Peter – Light from the Word

When the Cock Crowed

Simon, Simon, listen! Satan has asked excessively that you be given up to him, that he might sift you like grain; but I have prayed especially for you, that your faith may not fail; and when you yourself have turned again, strengthen and establish your brethren. And Peter said to Him, Lord, I am ready to go with You both to prison and to death. But YAHSHUA said, I tell you, Peter, before a cock shall crow this day, you will three times deny that you know Me (Luke 22:31-34).

The hour was approaching, when our Lord was going to face trials and death. He spent his last days and hours with His disciples instructing them on what was about to happen to Him. Those hours were solemn hours for the disciples solely depended on YAHSHUA. The news of His coming death caused fear and uncertainties in their heart with confusion of their understanding. At that time, YAHSHUA had a warning for Peter that caused a change of heart. He said, Simon, Simon, listen! Satan has asked excessively that you be given up to him, that he might sift you like grain… (vs.31). But YAHSHUA would not allow Satan to do that to weak Peter. Instead, He prayed that Peter’s faith may not fail; and when he had turned again, to strengthen and establish his brethren (vc.31-32). But Peter insisted saying, I am ready to go with You both to prison and to death (vs.33). A spiritual warfare was going on for the life of Peter in those hours without him knowing. YAHSHUA was defending and protecting him thorough prayer. But Peter ignorant of what was happening, refuted the Lord implying that he was strong and ready to die with YAHSHUA. A sign then was given to Peter by the Lord to prove to Peter His prophetic utterances to be right. He said to Peter: before a cock shall crow this day, you will three times deny that you know Me (vs.34). A cock is a male bird – rooster. Roosters break the dawn with a wakeup call for the world to get up and go. The rooster is the most reliable alarming clock there is. YAHSHUA used this to tell Peter that nature’s clock will prove him the veracity of YAHSHUA’S words. Wanting to get warm, Peter mingled himself with some others around, not knowing that they were going to test him. Peter’s weak personality couldn’t resist the first simple affirmation from a servant girl, his first encounter: “This man too was with Him.” He was confronted by two more, the third one emphatically insisted saying, It is truth that this man also was with Him, for he is a Galilean! On the third time that he was challenged, Peter began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, I do not even know the man! And at that moment a rooster crowed (Matt.26:74).

While Peter was still speaking, the cock crowed affirming YAHSHUA’S words to Peter and at the same time, The Lord turned and looked at Peter. And he recalled the Lord’s words, Before the cock crows today, You will deny Me thrice. Peter went out and wept bitterly (Luke 22:61-62). YAHSHUA’S eyes looked deeply into Peter’s soul and Peter, ashamed of the past few hours, was faced with his own failure, for the reality check caught him in a crucial time, when he rejected YAHSHUA’S warning. When his eyes met the eyes of the Savior, he had nothing to say, but weep for his actions. In life, there is always a rooster who will warn us of our actions. It is called the conscious. Often times, we shut it off, not wanting to admit our wrong doings, for the pleasure of it.

YAHSHUA warned Judas before his betrayal to save him from the terrible consequences, but his heart was fixed in doing it, no matter the cost. However, remorse took hold of his life; he lost it under the control of Satan, ending up in hell. At times we get angry at warnings, when pride controls the situation. We continue dancing around the fire that is about to devour us, until too late. Ignoring warnings brings consequences we do not want to face. There are no excuses and justification when we know what is right and remain doing wrong, ignoring the voice of reason. The Word of God says that any person who knows what is right to do but does not do it, to him it is sin (James 4:17). Thus says the Lord: Stand by the roads and look; and ask for the eternal paths, where the good, old way is; then walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk in it! Also, I set watchmen over you, saying, Hear and obey the sound of the trumpet! But they said, We will not listen or obey… Therefore, hear, I am bringing evil upon this people, the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not listened and obeyed My words, and as for My law, they have rejected it (Jer.6:16-17,19). In Peter’s case, he heard the prophetic words from our Lord, but as Israel rejected the warnings, in the desert, so, did Peter. However, the Lord gave him another chance and re-instated him to his position of apostle. His love for the Lord was tried three times, commending him to “Feed My lambs.” This time, Peter’s heart was repented and contrite before the Lord. He followed Him the rest of his life and died as a martyr for the Lord.

