meditations for an everyday relationship with Jesus

Third day (3)

John 2:16-19 He told those who were selling doves, "Get these things out of here! Stop turning my Father's house into a marketplace!" And His disciples remembered that it is written: Zeal for Your house will consume Me.

So the Jews replied to Him, "What sign of authority will You show us for doing these things?"

Jesus answered, "Destroy this sanctuary, and I will raise it up in three days."

Bring down the Temple of Herod and God will raise it back up. What took 40 years to build will be accomplished in just 3 days. Of course this was a metaphor for the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus … but the Pharisees did not know that this was a word puzzle.

To those listening, such a ridiculous claim was just another reason to write off this itinerant rabbi as a madman.

Do not so easily write off those who prophesy today in the name of our mighty God, YHWH! When you hear such a truth, no matter how outlandish, embrace it, covet it, and then lift it high!

Many schemes

Ecclesiastes 7:29 I have discovered that God made people upright, but they pursued many schemes."

In view of the various political campaigns we have been exposed to over our lifetime, it is fair to say that we have seen countless candidates come into the process with awesome intentions and pristine ideals; and then we have seen them “pursue many schemes.” They get sidetracked by special interests and seduced by the siren song of money and fame. I think we can identify.

Good men and women still eat the fruit “of the tree” believing they can be wiser than Solomon and more powerful than God.