No rational mind regarded the new leadership as legitimate.

All clear-eyed assessments knew the incoming man-in-charge was undeserving of his position. The means by which he’d come to power were marinated in corruption and fraud.

Conversely, the case of the rightful leader was legally sound – but law and order had been systematically undermined. The true top dog was spurned. Chaos abounded as his adversaries refused to grant him what he’d justly earned.

The fraudulent new leader was widely regarded as a bungling fool. He’d have stood no chance of gaining power if his unstable mental state had been properly disclosed. He assumed titles he wasn’t qualified to receive, even as he gained infamy for his bizarre antics. Nicknames which drew attention to his lack of self-control, his brittle ego, and his inept behaviors were well-known.

It came to light that the new leader’s ascent to power had been assisted by unethical people in key places. One might argue it was all “politics as usual,” but this was over-the-top “deep state” stuff: cold, covert, conniving, and corrupt. There was nothing remotely proper about any of it.

And it wasn’t far into the new leader’s rule that it was learned this cronyism was much bigger than it had initially appeared. Other countries were part of the collusion too – including their top leadership. These roots of corruption had run wide and deep.

The fake leader’s subjects paid grievously for his ill-gotten gain. The gravity and number of his authoritarian decisions were unparalleled. New taxation plans were heavy-handed, and decisions that eroded national welfare were made. Redistribution tactics were implemented which benefitted his shady supporters most.

Though relative peace and security had preceded the fraudulent leader’s rule, that all changed when he came to power. The new leader schemed with his advisors to undermine various places and pillars of vitality. Long-standing stalwarts of socioeconomic influence were attacked.

Foreign relations eroded quickly under the new leader’s administration. Diplomatic campaigns with other powers were insincere. Shoddy and meaningless agreements were struck, and the likelihood of wars grew.

Tensions and mistrusts swelled in the wake of the sham leader’s myopic postures, most notably in the Middle East. The new ruler made it clear from the get-go that his regard for Israel and the Jews was very poor. It was plain to see his crosshairs were on the back of the Jewish state.

Moreover, the new leader was personally compromised. Behind the scenes, he was indebted to other empires whose influence was clearly surging. His decisions could not cross the wishes and demands of these outside powers, and so they controlled him. These foreign nations cared little for the interests of the bogus leader’s own people.

Many innocent lives suffered due to the new leader’s disastrous decisions. Tens of thousands died as he failed to display even basic common sense. His zeal to enforce conformity placed him at odds with many who would not embrace his ideals. These dissenters posed threats to the new leader’s agenda, and he chafed as their liberties were expressed.

Rumors of a civil war simmered. His subjects writhed under his foolish antics, his desire for control, and his senseless schemes. This fiasco should not have happened in the first place.

The fraudulent new leader was Antiochus Epiphanes. Did you have somebody else in mind?

Antiochus Epiphanes reigned from 175 BC to his death in 164 BC. He ruled the Seleucid Kingdom which was headquartered in the area we know today as northern Syria. He is prophetically introduced in the Bible, roughly 350 years before his reign, in Daniel 11:21-35.

This portion of Daniel, and many historical records, provide a detailed account of a despicable king. Antiochus Epiphanes was not the rightful heir to the Seleucid throne; that claim belonged to another, Demetrius I Soter. With the help of King Eumenes II of Pergamum (Turkey), Antiochus Epiphanes seized the throne for himself and murdered remaining lineage threats.

The Bible records that the entire reign of Antiochus Epiphanes was marked by dishonesty and perversion. From beginning to end, his rule had a broader pagan agenda. His decisions pleased his godless supporters and other pagan cultures, but they displeased God.

Antiochus Epiphanes came to power during a time of relative calm. While his kingdom was still paying tributes to Rome for conflicts from years before, an acceptable status quo had entered. The century-long wars between the Seleucids up north and the Ptolemies down south in Egypt had yielded to a do-able peace. Folks had moved on with their lives, and routines were established.

