Jesus Prophesies His Suffering, Death & Resurrection (2nd ed)

Jesus Prophesies His Suffering, Death & Resurrection

Where does the ‘passion of Christ’ start?   The passion of Christ,  engrained in the liturgies and calendar year of High Protestant Churches and the Roman Church,  includes the suffering, affliction, and death of the Lord and Savior.  If we were to answer inclusively,  we would have to reply, “since the foundation of the earth”,  since the events around the most eminent Passover in history are intertwined with the meaning and purpose of the Gospel entirely.   Some would argue that the events only include from the supper, the seder of Jesus and his disciples the night before the trial and crucifixion, yet which ever position one takes,  one thing is clear: that Jesus long before his ‘passion’ foretold or prophesied his impending death and resurrection,  as well as the meaning and purpose of the events in God’s plan and time.

In the course of living, working and travelling with his disciples,  unnoticed by most, Jesus continued to admonish them about the events still ahead:  we think of Jesus often as Savior and Redeemer, we think of him as Lord, King and Messiah,  but only rarely is slight mention given to his office as ‘prophet’.    No doubt this is because he was separate from other prophets in that he was the incarnate God,  the agent of creation, and other ‘prophets’ were like all others in the world, created.   Noting this does not diminish the great words nor role of the prophets sent to Israel, to guide, direct , inform and warn,  but it does cause us to have a healthy regard for the fact that Jesus fulfilled prophecy in the Old Testament, as the prophet to come, like Moses,  and therefore, while he was the Holy One of Israel, God incarnate,  he likewise held the office of prophet on earth, so directly that all other prophets pale in his shadow.    Since the ‘spirit of prophecy’ is the ‘testimony of Jesus’ (Revelation 21);  it is clearly manifest that Jesus is plainly in his own Spirit:  all other prophets were conduit to his testimony or witness (‘martyria’) and as in all other aspects of life and the spirit,  Jesus manifested completion and perfection, and the excellence of grace in God.  He is the consumate ‘firstborn’.

While a lengthier study in the Promise of Messiah Series examines all of the incidents related to prophecy and the gift of prophecy (propheteuo) pertaining to Jsrael and her Messiah,  the focus of this study,  are the passages relevant to the suffering, affliction , death and resurrection of the Lord and Savior.   In just three chapters,  every aspect of the last days of Jesus’ ministry on earth, may be found either directly in Old Testament prophecy, or in the variety of types, shadows and kinds of the Tenach.    These are the passages we shall consider in this study,  paying attention to several key events, such as the trial, crucifixion, and offering of the ‘Lamb of God’.   We will consider:

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 I. Jesus as Prophet

II. Jesus' Prophecies re: Israel

III. Jesus' Prophecies regarding his affliction, death and resurrectioon

IV. Living with the Prophet before Pentecost

V.....

VII. Conclusion & Sum.
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Jesus as Prophet

We have just mentioned briefly the often overlooked role of Jesus as prophet.  Jesus though, prophecies attending even his birth about being set for the rise and fall of many in Israel, was indeed the great Prophet, from among his brethren,  which God promised Israel via Moses his servant:

Deuteronomy 18:15  The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee  a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me, unto him ye shall hearken;…
Dt. 18:18  I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.

Several things are clear about the promised Prophet which would one day be sent:  He comes from the ‘midst ‘ of Israel,  he is  of their brethren,  and he is to be like Moses.  It is God’s words which fill his mouth,  and he is the obedient servant-Son of the Scriptures.  While some have considered that these words might apply to all prophets, or to the greats such as Samuel, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah or one of the others,  this one is to be ‘like Moses’, i.e. that he will be a great deliverer of his people from bondage,  with the attendant power and miracles of God.  All the prophets of God to come had these things attend their ministry,  but the great deliverance from sin and the world, typified by Egypt,  could only come from the Messiah.

Moses wrote and spoke of the Prophet which would come, and the mark of the prophet would be 'like Moses', a great deliverer and savior.   Some may conjecture that the prophet he spoke of might have been Elijah or Elisha, or perhaps one of the 'major' prophets such as Isaiah, Ezekiel, or Jeremiah,  but the mark and sign of 'the Prophet' was to be as mentioned above: he would be of the Jews, rejected, and would deliver Israel.  These words were written around 1500 b.c.  nearing the death of Moses.  The fulfillment would come that many years later, not just in type and kind,  but even in literal surroundings:  much of Jesus' ministry occurs out in the wilderness and among the Jews.     Like Moses,  he would deliver Israel from the bondage of the world,  as Egypt or 'Mizraim' is a type of the world.   Like Moses,  he would hold up an ensign, himself on the Cross,  and all who looked would be healed.

