Devotions

When Will These Things Happen?

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Israel, Jerusalem, the temple, were established by God in Deuteronomy 7:6 (LEB) “a holy people for Yahweh your God” yet they didn’t accept Jesus as the Christ. Jesus honors what God established through Moses, but warns the people of the false nature of those that are abusing in the name of God. They put on a good show, they seem impressive, but where is “justice and mercy and faithfulness”? Jesus tells his disciples the temple will be torn down and nation will war against nation and famines and earthquakes and signs in the heavens, and in Luke 21:9 says “but the end will not be at once”. He is preparing us for this present age.

Warning Against False Religious Leaders

Matthew 23:1-36
Mark 12:38-40
Luke 20:45-47 

The Scribes and the Pharisees Sit on the Seat of Moses

Matthew 23:1–12
Jesus honors the position, in Matthew 23:2, “the seat of Moses”. Moses heard from God. Moses led the people out of bondage. Moses taught the people and established principles for Godly living. Moses was a judge for the people. Moses established them as a nation whose Lord was God. There was no earthly king over them. And in these things, Jesus was saying to the crowd, in Matthew 23:3 “do and observe everything that they tell you”. It is these other things that they were to avoid, in Matthew 23:5 “they do all their deeds in order to be seen by people”. Their intent is not in serving God, but in promoting themselves.

But this was not only an issue in Jesus day, this warning recognizes the sinful nature of man and “Here are five characteristics for which the Pharisees were rebuked. They are ever-present dangers for Christian leaders. First, they may not practise what they preach (3).5 Secondly, they may be unwilling to undertake themselves what they prescribe for others (4). Thirdly, they may love to show off (5).6 Fourthly, they may revel in honorific titles and in being paid respect (6–10)7 Finally, they may misunderstand ministry (11–12). They may see it less as an opportunity for service than as a sphere of management or a chance to gain recognition”.1

You Shut the Kingdom of Heaven Before People

Matthew 23:13–24
These, the scribes and Pharisees who should be the ones leading people to God are instead the ones preventing people from entry. They are proselytizing, but not for servants of God. They want those that will bring money into the temple. They want those with connections to raise their political stature. In Matthew 23:19-22 Jesus explains that everything comes from the one who sits on the throne in heaven. It isn’t the throne he sits on. It isn’t the temple or the gold or the gifts in it, it is the one that resides in the temple. 

Full of Greed and Self-Indulgence

Matthew 23:25–36
Seven times here in Matthew 23 Jesus says “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees” (actually, one time he says blind guides rather than naming the scribes and Pharisees but his intent is clear). In Matthew 23:23 they tithe the simplest spices but neglect “justice and mercy and faithfulness”. In Matthew 23:25 he says they are clean on the outside but “full of greed and self-indulgence”. And in Matthew 23:27 he says “appear beautiful, but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead”. And in Matthew 23:29 they “build the tombs of the prophets” who their fathers killed.

Jesus is speaking to them in terms they recognized but sometimes are lost on us. We understand that we would not want to defile a grave, but for them, by their tradition, “anyone who touched a dead body became unclean (Numbers 19:16). Therefore, anyone who came into contact with a tomb automatically became unclean … (at the time of Passover) It was then Jewish practice in the month of Adar to whitewash all wayside tombs, so that no pilgrims might accidentally come into contact with one of them and be rendered unclean”.2

Beware of the Scribes

Mark 12:38–40
These profess to be godly in their dress. They expect special greetings and places of honor.

Who Devour the Houses of Widows

Luke 20:45–47
God included the widow, the orphan and the stranger in the land under a special provision, “The law provided for widows through a special tithe (Deut. 14:28–29; 26:12–13) and a policy of leaving gleanings during harvest (Deut. 24:19–21). The early church also had a policy of supporting its widows (Acts 6:1)”.3

But, it seems in Jesus day, even though “An expert in the law could take no pay for his teaching. He was supposed to have a trade by which he earned his daily bread. But these legal experts had managed to convey to people that there was no higher duty and privilege than to support a Rabbi in comfort; that, in fact, such support would undoubtedly entitle him or her who gave it to a high place in the heavenly academy”.4

Jerusalem, Who Kills the Prophets

Matthew 23:37–39
How easy it might have been for Jerusalem to accept the works of healing, the teaching of God’s love and his kingdom and say as it does in Matthew 23:39 “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!” but they would not.

She Out of her Poverty Put in Everything She Had

Mark 12:41–44
See “Out of Her Poverty” from http://tellone.org/devotions/sit-at-my-right-hand/

When Will These Things Happen

Mark 13:1-8
Matthew 24:1-8
Luke 21:5-11

What Wonderful Buildings!

Mark 13:1–8
As Jesus walks through the temple courts with his disciples, one comments, as anyone visiting a major city might, in Mark 12:1 “Teacher, look! What great stones and what wonderful buildings!” and they were a great accomplishment in their day. But as with all things in the earth, moth, and rust corrupt. And even worse, the city and particularly the temple are said to represent God but don’t recognize God in their midst. 

Not One Stone Will be Left Here

Matthew 24:1–8
Jesus responds in Matthew 24:2 “Not one stone will be left here on another”. And his disciples wanted to know when? Jesus gives them an answer that is tough for us to take because we say, isn’t God all-powerful? Yes, he is. But we also must recognize that from the beginning he told us to take dominion. We have choices to make. These things that will happen in Matthew 24:7-8, “nation against nation … famines and earthquakes” these are “the beginning of birth pangs”. A new heaven and a new earth are coming but for now, we live in this world.

The End Will Not Be At Once

Luke 21:5–11
Here we see the inclusion of great signs from heaven in

Luke 21:11 (LEB) There will be great earthquakes and famines and plagues in various places. There will be terrible sights and great signs from heaven.

Persecution

Mark 13:9-13
Matthew 24:9-14
Luke 21:12-19

Study Verses

Today’s Reading

  • Matthew 23:1-39
  • Matthew 24:1-14
  • Mark 12:38-44
  • Mark 13:1-13
  • Luke 20:45-47
  • Luke 21:5-19

The Life and Ministry of Jesus Christ – The Gospels

This series follows the order of readings from the Tyndale One Year Chronological Bible. Covering these events chronologically as they happened, gives a much different context and helps us understand the move of God as He is introducing the Saviour, the Light of the world, Jesus Christ. This series begins with Return To Me And I Will Return To You at the end of Malachi and introduces the “Witnesses” writing the Gospels.

Operation Exodus

is helping Jewish people return to their homeland. You might fund one that desires to go home. http://operationexodususa.org/Overview

References

  • 1. Green, M. (2001). The message of Matthew: the kingdom of heaven (pp. 241–242). Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
  • 2. Barclay, W. (2001). The Gospel of Matthew (Third Ed., p. 346). Edinburgh: Saint Andrew Press.
  • 3. Stabnow, D. K. (2003). Widow. In C. Brand, C. Draper, A. England, S. Bond, E. R. Clendenen, & T. C. Butler (Eds.), Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (p. 1671). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
  • 4. Barclay, W. (2001). The New Daily Study Bible: The Gospel of Mark (p. 350). Edinburgh: Saint Andrew Press.