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We move on this week to Chapter 21 of Luke’s Gospel. Please read verses 1 to 7 every day this week and, if possible, use a different translation each day, asking God to open your eyes to fresh revelation from His Word.
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Luke 21:5-6 (NIV)
‘Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, “As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.”’
I’m sure that just like many of you, I bought a few of the jigsaw puzzles that Barry and Eleanor had donated to Oasis over the Christmas period. I’m not normally a fan, but I have to say that I’ve really enjoyed doing a couple of them over the past few weeks. There’s something bizarrely relaxing about desperately trying to find one piece that is almost identical to the other 1000 or so in the box. Despite the frustration of the journey, putting that final piece in the one last place on the board is quite satisfying.
Looking at the finished puzzle, it’s hard to look back at those first few days when it was seemingly impossible to put the thing together. Now that all the pieces are properly joined together, one can see the beauty of the whole picture. However, there is one last act that is almost soul destroying. It’s now time to rip the whole thing apart and put all the pieces back into the box. I know that some people put some glaze over the puzzle and frame them, but that’s not something I’m interested in. I just want to put it back in the box and start work on another puzzle. It’s not an easy thing to do knowing how much work and effort has gone into the process, and yet it’s a task that just has to be done.
Can you imagine what Jesus is thinking as He stands there looking at the temple? At this point in history, it wasn’t quite completed and yet its splendour could be seen even then. The temple wouldn’t be completed for another 35 years or so but still, this was a remarkable building during its construction. Jesus is more than aware of the timeframe for its completion and its destruction. He stands here listening to His disciples talk about how magnificent it is and I dare say are pointing to the huge stones that I mentioned yesterday. Jesus often takes the things that are in view and uses them to make spiritual lessons. Here’s He’s going to use the stones.
As said yesterday, some of those stones are 15m long (that’s about 45 feet for anyone who doesn’t’ understand metric measurements). Jesus tells His disciples that ‘not one stone will be left on another’. Can you imagine what they’re thinking when He says that? Surely, it won’t be possible to destroy something that is so huge? Is Jesus just giving an illustration without it being literal? Well, it’s easy to look back at see what actually happened. We know from historical records that during the Jewish rebellion against the Romans in approximately 70AD, the temple was destroyed. It is believed that more than a million Jews were killed during this period of time.
Jesus had walked into the temple on at least two occasions and ‘cleansed’ it. However, this did nothing to change the hearts of the Jewish leaders. They did not show any genuine repentance and we know that they rejected their Messiah. As hard as it is to accept at times, be assured that God is a God of perfect justice and the rejection of the Messiah has consequences. This physical temple was to be destroyed but would be replaced by a temple ‘not made with hands’. Jesus said that He would build His Church and its beauty is far greater than the physical temple. Praise God that you and I are a part of that.
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