Kingdom Impact !
MARTIN BOARDMAN
Scripture is full of extraordinary encounters with God . In Luke 19 , we witness the encounter between Yeshua and Zacchaeus , a Jewish tax collector who worked for the occupying Romans . He was a man who would be despised by his fellow Jews and who was by all accounts wealthy and profiting from his collusion with Rome . However , an encounter with Yeshua changed his life forever .
The encounter happened , as always , through a series of events . Somehow , Zacchaeus had heard about Yeshua directly or possibly through others as he eavesdropped on their conversations . He was intrigued and curious about the man . But the Ruach was also working , prompting him , softening his heart , and preparing him for his encounter with the Messiah . When he discovered that Yeshua was passing through Jericho on his way to Jerusalem , Zacchaeus figured this was his opportunity to see for himself .
Scripture describes Zacchaeus as a short man , so it was a challenge to see much when there was a crowd . The animosity of his fellow Jews would mean he would
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