It all proved to be a false security. Antiochus Epiphanes’ ascent to the throne caught people unawares. His illegitimate power grab was a dramatic and disruptive event. The unexpected circumstances traumatized many both inside and outside his kingdom.

His insatiable lust for power dictated his bizarre conduct. Historical records are rife with the claim that Antiochus Epiphanes was “not right in the head.” He gave himself divine titles like Theos Epiphanes (“God Manifest”) and triumphant names like Nikephoros (“Bearer of Victory”). Such pretenses failed to disguise his eccentric tendencies, and some of his contemporaries called him Antiochus Epimanes instead. It was a wordplay off of his name, and it meant “The Mad One.”

In the immediate aftermath of his rise to power, Antiochus Epiphanes set out to crush all opposition to his reign. He reignited tensions and initiated a series of conflicts with his perceived enemies. Notably, he murdered the high priest, Onias III. This signaled to the Jews under his rule that Antiochus Epiphanes was not going to tolerate any religious dissension to his policies.

A sobering fact on the ascent of Antiochus Epiphanes is found in verse 23. Here, we find his rise to power was aided by “a few people” (NIV). The New Living Translation puts it more bluntly, “He will become strong despite having only a handful of followers.”

The bottom line is Antiochus Epiphanes was not a leader who had gained majority support. He did not represent the mainstream, and instead, his base was quite small. It is why his rise to power was a corrupt and deceitful process. He would not have acquired power any other way.

Once in power, Antiochus Epiphanes and his cronies pushed the envelope of frank corruption. The Bible records these activities as unprecedented – and strongly socialist in nature. He schemed to tear down the strength of others, and he plundered their wealth. Historical records note that he distributed these resources to influence and benefit his most ardent followers – in the form of blackmail, bribes, and other unethical transactions.

A veritable list of Antiochus Epiphanes’ character flaws rounds out the balance of this passage in Daniel. To start, Antiochus Epiphanes was markedly disingenuous in his dealings with other nations. He ignored common sense, and he broke terms of agreement to act out of self-interest. He met with foreign leaders with his own heart ‘bent on evil.” He engaged in lies instead of truth.

To top it all off, Rome made the final calls. Rome was the new emerging world power, and what Rome wanted, Rome got. While Antiochus Epiphanes was focused on acquiring greater plunder and influence for himself, he could not overlook his own compromised position with Rome.

The entire state of affairs inflamed Antiochus Epiphanes. He blamed the Jews for problems they were no part of, he actively meddled in other nation’s political affairs, he sought ways to limit his subjects’ rights and liberties, he persecuted those who disagreed with him, he elevated those who supported him, he silenced others who spoke out against him, and he escalated conflicts where he perceived he had something to gain.

His irrational and tyrannical behaviors were so corrupt, so violent, so murderous, and so comprehensive that they incited the famous Maccabean revolt.

I already know what many of you are thinking; “So much THEN sounds like so much TODAY!”

You’re right. Many details in the story of Antiochus Epiphanes feel as though they were lifted straight out of America’s present challenges. An entire book could be written to make that case.

I recently finished teaching Daniel 11:21-35 to my Sunday School class. It took a few weeks to get through this passage, but as I worked my way through it verse by verse, I was also struck by the similarities between past and present leaders.

I received several questions several times as I taught this portion of Scripture. I share some of them here as I offer a few concluding points:

Why does the Bible give us so much information about Antiochus Epiphanes?

We are given extraordinary detail about Antiochus Epiphanes because he is a “type” – or picture – of the final antichrist. Nimrod, in Genesis Ch. 10, is too. Both came from the same region of what eventually became the eastern leg of the Roman Empire. That is probably significant.

Because the Bible makes the case that the antichrist will emerge from a “revived” Roman Empire, many people believe the antichrist will come from Europe. Such views fail to recognize the Roman Empire also had a powerful eastern leg, and that eastern leg outlasted the western one politically and militarily by hundreds of years.

