It all started somewhat innocuously. Y’shua had chastised Jerusalem and predicted the desertion of the temple in Matthew 23. Moreover, He then made a promise/threat never to return to the temple. What happened next seems to have triggered the prophecies that have garnered our attention. Consider Today’s Holy Nougat.
Matthew 24:1 NIV
[1] Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings.
Incredulity
The second temple was absolutely beautiful. Some refer to it as the wonder in the Jewish world. The colours, the hewn stones, the internal fittings, and its outward beauty were points of pride for several Jews. It was also one of the spaces at which Y’shua taught the people. Given those factors, it didn’t really make sense for the disciples to present the temple to Y’shua.
I suspect that for them, it didn’t make sense for Him to walk away from the temple with no regret. After all, Y’shua had been at odds with the temple leadership before. His decision wouldn’t have made sense to them. Perhaps they figured if they reminded Jesus of what He was leaving behind, He would change His mind.
Self-Check
How easily are we impacted by public opinion after we have made a decision.
Application
What the disciples missed, as do many of us, was the timing. From as far back as Matthew 16, we are told that Y’shua had started to prepare the disciples for His death. In fact, it caused a bit of confusion for Peter, who had just declared Y’shua the Son of God, as he couldn’t fathom why Jesus would speak of death at that time. (I’m not sure that I’d be much different from Peter, as I may have missed the point. A point that was made from as early as Genesis 3.)
As the Son of God, Y’shua had been marked for death. In one sense, Peter’s affirmation of Y’shua’s identity signalled an understanding of His mission. But it didn’t. Rather, it may have sparked the expectation that Y’shua would choose miraculous resistance to overthrow the powers of their day. Death was not their expectation for Y’shua. To their minds, death signalled defeat.
So when He insisted that it was His final visit to the temple, Y’shua’s disciples were astounded. It didn’t match their expectations. As God’s Son, it seemed natural for Him to make the temple His locus for ministry. But Y’shua was walking away.
You see, the disciples had not yet realized that they were nearing the end of their time with Y’shua. His walking away from an edifice that represented institutionalised religion rather than a commitment to faith pointed to that. It also confirmed that Y’shua believed they were ready to minister in His stead (with some help from God’s Spirit, of course).
They must definitely did not realize or accept that God’s mission through Y’shua was basically done. That relates to both God’s plan for Y’shua’s time with them, as well as God’s plan for Y’shua’s life on earth.
Sometimes, siblings we fail to grasp the fullness of the times around us because we are not attuned to God’s plans. It may be in relation to God’s plan for our lives, as well as God’s plans for all humanity. When we become attuned to God’s heart, we will find that we are less incredulous about what happens around us.
Might we also become more attuned to God’s heart through intentional time with and in the Word and in prayer?
Point to Ponder
What will it require for us to be more attuned to God’s plans and less incredulous about God’s actions?
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May all we seek be found in Christ
