Matthew 21

WEEK  21                                         Matthew 21

THURSDAY  Reflections

Chapter 21 begins what is called the Passion Week in Christendom. It begins with Jesus entering Jerusalem, hailed as king (Son of David) by many who have come to the feast. The leaders and rulers who live comfortably see Jesus as a danger to their position. He is dangerous because he proclaims a new kingdom. They fear this talk will bring down the armies of Rome. What they hated worse was Jesus pointing out their hypocrisy.

 

In an attempt to trap him, they ask him to say who gave him authority. He returns the question, asking by what authority John the Baptist did his works (23-27). They didn't believe John was a prophet, but knew the people did, so they said they didn't know. In response, Jesus refuses to answer their question either. What gets me here is the similarity between them and people in power today. People say one thing in front of one group and do another thing behind their backs. Condemning people who threaten their power, even if they agree with their plans.

 

It's no wonder Jesus said that we should let our yes’s be yes, and our no’s be no. He didn't want us to act that way. He wanted better for us. He wanted us to be better.

Mat 21:1-46
(1)  And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples,
(2)  Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me.
(3)  And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.
(4)  All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,
(5)  Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.
(6)  And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them,
(7)  And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon.
(8)  And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.
(9)  And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.
(10)  And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this?
(11)  And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.
(12)  And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,
(13)  And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.
(14)  And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them.
(15)  And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased,
(16)  And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?
(17)  And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there.
(18)  Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered.
(19)  And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.
(20)  And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!
(21)  Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.
(22)  And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
(23)  And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?
(24)  And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things.
(25)  The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?
(26)  But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet.
(27)  And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.
(28)  But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard.
(29)  He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.
(30)  And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.
(31)  Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.
(32)  For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.
(33)  Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:
(34)  And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.
(35)  And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.
(36)  Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise.
(37)  But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.
(38)  But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.
(39)  And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.
(40)  When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?
(41)  They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.
(42)  Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
(43)  Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
(44)  And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
(45)  And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.
(46)  But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.

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Psalm 92

WEEK   21                                      Psalm 92

WEDNESDAY  Reflections

This is a psalm for the Sabbath, or I might say for many Sunday Morning worship services. It is full of praise and hope. There are times we need the psalms of repentance and sadness, but we also need times of pure praise and honor to God. The promise is clear: the righteous who are planted in God's house (church) will flourish in God's courts (presence). 

What message do you find here?

Psa 92:1-15
(1)  A Psalm or Song for the sabbath day. It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High:
(2)  To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night,
(3)  Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound.
(4)  For thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands.
(5)  O LORD, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep.
(6)  A brutish man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this.
(7)  When the wicked spring as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish; it is that they shall be destroyed for ever:
(8)  But thou, LORD, art most high for evermore.
(9)  For, lo, thine enemies, O LORD, for, lo, thine enemies shall perish; all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.
(10)  But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn: I shall be anointed with fresh oil.
(11)  Mine eye also shall see my desire on mine enemies, and mine ears shall hear my desire of the wicked that rise up against me.
(12)  The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
(13)  Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.
(14)  They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;
(15)  To shew that the LORD is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

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Joel 1

WEEK  21                                             Joel 1

TUESDAY  Reflections

I have never appreciated the spiritual leader who got up and points their finger at everyone declaring fire and brimstone because society has gone wrong. My guess is they suspect they ought to be repenting first.

 

Some of the “warning signs” of judgment proclaimed by preachers aren’t really warning signs. They are just natural phenomenon. Yes, hurricanes actually form on their own. They aren't all God's judgment if any today are. All this being said, there are times when what is happening is a result of sin. Sometimes, it is that our chickens are coming home to roost.

 

Most people don’t like these words. They don’t want to hear the words Joel is saying: “Put on sackcloth, you priests, and mourn; wail, you who minister before the altar. Come, spend the night in sackcloth, you who minister before my God; for the grain offerings and drink offerings are withheld from the house of your God. Declare a holy fast; call a sacred assembly. Summon the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD.” Joel 1:13-14

 

Yes, this can have the feel of a message to the nation as it was in Joel’s time. However, I want us not to look out at others but to look into our own lives. What are we doing? Is this my fault in some way? Do I need to confess and repent? Not just when things are going wrong, but all of the time. Ask yourself, Am I living as Jesus would have me live? If you aren’t, then repent and do what is right.

 

Whatever the reason, when bad things happen we do need to cry out to the Lord.

Joe 1:1-20
(1)  The word of the LORD that came to Joel the son of Pethuel.
(2)  Hear this, ye old men, and give ear, all ye inhabitants of the land. Hath this been in your days, or even in the days of your fathers?
(3)  Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation.
(4)  That which the palmerworm hath left hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left hath the cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm hath left hath the caterpiller eaten.
(5)  Awake, ye drunkards, and weep; and howl, all ye drinkers of wine, because of the new wine; for it is cut off from your mouth.
(6)  For a nation is come up upon my land, strong, and without number, whose teeth are the teeth of a lion, and he hath the cheek teeth of a great lion.
(7)  He hath laid my vine waste, and barked my fig tree: he hath made it clean bare, and cast it away; the branches thereof are made white.
(8)  Lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth.
(9)  The meat offering and the drink offering is cut off from the house of the LORD; the priests, the LORD'S ministers, mourn.
(10)  The field is wasted, the land mourneth; for the corn is wasted: the new wine is dried up, the oil languisheth.
(11)  Be ye ashamed, O ye husbandmen; howl, O ye vinedressers, for the wheat and for the barley; because the harvest of the field is perished.
(12)  The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men.
(13)  Gird yourselves, and lament, ye priests: howl, ye ministers of the altar: come, lie all night in sackcloth, ye ministers of my God: for the meat offering and the drink offering is withholden from the house of your God.
(14)  Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the LORD your God, and cry unto the LORD,
(15)  Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.
(16)  Is not the meat cut off before our eyes, yea, joy and gladness from the house of our God?
(17)  The seed is rotten under their clods, the garners are laid desolate, the barns are broken down; for the corn is withered.
(18)  How do the beasts groan! the herds of cattle are perplexed, because they have no pasture; yea, the flocks of sheep are made desolate.
(19)  O LORD, to thee will I cry: for the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and the flame hath burned all the trees of the field.
(20)  The beasts of the field cry also unto thee: for the rivers of waters are dried up, and the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness.

