Saturday 11 Dec 2021

December 11: Matthew 17:10-13

Key Verse: Matthew 17:12
But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognise him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.’

Devotion:
When the prophets brought the Word of God to the people, the stories told by them were passed down and retold by future generations. Each generation would try to retell those stories faithfully so they would be remembered – and before long these words would get written down and saved for future generations. But the teachers of the law would not give copies of the scriptures to anyone and everyone like we do today; they were kept by the teachers.

One would think this would be a good idea since the words would be faithfully kept – but we are human and our temptations for greater things for ourselves often get us into trouble rather than allowing us to stick with the truth. The disciples had learned the scriptures and they knew they were taught how Elijah would come before the Messiah would return…

What they didn’t realise was John The Baptist was that person who came in the spirit of Elijah, bringing the Word faithfully to life so everyone would know the Messiah was coming. John taught the true word about repentance and forgiveness and even baptism – all things God wanted them to know. But when John started saying things which were a bit hard to keep (for them) they rejected John’s Words and forced him out into the desert alone.

Just as John suffered by the hands of the people who should have been telling the truth, so too would their Messiah have to face those same people who would make Him suffer. Not because He was the Messiah, but because they did not want to believe the Messiah could come and tell them what to do! After all, they thought they were the ultimate authority then!

Points to Ponder:
Do you ever admit you don’t know something?

Will you admit to not knowing everything about God and ask Him to teach you more?