself with drugs, with cigarettes, and putting myself in dangerous situations at times with such risky behavior. They knew I didn't care to curse at folks who made me angry. They knew I was bitter and hard, and unforgiving, with very little patience or compassion for people. They knew I was vain, obsessed with my looks, proud and arrogant. They knew I was headed for a bad end just as fast I could get there. But they see me now, talking a different talk, walking a different walk, going to a different place, reading a different BOOK. My family watched me quit the drugs and smoking, after 17 years, they watched me bag up all my short shorts, and halter tops, and my skimpy swimsuits. They saw my horror novels removed from my life. I had stacks of them, and hundreds of heavy metal CD's and rock music CD's. I was so diseased with a spirit of rebellion. The music and movies I watched were full of it. My family, they watched me change almost overnight. First went the drugs, the cursing, the cigarettes, and all I needed was Jesus, not counselors, not rehab. That is the grace and power of God, folks. You can't get that without a lot of prayer-communicating and drawing nigh to the Lord. When you are a new born Christian, he hovers close just as a loving mother does her infant. I got hungry for the Lord fast after I got saved. I couldn't get enough of his word. But yet, I know hard hearted people who will still tell you there is no God, or refuse to acknowledge their need for Him, in spite of seeing what He has done in my life. I don't advertise it or think I'm better than anyone else. God forbid. But I love to glorify my Lord by sharing my testimony when given the opportunity because it's about HIM, about what HE did in my life. He gave me everything, even the faith I needed to believe him and come to him. He gave me the desire for his word. For HIM.

God help me not to fall prey to a religious spirit. It is just as deadly and dangerous as to be blind in sin with no religious aspirations at all. And to add to their panic, here comes some Greeks, (and weren't Greeks Gentiles? ) to the festival, and they want to see Jesus. His fame had spread far beyond the borders of Jerusalem and Israel. Those on the outside were wanting to look in, wanting to see him. Wanting him. While his own were by and large rejecting him. Doesn’t that cause a stir in your heart to consider that? It does mine. I know what it is like to feel like you are on the outside, looking at something precious, while you know you don’t deserve it, but still wanting it with all your heart.

Imagine, during this week, in John 12, the feast of the Passover, a feast supposed to celebrate the deliverance of God's people from bondage, from harsh taskmasters, They stand around him, the religious crowd debating him, the children praising him, everyone watching him. But all the time, sacrifices are being prepared for the slaughter to atone for sin, unbelief in the Lord, in spite of his miracles is rampant among the people, the Gentiles are curious and come wanting to see him, they came to worship at the feast, and Jesus is watching, well aware of all that is happening around him, and surely he was vexed. He saw the futility of the feast of the Passover, that it had lost its meaning to the people. That it had become a ritual, done out of duty, with no recognition or application to their lives. God himself had spoken from heaven, and the people could not receive his word. They couldn't agree on what he said, or even what it was. Jesus knew there were those who did believe but for fear of the religious crowd wouldn't confess their faith. Their hope of salvation was in the synagogue, not in the Lord.

This is written during a time of God's wrath falling on the earth, after the rapture, when angels are flying through the heavens warning people to fear and worship God, not to take the mark of the beast. God help us now not to fall prey to a religious spirit.

If you consider this scripture, patience means hopeful, or cheerful endurance, constancy, continuance of waiting, patient.

Keep the commandments of God: to guard, (from loss or injury, i.e. false gospels which abound) keep the eye upon, prevent escaping, fulfill, (figuratively) , maintain, hold fast, serve, (observe, preserve, reserve) watch.

the faith of Jesus: persuasion, moral conviction of the truthfulness of God, reliance upon Christ for salvation, constancy of such profession, assurance, belief, fidelity, faith.

Seven times in 2 chapters of Revelation, the Lord says he that hath an ear let him hear. Let him understand. Give audience to. Open his ears to. Hearken to.

We can't receive or understand the Word of God without the Holy Spirit teaching it, opening our understanding. We have to hunger for his word, David said "Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law." Ps 119:18

We need to allow the Holy Spirit of God to lead us and us follow him, walk in the Spirit, and have faith, these two things please God. If we do these, surely, we will be able to as Isaiah said, hear that still small voice behind us saying "This is the way, walk ye in it." Is. 30:21 There is a difference between religion and salvation. Religion hates the life of Christ, and will try to smother it with rules and regulations, and criticism. But Salvation is of the Lord. It’s a relationship with our Maker. A loving one. That is what I have. Salvation heals, delivers, transforms. Religion kills. There is a vast difference. People get the two confused. The world blames the atrocities of religion on God....but the religious crowd were the ones who crucified His Son. The religious world hates the Lord, too. They profess his name, but their heart is far from him. God help us know the difference as we examine ourselves and our faith and understand just who are we trusting in, God, and His holy promises, his beloved SON, or our own ideas of who He is?  It takes patience to wait on Him to hear his voice, but He's worth it. It takes courage to listen and obey. But He provides the strength, the grace, and the power to do it.  Everything we need is in Him and in these days, we very much need to understand when we open His word, if we will ask for ears to hear and eyes to see, and understand, he will grant it to be so. If we will receive it, and realize when we read His word, he's trying to talk to us. God help us be willing to listen.