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2 Kings 6

WEEK 21                                        2 Kings 6

MONDAY  Reflections

Syria has been raiding Israel but they are thwarted by God's prophet, Elisha. The line about there being more with us than with the enemy is a classic scripture used in preaching and rightly so. However, I want to look at what happens after the enemy is captured. God delivers the Syrian army into the hand of Israel. The enemy is defenseless, so what does Elijah tell them to do? He tells Israel to feed them. Feed the people who have been attacking Israel? What was the result of God's humiliation of the enemy and this act of kindness? The raids end. Feeding your enemy wasn't the way wars were won, but this is how God won this conflict. Yes, other battles came but the raids ended.  


  2Ki 6:1-33
(1)  And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us.
(2)  Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he answered, Go ye.
(3)  And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go.
(4)  So he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood.
(5)  But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed.
(6)  And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim.
(7)  Therefore said he, Take it up to thee. And he put out his hand, and took it.
(8)  Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp.
(9)  And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are come down.
(10)  And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not once nor twice.
(11)  Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said unto them, Will ye not shew me which of us is for the king of Israel?
(12)  And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber.
(13)  And he said, Go and spy where he is, that I may send and fetch him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan.
(14)  Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about.
(15)  And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?
(16)  And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.
(17)  And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
(18)  And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the LORD, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.
(19)  And Elisha said unto them, This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek. But he led them to Samaria.
(20)  And it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said, LORD, open the eyes of these men, that they may see. And the LORD opened their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.
(21)  And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them?
(22)  And he answered, Thou shalt not smite them: wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.
(23)  And he prepared great provision for them: and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. So the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.
(24)  And it came to pass after this, that Benhadad king of Syria gathered all his host, and went up, and besieged Samaria.
(25)  And there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it, until an ass's head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove's dung for five pieces of silver.
(26)  And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, there cried a woman unto him, saying, Help, my lord, O king.
(27)  And he said, If the LORD do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the barnfloor, or out of the winepress?
(28)  And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, This woman said unto me, Give thy son, that we may eat him to day, and we will eat my son to morrow.
(29)  So we boiled my son, and did eat him: and I said unto her on the next day, Give thy son, that we may eat him: and she hath hid her son.
(30)  And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his clothes; and he passed by upon the wall, and the people looked, and, behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh.
(31)  Then he said, God do so and more also to me, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day.
(32)  But Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with him; and the king sent a man from before him: but ere the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, See ye how this son of a murderer hath sent to take away mine head? look, when the messenger cometh, shut the door, and hold him fast at the door: is not the sound of his master's feet behind him?
(33)  And while he yet talked with them, behold, the messenger came down unto him: and he said, Behold, this evil is of the LORD; what should I wait for the LORD any longer?

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Ezekiel 1

NOT what Ezekiel saw, not even close.

WEEK  20                                          Ezekiel 1

SATURDAY  Reflections

There is much argument about what the living creatures Ezekiel describes mean. I do believe there is much symbolism in their design, but I also believe that Ezekiel actually saw them. Some may say they are impossible, but have you ever seen a duck-billed platypus? God isn't against creating what we might think as strange or impossible. As fascinating as these may be, I want to look more at the man and the time of Ezekiel's call.

 

Ezekiel was five years in captivity. Judah had been conquered, but Jerusalem had not fallen. Ezekiel is a priest without a temple. Which is kind of like a butcher in a vegetable garden. Yet God is calling him by sending him the vision of these incredible beings. As callings go, Ezekiel's is one of the most bizarre. Others just got a word from God in their hearts; Ezekiel was getting something far more. Considering the things God was going to ask Ezekiel to do, his calling actually makes sense.

 

Perhaps this is a reminder to those who want to see the amazing: Do you want the job that goes with it? Maybe not. As it is, Ezekiel is a prophet to the people of God outside of the nation of Judah. 

Eze 1:1-28
(1)  Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.
(2)  In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity,
(3)  The word of the LORD came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the LORD was there upon him.
(4)  And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire.
(5)  Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man.
(6)  And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings.
(7)  And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot: and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass.
(8)  And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings.
(9)  Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.
(10)  As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.
(11)  Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.
(12)  And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went.
(13)  As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.
(14)  And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.
(15)  Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces.
(16)  The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel.
(17)  When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned not when they went.
(18)  As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes round about them four.
(19)  And when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them: and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.
(20)  Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went, thither was their spirit to go; and the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.
(21)  When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.
(22)  And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creature was as the colour of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their heads above.
(23)  And under the firmament were their wings straight, the one toward the other: every one had two, which covered on this side, and every one had two, which covered on that side, their bodies.
(24)  And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty, the voice of speech, as the noise of an host: when they stood, they let down their wings.
(25)  And there was a voice from the firmament that was over their heads, when they stood, and had let down their wings.
(26)  And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it.
(27)  And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about.
(28)  As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.

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