Keep in mind, the Roman Empire never really disappeared. It merely changed form and function over time. It became the Holy Roman Empire and was once headquartered in Turkey. It then became the Holy Roman Catholic Empire, and today it’s simply called The Catholic Church.

Presently, The Catholic Church is headquartered in The Vatican, and its increasingly godless influence is obvious and worldwide. It traces its roots all the way back to its rise as a Gentile military and political kingdom around Antiochus Epiphanes’ time.

But the greater point is, we are given many specifics about Antiochus Epiphanes because much about him will also be true about the future antichrist. The Bible doesn’t waste words. We need to pay close attention.

What kind of administration will the antichrist have?

It’ll be a lot like the administration of Antiochus Epiphanes, but far worse. It’ll also be global. If you’re connecting all the dots here – it’ll be a much baser expression of the type of leadership we’re seeing right now in America: corrupt, deceitful, conniving, unethical, hostile to personal freedoms, anti-God, power-hungry, agenda-driven, suppressive, senseless, – – – and yes, socialist.

Jesus warned us we would see certain events exacerbating as the time of His Second Coming draws closer (Matt. 24:7-8). Typically, we think in terms of earthquakes, wars, famines, and such. But we are also seeing other trends in our time that portend the proximity of Christ’s Second Coming too. Like earthquakes and wars, these elements are increasing too.

These trends are “setting the stage” for one-world governance, and they include an erosion of national boundaries, an embracing of socialism, a systemic rejection of Godly values, an obsession with “mother earth,” and various attempts to force the masses into conformity.

America was the world’s last holdout under its previous administration. The “America first” policies of President Trump thrust a hard stick into the spokes of a globalist agenda. This nation’s current administration is now working overtime to reverse those prior policies and to make America an active participant on the one-world stage.

Why would God allow America’s current administration into office?

Many believers suffer from looking at the Bible through a wrong lens. They try to interpret the Scriptures through a western-centric view.

The Bible is not only eastern-centric instead, but – in the prophetic sense – it is focused on the nation of Israel. Dr. John MacArthur said it best, “If you get Israel right, you get your eschatology right.” For us to properly understand the times in which we live, we need to properly understand that Israel is the hub of end-times events.

From my vantage point, President Trump did a lot of things right when it came to Israel. He formally recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. He endorsed the Golan Heights as Israel’s land. He negotiated breakthrough peace deals with nations that historically were adversarial to the Jewish state. In nearly every way, he supported Israel, and the Middle East had a rare calm.

Not so with the current leadership. America’s policies now are to advocate for Israel’s enemies and to undermine Israel’s national welfare. The effects of such shortsightedness are obvious.

Tensions have inflamed in the Middle East since Biden “took” office. His policies have invited this. The IDF and Israel’s neighbors are all projecting an imminent war against Israel from multiple fronts. The prophecies of Psalms 83, Jeremiah 49:34-39, and Isaiah 17:1-3 could occur any day.

My own opinion is God is using America’s current corrupt administration to bring about the next chapter of prophetic events concerning Israel. God has used depraved leaders and nations before to fulfill His plans with Israel – King Nebuchadnezzar and Babylon are a great case in point (Jer. 25:9; 27:6; and 43:10). Like past leaders, current leaders remain subject to God’s sovereignty.

The story of Antiochus Epiphanes is not only a story about the past; it’s a window into the present. As we ponder the things which once took place, we are better equipped to understand the things which are now occurring.

The grand takeaway here is we live in the most exciting of times. The signs are so clear. We are likely the generation that will experience the Rapture. Every morning I wake up wondering if this will be the day of our “blessed hope” (Titus 2:13). Nearly every night, I pray for that.

May God strengthen our hearts with new resolve and encouragement as we glean from His Word, and as we faithfully endure in one righteous direction.

© Steve Schmutzer 2021. All Rights Reserved

Does God ever let you down?

