Mark 9:1 And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.

The reading for yesterday was Mark 9:1-29 and is filled with awe and wonder. Herein is contained the Transfiguration, the identity of the Baptist, a scribe risking it all to seek Jesus in belief, and an object lesson on faith and fasting.

None of that compares to the good news delivered by verse 9:1. Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth, and this was the one thing all Israel had been waiting to see. What they would see in the working of God’s will in self-sacrifice, atonement of sin, crucifixion, and resurrection did not match the vision they had of the coming Messiah. Rome was not cast out from amongst their midst, Caesar still ruled.

I ask you plainly, some two thousand years after this verse, what does Kingdom come look like to you? I dare say I had a different vision of my own as to what all that entailed. I just wanted out of the pain and many do. Guilt and shame, set me free please. Just like the Jews of that time, I was only thinking about myself.

I was transformed in an instant, but I wasn’t conformed for many years. I read faithfully but it took time for the Word to affect real change in me. I had it in me, I knew the Word, it filled my belly, but it took time for it to reach my hands and my feet. A changed heart is great but when it sits alone basking in His glorious light, it shines on no one to the profit of God.

In Mark 7 Jesus mentions Isaiah; “Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites,” and here is the original quote.

Isaiah 29:12-14 And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned. Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.

In the south prior to the Civil War it was illegal to educate slaves. They were allowed to know only as much as their slave owners determined to keep them enslaved. I relate this practice to the Pharisees of Jesus’ time. They took advantage of the uneducated and taught them traditions that kept worshipers enslaved to them.

Do some churches continue the practice of enslaving their members with “traditions of men”? I believe they do and the only way out is too be filled with the Holy Ghost and receive instructions directly from God himself.

The telling part is this quote from Isaiah; “their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:” Control of the masses is often accomplished by fear of loss of salvation, condemnation, and unforgiveness.

How does “the wisdom of their wise men shall perish” become your reality?

John 15:26, 16:13 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.