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6-6-2021 Weekly Message

Meditation of the Week: Psalm 91:1-16

Text: Job 11:11-12

Sermon Title: The only way to be the wise children of God for them born as the ass’s colts

      The Bible says that man is born like a wild ass’s colts (Job 11:12). Moreover, says, “Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.“(Psalm 49:20).

One of the most common words that Americans use to speak to the foolish people  is “ass“. This means someone that is foolish or stupid.   In the text, when Job was in trouble, one of his friends was talking to Job, thinking that Job was a hypocrite and a liar, and he was talking about a man who was born like a wild ass’s colt.

      A wild ass’s colt is a similar kind of animal as  a donkey. One of the fables we learned in elementary school is the story of “a smart Donkey”. The owner, while crossing the stream with heavy salt on the donkey’s back, accidentally the donkey stumbled and fell into the water. When he got up from the water, all the salt was dissolved in the water, and his load became very light. The next day, the donkey was loaded with cotton. The load was surprisingly light. Nevertheless, this foolish donkey deliberately fell into the water with the thought that it would be lighter if it fell into the water again. However, the story was that the cotton had completely soaked in the water and became so heavy that it could not move.

       The Bible speaks of donkeys in several places. One of God’s words to Moses after he brought the people of Israel out of Egypt through Moses is a reference to a donkey:

“That thou shalt set apart unto the LORD all that openeth the matrix, and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males shall be the LORD’S. 13And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem.” (Exodus 13:12-13).

     In other words, he said that in order to save the donkey’s firstborn, a lamb must be killed to redeem a donkey.

        When John the Baptist saw Jesus appearing to the Jordan River to be baptized, he cried out to the Jews, “Behold, the Lamb of  that takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). In other words, if they do not believe in Jesus, the Lamb which takes away the sin of the world to redeem themselves with the blood of the Lamb, they shall be destroyed like the donkey that will die with its broken neck, and if they believe in Him,they shall receive eternal life.

         The prophet Zacharias prophesied that when Jesus, the Lamb of God would come into the world, He would ride on a ass’s colt:

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass. ” (Zech.. 9:9)

          God, who spoke through the mouth of  prophet Zechariah, appeared in the land of Judea in the name of Jesus. In order to fulfill his word, the Lord Jesus rode on a colt and became a lamb of God for all sinners of the world who were born like a colt of wild ass. To enter Jerusalem , he told his disciples:

”  Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me.

3And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.” (Matthew 21:2-3).

          At this time they brought the colts, put their clothes on them, and put the Lord on them. Also, a very large crowd spread their clothes on the road, while others cut branches and spread them on the road. The crowd went ahead and followed, shouting, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest! (Matthew 21:6-9)

         At that time, they would not have known that they were born like wild ass’s colts, and that unless the Lamb Jesus Christ atoned for their sins, their necks would be cut off like donkeys forever, and they would perish and go to hell. Not only that, but among the over seven billion people living in the world  born like  wild ass’s colts not knowing that unless they believe in the Lamb, Jesus Christ, for all their sins to be redeemed, their necks shall be broken to perish in eternal hell. Thinking about how much of this, we may understand the feelings of Jesus who wept for Jerusalem.

       When he entered Jerusalem two thousand years ago, riding on a colt became a ransom for sinners who were born like a wild ass’s colts, and he rode a colt to die on the cross, but when he comes again to judge them that not wanted to be  redeemed through his blood , he will no longer ride on a colt, but on a white  horse in heaven.  Apostle John, who foresaw this amazing scene in the Holy Spirit, testified of what he saw:

” And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.” (Rev 19:11-13)

           God speaks to those who do not yet realize that they are sinners born like wild ass’s colts, and  not willing to be redeemed by the Lamb of God through his blood,  their necks shall be cut off to be  perished in the eternal lake of fire:

” Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.” (Psalm 32:9)

        The horses without understanding are  unto death rushing forward in the midst of arrows and bullets like hails of lightening in the battle fields.  Similarly, we see foolish and stubborn mules die acting like ignorant horses. It is a pity seeing that still so many people in many nations are falling into hell without seeing the trap of sudden death as the horses mules without understanding.  Therefore, we Christians should pray for them as well as evangelize them  so that the Holy Ghost may open their understanding to be saved through the redemption of the Lamb of God.

        Finally, even though we were born like a wild ass’s colts, we are saved through the redemption through Jesus Christ, and received the remission of sins to be the disciples of Jesus Christ. But unless we are awaken spiritually, we also could suffer as the smart donkey. The Lord Jesus said to his disciples, “ If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.“(Matt 16:24)

         Sometimes we may feel our cross too much heavy, so that we may put it off. . For a while, we may feel comfortable with lightness.  But like the donkey carrying a lot of cotton, when it falls into the water on purpose to take off its light load, it had to carry much more heavier load.  If  we take off our cross on purpose, we can have comfortable life for a while.  However we should know that  much more heavier cross awaits for us sooner or later.

         Christians living in the last days should keep in mind that even many Christians living in this age love themselves seeking their own benefit first, and live without bearing the cross, and eventually live in greater suffering.

Amen! Hallelujah!