Matthew 21 - No Surprise

The ministry of Jesus is one of the most anticipated events of the Bible. It is the long awaited answer to the Fall (Gen, 3:15). It is the heart of God's promise to Abram (Gen. 12:3) to bless the world.

His [Jesus'] entrance into Jerusalem is no exception. It is described in Zechariah 9:9-10 and Daniel 9:24-27. Actually, the Daniel passage provides us with the exact day Jesus would claim his kingship!

This was THE EVENT of prophetic history and the people were looking for it. The leadership, however, had given up on God's King and merely wanted to get along with Rome without causing problems and risking their secure status. "If only you had known this day" (Luke 19:42).

The lesson of the fig tree comes into play here. Jesus himself (sorry Calvinist friends) seems to look for faithful fruit, but when none is foudn a curse comes instead of blessing. [He even weeps for the missed opportunity, despite what he has already said will happen.] His coming was no surprise, but they weren't ready.

[He is coming back. Will we likewise be fruitless and unwatching?]

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