A lot of people hit Luke 14:26 and freeze. “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.” That verse sounds brutal at first glance. Some unbelievers use it to attack Jesus. Some weak preaching tries to soften it into something harmless. Others just avoid it because it sounds too sharp. But Jesus meant exactly what He was doing with that statement. He was not confused. He was not careless. He was cutting straight through shallow religion and exposing the real cost of following Him. In Luke 14:25, the text says, “great multitudes went with him.” That is important. Big crowds were following Jesus. But crowds are not the same thing as disciples. A crowd can be curious. A disciple is committed. A crowd likes miracles, bread, healing, excitement, and hope that life gets easier. A disciple bows the knee. So what does Jesus do when the crowds swell? He does what most modern churches would never do. He turns and makes it harder. He does not say, “Come as you are and never count the cost.” He does not say, “Just add Me to your life.” He does not beg people to stay. He tells them the truth. “If any man come to me, and hate not…” That word “hate” throws people, but the point is not that Jesus is commanding sinful malice, bitterness, or cruelty toward your family. Scripture interprets Scripture. Jesus also taught us to love, to honour father and mother, to care for others, and husbands are commanded to love their wives. So Christ is not contradicting Himself. The issue here is comparison and priority. In the biblical sense, this kind of “hate” means to love less by comparison. It is the language of preference, rank, and supreme allegiance. You can see that idea elsewhere in Scripture. In Matthew 10:37, Jesus says it plainly: “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” There it is. Luke gives the hard cutting form. Matthew gives the explanatory form. Jesus is saying that your love for Him must be so absolute, so supreme, so unmatched, that every other love looks secondary beside it. He must not be one relationship among many. He must be Lord over all of them. That means if your father wants you to deny Christ, you choose Christ. If your mother wants you to compromise truth, you choose Christ. If your spouse wants you to walk away from obedience, you choose Christ. If your children become idols in your heart, Christ still comes first. If your own desires, comfort, dreams, reputation, safety, or plans rise against His will, you choose Christ over your own life too. That last part is where people really choke. Jesus did not just say hate father and mother in comparison. He said “and his own life also.” That means discipleship is not just giving Christ priority over people. It is giving Him priority over self. That is where fake Christianity dies. A lot of people want a Saviour who forgives them, blesses them, protects them, and helps them reach their goals. But they do not want a Lord who owns them. Jesus is not calling people to admire Him. He is calling them to die to self. That is why the next verse says, “And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:27). The cross was not a pretty church symbol back then. It was an instrument of death. Shame. Execution. Surrender. Jesus is saying that if you are going to follow Him, you must come as a man already yielded. Not perfect. Yielded. Not sinless. Surrendered. Not half in. All His. Then Jesus keeps going in the passage and gives two illustrations: a man building a tower and a king going to war. Why? Because He is driving home one point: count the cost. Do not claim discipleship lightly. Do not act like following Christ is just praying a prayer and then living however you want. Do not pretend Jesus is honoured with leftovers. He is worthy of first place. This passage also helps expose one of the biggest idols in people’s lives: family. Family is a gift from God, but family makes a terrible god. Some people will obey family over Scripture every single time. They will stay silent because of family pressure. They will tolerate false doctrine because of family peace. They will reject God’s call because of family expectations. They will make excuses for compromise because they do not want tension in the house. Jesus cuts through all of it. If your loyalty to family outranks your loyalty to Christ, you are not acting like a disciple. That does not mean you stop loving your family. It means you love Christ more. In fact, when Christ is first, you actually love your family better, not worse. Your love becomes cleaner, holier, less idolatrous, less controlling, less fear-driven. Christ in first place puts every other relationship in its proper order. The same is true of “your own life also.” Most people are not ruled by father and mother. They are ruled by self. Their own plans. Their own comfort. Their own image. Their own fears. Their own appetites. Their own schedule. Their own ambitions. Jesus says even that has to go. You cannot be your own master and be His disciple too. That is the point. Salvation is by grace through faith. We are not saved by our suffering, our sacrifice, or our performance. But true faith bows to Christ. True faith receives Him as Lord, not just as a religious benefit package. Discipleship is the evidence of a heart that knows who He is. And let’s be honest, this verse is badly needed today. Modern Christianity has produced millions who want Jesus near them, but not over them. They want inspiration, not surrender. They want comfort, not a cross. They want heaven, but not holiness. They want God to help them keep their life, when Jesus said the way to find life is to lose it for His sake. Luke 9:23 says, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” So no, Jesus was not telling you to become hateful, cruel, or cold toward your family. He was saying that compared to your allegiance to Him, every other loyalty must take second place. Christ above father. Christ above mother. Christ above spouse. Christ above children. Christ above reputation. Christ above comfort. Christ above dreams. Christ above self. Anything less is not discipleship. It is attachment to religion while still sitting on the throne of your own life. Jesus is not looking for admirers in the crowd. He is calling disciples. And a disciple is someone who has already settled this issue: Even if it costs me everything, I am going with Christ.

