IT MUST NEEDS BE
Matthew 18:1 At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? 2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, 3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. 6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. 7 ¶ Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!
Organized religion has a far different concept of those who are the greatest among them. Our Lord said the greatest was a completely yielded and trusting spirit after a spiritual birth. For the child does not fret or worry about whether it shall be fed or clothed, as it is totally submitted to the parents care. And that kind of spirit is considered by the Lord as great! The Lord spoke of this to the nation of Israel. Isaiah 30:15 For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not. And he speaks of this to all of us today who would claim to be Christians. Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
And then he informs us that in doing this we must realize that God has established unchangeable and immovable offenses which “Must Needs Be!” Amos 3:6 Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?
And lest the little spiritual-born believer thinks ill of God when they come to that realization, he assures them of his faithfulness in these trials. 1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
And one of the most informative and comforting passages for the believers regarding this situation was provided by one whose example sets forth very vividly this entire picture. For one must only follow the life of the Apostle Peter to witness this in actual reality. For in the beginning Peter was an outspoken, self-confident disciple with a wrong concept of the kingdom of God.
The Lord told Pilate that his kingdom was not of this world, for if so his servants would fight. Yet Peter did bring a sword in order to fight the Roman authority. But being a fisherman with no sword fighting skills, he managed only a glancing blow and cut off the man’s ear. And this the Lord Jesus reattached immediately.
The Lord forewarned Peter of his approaching severe trial which informs us all of the Lord’s clear manifestation of his own involvement with us when these offenses come upon us. We must consider carefully his instructions from this for all our trials. Luke 22:31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: 32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
First the Lord informs us that we will be tried by Satanic offenses, or stumbling blocks. Then he let us know that he will be closely watching over us in every one of these. But his role will be that of a Heavenly Intercessor, not to prevent the trial, but to strengthen our faith that it fail not in its endurance. For It Must Needs Be that these offenses kill out our carnal affections, and fleshly characteristics, in order to be of a more effectual usage in his kingdom!
Then we follow Peter to the warming of himself at religion’s fires in the courtyard where the Lord was taken to suffer at the hands of the accusers. And when the prophesied ‘rooster-alarm’ signaled his third denial of the Lord, we read that, “Peter went out, and wept bitterly.” This marked that breaking point and killing out of Peter’s self-centered, and self-confident attitude for him to be, as that little child, more fully cast upon the Lord’s strength, and not his own.
In that Luke 22:32 verse, just listed, the Lord spoke of this to Peter as a time of his conversion. Adding that when this took place he would then be usable in Christ’s kingdom to ‘strengthen thy brethren.’ And so he was! For the Holy Spirit replaced Peter’s natural sword with the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
For it was Peter who was chosen to stand up and deliver the very first publicly preached gospel message at Pentecost, wherein thousands were granted spiritual birth! Acts 2:14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: 40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. 41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
And we therefore learn from Peter’s own epistles that sanctified afflictions must precede our usage in the kingdom of the Lord. 1 Peter 5:10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
1 Peter 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
And we also have the Apostle Paul’s testimony that Peter was placed in charge of the believers of the Jewish community. Galatians 2:6 But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man’s person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me: 7 But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter; 8 (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)
But what of that second “woe” in our verse? …but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh! Since the Lord has sovereignly incorporated offenses in the realm of mankind, how then can he punish the ones that enact them?
Let us consider the man Judas, the betrayer of the Lord. Was he necessary for the bringing forth of God’s salvation? Yes, he was. So how then can God punish him for his part in it?
First we must realize that there was no ‘picture I.D.’ in that day. We are so accustomed to showing our driver’s license, or just giving the date of our birth that we can’t imagine how it was in our Lord’s day. The Jews though it good to pay Judas thirty pieces of silver just to make sure that they could identify and capture the Lord.
Therein lies the answer to our question as to how God could punish Judas in accomplishing a vital part of the purpose of God in the sacrifice of his Son. For Judas did not betray the Lord in order that you and I might have redemption. He betrayed the Lord for the money! He did not do this for the glory of God! 1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. He did it because of his love of money which is the root of all evil! Therefore God just left Judas alone in all his lusts, which accomplished His purposes. But then because Judas did this out of lust, even though it accomplished God’s purposes, he could be punished.
In this we see a glimpse of the glorious wisdom of God. Proverbs 16:4 The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.
For more of this let us consider a portion of Isaiah’s writings. Isaiah 10:5 O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. 6 I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. 7 Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few. 12 Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks. 13 For he saith, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I am prudent: and I have removed the bounds of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man:
Here we are told that God used the Assyrians to chasten Israel for its sins. Then we are instructed in verse seven that Assyria did not simply mean to be used exclusively for this holy task. But they wanted to destroy and cut off nations not a few. And it was because of this that when God’s purpose in correcting Israel by his ‘Assyrian rod’ is accomplished, he turns to punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks. For God will allow no flesh to glory in his presence.
Very few in the religious community have any insight into such wondrous matters of God’s sovereignty! It was to religious Israel that the Lord spoke these words: John 8:43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. gb
