During the lifetime of Jesus, the Roman Empire occupied Israel and the Israelites were slaves to Caesar.
During the lifetime of Jesus, the Lord never addressed the issue of Rome, for Rome was not the centerpiece of His message, nor of His mission; therefore, Jesus never talked about the horror story that abided in Rome. Jesus never made Rome's corrupted politics and religion one of His major talking points. About the most attention Christ made to Rome was when He said: Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. (Mark 12: 17)
Jesus was not awestruck by Rome. Jesus was not impressed at Rome's pride, pomp, and luxurious splendor, nor of Rome's enslavement of people.
Jesus did not arrive in Israel to deliver people from the power of Rome; instead, Jesus came to earth to deliver people from the clutches of Satan.
As it is written, He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. (I John 3: 8)
For it was not Rome that had power over people; rather, it was the devil, working through the minds of the Romans, that had power over people; and Caesar was simply a pawn in the hands of Satan. Thus, instead of fearing God, people feared Caesar. And because Caesar had the minds of people, he also had their will: because people were awestruck by Rome and by Caesar.
Today, people throughout the world are awestruck by Rome just as they were awestruck 2000 years ago. The news organizations of the world have the attention of people on Rome through the media of television, newspapers, magazines, and radio. These organizations are not focused on Rome to see what Rome will say about Christ, but rather that people will see and hear the new Caesar! And just as the devil was the unseen power of Rome 2000 years ago, the same devil has the unseen power in Rome today.
In the future, Rome will fall; and when she falls, people will again be awestruck.
How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come. And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! (Revelation 18: 8, 9, 10, 16-18)
And on this day that we call Easter Sunday, let us therefore be awestruck by the resurrection of Jesus Christ!
During the lifetime of Jesus, the Lord never addressed the issue of Rome, for Rome was not the centerpiece of His message, nor of His mission; therefore, Jesus never talked about the horror story that abided in Rome. Jesus never made Rome's corrupted politics and religion one of His major talking points. About the most attention Christ made to Rome was when He said: Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. (Mark 12: 17)
Jesus was not awestruck by Rome. Jesus was not impressed at Rome's pride, pomp, and luxurious splendor, nor of Rome's enslavement of people.
Jesus did not arrive in Israel to deliver people from the power of Rome; instead, Jesus came to earth to deliver people from the clutches of Satan.
As it is written, He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. (I John 3: 8)
For it was not Rome that had power over people; rather, it was the devil, working through the minds of the Romans, that had power over people; and Caesar was simply a pawn in the hands of Satan. Thus, instead of fearing God, people feared Caesar. And because Caesar had the minds of people, he also had their will: because people were awestruck by Rome and by Caesar.
Today, people throughout the world are awestruck by Rome just as they were awestruck 2000 years ago. The news organizations of the world have the attention of people on Rome through the media of television, newspapers, magazines, and radio. These organizations are not focused on Rome to see what Rome will say about Christ, but rather that people will see and hear the new Caesar! And just as the devil was the unseen power of Rome 2000 years ago, the same devil has the unseen power in Rome today.
In the future, Rome will fall; and when she falls, people will again be awestruck.
How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come. And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! (Revelation 18: 8, 9, 10, 16-18)
And on this day that we call Easter Sunday, let us therefore be awestruck by the resurrection of Jesus Christ!
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