“𝐖𝐄 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐄𝐖 𝐂𝐇𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝐋𝐄𝐅𝐓 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐋𝐃 𝐓𝐎 𝐆𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐀 𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆. 𝐈𝐒𝐋𝐀𝐌 𝐓𝐎𝐎𝐊 𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐄𝐆𝐘𝐏𝐓 𝐁𝐘 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐂𝐄, 𝐁𝐘 𝐒𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃, 𝐁𝐘 𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐃. 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝟎% 𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐋𝐈𝐌 𝐓𝐎 𝟗𝟎% 𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐋𝐈𝐌. 𝐖𝐄 𝐖𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘 𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐎𝐂𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐃.” On Dana Loesch’s show, a Coptic Christian woman delivered the kind of testimony no American university will ever platform. Egypt was the cradle of Christianity. Alexandria was once the greatest Christian intellectual centre in the world. Today it is gone. Her words: “𝘐𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘮 𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘌𝘨𝘺𝘱𝘵 𝘣𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦, 𝘣𝘺 𝘴𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥, 𝘣𝘺 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘬∗𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘯, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘶𝘯𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴. 𝘍𝘳𝘰𝘮 0% 𝘔𝘶𝘴𝘭𝘪𝘮 𝘵𝘰 90% 𝘔𝘶𝘴𝘭𝘪𝘮. 𝘞𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘥.” She did not stop there: “𝘐𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘮 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘦𝘹 𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵. 𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘢 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘺 𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘢 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵. 𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘦𝘹, 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦.” And on the figure Muslims call the perfect prophet: “𝘔𝘶𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘮𝘢𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘬∗𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦. 𝘔𝘶𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘮𝘢𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘸𝘢𝘳 𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥.” This is the voice America’s media pretends does not exist. She is not a pundit. She is not a political operative. She is a 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐯𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐜𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 — and she is watching the same slow-motion demographic and cultural conquest begin here. She’s watching Zohran Mamdani poll at 40+ in New York. She’s watching Dearborn elect open H∗zbollah sympathizers. She’s watching American universities cheer for H∗mas on October 8th. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐩𝐭𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐚 𝟐,𝟎𝟎𝟎-𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐜𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. 𝐈𝐭 𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝟒𝟎𝟎 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐈𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐢𝐩𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝. 𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 — 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚’𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭. 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐰𝐚𝐲.

A lot of people are watching Trump’s threats toward Iran and asking, is this pushing us closer to Isaiah 17? That is a fair question. When Iran is in the crosshairs, the Middle East is shaking, and Damascus is back in the conversation, Christians should pay attention. Not panic. Not start setting dates. But pay attention. Isaiah 17:1 says, “The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.” It does not say damaged. It does not say weakened. It does not say partially destroyed. It says Damascus will be taken away from being a city and become a ruinous heap. That means we need to be honest with the text. Damascus has been struck before. Syria has been hammered for years. War has run through that region again and again. But Damascus is still standing as a city. So believers need to stop short of acting like every explosion or military threat is automatically the fulfillment of Isaiah 17. At the same time, we should not act like it means nothing either. Iran is one of the main engines of instability in that region. Any serious threat involving Iran has the potential to pull in Syria, Israel, proxy militias, and the surrounding powers. And Damascus is not just another city on a map. It is a city specifically named in prophecy. That should get your attention. The biblical response is not hysteria. It is watchfulness. Jesus said, “And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” Luke 21:28 The nations matter. The threats matter. And every time the world acts like Bible prophecy is outdated, another headline reminds us that God named real places, real peoples, and real judgments long before modern politicians ever stepped to a microphone. Iran matters. Syria matters. Damascus matters. Israel matters. Stay sober. Stay watchful. Stay in the Book. “For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them...” 1 Thessalonians 5:3

