From the Bible we come to know that the world shall come to times when people shall have to face many problems, but also when there shall be many people telling others those important times of God have come.
Many people all over the world shall go around as heralds. The Greek ke·rysʹso, which is commonly rendered “preach,” means, basically, ‘make proclamation as a herald, to be a herald, officiate as herald, proclaim (as conqueror).’ The related noun is keʹryx and means ‘herald, public messenger, envoy, crier (who made proclamation and kept order in assemblies, etc.).’ In many countries we can find such people who consider themselves as heralds of envoys of Christ Jesus, like him, telling about the Good News or the Gospel of the comingKingdom of God.
Already in the very ancient times we find such people telling about what was to come, or preaching how man has to live and have his eyes unto God. The Old Testament speaks about Noah’s as a preacher of righteousness warning for the of coming destruction by the Flood (2Pe 2:5). Also Enoch’s earlier prophesying may have been made known by preaching. (Jude 14, 15)
Admonition, warnings, and judgments were proclaimed, and so was good news — of victories, deliverance, and blessings — as well as praises to Jehovah God. (1Ch 16:23; Isa 41:27; 52:7; the Hebrew ba·sarʹ is used in these texts.)
The Hebrew Scriptures also pointed forward to the preaching work that would be done by that man who would come from the city of King David, Christ Jesus. Jesus quoted Isaiah 61:1, 2 as foretelling his divine commission and his authorization to preach. (Lu 4:16-21)
14 And Yahushua returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about. 15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all. 16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read. 17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, 18 The Spirit of יהוה is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of יהוה. 20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. (Luke 4:14-21, NRKJV)
At the beginning of our contemporary era the Nazarene master teacher, about whom was written in the scrolls, did not restrain his lips and wherever he went he proclaimed the good news of righteousness, faithfulness and God’s salvation (in fulfilment of Psalm 40:9) (The preceding verses being applied to Jesus by the apostle Paul at Heb 10:5-10) The apostle Paul quoted Isaiah 52:7 (concerning the messenger bringing the news of Zion’s release from its captive state) and related it to the public preaching work of those who believed in Jeshua (Jesus Christ) and called on Jehovah’s Name. (Ro 10:11-15.)
11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Sovereign over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of יהוה shall be saved. 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the glad tidings of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! 16 But they have not all obeyed the glad tidings. For Isaiah saith, יהוה, who hath believed our report? 17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of יהוה. (Rom 10:11-17, NRKJV)
The son of the Nazarene family from the tribe of David recognized that his divine commission called for a preaching work, and he carried it on publicly, in cities and villages, in the temple area, synagogues, marketplaces and streets, as well as in the countryside. (Mr 1:39; 6:56; Lu 8:1; 13:26; Joh 18:20) Like John the Baptist, he did more than preach. One could say that Jesus was a more full-fledged teacher and guide who advised people and wanted to give insight into the Word of his heavenly Father, to whom he learned people to pray and ask for further advice and knowledge.
Jesus his teaching receives even greater emphasis than his preaching. Teaching (di·daʹsko) differs from preaching in that the teacher does more than proclaim; he instructs, explains, shows things by argument, and offers proofs. The work of Jesus’ disciples, both before and after his death, was thus to be a combination of preaching and teaching. (Mt 4:23; 11:1; 28:18-20.)
All followers of Christ should take the words of that master teacher at heart.
18 And Yahushua came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the age. (Matt 28:18-20, NRKJV)
Knowing that the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and the earth and the works that are upon it will be burned up, we should be aware of what sort of persons we ought to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God. (2Pe 3:10-12)
Matthew chose to conclude his Gospel with the appearance of Jesus on a Galilean mountain, the rabbi once more asking to go out in the world to let his message be known. Jesus claimed universal authority from God, and so ordered the disciples to evangelize the world, baptize the believers and teach them obedience to the whole message of Jesus. He promised participation in this task down to the last day of the world. That means also into our days, because the last day or end has not yet come.
The apostles understood that Jesus his gospel is directed not just to Israel, but to all the nations. Israel’s exclusive privilege has ended (Mat. 21:43). They are now but one of the nations. Consequently, Jesus’ early restriction of the Apostles’ ministry (Mat. 10:5) is now completely countermanded. From this time on the followers of Christ, being them members of The Way or those who were or are called Christians, preached to every creature,
“to the Jew first and also to the Greek,”
and first of all to those who reject the Word of God.
46 Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of יהוה should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. (Acts 13:46, NRKJV)
At first the apostles were afraid to come out, saying they were followers of Jesus, but after the Holy Spirit had come over them they were not any more afraid or ashamed to get more people in the faith to be under salvation and to receive a better life.
16 For I am not ashamed of the glad tidings of the Messiah: for it is the power of יהוה unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For therein is the righteousness of יהוה revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. (Rom 1:16-17, NRKJV)
It is wrong to believe only theologians can preach or talk about the Word of God. These early preachers, the apostles and their disciples, where simple men, some even not having had any education. Not highly educated men by worldly standards, they were not afraid to tell about Christ Jesus and how he is the way to God. The Sanhedrin perceived the apostles Peter and John to be “men unlettered and ordinary.” (Ac 4:13)
Concerning Jesus himself, “the Jews fell to wondering, saying:
‘How does this man have a knowledge of letters, when he has not studied at the schools?’” (John 7:15)
Secular historians noted the same points.
Origen, Contra Celsum (1676 edition) a refutation written in 248 by Origen of Alexandria, quoting the 2nd-century Greek philosopher and opponent of early Christianity Celsus.
“Celsus, the first writer against Christianity, makes it a matter of mockery, that labourers, shoemakers, farmers, the most uninformed and clownish of men, should be zealous preachers of the Gospel.” (The History of the Christian Religion and Church, During the Three First Centuries, by Augustus Neander; translated from the German by Henry John Rose, 1848, p. 41)
Paul explained it in this way:
“For you behold his calling of you, brothers, that not many wise in a fleshly way were called, not many powerful, not many of noble birth; but God chose the foolish things of the world, that he might put the wise men to shame.” — 1Co 1:26, 27.
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