Pulverizing

Jesus -- Smashing nations with the rod of his mouth.

produced by static force llc sometimes things don't change.

Transcript

TITLE: Pulverizing 

SUBTITLE: Jesus -- Smashing nations with an iron rod and many woes.

MARKETING: Sparks fly in Matthew 23. Spiritual eye protection might be needed. 

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2076577/episodes/16906239

#GospelAccordingToTheRock

Pulverizing

by Eric Engelmann

All content © 2025 Static Force, LLC

I've looked at the relationship of rocks in the Old Testament and the New Testament for more than two years on this podcast. There's a phrase in the book of Daniel that I think Jesus fulfills in Matthew 23 about pulverizing the wicked works of this world.

I want to visit two Scriptures in the Old Testament that talk about the destruction the Kingdom of God will bring to worldly fantasies.

Then I want to visit Matthew 23 again.

I have recently looked at some parts of Matthew 23 in a previous episode called "Pretense". But Jesus is thorough and repetitive in His denunciation of the religious insanity that lived in Jerusalem in His time. I'll list two more woes that I didn't touch on in the previous episode.

The first OT Scripture is PS 2, attributed to King David (about 980 BC)

It's a prophecy about the Son of God. It's written in the past tense but it's talking about something that was in the future.

Verse 7 “I will declare the decree:

The Lord has said to Me,

‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.

8 the Lord says, Ask of Me, and I will give You

The nations for Your inheritance,

And the ends of the earth for Your possession.

NOTE: Here comes the pulverizing:

Verse 9 You shall break them with a rod of iron;

You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’ ”

Verse 12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry,

And you perish in the way,

When His wrath is kindled but a little.

Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.

That's the end of the Scripture from Psalm 2.

Note there's a promise to the Son of God that He will pulverize the kingdoms of the earth. They are warned to avoid the wrath of this Son.

Another example of pulverizing is in the second chapter of Daniel, covering events near 600 BC, almost 4 centuries later.

Dan 2

Verse 31 “You, O king, were watching; and behold, a great image! This great image, whose splendor was excellent, stood before you; and its form was awesome. 

Some versions say the statue was "terrible".

Verse 32 This image’s head was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. 

34 You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. 

NOTE: This stone is alive. It's different from the things that make up the statue. It's just a rock, not an image. But it's alive.

Verse 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, (I might say pulverized) and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the *stone* that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

That's the end of the verses from Daniel 2.

NOTE: The living rock will outlast the awesome terrible statue. Danie will later interpret this *stone" as a Kingdom from God that is everlasting.

Moving ahead into the time of the Roman Empire,

Jesus will change names of some of His disciples. He'll change the name of Simon to Peter -- from "listening" or "hearing" to "stone".

So we've come now to nearly the end of Jesus' ministry on earth. About 30 AD, roughly 400 years after the events of Daniel chapter 2, and a thousand years after Psalm 2 was written.

WHERE ARE WE?

In Jerusalem, where the promise of Peace is in the name -- "Salem". It's also the place Jesus said that He was going to die in.

MATT 23. 

The word "woe" occurs eight times in this chapter. The promise of "woe" is a down payment on distaster -- a promise to pulverize a bad habit. It's a warning. And Jesus is thorough in destroying the fantasies the rulers of Jerusalem have about their future.

Verse 25

25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.

NOTE: Here Jesus is commenting on the spiritual material associated with their dishes! There is enough extortion and self-indulgence in their hearts it affects how the Pharisees eat -- at least spiritually. They need their hearts cleansed so they can enjoy their meals without being pulverized.

Verse 27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. 28 Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

NOTE: Here Jesus is describing the Pharisees themselves as stone containers -- but not containers of life.

ITF

Jesus' enemies will plot the death of Jesus. It will appear to work, but like Psalm 2 said, will also prove to be a vain thing.

FITF, Peter will denounce Jesus.

Jesus will rise from the dead.

Peter will return. 

He'll be forgiven and become a part of the growing kingdom that's not of this world.

Way ITF

The promises Jesus gave of woe will come true across the earth -- not only to the Scribes and Pharisees of the first century. After this pulverizing, there will be an end to terror and the remains of it will be blown away with the Father's spiritual wind.

All content © 2025 Static Force, LLC