Most Christians have never heard of the Quartodecimans, but this was not some tiny church argument over nothing. This was one of the earliest major controversies in post-apostolic Christianity, and it centered on a serious question: Should the church remember Christ’s Passover on the actual biblical date of Passover, Nisan 14, or should it move the observance to Sunday? The word Quartodeciman comes from the Latin for “fourteenth.” That is why some people call it “14ism.” These were believers who kept the Christian Pascha on Nisan 14, the date of Passover, because they believed Christ fulfilled Passover and that the observance should stay tied to that date. That issue matters more than people think. This was not originally a denial of the death, burial, or resurrection of Christ. Both sides believed those things. The argument was over timing, authority, and faithfulness to what had been received. The Quartodecimans, especially in Asia Minor, believed they were preserving an apostolic tradition. Men like Polycarp and later Polycrates defended the practice and said it had come down from earlier apostolic figures, especially John and Philip. Their argument was not, “We like this better.” Their argument was, “This is what we received, and we are not changing it just because Rome says so.” A lot of church history gets taught like the early church was one smooth, unified stream that gradually developed with no real cracks. That is fantasy. The early church had real disputes, and this was one of them. It exposed tension between regional apostolic claims and growing centralized pressure. One of the most important moments came when Polycarp met with Anicetus in Rome. They disagreed on the date of Pascha, but they did not break fellowship. Think about that. The disagreement was real, but it had not yet become an all-out fracture. Later, that changed. Victor of Rome took a much harder line and tried to force conformity. When the Asian churches refused to abandon the 14th-day observance, he moved to cut them off. Irenaeus stepped in and rebuked that severity, reminding him that earlier leaders had not treated the matter that way. That is the bigger issue. This stopped being just a date on a calendar and became a fight over who had the right to define the practice of the churches. And biblically, you can see exactly why the Quartodecimans stood where they stood. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 5:7, “For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us.” Christ is the fulfillment of Passover. The lamb pointed to Him. The blood pointed to Him. Deliverance through judgment pointed to Him. The whole Exodus pattern finds its fulfillment in Christ. So the instinct to keep the remembrance tied to Passover itself, on Nisan 14, was not weird. It was not random. It was rooted in the actual biblical framework. Now to be fair, the other side had an argument too. Christ rose on the first day of the week, and Sunday already had importance in Christian worship. So many believers argued that the observance should be tied to the resurrection day rather than the Passover date. Over time, that view became dominant. But do not miss what this proves. The Quartodecimans were not some fringe cult inventing nonsense out in the woods. They were early believers with serious historical roots, and they were convinced that they were holding to a tradition received from apostolic men. That means the history is not nearly as clean as a lot of people pretend. And it also forces a question that still stings: What happens when church tradition starts drifting away from the biblical calendar framework that gave the original event its meaning? Because that is really what this controversy exposes. It exposes the pressure to move from a biblical Passover framework into a broader church-controlled system of observance. It exposes the battle between what was claimed as received tradition and what was being enforced for uniformity. And it reminds us that very early on, the post-apostolic church was already wrestling with the tension between Scripture, tradition, and institutional control. So the bottom line is this: The Quartodecimans were early Christians who observed Pascha on Nisan 14 because Christ is our Passover. The controversy over that practice was not minor. It revealed a deeper struggle over authority, tradition, and whether the church would stay tied to the biblical Passover framework or move toward a different pattern. That is why this still matters. Because once you see that some of the earliest believers wanted the remembrance of Christ’s death anchored to the very date Passover pointed to, you start realizing this was never just about a calendar. It was about who gets to define faithfulness. 1 Corinthians 5:7 “For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.” If Christ is our Passover, then it is not hard to understand why some of the earliest believers insisted on keeping that remembrance on the 14th.