Wait. Before you answer, I’m not interested in cliché replies. You know, “In all things, God works for the good of those who love Him,” or, “God’s plans are to give me a hope and a future.” I don’t want to hear that old standby, “He knows what’s best for me.”

Those responses ARE Biblically-based, and so they’re true when they’re properly applied with the right heart to the right situation. But in my experience, too many people say this kind of stuff when their faith has reached its limits. They are barely able to endure their pain, describe their confusion, or contain their rage.

Just because we can force certain words out of our mouth does not mean we are saying what we are truly feeling. Just because we can’t admit what’s really going on does not mean it isn’t.

Let’s be totally honest here – have you ever been mad at God? Did you ever bargain with Him in your heart and now you’re upset He didn’t keep up His end of the arrangement? Are you still “fighting the good fight,” but you’re exhausted and despaired? Did you take the high road – but you got the raw end of the deal?

Now – let’s get down to the brass tacks: Did you pour yourself into the task of raising your children the right way only to have them disappoint you with their choices?

Are you laboring long and quietly in a ministry while others with less gifting, less commitment, and less maturity are getting the reward and recognition?

Have you prayed and tried for years for a baby and one still hasn’t come? Meantime, irresponsible parents are popping out feral kids like rabbits?

Did you carefully plan for a simple and responsible retirement – only to see it all evaporate in the wake of unexpected health problems and medical bills?

Have you prayed around the clock for justice and truth to prevail, but all you see is the flourishing of evil and deceit?

Have you lost your job and now you are struggling to find work that pays the bills?

Did you find the man or woman of your dreams, but things have changed and now you wish you hadn’t?

So let me ask the question one more time: does God ever let you down? If you are feeling that way, or are tempted to – you are not alone. Even people that knew Jesus personally might have felt that way… or at least they may have felt they had reason to.

You see, we can talk all day long about our “relationship with God,” but three Biblical characters come to my mind that actually knew Him personally. I mean, they interacted with Jesus, they watched Him, listened to Him, and learned from Him. They knew who Jesus really was! Their lives are recorded in the New Testament as being part of His life, so the personal connection went both ways.

Despite that, I think it can be argued that all three of these people might have felt some disappointment with Jesus. Put another way, they might have admitted they felt let down by God.

But all three characters faced their natural reactions and chose to respond to Jesus in different ways. I think we can learn something from their examples because these are ways we still respond to Jesus Christ today.

The first of these three characters is John the Baptist. He had a key role before Jesus’ ministry. Since he and Jesus were cousins, he probably knew Jesus as they were growing up together. Maybe they even played together as children – this is not an unreasonable assumption.

John the Baptist turned out to be a rough and rugged character – unconventional, certainly. He was a strong man with equally strong convictions. He didn’t think twice about confronting the hypocritical religious leaders and calling them a “brood of vipers” (Matt. 3:7). His straight talk and no-nonsense approach attracted truth-seekers, and he had many followers and disciples.

A time came, however, when John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus’ ministry as a “voice in the wilderness” (John 1:23). He did this because he had a right view of Jesus. John said of Him, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30), so John the Baptist grasped the proper priorities and how things needed to be.

None of this was an act. John the Baptist was a man of God who had a passion for proclaiming the truth and for living it out. His extraordinary ministry and exemplary character were affirmed when Jesus said of him that there was “…none greater” (Luke 7:28). To be sure, John the Baptist was the real deal.

It is difficult to know how much time John the Baptist actually had with Jesus Christ. There was that special occasion where John had baptized Jesus (Matt. 3:13-17), and John had felt that Jesus should have baptized him instead. But in their adult years, it seems they had little face-to-face contact.

We know John the Baptist publicly confronted Herod Antipas for the king’s sins (Matt. 14:1-13), and this had resulted in John’s arrest and imprisonment – and ultimately his beheading. This happened early in the ministry of Jesus Christ, so there was no opportunity for further contact between the two cousins after that point.

