Mark 15:7 “And there was one named Barabbas, which lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the insurrection.”
Barabbas is a portrait of antichrist. He was in prison–like the beast in the bottomless pit (Rev 17:8). Barabbas was brought out of that pit & he was set in counter-distinction to our Lord Jesus Christ. Pilate gave the Jews the choice of which of two that he should release (Matt 27:17).
The main idea of this article is to focus on Barabbas & his insurrection versus the Lord Jesus Christ & His bodily resurrection. The words resurrection & insurrection are close words in English & Greek.
Insurrection–Greek: stasis (G4714) “Standing”
Resurrection–Greek: anastasis (G386) “Standing up again”
A pastor named John A. Stormer wrote a book called None Dare Call it Treason. In his book there is a fantastic chapter about how the communists (called democrats in the modern US) infiltrated Christian seminaries beginning in the late 19th Century. He highlighted their altering of scripture via Biblical revisions & their doctrine.
The doctrine of the communist infiltrators weighs entirely on socialism & social justice–then they place Jesus (no titles) like a cherry on top of their agenda. The communists always preach a communist revolution, more properly, an insurrection (stasis). The communist mode is to promote anything they can as an alleged injustice perpetuated by a national government. Once they receive the desired change on one hot issue–they immediately move on to another (usually manufactured) crisis. They never cease complaining about a government; they never rest (Isaiah 57:20).
1 Timothy 2:1 “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.”
The communist goal is to have insurrections & overthrows of national governments. They want a communist, no border’s, worldwide government. That is their deficient version of heaven (utopia) & it is all about this world.
Hebrews 11:16 “But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.”
The resurrection focusses on the after-life of this world. If one is a declared Christian; yet, they never see it fit in the course of their doctrine to mention the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ–alarm bells should be ringing. I do not speak of a psychological, philosophical or metaphorical resurrection–the bodily resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Not only did the Lord give us a litmus test for doctrine (1 John 4:1-3), but the importance of the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ cannot be overstated & if that fact is never mentioned in one’s doctrine?
1 Corinthians 15:13 “But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: 14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.”
By no means do I claim that any mention of politics in preaching is wrong. However, is that the consistent primary topic of one’s is preaching? Instead of the word of God is it always about painting foreign opportunists as refugees or climate change or healthcare–basically the Democratic Party platform? If you go to Church, is the preaching constantly in line with the hot topics propagated on MSNBC, CNN or Fox News? Is the preaching the result of an unction from the Holy Spirit or is it an unction from human media?
Thus, the focus is doctrine. Is the preaching all about fomenting insurrection against a current government? The counter-distinction between Barabbas (a picture of the beast) & our Lord Jesus Christ includes insurrection versus resurrection.
Romans 10:9 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”
THE EXILE OBSERVER 