These images above seem gruesome. But it most likely quite a realistic portraying of the many lashings he received before his crucifixion. At the age of 33, Jesus was condemned to death. At the time, crucifixion was the "worst" death. Only the worst criminals were condemned to be crucified. Yet it was even more dreadful for Jesus. Unlike other criminals condemned to death by crucifixion, Jesus was to be nailed to the cross by His hands and feet. Each nail was 6 to 8 inches long. The nails were driven into His wrist, not into His palms as is commonly portrayed. There's a tendon in the wrist that extends to the shoulder. The Roman guards knew that when the nails were being hammered into the wrist, that tendon would tear and break, forcing Jesus to use His back muscles to support Himself so that He could breathe. Both of His feet were nailed together. Thus He was forced to support Himself on the single nail that impaled His feet to the cross. Jesus could not support Himself with His legs because of the pain so He was forced to alternate between arching His back then using His legs just to continue to breathe. Imagine the struggle, the pain, the suffering, the courage. Jesus endured this reality for around 6 hours. Can you imagine this kind of suffering? A few minutes before He died, Jesus stopped bleeding. He was simply pouring water from his wounds. From common images we see wounds to His hands and feet and even the spear wound to His side... But do we realize His wounds were actually made in his body. A hammer driving large nails through the wrist, the feet overlapped and an even larger nail hammered through the arches, then a Roman guard piercing His side with a spear. But before the nails and the spear, Jesus was whipped and beaten. The whipping was so severe that it tore the flesh from His body. The beating so horrific that His face was torn and his beard ripped from His face. The crown of thorns cut deeply into His scalp. Most men would not have survived this torture. He had no more blood to bleed out, only water poured from His wounds. The human adult body contains about 3.5 litres (just less than a gallon) of blood. Jesus poured all 3.5 litres of his blood; He had three nails hammered into His members; a crown of thorns on His head and, beyond that, a Roman soldier who stabbed a spear into His chest.. All these without mentioning the humiliation He suffered after carrying His own cross for almost 2 kilometres, while the crowd spat in his face and threw stones (the cross was almost 30 kg of weight, only for its higher part, where His hands were nailed). Jesus had to endure this experience, to open the gates of Heaven, so that you can have free access to God. So that your sins could be "washed" away. All of them, with no exception! Don't ignore this situation. JESUS CHRIST DIED FOR YOU! HE received 39 stripes because 40 was known to kill a man. They wanted HIM alive. They held handfuls of HIS beard & hair & pulled it out by the roots. They wanted HIM alive. They kicked, punched & spit on HIM for hours. Until there wasn't a single spot on HIS body not covered in blood. They wanted HIM alive. They shoved a crown of thorns down on HIS head so harshly it stuck in HIS skin. They wanted HIM alive. After hours of being beaten, mocked, whipped, flogged & tortured they made HIM walk with a cross. They made HIM carry it. A rough piece of wood with splinters digging into fresh wounds. They wanted HIM alive. They wanted HIM to feel every ounce of pain they could bring. HE had to feel it in order to heal us. Crucifixion was historically one of the cruelest most tortured deaths a human could face. Hours upon hours of torture. Torture most of us can not mentally think of because the cruelty isn't normal. It isn't something our minds can comprehend. We celebrate Easter with pastel colors, happy children hunting eggs & chocolate. Truth is there was absolutely nothing happy about the day JESUS died. It was cruel, bloody & nasty. HE could have stopped all of it. HE could have called every angel in heaven to demolish every person standing & shouting "Crucify HIM!" HE didn't. HE knew in order to have a Sunday you have to have a Friday. HE knew in order to have joy you have to carry your cross. HE felt everything that day. HE felt how your heart broke wide open when you had to watch your baby die. HE felt how heavy your life was when you were staring down the barrel of a gun wondering if the man you called husband was going to shoot you. HE carried the weight of the burden you have felt since your spouse died & life just doesn't seem right since. On that cross HE held the rapist & murderers, the sinner & the saint. HE leveled every playing field & said ALL of you are worth it. HE knew HE had to carry the cross. HE never promised the cross you carry in this life would not be heavy. HIS wasn't. HIS promise is that Sunday is coming. No matter how heavy Friday is. Financially, emotionally, mentally, or physically. Friday is heavy. That cross is weighing you down & you are about to crumble under its weight. HIS promise was simply this. HE won't make you carry it alone. What kind of king would step down from HIS throne for this? JESUS of Nazareth, The SON of GOD did. For you. HE did every bit of it for you & me. Oh yes it is heavy. So heavy sometimes you do not think you can take one more step. But look up, because Sunday is coming.”

