Recognize the time of your visitation.

Luke 19:28-48 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

After He had said these things, He was going on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.

²⁹ When He approached Bethphage and Bethany, near the mount that is called Olivet, He sent two of the disciples, ³⁰ saying, “Go into the village ahead of you; there, as you enter, you will find a colt tied on which no one yet has ever sat; untie it and bring it here. ³¹ If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of it.’” ³² So those who were sent went away and found it just as He had told them. ³³ As they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” ³⁴ They said, “The Lord has need of it.” ³⁵ They brought it to Jesus, and they threw their coats on the colt and put Jesus on it. ³⁶ As He was going, they were spreading their coats on the road. ³⁷ As soon as He was approaching, near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles which they had seen, ³⁸ shouting:

“Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord;
Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

³⁹ Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.” ⁴⁰ But Jesus answered, “I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out!”

⁴¹ When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it, ⁴² saying, “If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes. ⁴³ For the days will come upon you when your enemies will throw up a barricade against you, and surround you and hem you in on every side, ⁴⁴ and they will level you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.”

⁴⁵ Jesus entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling,⁴⁶ saying to them, “It is written, ‘And My house shall be a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a robbers’ den.”

⁴⁷ And He was teaching daily in the temple; but the chief priests and the scribes and the leading men among the people were trying to destroy Him, ⁴⁸ and they could not find anything that they might do, for all the people were hanging on to every word He said.

Today’s text is the account of Jesus entry into Jerusalem. It’s the account many focused on this past Sunday, Palm Sunday, the recognition of Jesus triumphal entry. The text says:  As He was going, they were spreading their coats on the road. As soon as He was approaching, near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles which they had seen, shouting: “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord; Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.” But Jesus answered, “I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out!”   In Revelation 1:8 the Lord says:  “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”   How much more should we who know who Jesus was, who He is and that He is coming also cry out?  Creation does continually praise the Lord. As I write this I hear the birds singing to greet the morning sun. I can see the trees waving their branches as the breeze from heaven passes by. All of creation is obedient to and gives praise to God its creator, but what of us? Will we allow ourselves to be silenced? Will we obey the voices of culture and society who say that it is offensive to even say, let alone praise the name of Jesus? Or knowing He was and is and is to come, will we say: “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord; Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”   Each of us must determine for themselves, but as for me, there will be no rock crying out in my place.

Today’s text continues saying:  When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you when your enemies will throw up a barricade against you, and surround you and hem you in on every side,  and they will level you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.” Jesus entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling,saying to them, “It is written, ‘And My house shall be a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a robbers’ den.”  How sad that many today also do not recognize the visitation of the Lord in their lives? I heard a message this week that said, the greatest triumphal entry of Jesus is His entry into the heart of one who comes to believe in Him.  In Matthew 21:12-13, in the account of Jesus entering the temple, it says: And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves. And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer’; but you are making it a robbers’ den.”   You see, there are two ways we can miss the visitation of the Lord in our lives. We can fail to welcome Him and praise Him. We also though are called to be the temple of the Lord. 1 Corinthians 3:16 says:  Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?  When Jesus comes, He does not come to leave us as we were. He comes to cast out and remove the things that make us unholy. He comes to overturn the things in our lives that do not align with God’s will. For us, the visitation of Jesus, His triumphal entry into our lives, means that all that is not of God must be removed. For Jesus visitation to be fully accomplished, His triumphal entry into our lives must also mean the triumphal exit of everything that does not give glory to God.

The text says:  And He was teaching daily in the temple…  Jesus does want to teach us daily. Even after He has come, even after we have determined to greet Him with praise and receive Him into our hearts, He wants us to learn from Him. Jesus taught us to pray saying: “Give us this day our daily bread.”  Jesus Himself is our daily bread. He provides more than just our daily provision. He also teaches us daily, all that we need for every situation and circumstance we will face. In Matthew 11:29-30 Jesus says:  “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”  

Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ; precious Holy Spirit; “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”  I greet You today with praise and thankgiving. I welcome You and eagerly anticipate Your visitation to my life today. I ask that You would indeed castout, remove and overturn anything in my life that does not honor and glorify You. I eagerly await Your teaching today and every day. No rock will cry out in my place. I will declare Your goodness and gladly take Your yoke upon me that I might rest in You.  Amen.