It is after John’s arrest that we learn of his doubts about Jesus Christ. In a desperate situation with his life on the line, John the Baptist faced gnawing questions. Reports of Jesus had found their way into John’s cell, and news of Jesus’ ministry had worked its way into the fabric of John’s deepest frustrations. Time had passed since that glorious baptism, and Jesus’ ministry was now thriving while John’s had abated.

John’s disciples fed him bits and pieces of information as they were able to, and it’s fair to say these reports reinforced the misgivings John had of Jesus. You see, the ministries and activities of Jesus and John were very different, and it’s not beyond reason to suggest these differences aroused John’s concerns.

John’s choices had set him apart from the crowd while Jesus’ choices had blended in. John the Baptist and his disciples fasted often, but Jesus and his disciples ate and drank with sinners (Matt. 11:18-19). John performed no signs in his earthly ministry (John 10:41), but Jesus – and his disciples – performed miracles of every kind (Matt. 9:35, 10:1). John lived reclusively, but Jesus was a very public person who was often surrounded by enormous crowds of people.

Now John was sitting in prison, captive most of all to his own disappointments. It’s not hard to imagine the questions that may have gone through his mind, such as, If Jesus was really the Messiah as he himself – John – had announced, then why wasn’t Jesus doing more? Why was Jesus not getting down to the business of establishing His kingdom and burning up the wicked with unquenchable fire? (Matt. 3:12). Was he here in prison because Jesus was powerless to do anything about the situation?

When John the Baptist could resist his own insecurities no longer, he sent some of his disciples to confront Jesus and to ask Him directly, “Are you the promised Messiah or should we be looking for someone else?” (Matt. 11:2-3). The question is a revealing one because it shows John had expectations of Jesus that were unfulfilled. It also shows that John the Baptist was unsure, doubtful, and delicate – the same way you and I have felt from time to time.

John wanted to know if he’d been misled. Was Jesus their only hope or was somebody else going to come along that was a better fit for the job? Was Jesus Christ really the Messiah, or not?

Jesus sent John’s disciples back to John with an answer, but it was hardly the one John the Baptist was seeking. Jesus challenged John to consider the evidence of His miracles, and he added, “…blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me.” In other words, Jesus exhorted John to cling to the truth of Old Testament Scripture. He did not give John a simple “yes” or “no” answer, but he left him hanging a bit. Jesus responded to John’s heart instead of his mind because John’s heart was the seat of his faith.

We can say John the Baptist was wrong for the ideas he had about how Jesus needed to operate, but – honestly – we’re not much different. We expect God to work in certain ways too, and if God does not fulfill our expectations, we also get disappointed.

We may not like to admit it, but it’s easy for us to think that if our God is really the God He says He is, then we have a right to expect something different from Him. I feel it’s likely that John died with some of his questions unanswered. That doesn’t mean his faith wasn’t real. It means he was human, and because he was human, his reactions to Jesus Christ were imperfect – the same way yours and mine can be too.

A second character that probably felt let down by Jesus Christ was Judas Iscariot. What do we know of him?

As one of the original 12 disciples, Judas Iscariot basically lived with Jesus for three years. He was given assignments and divine powers by Jesus (Matt. 10:1-4), and he was the official treasurer for the group (John 12:6) – albeit a deceptive and self-serving one.

The bottom line is Judas saw Jesus perform many miracles and he heard Jesus teach many times. He learned directly from the King of kings and Lord of lords, and he had the opportunity to grow as few others did. He saw the mistakes and the actions of the other disciples, and he learned from all of this. In other words, as a disciple of Jesus Christ, Judas Iscariot had the optimal schooling in the Gospel of the kingdom.

But it’s likely that Judas Iscariot was also a Jewish zealot. Many scholars believe his surname, “Iscariot” was a form of the title Sicarii, meaning “dagger-men.” This was a group of zealots who despised the Roman oppression. They were known to carry a knife with them, so they were prepared to assassinate traitors and capitulators. The Jewish zealots were principally motivated by socio-economic and political considerations. They believed that if they turned their nation back to God and incited a war against the Romans, the Messiah would rise to lead them and establish His Kingdom.