In essence it doesn't matter what day we remember the exact timing of Easter, as our precious salvation is not dependent on it! We all celebrate on this earth on different times anyway, thinking alone of the time difference between New Zealand and Alaska as an example. But it is something worthwhile considering these things: Are we just following church tradition or the actual real Passover as it really happened. 3 DAYS AND 3 NIGHTS: WHY THIS MATTERS Jesus did not say He would be in the heart of the earth for “part of a day.” He said, “For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matthew 12:40). That is why this issue keeps coming up. A Friday crucifixion and a Sunday morning resurrection may fit church traditio n, but it does not fit the plain force of “three days and three nights” very well. That is exactly why a lot of Bible students have argued that the crucifixion happened earlier in the week, with Wednesday being the strongest reconstruction if you want to take Matthew 12:40 in its most straightforward sense. Chuck Missler pushed that same basic argument, and even sources discussing the debate admit the Wednesday view exists because people are trying to take Jesus’ words seriously. The key text is John 19:31. John says the next Sabbath was “an high day.” That matters because not every Sabbath in Passion Week has to mean the regular weekly Sabbath. Leviticus 23 shows that the feast calendar included special rest days tied to Passover and Unleavened Bread. So the Sabbath after the crucifixion could have been a festival Sabbath, not necessarily the normal Saturday Sabbath. That helps explain something people usually miss. Mark 16:1 says the women bought spices after the Sabbath. Luke 23:56 says they returned, prepared spices and ointments, and then rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment. If there were two Sabbaths in view, the timeline makes sense: one Sabbath passes, they buy and prepare spices on the day in between, then they rest again on the weekly Sabbath. That is one of the biggest reasons many defend a Wednesday crucifixion. So the rough flow would look like this: Jesus dies and is buried late Wednesday before the feast Sabbath begins. Thursday is the high Sabbath. Friday the women buy and prepare spices. Saturday is the weekly Sabbath. Then early on the first day of the week, the tomb is already empty. That gives you Wednesday night, Thursday night, and Friday night, along with Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Three days and three nights. Now, to be fair, not everybody agrees. Some argue that “three days and three nights” can function as a Jewish idiom and does not require a full literal 72 hours. Others point to the repeated statements that Jesus would rise “on the third day,” not after a full three days had completely ended. That is why this debate has never gone away. But here is the bottom line: Whatever side somebody lands on, they should stop acting like the question is dumb. It is not dumb. Jesus’ own words created the issue. Matthew 12:40 is real. John 19:31 is real. The Sabbath was called a high day for a reason. And the women buying spices after one Sabbath, yet preparing them before another, is not something you just wave away because tradition got comfortable. For me, this is why the Wednesday view has weight. It does not come from trying to be different. It comes from trying to let all the texts stand. Jesus said three days and three nights. Scripture gives us a high Sabbath. Scripture gives us the spice timeline. And when you put those together, the Wednesday crucifixion view is not some fringe idea people made up yesterday. It is a serious attempt to honour the text exactly as written.

“Mel Gibson warned actor Jim Caviezel that playing the character of Christ was going to be very difficult and that if he accepted, he most likely would be marginalized by Hollywood. Caviezel asked for a day to think about it and his response to Mel who was funding and directing the movie was: "I think we have to make it, even if it is difficult." And something else, my initials are J.C., and I am 33 years old. "I didn't realize that until now." Mel responded with “You're really scaring me you know.” During filming, Jim Caviezel who plays the part of Jesus lost 45 pounds, he was struck by lightning, he was accidentally struck twice during the scourging scene leaving a deep 14-inch scar, he dislocated his shoulder when the cross was dropped into the hole with him on the cross. He then suffered pneumonia and hypothermia from being nearly naked with only a loin cloth on the cross for endless hours. The crucifixion scene alone took 5 weeks of the 2 months of shooting. His body was so stressed and exhausted from playing the role that he had to undergo two open heart surgeries after the filming production. Jim explained, “I didn’t want people to see me. I just want them to see Jesus. Conversions will happen through that.” Pedro Sarubbi, who played Barabbas, felt that it was not Caviezel who was looking at him, but Jesus Christ himself, as he played that role he said of Caviezel, “His eyes had no hatred or resentment towards me, only mercy and love." Luca Lionello, the artist who played Judas, was an avowed atheist before shooting began. He eventually converted, and baptized his children. One of the main technicians working on the film was a Muslim converted to Christianity. Some producers said they saw actors dressed in white they didn’t recognize during one of the filming sessions, and when they reviewed the recordings they realized they couldn’t see them in that footage. The Passion of the Christ is the highest grossing US religious as well as the highest R-rated film of all time, with $370.8 million! Worldwide, it grossed $611 million. More importantly, it has reached 100’s of millions of people around the world. Mel Gibson paid $30 million out of his own pocket for the production of the film because no studio would take on the project. Today Jim Caviezel simply and boldly proclaims his faith in Christ, and the miracle it was for him to represent Christ as an actor and a greater believer of Christ because of this experience.

When Revelation opens the third seal, John writes: “And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.” Revelation 6:5–6 This is the black horse rider. He is one of the clearest pictures in Revelation of economic distress, scarcity, and survival-level living. The rider holds balances, or scales. That points to food and goods being measured out carefully. It is the image of rationing, controlled distribution, and scarcity. Then comes the price statement: “A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny.” The Greek dēnarion points to a day’s wage, and choinix points to a small daily ration. The picture is brutal. A man works all day and barely earns enough to feed himself with wheat, or he settles for cheaper barley and stretches it further. That is not prosperity. That is survival. And that is exactly why this seal gets people’s attention right now. The pressure is real. The numbers are real. The FAO said its Food Price Index rose to 125.3 in February 2026, the first monthly increase in six months. Cereal prices rose 1.1%, wheat rose 1.8%, and vegetable oils rose 3.3%, showing that food markets are already feeling strain again. In the United States, the USDA’s March 2026 forecast says overall food prices are expected to rise 3.6% in 2026, while food-at-home prices are expected to rise 3.1%, which is faster than the 20-year historical average. It also projects beef and veal prices up 10.1%, fresh vegetable prices up 4.8%, sugar and sweets up 9.8%, and non-alcoholic beverages up 6.5%. And now add war to the picture. Reuters reported on March 20, 2026 that the war involving Iran is threatening a fresh food-price shock across the developing world. A major reason is fertilizer. About 30% of globally traded fertilizers normally move through the Strait of Hormuz, and Reuters reported that urea prices were already up 30% to 40%. FAO’s chief economist warned that if this continues, it will affect planting and reduce future supplies of staple cereals, feed, dairy, and meat. Reuters also reported on March 17, 2026 that the World Food Programme warned the current war could push an additional 45 million people into acute hunger by June, taking the global total above the current record level of 319 million. WFP shipping costs were reported up 18% since the conflict began. That is why this matters. No, I am not saying the third seal is definitely open right now. We should not force every headline into prophecy. But I am saying current events are showing the world exactly how fast life can move toward the kind of conditions Revelation described. A fragile economy. A pressured food supply. Wars affecting fuel, fertilizer, shipping, and harvests. A world where people work hard and still struggle to afford basics. That is black horse territory. And then Revelation adds this line: “See thou hurt not the oil and the wine.” That seems to show uneven suffering. Not everybody gets hit the same way. Some still keep their comforts while others struggle just to buy bread. That sounds familiar too. In hard times, the burden usually falls hardest on ordinary people. The black horse rider is a warning that man’s systems are weaker than they look. It does not take much for things to start bending hard. War. Inflation. Shipping disruption. Fertilizer shortages. Rising food costs. Suddenly what felt stable becomes expensive, strained, and uncertain. That is why prophecy matters. It does not just speak in vague religious language. It describes a world that makes more and more sense every day. The black horse rider reminds us that economies fail, markets shake, governments stumble, and supply chains break. But Christ does not. When the world struggles for bread, Jesus is still the Bread of Life. When the world trembles under economic pressure, Jesus is still unshaken. The black horse is a warning about scarcity, inflation, and a world moving toward judgment. And current events are showing us more and more what that kind of world can look like.

Prophecy often stirs up a mix of curiosity, awe, and sometimes confusion. What exactly is its role in the church community? Why does it matter so much, especially for those of us who are passionate about understanding Israel and Biblical End-time prophecy? Let’s dive deep into this topic and explore how prophecy shapes, challenges, and strengthens the faith community. What Is Prophecy in the Church ? When we talk about prophecy in the church, we’re not just referring to dramatic predictions or mysterious visions. Prophecy is a spiritual gift meant to encourage, build up, and comfort the church body. It’s a way God communicates His heart and plans to His people. Think of prophecy as a lighthouse on a foggy night. It doesn’t control the ship’s course but provides guidance and warning to keep the vessel safe. In the church community, prophecy serves a similar purpose. It helps believers stay aligned with God’s will and prepares them for what lies ahead. Prophecy is not about fortune-telling or guessing the future. Instead, it’s about revealing God’s truth in the present moment and sometimes pointing toward future events, especially those related to Israel and the end times. This is why prophecy holds a special place in churches that focus on Biblical End-time teachings. Why Prophecy Matters You might wonder, “Why should prophecy matter to me or my church?” The answer lies in its power to unite, motivate, and prepare