 ([Num 21:9 KJV] 9 And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

[Jhn 3:14-15 KJV] 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

The great prophet who would come,  however, would not look nor seem like Moses at the time, but even his 'lifting up' to Israel for the purpose of eternal life was prophesied.

Jesus & Prophecy

That Jesus was a prophet,  is clearly seen in the scriptures:  one must recall though, that though he is Lord and Savior,  that the role of prophet is essentially an 'office':   the other prophets were not 'saviors' per se,  though always with prophets there is a small sense of the deliverance of the congregation of God.    The concept is somewhat entangled, as the Spirit of Prophecy is clearly noted by Revelation to be the testimony of Jesus:

[Rev 19:10 KJV] 10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See [thou do it] not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

The discussion for "The Passover Blogs" though,  focuses centrally on the time high churches call the "Passion of Christ": the time of his suffering, affliction, death and resurrection.   The countless prophecies, types and kinds of Old testament 'Messianic' prophecies and their fulfillment are not found here, but  are dealt with in the series "Promise of Messiah".
More critically though,  we see the nature of prophecy as Jesus saw it,  the evidence of his office as prophet in addition to being the redeemer of Israel,  and his own particular prophesies about his suffering, death and resurrection.    Jesus during his short earthly ministry gave many evidences that he was a prophet as well, thoroughly integrated with his role as Messiah.

Jesus' Teaching on Prophecy

Among the things that Jesus taught regarding prophecy, were:

[Mat 10:41 KJV] 41 He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.

in other words,  Jesus taught respect for the office of a prophet,  and the attendant reward in receiving a prophet.    He also remarked about the great time in Israel that was before them,  as the forefathers and even prophets had wished to see the time of the Messiah they prophesied, but would not since his coming was delayed,  admonishing Israel of the great blessing of their time,  to  be able to witness the fulfillment of prophecy:

Mt 13:17  For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see these things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. 

Later, in the same chapter, Matthew 13,   Jesus taught that  prophets were 'without honor' in their own country:   i.e.  that because they are known as children, growing up,  and seen in mundane tasks of life,  their 'divine quality' is not taken into account,  and many mistake, no doubt by inference that the things they say may be of their own learning or understanding as opposed to the direct words of the Lord, rendered to his people.  This is seen in several other passages in the Scriptures such as when men comment on whether this is Jesus, the son of Joseph,  or reference is made to James his brother.  At the same time much of Christ's early teaching and preaching was in the synagogue at Capernaum,  and his first miracle, at Cana was also in the vicinity.   He also mentions that a prophet is without honor in his own house:   this is confirmed, for example by his mother trying to speak to him a one point in his ministry (Luke 8:19),  or his friends being concerned about his equilibrium when they worry about him being "beside himself". (Mark 3:21)

There are at least four other times in the New Testament when Jesus refers directly to prophecy, as opposed to prophesying.  One is his comparison of himself with the prophet Jonah, telling Israel that there would be no sign given them other than the 'sign of Jonah',  a prophets violently delivered on the shores of his ministry,  seaweed wrapped around his head from the depths,  and delivered from death after three days at the bottom of the mountains (i.e. under the sea, at the base)

[Mat 16:4 KJV] 4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.[Jon 2:5-6 KJV] 5 The waters compassed me about, [even] to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head. 6 I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars [was] about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God.

The depth of parallel between the crucifixion and descent into death,   and the descent of the prophet Jonah into the belly  of the great fish is telling,  as Jesus is foretelling even in this comparison his own death and crown of thorns,  with a three day deliverance.
In Matthew 22:40,  Jesus teaches a summary lesson about what is important to Israel:  the two lessons on which hang all of the law, or Torah, and the Prophets:  that we are to love God with all our heart and mind and soul, and our neighbor as ourselves.  It is the most succinct lesson of God to man taught by the savior:  that the Torah, is love, that the Prophets are epitomized by the love of God:  not the blustery judgments which often come with the rendering of prophecy, but the constant consolation,  even with the most intense verdict of God against his people or the gentile nations.