It’s easy to see how all this may have played out in Judas’ mind. Jesus was a righteous Jew and a descendant of King David. He spoke of establishing His kingdom, and he cast out demons, produced abundant food, and controlled the weather. Surely Jesus could lead the Jews to victory over the Romans and usher in God’s Kingdom! In Judas’ activist mind, his own ideas made perfect sense.

But somewhere along the line, the situation changed. Judas became disappointed as Jesus let him down. Jesus began to talk about dying, and His descriptions of His coming Kingdom didn’t fit with Judas’ ideals. Judas began to doubt Jesus, and he began to openly chide Jesus for His choices and priorities (John 12:3-6).

We know how this turned out. Judas chose to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver (Luke 22:3-6; Matt. 27:3-5). Perhaps Judas had come to a point where he felt Jesus was a fake – a false Messiah, someone who was not fulfilling the expectations that Judas had of a ruler that would lead Israel into her kingdom. We don’t know for sure – but it all seems to fit the larger story.

The bigger issue is the questions that are raised by how things ultimately transpired: How could Judas live, eat, walk, and talk with Jesus Christ day in and day out for three years and still turn out as he did? How could Judas miss the Messiah when he knew him so well? How could Judas hear the Gospel so clearly and miss having the right relationship with Jesus Christ?

We are left with some element of speculation, but it’s reasonable to assume that Judas resented Jesus and felt justified in his own views (Mark 14:6-16). Ultimately, that triggered his decision to turn Jesus over to the authorities. The greater account of Judas Iscariot suggests he had some underlying anger issues with the whole situation – which may explain why “Satan entered him” (John 13:27). The Bible teaches that our anger always gives Satan an opportunity (Eph. 4:27).

In the end, Judas’ response to Jesus Christ was likely dominated by a selfish desire for political change. Judas wanted conditions that were not there. Jesus didn’t overthrow the Romans as Judas wanted Him to, and so Judas’ selfish intentions led to profound personal compromise. It fostered resentment, clouded better judgment, and it ultimately destroyed him. Judas Iscariot wanted things to work out his way – not Jesus’ way. When Jesus didn’t do what Judas most wanted Him to do, Judas was through with Him.

Today, Judas Iscariot’s name is synonymous with betrayal, treachery, and disloyalty. He’s one of the most hated figures in Scripture – so it’s not without some hesitation that I suggest his patterns are often our own.

To lessen the blow, I’ll speak for myself. It is easy for me to get focused on one or two goals in my life to the exclusion of all else God is trying to do. In this situation, I can end up ignoring the things God is doing in my life, the lessons He is teaching me, or the way He is working in the life of my church, my friends, my family, and even my country.

Because it’s natural for me to become selfish in my expectations of God, it’s not hard to start compromising here and there and doing things I once never thought I would. I believe there is a huge principle at stake here. You see, we can be surrounded by believers and ministry and still fall. We can hear the regular teaching of God’s Word and still fail. We can witness God at work and still miss the most important need to be in a right relationship with God.

If we persist in thinking about ourselves first – what we can get out of the situation, what we think the outcomes should be, or how we feel “who” should be doing “what,” then we completely miss what God most needs to accomplish in our own lives the very same way Judas missed it. At that point, resentments creep in and we say and do things we ought not to.

And here’s the third and final character: the thief on the cross. By this, I mean the “good” thief (Luke 23:39-43). We don’t even know his name. There were two thieves who died with Jesus, and while both received the penalty for their crimes, the “good” thief gave Jesus the proper respect.

I feel that – for various reasons – the “good” thief is the most remarkable man of the three individuals we have assessed. What do we know of him? Not much, I’m afraid.

