Monday, August 09, 2021

2021.08.09 Hopewell @Home ▫ Luke 21:37–22:7

Read Luke 21:37–22:7

Questions from the Scripture text: What was Jesus doing during the daytimes (Luke 21:37a)? What did he do at night (verse 37b)? What would happen early again in the morning (Luke 21:38)? What drew near in Luke 22:1? Who sought how to do what (Luke 22:2)? Why did they have to figure out a way to do this? What development does Luke 22:3 bring? Among whom had Judas been numbered? Where does Judas go in Luke 22:4, and what does he do? How do the chief priests and officials feel about this (Luke 22:5)? What do they agree to do? What does Judas do in Luke 22:6? What does he now seek? What day arrived in Luke 22:7? What must happen on that day?

The Lord is in control to bring about His salvation: “the Passover must be killed” (Luke 22:7). In the passage, we see the world, the devil, and the flesh rage. But all are being employed by God to bring His salvation. Jesus isn’t staying within their reach (Luke 21:37). Providence has arranged for a great obstacle to hinder the plot of the liberals (chief priests) and conservatives (scribes) of the current religious establishment (Luke 21:38Luke 22:2Luke 22:6). For all their raging, the world and its leaders can do nothing against the predetermined plans of Yahweh and His Christ (cf. Psalm 2).

The world rages, here represented in the chief priests and scribes, who are eager to destroy Jesus (cf. Luke 20:19). The dynamic in Luke 21:37-38 sets up the difficulty for them. Jesus is spending His evenings at Bethany, at the top of the Mount of Olives, about two miles northwest of the temple. But during the day, He was teaching in the temple to large crowds. The influence and power of the religious leaders is an illusion. “They feared the people” (Luke 22:2). When the world rages, let us remember that it has always done so against Christ, and that He employed its raging even to bring about our salvation.

The devil rages. Satan entered Judas in Luke 22:3. It’s a bold move for him to target one of the twelve. But as the book of Job makes clear, the devil is only able to do as much as the Lord has foreordained for His own good purposes.  The effect on Judas is dreadful; suddenly he is actively opposing Christ, even entering into the counsels of His enemies as they collaborate upon the betrayal. A bold and seemingly effective move. The devil continues to rage today. He is bold to attack via those who seem to be something in the church. He is permitted to affect them dreadfully. But let us remember that this is not new. The Lord brought even the salvation of all the elect through the raging of the devil.

The flesh rages. There is the murderousness of the fleshly natures of Jesus’s enemies in Luke 22:2, which has the disgusting effect of making them glad in Luke 22:5. Indeed, so wicked is the flesh that we can see how easily they may have congratulated themselves that Providence had sent them a solution to their impossible problem. How great is the wickedness of that flesh that can rejoice over the enticements of the devil as if they were blessings from God.

And the flesh also rages in the covetousness of Judas’s fleshly nature in Luke 22:5, for which covetousness he is willing to take the blood money. When we find hostility or greed in our own hearts, let us identify them as enemies of the Lord and of our souls, and set ourselves to battle against them. But let us not think that even our own sin—or that of any of our enemies—can undo the good and saving purposes of Christ. Clinging to Him, we engage with confident joy in our battle against the flesh. 

The Passover must be killed. God has determined to save His people from the death that they deserve by covering them with atoning blood. Jesus has come as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Along the way, there is the horrible raging of the world, the devil, and the flesh. But these are under the control of the God Who is using them to bring about the application of that redemption which Christ has accomplished. 

Are you covered by the blood of the Lamb? What enemies rage against His applying to you the benefits of that redeeming blood? How does this passage help remind you that God uses those enemies for your good? 

Sample prayer: O Lord, truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, Whom You anointed, Your enemies gathered to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. Forgive us for our anxiety and discouragement at the raging of Your enemies. Grant unto us the blessedness of submitting to Your Son and boldness with which to serve in His ranks. Make us always to see that You are accomplishing the redemption that You have purposed in Him, which we ask in His Name, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP2 “Why Do Gentile Nations Rage” or TPH196 “At the Lamb’s High Feast” 


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