The last significant mentions he makes are about what the religious leaders and the holy city does to prophets:   at this point he already knows and can see his own end, at the hand of those he loves most.    In Matthew 23:29-31, he lambastes the Scribes and Pharisees, the religious hypocrites of the day who literally kill the prophets and yet consider themselves the children of the prophets:

[Mat 23:29-31 KJV] 29 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, 30 And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. 31 Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.

Jesus admonishes them for their excess,  their lack of love, and for being a murderous lot who claim to know God but instead 'build the tombs of the prophets':  no doubt his rage is enhanced in knowing what they have in mind for him.  In a corollary passage, he decries Jerusalem for being unwilling to receive his love for them,  noting once more that his Father had sent many prophets to Israel,  to guide, lead, heal and teach, and each had in turn been treated abominable, causing him to cry:

[Mat 23:37 KJV] 37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, [thou] that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under [her] wings, and ye would not!
 

Jesus then teaches on the sign of a prophet, the love of God and prophets,  Jerusalem and Israel's history with the prophets, and the rejection of prophets by the people to whom they are sent, and the blessings afforded those who treat the prophets as of the Lord.   Jesus, then, prophesied to come from Eden, when Eve is promised that her seed will crush the head of the serpent's seed,  is promised in that the promise is singular (i.e. 'one seed')

Jesus' Favor & Anointing Since Birth

Beside being clearly the Prophet mentioned by Moses, there are indications that from birth, Jesus showed significant  traits and skills of a prophet in addition to his incarnate nature.  The prophecies surround his birth, indicate his purpose as a 'plumbline' for Israel:  he is e.g 'set for the rise and fall of many in Israel--- he is also called the 'consolation of Israel',   In essence, a prophet, all the prophets mentioned in the Bible, are 'winnowers':  they separate the proverbial wheat from the chaff, the righteous from the unrighteous, and belief from unbelief.

Prophecies about his nature and purpose come from the Old Testament (these are considered in Promise of Messiah bible Study),  and in the New Testament from

1. Zacharias (Luke 1;68-73)  the father of John the Baptist, and a Levitical priest

       Blessed be the Lord God for he hath visited and redeemed his people.  And hath raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant, David,...

2. The Aged Prophet 'Simeon' who waited for the coming of the Messiah:

     (Luke 2:25-32, 34-35)  25 And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name [was] Simeon; and the same man [was] just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. 26 And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ. 27 And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, 28 Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, 29 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: 30 For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, 31 Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; 32 A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.
[Luk 2:34-35 KJV] 34 And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this [child] is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; 35 (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.

  and
3. Anna the Prophetess in the Temple

Luke 2:38    36 And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser [note:"Asher"]: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; 37 And she [was] a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served [God] with fastings and prayers night and day. 38 And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

    
Note that Zacharias, father to John the Baptist whom Jesus would call the greatest of prophet, prophesies both about John the Baptist, and about Jesus,  but about Jesus particularly, he prophesies:

1. that John the Baptist will go before him in fulfillment of Scripture preaparing the way (1:76,77)2  That Jesus is concerned with Redemption (1:68)3. that God has raised up a horn of Salvation (in Jesus), in the House of David4. The sign is for mercy and confirmation of the everlasting covenant (72), and that 5. it fulfills the Abrahamic covenant (1:73)6. Jesus is called "Dayspring from on High, that has visited us (a Messianic title)

Zacharias' prophecy stresses the fulfillment of prophecy in Christ, the Messiah.

Simeon and Anna both prophesy as well at the time of the birth and dedication of Jesus in the Temple as an infant in fulfillment of Levitical law.  Simeon is noted as having 'waited for the consolation of Israel', another messianic reference the Holy Ghost promising that Simeon would not die before he had seen, "the Lord's Christ" [Messiah].  He came to the Temple by the burden of the Holy Spirit to the Temple about the time Mary and Joseph brought the infant for dedication (Lk 2:27)  He notes among other things, holding the child up---

1. His eyes had seen God's Salvation (2;30

)2. Jesus was a light to lighten the Gentiles

3. Jesus was the glory of the people Israel (32)

4. That Jesus was set for the fall and rising again of man in Israel (an Adamic parallel) (2:34) and for

5. a sign that would be spoken against (2:34)

