Have Ye Not Read? Many times Jesus would answer a question with a question. Have you not read?

Jesus also said many times, "It is written." When He utilized these terms, Jesus was telling those He was teaching or correcting, if you had read God's Word, you wouldn't be asking these questions. The point Christ often was making is that we must focus on the subject to read the Bible with understanding. Let's turn to an example of Christ teaching us to focus. Christ had just taught the chief priest and Pharisees the parable of the house-holder which planted a vineyard and let it out to husbandmen. When it was time to harvest the fruit, the householder twice sent servants to collect his portion of the harvest. The servants were beaten, stoned and some killed. The householder sent his own son to collect his portion of the harvest thinking surely they would reverence his son. The husbandmen killed his son. Christ then asked them what the householder should do. The chief priests and Pharisees said he should destroy the wicked husbandmen and let out his vineyard to those that would give him his portion of the harvest. Christ then taught the chief priests and Pharisees what was going to happen to them, because they would soon kill the Son of God. Matthew 21:42 Jesus saith unto them, "Did ye never read in the scriptures, 'The Stone Which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the LORD'S doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?' Notice, Christ spoke in the present tense. At this very moment Jesus, "is become the head of the corner". Matthew 21:43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. The kingdom of God will be given to those bringing forth the fruits of the tree of life, Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ, properly translated means YHVH'S Saviour. He was sent to earth to be the Saviour of all that believe. He also has another responsibility. Matthew 21:44 And whosoever shall fall on this Stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder." One of Christ's responsibilities will be to destroy Satan and his army of fallen angels. He will grind them to powder. Jesus was telling the chief priests and Pharisees that if they had read God's Word, they would know what he was talking about. Matthew 21:45 And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard His parables, they perceived that he spake of them. (46) But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they feared the multitude, because they took Him for a prophet. There you have the religious community seeking to bring about the death of the chief corner Stone. You must remember to focus. When Christ said "Did ye never read in the scripture". you should have instantly thought that there must be scriptures in the Old Testament that teach the same lesson Christ was teaching. There are. Psalms 118:19 Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise THE LORD: Christ is our gate to righteousness. Righteousness simply means to do that which is right. Psalm 118:20 This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter. (21) I will praise Thee: for Thou hast heard me, And art become my salvation. He will always hear you. This is part of your inheritance. Christ will not only save you from burning in hell, He is able to save you from problems in your daily life. Read His Word with understanding and He will always hear you. Psalms 118:22 The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. (23) This is the LORD'S doing; It is marvelous in our eyes. You might think of the corner stone as the capstone on a pyramid. Jesus is the Capstone. He is King of kings and Lord of lords. Psalms 118:24 This is the day which the LORD hath made; We will rejoice and be glad in it. Are you happy? Do you rejoice? It's your choice. You may accept and believe in the Saviour, or you may stumble on the Corner Stone by going the way of the world. Psalms 118:25 Save now, I beseech Thee O LORD: O LORD, I beseech Thee, send now prosperity. The Hebrew word for "save now" is "hosanna". The people , as ,most of you know, cried out "Hosanna", when Christ entered Jerusalem. What would Christ have us learn from this. Perhaps, He would want us to understand that He was not some "new religion". The prophesy that told of his coming was written over one thousand years prior to His coming. It had been written long before, that the Father would send His Son to be our salvation, if we would believe in Him. Understanding prophecy allows an intelligent person to plan for the future. Are you planning your future into the eternity? Let's look at another test of your ability to focus.

Matthew 21:12 And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves. Is this anyway to act in church? You bet it is! Jesus knew what was going on was evil and put a stop to the evil. Matthew 21:13 And said unto them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves." (14) And the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple; and He healed them. Again, Christ was telling them if they had read and understood the Old Testament, they wouldn't be doing evil in the temple of God. Matthew 21:15 And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did , and the children crying in the temple, and saying "Hosanna to the Son of David," they were sore displeased. Why were they sore displeased? It had been written the Son of David would come to save the world; however, the religious community was being hit right in the "old pocketbook". Matthew 21:16 And said unto Him, "Hearest thou what these say?" And Jesus saith unto them "Yea; have ye never read, "Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings Thou has perfected praise?" If you are in focus, you should immediately pick up on Christ's Words, 'have ye not read?' Which babes words does Jesus want us to understand? Let's follow through on this subject and look to the Old Testament. Jesus gave us a clue. Let's turn to a Psalm of David. Psalms 8:1 O LORD our LORD, How excellent is Thy name in all the earth! Who hast set Thy glory above the heavens. (2) Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast Thou ordained strength Because of Thine enemies. That Thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. Ordained means appointed. You all know the story of David and Goliath. Israels army was afraid of Goliath; however, the babe David stilled the enemy. Psalms 8:3 When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, The moon and the stars, which Thou has ordained; (4) What is man that Thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that Thou visitest him? What is mortal man that Thou care enough to give him dominion over the earth? Psalms 8:5 For Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels. And hast crowned him with glory and honour. (6) Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of Thy hands; Thou hast put all things under his feet. (7) All sheep and oxen, Yea, and the beasts of the field. (8) The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, And whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.(9) O LORD our LORD, How excellent is Thy name in all the earth! Let's focus and document that Christ was speaking of David and Goliath in Matthew 21. The title of Psalm 9 follows: To the Chief Musician upon Muth-labben. Those of you with Companion Bibles will find Muth-labben relates directly to the death of the enemy champion Goliath. "Ben" in Hebrew means son and "muth" means death or to kill. Psalm 9 carries on with this theme. Focus! Christ said in Matthew 21 that out of the mouth of babes would come the strength to overcome your adversaries. Have we read what the babe David said to Goliath yet? No. Let's follow through. I Samuel 17:43 And the Philistine said unto David, "Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. Goliath cursed David for coming out to meet him in battle with sticks. I Samuel 17:44 And the Philistine said to David, "Come to me and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and the beasts of the field." Sharpen up for me. We are focusing on what came out of the mouth of the babe David that Christ would want us to understand. I Samuel 17:45 Then said David to the Philistine, "Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield; but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel. Whom thou hast defiled. (46) This day will the LORD deliver thee into my hands; and I will give thee carcasses of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. David told Goliath that the Lord would defeat Goliath through himself to prove there is a God in Israel. I Samuel 17:47 And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD'S, and He will give you into our hands." What came out of the mouth of the babe? Our instructions to this very day came out of that mouth. The battle is the Lord's. Does this mean all we need to do is pray? That is not all that David did. God expects us to have the courage to put the gospel armour on to stand up to the enemy. He gave us dominion over the earth. Are you on top of it, or is it on top of you? If you read God's Word with understanding, you will be in control. By understanding prophecy, you will know what tomorrow brings and be prepared to handle any situation as God

would have you to. I hope you are beginning to see the importance of focusing on the subject. Christ told us that out of the mouth of babes we would find understanding and we did. Jesus told us how to win battles. He taught us that we don't have to fear the enemy. Don't let Satan run your life. Order him out of your life in the name of Jesus Christ. You don't have to put up with Satan. Have you not read? In His Service, Arnold Murray