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Strong Bulls of Bashan Have Hedged Me In

Psalm 22 is a prophetic psalm concerning the suffering and death of our Savior, YAHSHUA. Verse twelve is of great significance for us to understand the meaning of the phrase “Strong bulls of Bashan have hedged Me in.” It requires us to know a piece of history of its past and why this prophecy included the mountain of Bashan in YAHSHUA’S trials. Mount Herman, a well-known mount, is identified with Mount Bashan, for it forms the northern border of the region of Bashan, a geographical reality found in Psalm 68:15-17: “Is Mount Bashan the high mountain of summits, Mount Bashan [east of the Jordan] the mount of God? Why do you look with grudging and envy, you many-peaked mountains, at the mountain which God has desired for His dwelling place? Yes, the Lord will dwell in it forever.”

Psalm 22 is a prophetic description of the sufferings of our Savior to take place many years later. You see, the atonement of mankind was in YAHWEH’S mind from the foundation of the world. The Old Testament pictures this event in various passages of its prophetic pages. Genesis 3:15: “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her Offspring (Seed YAHSHUA); He will bruise and tread your head underfoot, and you will lie in wait and bruise His heel;” Psalm 22; Isaiah 52:14-15; Isaiah 53. In Psalm 22:12-13 the psalmist uses the bulls of Bashan as YAHSHUA’S foes coming to attack Him: He says, “Many bulls have surrounded me; strong bulls of Bashan have hedged me in. Against me they opened their mouths wide, like a ravening and roaring lion.” Prophecy from Moses concerning the tribe of Dan connects to the word of the Psalm 22:12-13. He said of Dan: “Dan is a lion’s whelp that leaps forth from Bashan” (Deut. 33:22). The Psalmist uses the term “a ravening and roaring lion.” Before the death of Jacob, he said this of Dan: “Dan shall be a serpent by the way, a horned snake in the path that bite at the horse’s heels, so that his rider falls backward…” (Gen. 49:17). That’s what Dan became and will become in the frame of time. In the book of Judges chapter 18, we read the idolatrous acts of Dan’s tribe’s idolatry. Separated from God through their rebellious and unfaithful ways, this tribe is excluded from the 144 thousand to be chosen and sealed for their protection in the tribulation time, as they become God’s messengers of the Gospel.

History tells us through the book of Enock that the mountain of Bashan and mount Hermon were places for spiritual evil, in particular the Watches- fallen angels. These mountains constituted the places where the giants chose to dwell and there they engaged with women. “There were giants on the earth in those days – and also afterward- when the sons of God lived with the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown” (Gen. 6:4).

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And He Looked at the Storm

It happened after the multiplication of five loaves of bread and two fish to feed the crowd of 5,000 men, not including women and children (Matt 14:21), when YAHSHUA dismissed the disciples to go into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He dismissed the crowd (vs.22). YAHSHUA, after He dismissed the multitudes, went up into the hills by Himself to pray, as He used to do. When it was evening, He was still there alone (vs.23). YAHSHUA’S day had been busy feeding the crowd, and needed to be refreshed by the Father. Not concerned with time, evening came, and He was still there alone, praying. Meanwhile, a storm caught the disciples by surprise. The boat was by that time out on the sea, many furlongs [one-eighth of a mile] distant from the land. Their boat was beaten and tossed by the waves, for the wind was against them. In the fourth watch [between 3:00-6:00 a.m.] YAHSHUA came to them walking on the sea (vs.25). The disciples were in the storm for a while before the Lord appeared to them. Not that He didn’t know about it, but for some reason it happened that way. To me, was a matter of faith and trust for the disciples and through it, for them to see the glory of God. After all, the disciples witnessed miracles, and more miracles performed by Messiah YAHSHUA. He, being connected with nature, knew exactly what was going on. He was not delayed, as He is never late for anything.

In the fourth watch He decided to come to the disciples. In an amazing way, YAHSHUA showed His disciples once again Who He was. Creator of the earth, and of all that has been created, He walked over the waters as if walking on ground. The storm continued but it didn’t affect Him. For there stood One Who had the power to hush it. All creations submit to His voice, their Creator. The disciples had no idea. The storm was blinding them from recognizing Who that was walking on water. Distant from land many furlongs the disciples were beaten and tossed by the waves, for the wind was against them (Matt.14:24). Without YAHSHUA with them, they feared the fury of the storm. When He appeared in the distance, in their fear, they failed to recognize Him. They feared even more when they saw Him. As a matter of fact, they were terrified and screamed with fright, thinking He to be a ghost. (Vs.26).

