"This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God" - The Main Element in the Kingdom of God

 

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The Main Element in the Kingdom of God

According to a Jewish teaching, it is revenge that a man who was rejected when he asked for a sickle from another man rejects the latter when the latter asks for a horse from the former; it is hatred that a man who was rejected when he asked for a sickle from another man lends a horse to the latter when the latter asks for a horse from the former, saying "I would rather lend you a horse although you rejected me when I asked for a sickle from you."

However, according to Christ Jesus, when you are asked a horse by somebody, you must lend him a horse in addition to a sickle, even if you had been rejected when you asked a sickle from him. 

Love is so different from revenge or hatred. 

Even if you had been rejected when you asked $100 from somebody, you should lend $200 to the man when he comes to you asking $100 without mentioning the past incident.

First of all, money is a tool of Satan.  The less you have money, the more you will be loved by the God.  So, ideally, you should find any chance to give your money to the poor so as to be loved by the God.  If you cannot find a poor man to give money around you, it is second best to lend money to anybody.     

Revenge and hatred belongs to the human world, but love belongs not only to the human world but also to the Kingdom of God.  Jewish people seem to be more sensible to worldly matters such as revenge and hatred, although Christians should concentrate on love that is the main element in the Kingdom of God.

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John 11 King James Version

11 Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.

2 (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)

3 Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.

4 When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.

"he sendeth forth two of his disciples" - When Something beyond Expectation Happens

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When Something beyond Expectation Happens 

According to a Jewish story, one day a rabbi called on six people to come for discussion to make decision on some important issue.

But there came seven people and the rabbi could not see who was an uninvited person.  So, he shouted and yelled, "The one not invited must get out here!"  Then, the most respected person among the seven left the place, saying that he could not bring disgrace to the invited one."

In any meeting or congregation, it sometimes happens that someone who is disqualified, unfit, or inappropriate or with misconception or who has come to be involved by chance or due to irrationalness can be present.

If it is simply due to a harmless mistake or fate, we should overlook his presence　as long as circumstances allow.  However, if it is felt that such a happening can imply interference of the God, we have to act accordingly, since the situation has changed.

So, it can be understood that the most respected man left the meeting, showing respect to the God behind the situation in case that it happened due to interference of the God, since he must have felt it through the presence of the uninvited person.

In this context, when an expected thing or a situation beyond expectation happens, we have to first think whether it has occurred due to interference of the God for any reason.

In 2016, Trump won the Presidential Election while Hillary won more votes than Trump, which was beyond expectation of most of the Media companies.  We had to think why the God allowed it to happen.  In 2020, the corona-pandemic has caused the largest casualties in the U.S. among countries in the world while the Presidential Election is going on, so that we have to think why the God has allowed it to happen.

Probably, we may be able to see a hint to the answer in or after the 2024 Presidential Election in the U.S.

As for the Jewish story, there must have been the time afterward when the rabbi found why the uninvited man had come and felt sorry that he had let the most respected man leave the important meeting.  

   

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Mark 11 King James Version

11 And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples,

2 And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him.

3 And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither.