Matthew 21:15,16
‘But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that He had done, and the children who were shouting in the temple area, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they became indignant, and they said to Him, “Do You hear what these children are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read, ‘FROM THE MOUTHS OF INFANTS AND NURSING BABIES YOU HAVE PREPARED PRAISE FOR YOURSELF’?”’
This is a tragic reaction from the priests. Jesus entered the temple and drove out the corruption, then He performed the acts in the temple the works of God. The ship had been righted. The correct response should have been praise. The children knew and did so. The priests didn’t. Quite the opposite, they were angry.
In Luke’s gospel Jesus shares some insight which is just as tragic. Jerusalem should have know about His coming. ‘When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If you had known on this day, even you, the conditions for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you when your enemies will put up a barricade against you, and surround you and hem you in on every side, and they will level you to the ground, and throw down your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation”’, (19:41-44). The Lord had prophesied the very day of Jesus’ coming. It was the seventy weeks of Daniel. They should have known the day of His visitation. It was there to be known. However, He says that it was hidden from their eyes.
It was hidden because Jesus had to die for our sins. In a weeks time it would be these priests that would pressure Pilate to put Jesus to death. That was the plan upon Adam and Eve eating the fruit. God had engineered an unthinkable way out for us. He would allow His Son to die in our place. Angels were curious and longed to look into this. I’m sure the Devil and demons weren’t aware. The priests didn’t know.
A great application fits in with us when it comes to the things God does. There is much we won’t know when it come to His will in the world and in our lives. I’ve felt sure things would go one way, but didn’t. I was shocked. I’m still getting over an incident from last year.
Proverbs 3:5,6 shares a great insight, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.” The key phrase is, “lean not on your own understanding”. That’s where I got tripped up. I was certain it would happen one way, but not so. I wrestled for months with this. It was not to be so. I am learning to have joy in this new reality.
I need to not be so invested in how I think things should be. I shouldn’t be so rattled by the happenings in my life and in the world. I would let them rob me of joy. I thought for sure things should have gone one way, but not so. I should have brought this to God. Put it before Him in prayer and kept it there. I was like the pharisees and would get mad.
God’s joy in our hearts should be a constant. Regardless of what the circumstances are. Let God deal with them.
Lord, thank You that You are Lord of all. That is all in my life and in the world. Help me to be like the children that praise You.