Several of the prophecies have an Old Testament counterpart: such as Jesus being a light to the Gentiles (see Isaiah 42:6; 49:6 );  a revealer of hearts (e.g. Jeremiah 42:20 )  and a sign to be spoken against (e.g. references to God's 'ensign' e.g. Isaiah 5:26; 11:10,12; 18:3; 30:17; 31:9; Zech 9:16), with the forthcoming rejection of Jesus most notably prophesied in Isaiah 53:

[Isa 53:3 KJV] 3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were [our] faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Anna, the Prophetess of the tribe of Asher,  at 84, "spake of him to all who looked for redemption in Jerusalem"  so Jesus is likewise here equated with 'redemption'.  In short, even his forthcoming birth and dedication were attended by prophets and prophecies, and his role as a prophet and 'plumbline' for Israel' ---to divide the belief of the house of Israel from unbelief, is clearly seen.

Prophecies in the Old Testament Regarding Jesus's Early Years

Additionally, though little detail is given about Jesus' childhood,  multiple prophecies are fulfilled in his early years including:

A. His birth by a virgin (Is 11)
B. The Star marking his birth or appearance(Num 24:17)
C: Trip to Egypt and his return (Hosea 11:1)
D: His birth in Bethlehem Ephratah (e.g. Micah 5:2; Psalm 132:6)
E: His teaching of the elders of Israel in youth (Is 53:2, )
F: His name as Immanuel or Emmanuel (Is 7:14)
G: His ancestors to include Abraham, Isaac & David (Ps 132:11, Jer 23:5; Gn 21:12; Gn 17:7 22:18)

and others.  (See, for example, Blue Letter Bible, Torrey's New Topical Textbook: Prophecies)

At twelve, eachin in the temple the first outward signs of his office as prophet also begin t show as he

1. -explicates the Scriptures at such an advanced level that the Elders of the Temple marvel
2. - Shows knowledge and wisdom,  two eminent marks of the office of a prophet.

"[Luk 2:40 KJV] 40 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him. 

Between his early years and his 3 year ministry on earth many years later, Jesus will be seen to prophesy frequently.  He will prophesy about Israel,  about the fate of his disciples, about the endtime, and about his soon coming suffering, death and resurrection, though few will hear and understand the fullness of his prophecies until after Pentecost.   We will consider each of these in turn.

Jesus Prophecy & Israel

Prophecies of Jesus' Reign & Purpose in Israel

As Jesus wandered the Judean territory with his disciples,  he taught much, in words long lost to the Israel of the time about such things as the Kingdom of Heaven,  about earthly versus heavenly righteousness,  about salvation and the final coming of the Messiah and about the essence of mercy and grace.   His prophecies though were more narrow, focusing with purpose on God's intent toward Israel,  or on the forthcoming suffering of himself or his disciples, as well as a few other topics such as the soon demise of the Temple and the scattering of the people of God.    Jesus is prophesied by Micah to rule Israel, a prophecy fulfilled in Mt 2:6 :

[Mic 5:2 KJV] 2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, [though] thou be little among the thousands of Judah, [yet] out of thee shall he come forth unto me [that is] to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth [have been] from of old, from everlasting.

Joseph is commanded by the Lord to flee to Egypt and then again to bring back Jesus from Egypt,  but early in the Gospel of Matthew, the prophecies are primarily messianic passages from the Torah, or direction by God via angelic presence or directly.  

Jesus & Faith in Israel

Jesus' primary concern with his nation of Israel is for its faith, salvation and healing.   One of the first passages directly dealing with Israel by the Lord, is Matthew 8:10,  when after healing the centurion's servant, Jesus declares:

[Mat 8:10-11 KJV] 10 When Jesus heard [it], he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. 11 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.

The passage is actually critical of Israel,  in that in trying to save Israel and bring them the life of the covenant, in trying to communicate faith to Israel, he finds it in a Gentile, and a Roman soldier at that.  He commends the Roman soldier,  for all purposes, an enemy of his people for his faith, noting that 'many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of Heaven.' meaning that an unbelieving gentile would receive the eternal reward intended for the Jews, before the Jews, because of faith,  no doubt to provoke Israel to jealousy.  Nonetheless, inversely,  his first concern is the faith of Israel,  teaching though that a gentile with faith would find the Kingdom of heaven before unbelieving Israel.  He will admonish Israel in the same way, when later he encounters the Syrophenician woman begging for the healing of her daughter,  willing to eat the 'crumbs from the table',  and Jesus' brusque response turns to a commendation of her faith.

