Jehosheba is a hero of the Bible who saves a toddler from the evil schemes of a power-hungry authority.  Consider how Moses was saved under Pharaoh’s reign, or Jesus during the time of King Herod.  Even with this heroic act, we know little about Jehosheba.  She was the daughter of King Jehoram and married the priest Jehoiada.  These are two historical figures most people know little about.  Her husband led a rebellion to instill the rightful heir of David to the throne in Jerusalem.  Her father was so evil the Bible says that when he died it was to no one’s regret (2 Chron. 21:20).

The gospel of John primarily focuses on a generation that did not firsthand experience the life of Christ on earth. John, writing near 100 A.D., was the sole surviving apostle. An entire generation of firsthand witnesses to the resurrected Christ was dying off; the possibility of “dropping the baton” was very real.

Even on the eve of His death, Jesus was fully confident of the joyous future celebration of the kingdom of God. His death would provide kingdom entrance for us, and  would in no way be a hindrance to the One who overcame death with life everlasting, and who would triumphantly sit at the right hand of the Father.

The first home security system was invented in 1966 and patented in 1969 by Marie Van Brittan Brown.  Marie’s husband often traveled for work, and she didn’t feel secure answering the door in his absence. The system she created consisted of two peepholes, a TV monitor, a two-way microphone and a sliding camera.  Marie could see who was at her door and interact with them from inside the safety of her home.

The concept of loving laws makes much more sense when you consider a loving God that created them.  Though we may not understand all of them, we can know that God put them into place for the good of people.

Jesus’ warning is that these “false Christs” will lead many astray. In the absence of the true Messiah, there will always be a danger of some individual or group making bold claims that can lead people astray by shifting focus and allegiance away from the Gospel and Jesus.

“So be strong, act like a man” – what does that look like?  I think this statement connects with the next one.  To be strong and act like a man is to observe what the Lord your God requires which is to walk in obedience to him and keep his decrees.  Doing those things takes strength because it opposes the way of the world.

Think about the disciples after Jesus was arrested and executed. They were huddled up and discouraged. The shock and pain of the moment resonated, unlike some words that Jesus had shared with them not too long before then.

In the lead-up to Jesus’ arrest and trial, we see the hustle and bustle of everyone getting ready for the Passover. Passover was the remembrance and celebration of the Israelites’ deliverance from Egypt and takes its moniker from their firstborn being spared during God’s final plague that killed the firstborn of Egypt.