the community. Unite : Prophecy brings people together by sharing a common vision or message from God. It creates a sense of purpose and belonging. Motivate : When prophecy reveals God’s plans, it inspires believers to live faithfully and boldly. Prepare : Especially in churches focused on Israel and End-time prophecy, prophecy helps the community stay alert and ready for what God is doing in the world. For example, a prophecy about the restoration of Israel or the coming of the Messiah can ignite hope and deepen faith. It reminds us that God’s promises are real and unfolding. How Prophecy Functions Practically in Church Life Prophecy isn’t just a lofty concept; it has practical applications that impact daily church life. Here’s how it typically works: Encouragement and Edification Prophecy often comes as words of encouragement. Imagine a member of the church sharing a message that lifts your spirit during a tough time. That’s prophecy at work—building up the community. Correction and Guidance Sometimes prophecy serves as a gentle correction. It points out areas where the church or individuals need to realign with God’s will. This keeps the community healthy and growing. Revelation of God’s Will Prophecy can reveal God’s plans for the church or individuals. This might include direction for ministry, warnings about challenges, or insights into future events. Strengthening Faith in End-time Events For churches focused on Biblical End-time prophecy, prophecy strengthens faith by confirming that God’s timeline is unfolding as promised. It helps believers stay vigilant and hopeful. In my experience, prophecy is most effective when it’s shared with humility and tested against Scripture. It’s not about personal glory but about serving the church. Prophecy and Israel: A Special Connection One cannot discuss prophecy in the church community without highlighting the unique role Israel plays. The Bible places Israel at the centre of many prophetic events, especially those concerning the end times. Churches that teach on Israel and Biblical End-time prophecy often see prophecy as a bridge connecting believers to God’s ongoing plan for His chosen people. This connection: Deepens understanding of Scripture Encourages prayer and support for Israel Prepares the church for the fulfilment of God’s promises For instance, prophetic messages about the regathering of Israel or the coming Messiah resonate deeply in these communities. They remind us that prophecy is not just about the future but about God’s faithfulness throughout h How to Discern and Use Prophecy Wisely Prophecy is powerful, but it requires wisdom. How do we discern true prophecy from mere opinion or error? Here are some practical tips: Test everything against Scripture : The Bible is the ultimate standard. If a prophecy contradicts Scripture, it’s not from God. Look for confirmation : True prophecy often aligns with God’s character and is confirmed by other believers or circumstances. Seek humility and love : Prophecy should build up, not tear down. It should be shared with a spirit of love and humility. Pray for discernment : Ask God to help you understand and apply prophecy correctly. Using prophecy wisely means it becomes a tool for growth, not confusion. It helps the church community stay focused on God’s plan and live out their faith boldly.

It almost starts looking like another "Covid Mandates" 2.0 in regards to the oil "crises" I hope this will not be necessary, but as they say: "Never let a crises go the waste" Unfortunately we are mostly governed by politicians obsessed with population control, especially on the left side of the political spectrum. Yes there is a war in the Middle East, but that is not the main cause. Low stocks & the ridiculous focus & waste of resources, land & money on the so-called renewable energy, instead of focussing on having enough reserves in the country & nuclear. https://www.harvestministriesnz.com/post/the-new-targets-are-insane-and-built-on-lies https://www.harvestministriesnz.com/post/is-the-push-for-ev-s-really-about-climate-change https://www.harvestministriesnz.com/post/climate-change-is-an-unscientific-fear-based-religion-and-it-s-all-about-control https://www.harvestministriesnz.com/post/climate-change-is-an-unscientific-fear-based-religion-and-it-s-all-about-control-1

They speak with such 'authority' yet their words are full of lies, misdirection, half-truths, and logical fallacies. The Net-0 is one big deception. Why do I write & post about things like this? Because if you dig deeper & open your eyes; it all leads to a fully controlled Orwellian society. Which in turn leads to Revelation 13. An over -the-top "conspiracy theory", well think again & listen to this podcast from Topher Field. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkQwwcqjLro Challenging Net-0 with science: https://co2coalition.org/publications/challenging-net-zero-with-science/?fbclid=IwY2xjawQyiJlleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFURURvbHZnSDNzWmF2SGhFc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHo1pA3lz_LLOfXVR_EBbx1ncvEpBkHOiGFyaFfJDEEMdESKSWztyPd2ecojc_aem_l0p8Sel1TH14xpo6djb8Hg

