If God promises a long life and prosperity to those who follow and obey him throughout the bible, why was Jesus killed so young and horrible?
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Posted Dec 14, 2022, 12:54 AM UTC · locked
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If God promises a long life and prosperity to those who follow and obey him throughout the bible
I'm sorry, Do you have some bible passages that say this?
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OP might be referring to passages in Psalms and Proverbs, where a clear connection is made between right behavior and reward from God, including long life and financial security. But Psalms also has many passages where the psalmist is facing hard times, even when he has done nothing to specifically deserve them. So it's important to read Scripture as a coherent whole, and know that God does honor those who honor Him, and at times that looks like peace and prosperity in this life, but that's by no means a universal rule.
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Yeah, Psalms & Proverbs, as part of the poetic literature, are not to always be taken literally, and apply to everyone in all circumstances. They're generalizations in many places, teaching wise actions to undertake in various situations, but not always.
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The Living Bible. 1 Kings 3:14 [14]And I will give you a long life if you follow me and obey my laws as your father David did.”
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The Living Bible. 1 Kings 2:3 [3]Obey the laws of God and follow all his ways; keep each of his commands written in the law of Moses so that you will prosper in everything you do, wherever you turn.
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Well, that was a promise to Solomon. It was not made to everyone, particularly Jesus, who was promised to suffer and die on the cross.
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How do you explain the Father saying "this is my Son, with whom I am well-pleased"?
And if he "wasn't doing God's will", why did God raise Him from the dead and seat Him on His right hand, waiting for His enemies to be His footstool?
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I don't know!!! Thats why I am asking!! There could conditional and unconditional love? God loves us all unconditional but sometimes also conditionally and punishes us when we we sin at the same time?
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There is no way Jesus could not be obeying God's will because he is God himself. If you mean was he not obeying the Father's will then that's still no, because the Father was well pleased with him and he followed his will in everything. This is reiterated several times in scripture. There's no way to idolize Jesus because again, he is also God. God doesn't promise long life and prosperity to everyone who follows his will. Yes, it's a general promise that those who follow him will be blessed, but that's not always seen materially. Also, Jesus dying young and horribly as you say was also part of God's perfect plan. If you notice, throughout the gospels Jesus at times says his time has not yet come because it wasn't yet time for him to die, but that was always the plan, to die the perfect death as a propitiation for sin so we could have redemption.
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Show of hands, who here idolizes Jesus? 🖐️
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Wouldn't putting a statue of Jesus in your house or a picture up be idolizing him according to the old testament? ( I would be at fault to!!)
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No it wouldn't be idolizing Jesus it would be idolizing a statue which is clearly prohibited not only in a commandment but also shown throughout the Bible to be punishable.
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Jesus is God.
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If you have to ask this question you are not a Christian and are on the wrong page…
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We were all once theologically ignorant, friend. Salvation is above your pay grade 😉.
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I can appreciate your asking questions, but it’s also pretty clear you haven’t read very much of the Bible. Jesus said very clearly that “the Son (Jesus) can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.”
Jesus, being God the Son, was always and only operating within the Will of God the Father. You can’t split up God like that.
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Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly” (John 7:24)
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If sickness is the result of sin,
Where do you get this idea? It's not biblical.
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It's everywhere in the old testament, many people get sick because of certain sins! Not listening to God, idolizing different idols etc.
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Everywhere? Name a couple instances.
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The Living Bible. Exodus 5:3 [3]But Aaron and Moses persisted. “The God of the Hebrews has met with us,” they declared. “We must take a three days’ trip into the wilderness and sacrifice there to Jehovah our God; if we don’t obey him, we face death by plague or sword.”
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2 Kings 15:3-5 [3]Azariah was a good king, and he pleased the Lord just as his father Amaziah had. [4]But like his predecessors, he didn’t destroy the shrines on the hills where the people sacrificed and burned incense. [5]Because of this the Lord struck him with leprosy, which lasted until the day of his death; so he lived in a house by himself. And his son Jotham was the acting king.
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The Living Bible. Leviticus 26:21 [21]“And if even then you will not obey me and listen to me, I will send you seven times more plagues because of your sins.
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He doesn't, plain and simple.
In fact, we're told that we'll have trials in this world, and that the world will hate us.
The Living Bible. 2 Kings 1:16 [16]“Why did you send messengers to Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, to ask about your sickness?” Elijah demanded. “Is it because there is no God in Israel to ask? Because you have done this, you shall not leave this bed; you will surely die.”
The Living Bible. 1 Kings 3:14 [14]And I will give you a long life if you follow me and obey my laws as your father David did.”
Neither of those promises are to us. That was David speaking to his son. You’re not the subject of the text, so neither was promising that you’ll prosper.
We should expect trials and suffering. The world persecuted and hated Christ because it hates God the Father, in fulfillment of that which was written by the prophets.
John 15:18-25 (NASB95) 18 “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. 19 “If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. 20 “Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 21 “But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me. 22 “If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 “He who hates Me hates My Father also. 24 “If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well. 25 “But they have done this to fulfill the word that is written in their Law, ‘THEY HATED ME WITHOUT A CAUSE.’
James 1:2-5 (NASB95) 2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
Trials are good because they prove faith:
1 Peter 1:3-8 (NASB95) 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, 7 so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 8 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,
I couldn’t find any passages about prosperity in the New Testament;)
Jesus died on a cross because He was the perfect sacrifice to take on the wrath of God the Father, bearing punishment for our sins so that we could be credited with His righteousness, by the will of God. He did this for the joy set before Him before the foundation of the world:
Hebrews 2:9-15 (NASB95) 9 But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. 10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings. 11 For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12 saying, “I WILL PROCLAIM YOUR NAME TO MY BRETHREN, IN THE MIDST OF THE CONGREGATION I WILL SING YOUR PRAISE.” 13 And again, “I WILL PUT MY TRUST IN HIM.” And again, “BEHOLD, I AND THE CHILDREN WHOM GOD HAS GIVEN ME.” 14 Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.
Titus 1:1-3 (NASB95) 1 Paul, a bond-servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of those chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness, 2 in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago, 3 but at the proper time manifested, even His word, in the proclamation with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior,
I could go on, but I’d suggest you read through the New Testament, and then start into the Old Testament (which will give a ton of context to the NT).
No it was the lord speaking to Salomon in a dream!!
1 Kings 3:10-14 [10]The Lord was pleased with his reply and was glad that Solomon had asked for wisdom. [11]So he replied, “Because you have asked for wisdom in governing my people and haven’t asked for a long life, or riches for yourself, or the defeat of your enemies— [12]yes, I’ll give you what you asked for! I will give you a wiser mind than anyone else has ever had or ever will have! [13]And I will also give you what you didn’t ask for—riches and honor! And no one in all the world will be as rich and famous as you for the rest of your life! [14]And I will give you a long life if you follow me and obey my laws as your father David did.”
Okay, you got me on the 1 Kings 3 reference. The 1 Kings 2:3 reference you had was David to Solomon. Edit: it looks like you may have removed that one?
In any case, you’re not Solomon, and neither am I. This is a descriptive text, not a prescriptive text. It’s narrative, not normative.
The Living Bible. 1 Kings 2:3 [3]Obey the laws of God and follow all his ways; keep each of his commands written in the law of Moses so that you will prosper in everything you do, wherever you turn.