From a distance came the comforting words, Take courage! I AM! Stop being afraid! I AM WHO I Am and WHAT I AM, and I WILL BE WHAT I WILL BE. This was the answer God gave to Moses, many years ago, when He called him to free the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. He asked God, what answer I would give to the Israelites when they asked, the question, What is His name? And God said to Moses, I AM WHO I AM AND WHAT I AM, AND I WILL BE WHAT I WILL BE; and you shall say this to the Israelites, I AM has sent me to you! (Exodus 3:13-14). There, stood I AM to save them again, and this time, from the storm. The disciples should have known the tittle I AM that referred to God. There, stood the incarnate God, ready to save them as in the days of old. Peter, their spokesman, didn’t hesitate to be the first to answer. Seeing the Lord walking on the water, he wanted to try for himself, voided of faith, he said, “If it is You, command me to come to You on the water. YAHSHUA said, Come! So, Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water, and he came toward YAHSHUA. But when he perceived and felt the strong wind, he was frightened and as he began to sink, he cried out, Lord, save me. Instantly YAHSHUA REACHED OUT His hand and caught and held him, saying to him O you of little faith, why did you doubt? And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat knelt and worshiped Him, saying, Truly You are the Son of God!” (Matt. 14:26-33).

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Do You Love Me Peter, More Than These?

(John 21)

It was the third time that the Lord had appeared to the disciples after He arose from the dead. They were waiting for Him at the Sea of Galilee, as they were told, although not everyone was there. Only seven out of eleven disciples. We don’t know how long they had waited before Peter decided to go fishing and the rest with him. YAHSHUA came to them in the early hour of the morning, when they were exhausted, for not having caught anything all night. YAHSHUA stood at the beach, without them recognizing Him. His familiar voice called to them saying, Boys, You do not have any meat, do you? They answered Him, No! And He said to them, Cast the net on the right side of the boat and you will find, so they cast the net, and now they were not able to haul it in for such a big catch of fish (vs. 5,6). 153 large fish were caught that morning under the command of YAHSHUA, Whom they did not recognize at first. YAHSHUA had breakfast ready for them when they got to land. He invited them to eat. He took the bread and the fish and gave them to the disciples. After they had eaten, YAHSHUA directed a very important question to Peter. A question that would connect Peter once again with Lord, for saying, “I do not know the man,” he had left the Lord. A question that would challenge his love for YAHSHUA. Three times the same question was asked, measuring up to the three times he denied the Lord. Grieved that YAHSHUA should ask him the third time, Do you love Me? He said to Him, Lord, You know everything; You know that I love You (vs.17).

The first time YAHSHUA asked the question, Do you love Me, He added, more than these? Peter’s mind was on going back to his old life style. “I am going fishing.” With that, he disregarded YAHSUA’S calling of while back: “I will make you fisher of men” (Luke 5). The love that YAHSHUA was challenging Peter was not to the extent of the love the disciples had for Him. As you know, they too failed in their demonstration of their love for YAHSHUA. One betrayed Him, one doubted Him, and the rest forsook Him at the moment He needed them the most. It was not a question of comparison of his love with the other disciples’ love for YAHSHUA. No, this had to do with the love that Peter had for his fisherman’s business. Under the command of YAHSHUA, he had caught many fish. That was his livelihood, his money maker. Was Peter willing to leave all behind once again to serve the Lord, after the Lord had left the world? His past actions showed otherwise. YAHSHUA had to re-instate Peter with the question, Do you love Me more than these? In order for him to realize where he was and where he should have been. “I do not know the man” were the words Peter uttered to confirm he had forsaken the Lord. YAHSHUA was bringing him back to equip him for a task that required his complete surrender. A task that required the giving up his life to die for YAHSHUA, not only spiritually, but physically. It would be only through his genuine love for the Lord that he could accomplish the calling to be a martyr. Had not the Lord reinstated him, Peter would have gone his old way of living; but God had a purpose for him that only him would fulfill it: Feed “My lambs,” three times YAHSHUA challenged Peter’s love for Him. “Not I, but Christ lives in me; and the life that I now live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself up for me (Gal. 2:20) Peter had to die to self to receive the supernatural strength that came from God for him to go through the hard road ahead of him, as the Lord told him in which manner he was going to die as a martyr.

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Stay Here, Keep Awake and Keep Watch With Me

(Matthews 26:38-41)

My soul is very sad and deeply grieved so that I am almost dying of sorrow. Stay here and keep awake and keep watch with Me… all of you must keep awake and watch and pray, that you may not come into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak (Matthews 26:38,41b).

