THE COCK CROWS AT DAWN.

*WISDOM FOR TODAY.*

*THE COCK CROWS AT DAWN.*

*Scripture Treasure.*

Matt 26:31-35:

*Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.*

*But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.*

*Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.*

*Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.*

*Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.*

*Insight and Highlight.*

Human fortelling is not divine fortelling.

*Scripture Commentaries.*

God made all things. Col 1:16 says *For by him were all things created,....."*

John 1:3 says *All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.*

While there are many species and breeds of animals of which some are notable or similar to slothfulness/laziness (like the sloth, Prov 22:13), there are some that are most noticeable with commitment.

The cock/rooster is known with intense commitment to crowing that often occurs just before dawn.

God made them with an internal instinct that anticipates the sunrise and though they can crow at any other time in the day, they are undoubtedly a dominant alert, above all species, of a wakeup call.

The dawn is the time of the morning when the sun is not yet visible, though it is not completely dark. it occurs in the early hours of the morning. It comes before sunrise

When you have cocks/rooster in your neighborhood, their crows signal it is morning and time to wake up.

The only biblical reference to the cock/ rooster is widely linked with Peter.

All the four gospels, Matt 26:74b-75, Mk 14:30, Lk 22:60-61, John 18:27 recorded the incidence.

We can get some lessons from the incidence at the court house in Jerusalem close to where Jesus was being tried.

The driving force was the cock's crow.

In this series we will look at the lessons from its crow.

First, what was the significance of the cock's crow?

It marks a crucial moment of human weakness.

It was only Peter who said he would not be offended if Christ was arrested and crucified. However, it was he and the other

disciples who said they would not deny Him.

Regardless, Peter was the recorded scapegoat and the focus of this denial.

After Jesus was arrested and brought to trial, Peter followed at a distance and repeatedly denied knowing Jesus, three times. 

Peter's statement that he would not be offended (meaning he would not stumble or desert Jesus in His painful moment)

was proved to be insincere. It showed the state of human unrealibily, fragility and frailty in the face of real trouble.

It teaches us how delicate it is to trust humans and how breakable we can be at anytime.

It teaches how easily and quickly we can back out of our promises.

It teaches us that we are often too quick to express commitment to a service we could quickly deny when trouble comes.

Truly *If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.*, Prov 24:10

It teaches that weakness is revealed in times of trouble.

Companionship and friendships should provide strength and support through life's challenges, but it was not so with Peter, ref Prov. 18:24.

How often we boast and appear as bold yet we are as weak and less a person we boast to be.

Paul warns about boasting and exhorts we boast in the Lord, 1 Cor 1:13, 4:7.

It teaches us the supremacy of divine foretelling over human foretold will or expression.

The rooster's crow served as a signal of divine foretelling, confirming Jesus' words and the prophecy. 

Rev 19:10  *".....for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.*

This means that all true prophecies ultimately point to Jesus, revealing His life, teachings, and role as the Christ. 

Jesus's prophecy and its confirmation teach us that Christ is the standard of genuine prophecy that uplifts His principles as holy and that it aligns with His teachings, rebukes, and redemption.

True prophecy is inspired by Him and its essence bears witness to Him.

Jesus had just predicted that His disciples would stumble and that Peter would deny Him three times, and the rooster crowed at night as Jesus said and still does.

Human expectations can not determine the divine will of God. 

*Remorse corner.*

Prov 27:1

*Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.*

*Call to Word action.*

Jer 9:23-24

*Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:*

*But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.*

*The Christian clarion duty.*

James 4:13.

*Come to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:*

*Prayer.*

Help me not to speak words of my own but speak words that align with God's will, in Jesus name.

Good morning all, and be blessed as you go today.

God bless you.

Shalom.