"Just a Nudge"

 "Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man." (John 7:22 KJV) 

  "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more a promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise." (Galatians 3:16-18 KJV)

 It is really not all that complicated, but there are many ways to complicate it and make it hard to figure out. To put it into some rational think, think of it as a nudge, which is really not a mandate, but rather, is more like an incentive, which might be like God saying, "Taste and see." 

 Here is the thing about a promise, they are only worth as much as the one that might be giving the promise! When God gives a promise, then that promise is as good as done, because God will always keep His word; if God says that it will happen, then you can absolutely believe that it will happen. 

 Which reminds me of a message I heard yesterday afternoon from Pastor Jack. He was explaining in great detail how Abraham brought his son out to sacrifice him, as God had instructed. Interestingly, Isaac was most likely in his 30's, much a Jesus was that old when He was crucified. Isaac, just like Jesus, could have resisted being tied up and placed on the wood for the sacrifice, as he was a grown man, and Abraham was pretty old. 

 There are certain things that God does, which show us the way that things will be or happen in the times ahead, most of which cannot be realized until those later events actually happen. If you think anything going on now is an actual mandate, you haven't seen anything yet! 

 Anywho, this is Jesus setting them up for something that they have no way to wiggle their way out of. It is like they are leaning in to pay attention, and the Lion is going to bite their heads off; or at the very least, convict their heart...

"Keep this in mind: The Teacher was considered wise, and he taught people everything he knew. He listened carefully to many proverbs, studying and classifying them. The Teacher sought to find just the right words to express truths clearly." (Ecclesiastes 12:9-10 NLT)