CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE IN CHRIST MINISTRIES DAILY DEVOTIONAL BIBLE STUDY ON YOUTUBE
Luke 18:31-34
In Luke 18:31-34 Jesus gathered His disciples (the twelve) privately and began teaching them of what would happen to Him in Jerusalem. That what the prophets had written about Him would be fulfilled; that the Gentiles would mock and abuse Him and then He would be killed by them. He also taught them that on the third day He would rise again.
Luke 18:34 teaches us that the disciples of Jesus were prevented from understanding these things, that these things were hidden from their understanding.
This is a promise of the prophecy concerning Jesus which ties Him to being the prophesied Messiah spoken of by the prophets.
It is important that these words of Jesus be recorded in Scripture in proving Himself to be the anointed one/the Messiah spoken of by the prophets. All of Israel and Judah [the two kingdoms of the Israelites which were divided after the death of King Solomon (2 Chronicles 9:29-11:17)] had been overthrown and taken into captivity, were poverty stricken and many of them had died due to their disobedience to the instructions given to them through the prophets sent to them by God. They were in desperate need of the Messiah to save them from ultimate ruin and death.
Jesus’ disciples were not able to understand these things that Jesus spoke about Himself in Luke 18:31-34 because it was not time for these things to be understood, but that the proclamation has been made connecting Jesus to the Messiah spoken of by the prophets.
We, like the twelve chosen disciples of Jesus, do not always understand what God is doing in our lives, or why, but God will reveal to us in His time, as He determines to reveal to us the things that He desires of us. This is where faith comes in. Jesus teaches us in Matthew 22:37-38 as He quotes Moses in Deuteronomy 6:5 in reviewing the commandments given by God, that we should love God with all our heart, soul, and mind. Jesus teaches that this is the first and greatest commandment.
We must have faith in God that He knows what He is doing in our lives; and that He knows best. As Christians, we must have faith in God to have a relationship with Him through salvation in His Son Jesus. This is not a choice for a Christian, but a requirement unto salvation.
Dear Lord,
We see in this passage that You kept from the twelve chosen disciples of Jesus the understanding of prophesied things until the time in which You determined for them to be revealed. We also know that You prevent us from understanding what You are doing in our lives until the time appointed by You. Jesus said to the woman at the well in John 4:23-26 that a time was coming in which all would worship You in spirit because You are Spirit and this is what You desire of us. Faith is believing in something which cannot be physically seen. Today we believe through faith that Jesus died for our sins and was raised from the dead in defeating death, sin, and Satan. We believe through faith that You will forgive us of our sins, accept us, and receive us into Your kingdom of heaven for eternity if we will believe in what Jesus has done for us. He is the way, the truth, and the life. We believe through faith that no one can come to You except through Jesus (John 14:6). We believe, accept, and receive salvation in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior through faith as You reveal to us Your will for our lives in Your timing. In Jesus name I pray, amen.