It is Tuesday morning. After resting the night in Bethany, just less than two miles from the city, Jesus and His disciples return to Jerusalem.
As they walk along, He uses a fig tree withered by His command, to teach His disciples a lesson in faith. (Matthew 21:18-22)
When they arrive in Jerusalem He goes to the temple. There He is challenged by the religious leaders. They make an unsuccessful attempt to “trip” Jesus up about the law. They desire to arrest Him right then and there but He instead has very harsh words for them. (Matthew 23:1-36)
In the afternoon, Jesus and His disciples will walk to the Mount of Olives which overlooks Jerusalem and is east of the temple. He will give the Olivet Discourse which will include prophecies about the destruction of Jerusalem, the end times and the Second Coming.(Matthew 24:1-46)
One more thing of note will take place this day. Judas, will meet and bargain with the Sanhedrin to betray Jesus. (Matthew 26:14-16)
Jesus and His disciples will return to Bethany to rest that night.
Thought For Today:
My first thought and perhaps yours was what an absolutely exhausting day. To walk nearly two miles from Bethany. Stand in the temple under the scrutiny of the Sanhedrin. Pronounce some very harsh words to them and see their seething anger for Him. He took time to heal while in the temple. Then He walks to the Mount of Olives and presents prophecy about the destruction of the city and temple they had just been in, the end times and His own Second Coming. Then walk another two miles back to Bethany.
While He was doing all the above, He also knew that Judas was scurrying about the temple bargaining with the Sanhedrin to betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver!
God walking as a man on the earth, tending to every detail of this week. Leaving nothing undone. Speaking parable after parable to those men who were going to document and carry the Gospel to all the world, on His behalf.
The purpose of this whole week of activity? Every bit of it was for us. For all those who had lived from Adam to this week in history. From that day all the way to this minute. . Everything He was doing was for all of us. That we might find an avenue of forgiveness. A path back to Him through all our sin. A sacrifice of Himself that we might have eternal life. Grace, grace, marvelous grace. So humbling! None of us did one thing to deserve such love. Tomorrow… Is Wednesday.
Scripture For Today:
Matthew 21:12-17
12 Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out all the people buying and selling animals for sacrifice. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves. 13 He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves!” 14 The blind and the lame came to him in the Temple, and he healed them. 15 The leading priests and the teachers of religious law saw these wonderful miracles and heard even the children in the Temple shouting, “Praise God for the Son of David.” But the leaders were indignant. 16 They asked Jesus, “Do you hear what these children are saying?” “Yes,” Jesus replied. “Haven’t you ever read the Scriptures? For they say, ‘You have taught children and infants to give you praise.’” 17 Then he returned to Bethany, where he stayed overnight. (NLT)
Prayer For Today:
Hello Father! Tirelessly, Jesus went about carrying out Your will in these last days before He would give Himself over to suffering and death for us. Keep our minds on these days. On the work of the Messiah as He prepares the road to salvation. Let us be still and prayerful. Forgive us of our sins. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
©2015 Kathy Ledbetter. All Rights Reserved.