The Christian Letter, Volume One: Chapter 22
I am not commonly a jealous man, but there is one man in particular within Scripture I am very jealous of. Some would love to have been Moses and seen Yah; others would never desire a life of obedience to His Word. I, however, am jealous of one man that so very few men would want to be. Yes, even those closest to my Rabbi declined it, but only at first. If I could be one man in the Bible … I would be a thief.
“Because of this, see, I send you prophets, and wise men, and scholars of Scripture. Some of them you shall kill and impale, and some of them you shall flog in your congregations and persecute from city to city,” (Matthew 23:34).
Some are called thieves, even though they are not. I have been called many vile things from people because of what I stand for, and sometimes for what I stand against. I stand firm in the Spirit, for the Rabbi Yahoshuah, of the Word of Yahoweh. Yet, I do not defend myself. I am a thief. I am a sinner.
“And two others also, thieves, were led with Him to be put to death. And when they had come to the place called Golgotha, they impaled Him there, and the thieves, one on the right and the other on the left. And Yahoshuah said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.’ And they divided His garments and cast lots.” (Luke 23:32-34). Before the two thieves are two choices. The same two you and I face every day. But speaking of lots, there was one lot, a sign, that was placed above the Messiah’s head.
“And there was also an inscription written over Him in letters of Greek, and Roman, and Hebrew: THIS IS THE SOVEREIGN OF THE YEHUDIM. (Luke 23:38). “And they put up over His head the written charge against Him: THIS IS YAHOSHUAH, THE SOVEREIGN OF THE YEHUDIM. Then two robbers were impaled with Him, one on the right and another on the left.” (Matthew 27:37-38). Looking at various copies of the Gospels, the English translation of the sign reads:
“THIS IS YAHOSHUAH THE KING OF THE YAHUDIM”
“And one of the thieves who were hanged, was speaking evil of Him, saying, ‘If You are the Messiah, save Yourself and us.’
But the other, responding, rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not even fear Elohim, since you are under the same judgment? And we, indeed, rightly so, for we receive the due reward of our deeds, but this One has done no wrong.’ And he said to Yahoshuah, ‘Master, remember me when You come into Your reign.’
And Yahoshuah said to him, ‘Truly, I say to you, today, you shall be with Me in Paradise.’” (Luke 23:39-43).
“Fear Elohim.” “This One has done no wrong.” Even a thief can know. Even a thief can die by His side. To be baptized, not in just the symbolism of water, but to be baptized right by His side in the fullest meaning of baptism was this thief’s desire. Oh, how I dream about how I could have been that thief.
“Or do you not know that as many of us as were immersed into Messiah Yahoshuah were immersed into His death? We were therefore buried with Him through immersion into death, that as Messiah was raised from the dead by the esteem of the Father, so also we should walk in newness of life. For if we have come to be grown together in the likeness of His death, we shall be also of the resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was impaled with Him, so that the body of sin might be rendered powerless, to serve sin no longer. For he who has died has been made right from sin. And if we died with Messiah, we believe that we shall also live with Him,” (Romans 6:3-8).
Again, I say: I would give anything—anything—to be that thief. I would give my life; I would give up the respect of all men and all women! I would give anything to be that thief … but never would I want to be the self-righteous religious leaders who were also there. … I shudder at the mere thought; though, bearing it a great shame, I have indeed been amongst the pious who were too good for sinners.
My dear friends: Some have never had the joy of baptism, or the rich blessings of knowing His Name, as some have only heard but a whisper of hope—yet they have received the same baptism the thief did by giving up their life in love for He Who loved them first. In persecution, or in gray hair and faded eyes, they become that redeemed thief.
Not much was written about the thief, save this: he loved the Rabbi. If I die for my Saviour, and that is all that is remembered of me, then, truly, I have lived a full meaningful life.
Ah, but there is another matter at hand. It is about that sign hanging above the Messiah’s head. In John 19:19-22, Pilate composed a declaration to be hung above the crucified Messiah. What he wrote greatly distressed the Jewish religious leaders who did not believe Yahoshuah, and they sought to have Pilate change the wording. However, Pilate refused to revise what he had written. Before this, and even after this event, thousands of Jews who claimed to be the Messiah were beheaded and brought to the temple with the question of, “Is this your Messiah?” So why would the Jewish religious leaders be so mad at what was written? The why of this I shall wait to share. The power of it all will take time. Please continue reading, and, when the time of Atoning Judgment comes, I will share it. Until then, fearers of Yahoweh, seek Him while He may yet be found! For while the thief knew—absolutely know—he was in need of a Saviour, not from death of body, but from death of soul … the religious did not know just how badly they did.
Be Blessed and be a Blessing
Shalom
-Valentine Thalken Billingsley
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Additional Scripture References:
2 Timothy 1:9-10, Isaiah 59:1, Jeremiah 17:14, Zephaniah 3:17, Psalms 18:27, 34:6, 18, Matthew 1:21, Matthew 10:22, Ephesians 2:4-9