[Mat 15:28 KJV] 28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great [is] thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.Jesus also astounds Israel with his healings and miracles.  In Matthew 9:33,
 [Mat 9:33 KJV] 33 And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel.

That indeed was saying a great deal, for the nation who had seen Jeremiah, Daniel, Elijah and Elisha!  They were dumbfounded at the casting out of spirits,  but also amazed at three incidents when Jesus raised people from the dead.  It is a small wonder that Israel thronged to be in his presence, to listen to his teaching and to see the miracles.  The signs and wonders though,  were not just heavenly events, but were entirely meant for a sign to Israel of his Messianic office:  he was also showing the kind  of miracles which had been performed by other prophets such as Elijah raising the widow's son from death (curiously near Nain),  or e.g. the healing of Naaman by Elisha.  The numerous healings and casting away of devils,  astounded the people of Israel, provoking always the question, in one form or another of 'what manner of man' this was.

Prophetic Direction or Commands Regarding Israel

A more direct line of prophecy which Jesus executes though is seen in prophetic direction:  he tells his disciples what to do, where to go, how to procure things such as the colt,  or the upper room.   The most important directive he gives is:

[Mat 10:6-7 KJV] 6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Following is a series of instructions on what to do and say:  it is more than mere teaching or suggestions, for Jesus, first as Lord and Savior and secondly as prophet knows it will work.  This passage also shows his tender care for the chosen,  referring to them as 'lost sheep' not in need of wrath, but of a shepherd's care in bringing them back to a place where they are provided for and safe.   A more direct prophecy regarding Israel and his disciples comes later when he says:

Mt. 10:23  ...ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel till the Son of Man be come.

Jesus is teaching about taking the 'good news'  across all the cities of Israel,  but he is telling his disciples that they will never finish going over the cities of Israel,  till the Son of man comes.   He is warning them to save what will hear and if they will not hear, move on:  many will hear.   The gospel was birthed rather violently into the world,  and the world rejects the people and message of God:  Paul was often beat up for no more than preaching the word,  some were beaten and imprisoned and in the end, all the apostles met with the most difficult deaths:  Jesus knew and could see what would happen.  With regard to Israel:  implicitly in his words were the value of Israel and the salvation of Israel.

Jesus' Purpose in Coming to Israel

Another sign of his prophetic calling was in delineating the purpose he was sent.  Jesus said that  he was "not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel" ;  he could see clearly his call of God,  first as Messiah (not the same as when we are 'called' for his nature was unique and he was 'with God and was God')  and as prophet (e.g. the Olivet discourse is a detailed exposition of events yet future regarding Israel).   The healings and miracles though show Israel who he is, and yet also bear the nature of a prophet:

[Mat 15:31 KJV] 31 Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel.

Any miracles of the Old Testament, always or almost always involved a prophet.  Healings were associated with prophecy,  miracles, resolution to difficult problems and the conviction of sin were all related to the tasks and vocation of the prophet.  This does not in any way diminish nor undermine Jesus as Messiah, rather it establishes it:  he held the role of prophet, but also of High Priest and King, Chief, Good and Great Shepherd, and the Passover lamb of God, in addition to countless other 'robes'.   It is not an either-or proposition: rather the office of prophet was subsumed and evidential of his Messiahship.

In Mt 19:28 Jesus prophesies his disciples will judge the twelve  tribes of Israel:  Israel was not second in the Lord's purpose and calling: Israel  was first,  yet in one fulfilled prophecy,  in which he was sold for 30 pieces of silver,  the scriptures note the devaluation of the Messiah,  as though he were a common slave,  (Matt 27:9) though even Rome,  though perhaps in mockery,  declared him "King of the Jews".  In 27:42  he is questioned about being King of Israel by mockers:

[Mat 27:42 KJV] 42 He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.

In utter irony,  he grants them their request,  so that they might believe in three days time.

Countless  other passages refer less directly to his focus, in prophecy, teaching and government to Israel:  we will see in another section his prophecies regarding Israel in the endtime;  the critical point though is that he was sent to Israel, he was prophet and King to Israel (like David),  he was about the healing, restoration and salvation of Israel,  and his ministry and Messiahship was always first to the Jews, then to the Gentiles,  though he made it clear to both, that faith and obedience to God came above the diverse separations of the world.



more to follow...ekbest