For a description of the (Y2) reading plan, see the “About” page.
Matt. 21
“But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David,’ they were indignant.” (Matt. 21:15). This happened immediately after Jesus drove the buyers and sellers out of the temple courts. Oddly, there is no noted reaction to that incident. I would have thought that this disruptive action would be what made the leaders indignant. Instead, it was, “the wonderful things He did” and the praises of children.
We don’t need to know the reaction to Jesus’ clearing out of the temple courts to see what was driving the Jewish leaders. This chapter makes it pretty clear. When they questioned Jesus’ authority and He asked them about John’s baptism, they were afraid to answer because of how the people might respond. Then, after Jesus spoke a few parables against them, they wanted to arrest Him but were again afraid because of the people.
All of these things reveal the pride and jealousy that filled the hearts of the Jewish leaders. Their primary concern was their high esteem in the eyes of the people. So they felt threatened by anything that either lowered them or elevated someone else, namely Jesus, in that regard. Though they claimed to serve God, there is no room for God in a heart filled with such human concerns. May I learn from the Jewish leaders and humbly concern myself with holding only God in the highest esteem.
Deut. 23-24
Which of these rules make sense to you? Which ones don’t? Why? There is a lot in these chapters but, given the current culture, I couldn’t get my mind past the first verse of chapter 23. “No one who has been emasculated by crushing or cutting may enter the assembly of the LORD.” (Deut. 23:1). The laws in the Old Testament are often both very specific and quite odd. However, while I believe the Bible makes it clear that we are no longer bound to the specifics of these laws, they reveal things to us about ourselves and about God.
I know there are people who have been emasculated through no fault or desire of their own, and I don’t believe for a second that such people are excluded from God’s kingdom. But as far as I can see, there is no escaping the fact that those who desire to be something, physically speaking, other than what God created them to be are rebelling against Him.
Ps. 38
This is another psalm of contrition. As you read it aloud, pause to confess your sin and accept God’s gracious forgiveness. Reading this Psalm made me think about the consequences of sin in our lives. As it states in verse 3, “Because of your wrath there is no health in my body; there is no soundness in my bones because of my sin”. Our sin, and the resulting wrath of our holy God, negatively affects every part of our beings – physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. David’s words paint a bleak and graphic picture of this truth.
I then thought how, as bad as it is, so many are completely blind to their own condition. They don’t know that they are sick, weak, and in pain. Only when we are aware of God’s presence can we see the horrible things sin does to us. I see in my own life and in the lives of others what I see in David’s Psalm – the closer we are to God, the more sensitive we become to sin in our lives.