We do know that when Jesus was crucified, there was a cross on either side of Him. On His left and right were two criminals. In the Greek language, they are called “kakourgos,” which has the straightforward meaning of “criminal,” “evil-doer,” or “one who commits serious crimes.”

The “good” thief was a bad man. Other gospels call him a “robber.” He could have been a bandit – someone that ambushed others, took advantage of them, and left them for dead. It’s very likely that this “good” thief had been the sort of person that Jesus had in mind when He told His parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). This “good” thief had been a burden, a blight on society – and so he was sentenced to death for his crimes.

But despite his faulty resume, this “good” thief had a right view of God! He asked the other bellicose thief, “Don’t you fear God?” He put the “bad” thief in his place by correcting the latter’s improper assumptions of Jesus Christ.

To put this remarkable situation another way, the “good” thief’s mouth revealed the condition of his heart (Luke 6:45). The Bible teaches that you are what you say, and the “good” thief said to Jesus Christ, “…remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

Whoa! By ANY measure, this is an astounding statement!

Consider that by this point, all of Jesus’ disciples had fled the scene, and only John is recorded as being at the cross (John 19:26). These disciples were the men Jesus had personally trained. These were the guys who had seen supernatural evidence of Jesus’ power and authority. These were the guys who had learned from the Messiah Himself – and they were nowhere to be found!

The “good” thief, on the other hand, had had none of that training and experience. He had not spent the same time with Jesus Christ, and he had not seen all the miracles Jesus had done. He knew far less about Jesus than others did. By conventional standards, the “good” thief had missed the boat.

On top of all that, Jesus Christ was now dying. Beaten and bloodied so badly, He was now unrecognizable (Isaiah 52:14). Jesus was breathing His last right there beside the “good” thief, and by all measures of the term, Jesus Christ appeared mortal. Few people at that crucifixion scene were confident in Jesus Christ’s future kingdom.

But faith sees through the way things seem to the way they really are (Heb. 11:1), and so here the “good” thief showed more faith than many upright personalities in the Scriptures. The “good” thief saw Jesus Christ correctly. He didn’t see a dying man – he saw a living King of kings. He didn’t see someone who had failed and was unable to deliver – he saw someone who was assured of having the final victory. He didn’t see someone who was abused and humiliated by others – he saw someone who had infinite power.

In short, the “good” thief recognized Jesus Christ as the Messiah! He knew Jesus was not an imposter or someone who couldn’t deliver on His promises. The “good” thief looked beyond the limitations of that horrible situation, beyond the natural questions that saturated that awful scene, and he fully understood that Jesus Christ would still receive and set up His everlasting kingdom.

The “good” thief faced personal adversities that exceeded those challenges John the Baptist and Judas Iscariot had faced, and yet – against all human understanding! – he still believed that Jesus was exactly who He said He was. For his astounding demonstration of genuine faith, the “good” thief received way more benefit than he had bargained for.

It’s a weighty question, but I have to ask it. Which one of these three individuals are you most like right now? Are you like John the Baptist: insecure, unsure, disappointed, and needing reassurance that God is still able to be the God you most need? Are you asking God to reaffirm Himself to you so that you can be convinced of His promises and plans?

Perhaps you are like Judas Iscariot: angry, resentful, focused on what you most want and what you feel the situation needs to be. Are you taking in the regular teaching of God’s Word and participating in a ministry – but it’s having little effect on changing who you are and how you’re seeing things?

Or, are you like the “good” thief? You are in a place where the odds are stacked against you – and by all standard assessments, there is no clear evidence that God is demonstrating Himself to you the way your desperate situation most needs Him to. Do you find yourself in a tenuous spot where you cannot see the power of God in the circumstances you are facing – – – and yet your heart is still bursting with faith?

I cannot answer the tough questions of these last few paragraphs for anyone but myself. However, my prayer for all of us is that our faith rises up and shows itself in the tough and uncertain times just as the faith of the “good” thief did.

The “good” thief didn’t see Jesus Christ as someone who had let him down – he properly saw the only one who gave him hope.