YAHSHUA, in His anguish at the Garden before He was arrested, took with Him Peter, James and John saying, Stay here, keep wake and watch with Me. Suffering as a man, YAHSHUA needed support in His darkest hour on earth. That was, without a doubt, His most difficult hour, as He expressed to His disciples: “My soul is very sad and deeply grieved so that I am almost dying of sorrow.” That was His hour of decision. The tempter arrived at the garden at his “opportune time” when YAHSHUA was physically and emotionally weak. His betrayal was at hand by one of His disciples. His nation was going to hand Him to the Romans to be punished, the merciless Roman way. His nation, as a whole, had rejected Him; even one of His disciples was going to deny knowing Him. The ultimate rejection He experienced was on the cross. The hour had arrived when He had to face His enemies face to face- Jews and Gentiles, who would decide on the way He was to die. That was His dark hour. Although an angel came to comfort Him in the garden, nothing else was going to happen to free Him from His ordeal. It was that time!

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Obedience

(Matt.28:7-10)

Then go quickly and tell His disciples, He has risen from the dead, and behold, He is going before you to Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you (vs. 7). As they went to tell, behold Jesus met them and said, Hail, and they went up to Him and clasped His feet and worship Him. Jesus said, do not be afraid, go and tell my brethren to go into Galilee (v.9).

After YAHSHUA’S resurrection, Mary and the other Mary continued to look for Him among the dead. In the process, they witnessed supernatural events beyond their imagination at the time they arrived at the place where the Lord’s body had been buried. First, there was an earthquake, followed by an angel of the Lord descending from heaven to roll the boulder back and those keeping guard were frightened and agitated and trembled and became like dead men (Matt. 28:1-4). At that sight, the angel told them, YAHSHUA is not here; He has risen, as He said. Come, see the place where He lay; go quickly and tell His disciples, He has risen from the dead, and behold, He is going before you to Galilee; there you will see Him (Matt. 28:5-7). Leaving the place joylessly, they went to tell the disciples. Their excitement overtook them; they could not wait to share the greatest miracle they ever witnessed. To make their day even more exciting, while on their way, behold, the Lord YAHSHUA met them saying, Greeting! They went up to Him, clasped His feet and worshiped Him (Matt. 28: 8-9). Echoing the message from the angel, He said to them, Do not be alarmed and afraid; go and tell My brethren to go into Galilee, and there they will see Me (Vs.10). The angel emphatically expressed the command to them by saying, Behold, I have told you. That means, attention, look! His command was for them to go quickly and tell the disciples that the Lord YAHSHUA had risen from the dead.

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How To Be An Overcomer

(I Peter 5: 10; James 4:7; Psalm 92)

The suffering of the believer is not something that happens by accident, neither it is to be regarded as in vain. But it requires a personal search of the heart to be allied in the right position with God, so to understand the perfect will of God in that situation. The sufferings of the believer in YAHSHUA caused by persecution are without a question, the most honorable way of suffering. He so confirmed by saying, Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven! Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things against you falsely on My account. Be glad and supremely joyful for your reward is great, for in this same way people persecuted the prophets who were before you (Matthew 5: 10-12).

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When They Got Into the Boat

(Matthew 14)

The death of John the Baptist, lead YAHSHUA to withdraw to a solitary place by Himself. It was a time of reflection; a time alone with the Father, not because He did not know John’s future, but to consider His position in the world without his forerunner, who openly declared that him to be the Messiah. The timing for all to happen was perfect, as His ministry reached out with healings to all who needed them; not only physical healing, but also spiritual. It was a busy time for YAHSHUA and His disciples. The news about Him had reached far into Israel, as well into other countries at the time of John’s death. It was a solemn hour for Him, nevertheless, enough to want to spend a time alone. YAHSHUA must have spent the entire night praying, as it was His custom to do. The crowds came in the morning and stayed with Him all day until the day was over. He satisfied them all with healings and with food in a miraculous way. They counted about 5,000 men without the women and children. That was the perfect timing, indeed for Him to manifest Himself as the Messiah through the supernatural happenings that only He as the Son of God could do. When the crowds heard where He had gone, they followed Him on foot. That in itself confirmed the importance of His ministry. He looked at the crowds with His heart and He was full of compassion. He saw the matter of the hearts of those who were there anxiously waiting for their healing.

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A Fish and a Shekel

(Matthew 17:24-27)

When YAHSHUA arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the half shekel [the temple tax] went up to Peter and said, Does not your Teacher pay the half shekel? He answered, Yes. And when he came home, YAHSHUA spoke to him first, saying, What do you think, Simon? From whom do earthly rulers collect duties or tribute from their own sons or from others, not of their own family? And Peter said, From other people not of their own family. YAHSHUA said to him, Then the sons are exempt. However, in order not to give offense and cause them to stumble, go down to the sea and throw in a hook. Take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find there a shekel. Take it to them to pay the temple tax for Me and for yourself.

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