Is the Rapture real? There’s always debate around this topic. Let’s start with the obvious: the Rapture sounds crazy. Jesus descends from Heaven, dead people rise from their graves, and living believers are suddenly caught up into the sky—like the world’s strangest episode of “Stranger Things.” Sounds like the stuff your uncle mutters about after three cups of church coffee. Except—the Rapture is right there in Scripture. Paul says it. John says it. Jesus says it. The Rapture Is Under Attack… Here’s Why | Dr. Paul Wilkinson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2qzPlRpfa8 Opposing Views  Now, critics like to pounce: “But the word Rapture isn’t even in the Bible!” Neither are the words Trinity or even Bible .  And yet, here we are, still believing in all three. The word comes from the Latin  rapturus,  which translates the Greek word  harpazo— meaning “to snatch up, grab by force.” Imagine a parent reaching out and pulling their child away from danger just in time. That’s the picture Scripture gives us of the Rapture. Some say, “Oh, the Rapture is just a modern invention, some 19th-century gimmick.” Nonsense. Yes, J.N. Darby helped popularize it in more recent times, but long before him, the early Church Fathers like Irenaeus and Cyprian wrote about believers being “snatched up” before judgment. It’s not new—it’s biblical. The Rapture in Scripture We also hear about the Rapture straight from Paul, Peter, James, and most importantly, Jesus Himself: “‘And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also’” ( John 14:3 NKJV ). The most familiar passage on the Rapture is 1 Thessalonians 4:16–18 : “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” And if that sounds far-fetched, remember Enoch—who literally walked off the face of the earth into God’s presence—and Elijah, who rode to Heaven in a fiery chariot. The prototypes are already in the Old Testament. Why the Rapture Matters Here’s why this isn’t just a fun theological parlour game: the Rapture gives hope. Paul calls it the “blessed hope.” When you’ve buried a loved one, you don’t need vague talk about them being “in a better place.” You need the solid promise that in one split second you’ll be with them again. Parents reunited with children. Husbands with wives. Brothers and sisters together again. And at the center of it all—Jesus Christ Himself. And it does more than comfort grief. It motivates godliness. If you really believe Jesus could return at any moment, maybe don’t binge sin like it’s Netflix. You wouldn’t invite your best friend into a house piled with dirty laundry and Taco Bell wrappers. Don’t greet your Savior that way either. You want to be ready—walking with Him, keeping your spiritual house in order. When Will the Rapture Happen? People get themselves into trouble trying to date-set the Rapture. Jesus made it pretty clear:  “No one knows the day or the hour”  (see Matthew 24:36 ). Which, funnily enough, includes you, me, and that guy on YouTube with the chart and the whiteboard. Yet, periodically, there’s always that someone with their calendar: “88 Reasons Jesus Will Return in 1988!” Let’s just stop with the speculation.  The Rapture isn’t about prediction—it’s about preparation. The Takeaway What do we do with all this? We wake up. We stay alert. And we stop living like the world is a Vegas buffet that never closes. Paul said: “The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here…” ( Romans 13:12 ). Translation: Time is short. Knock it off. If you’re a believer, live clean, live holy, live hopeful. If you’re not—well, get right or get left. Because one day, maybe in our lifetime, maybe tonight—in a blink, in the twinkling of an eye—everything changes. Loved ones raised. The Church caught up. Judgment delayed until after the Bride has been rescued. It’s not escapism. It’s not fantasy. As C.S. Lewis reminded us, looking forward to the eternal world is one of the things a Christian is meant to do. So, laugh if you want. Roll your eyes. Write your snarky post. But the Rapture is real. And when it happens—when the shout comes, when the trumpet blows—mockery won’t matter. Only hope will. Messages on the Rapture: https://youtu.be/7zcbv5gAC9I https://youtu.be/rdh4YxFJarU https://youtu.be/tUcNKHc9Wm8 https://youtu.be/peWTKEOtiSg https://youtu.be/d4j-sop83Uk https://youtu.be/EiFH9Kgc1XQ https://youtu.be/eg2oVSGUn-o https://youtu.be/DLZB3aZ1ero https://youtu.be/DiULhIugdj4 https://youtu.be/nFNssVsmWKc Blogs on the Rapture: https://www.harvestministriesnz.com/post/the-most-persistent-lie-leveled-against-the-rapture https://www.harvestministriesnz.com/post/fed-up-with-the-rapture-doctrine-being-mocked-attacked https://www.harvestministriesnz.com/post/the-last-trumpet https://www.harvestministriesnz.com/post/why-i-am-a-dispensationalist-premillennial-pre-trib https://www.harvestministriesnz.com/post/why-on-earth-do-you-want-to-go-through-the-great-tribulation https://www.harvestministriesnz.com/post/roll-your-eyes-all-you-want-the-rapture-is-real Ignoring Prophetic Warnings: Those Who Laugh At Jesus’ Coming Are Fulfilling Bible Prophecy: “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation” ( 2 Peter 3:4 ). Yet Jesus said, “But as the days of Noah  were,  so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark” ( Matthew 24:37-38 ). In other words, it was business as usual. In the last days, people will ignore prophetic warnings, just as they did in Noah’s day. And just as they mocked Noah, people will mock us as followers of Christ. That, too, is a sign of the last days. But one day the mockery will cease, and the laughter will stop when Christ fulfils His very words. Jesus is coming back.