Hosanna!
Readings for Today: Psalm 33, Exodus 10, Matthew 21
Psalm 33:1-5
1 Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous;
it is fitting for the upright to praise him.
2 Praise the LORD with the harp;
make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.
3 Sing to him a new song;
play skillfully, and shout for joy.
4 For the word of the LORD is right and true;
he is faithful in all he does.
5 The LORD loves righteousness and justice;
the earth is full of his unfailing love.
Exodus 10
The Plague of Darkness
21 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that darkness spreads over Egypt—darkness that can be felt.” 22 So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and total darkness covered all Egypt for three days. 23 No one could see anyone else or move about for three days. Yet all the Israelites had light in the places where they lived.
24 Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and said, “Go, worship the LORD. Even your women and children may go with you; only leave your flocks and herds behind.” 25 But Moses said, “You must allow us to have sacrifices and burnt offerings to present to the LORD our God. 26 Our livestock too must go with us; not a hoof is to be left behind. We have to use some of them in worshiping the LORD our God, and until we get there we will not know what we are to use to worship the LORD.” 27 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he was not willing to let them go. 28 Pharaoh said to Moses, “Get out of my sight! Make sure you do not appear before me again! The day you see my face you will die.” 29 “Just as you say,” Moses replied. “I will never appear before you again.”
Matthew 21:12-22
Jesus at the Temple
12 Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. 13 “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’” 14 The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant.16 “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him. “Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read, “‘From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise’?” 17 And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night.
Reflections:
Pharaoh, the chief priests, and the teachers of the Law had one thing in common. They wanted to be in charge. And in doing, so they prevented the true worship of God. Today Pharaoh continues to bargain with Moses and tries to make deals like only the men can go and worship or not the animals too. But in true form after the plague of locusts relents, Pharaoh hardens his heart again. He is moving to the point of darkness where is heart is permanently sealed and God can do nothing with him.
The temple, a place which was supposed to be a place of worship, had become a place of money changing. Since the people had to bring their offerings of what they had (doves, pigeons, or animals and birds) that were exchanged for currency for the requirement of worship, the leaders had turned it into a business. The people in charge were profiting at the expense of the people who came to worship God and bring the right offering.
We see the true hearts of the leadership, when the children start to recognize who Jesus is and shout, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” This is what you have expected from the religious leaders, but they were more concerned about the pride of their position and completely missed the fact the Savior was in their midst, the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecy.
Before we get to critical of these guys, how can we fall into the trap of becoming so entrenched in our earthly position or obsessed with the things of the world that we forget to worship Christ like a child? We lose the disposition that cries out “Hosanna to the Son of David”. Are we childlike in our worship? Meaning, do we come at it with the faith and exuberance of child in the presence of His true heavenly Father? Take some time to worship the Lord today! Put him first in your day!
You, O God, are my king from of old; you bring salvation upon the earth. Psalm 74:12 (NIV)
Wherever Jesus went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed. Mark 6:56
God of healing power, we intercede today for all in illness of body, mind or spirit. Give comfort in their dis-comfort, ease in their disease, rest in their restlessness and strength in their weakness. Above all, assure each one of your presence. Amen.
Psalm 33:1-5
1 Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous;
it is fitting for the upright to praise him.
2 Praise the LORD with the harp;
make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.
3 Sing to him a new song;
play skillfully, and shout for joy.
4 For the word of the LORD is right and true;
he is faithful in all he does.
5 The LORD loves righteousness and justice;
the earth is full of his unfailing love.
Exodus 10
The Plague of Darkness
21 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that darkness spreads over Egypt—darkness that can be felt.” 22 So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and total darkness covered all Egypt for three days. 23 No one could see anyone else or move about for three days. Yet all the Israelites had light in the places where they lived.
24 Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and said, “Go, worship the LORD. Even your women and children may go with you; only leave your flocks and herds behind.” 25 But Moses said, “You must allow us to have sacrifices and burnt offerings to present to the LORD our God. 26 Our livestock too must go with us; not a hoof is to be left behind. We have to use some of them in worshiping the LORD our God, and until we get there we will not know what we are to use to worship the LORD.” 27 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he was not willing to let them go. 28 Pharaoh said to Moses, “Get out of my sight! Make sure you do not appear before me again! The day you see my face you will die.” 29 “Just as you say,” Moses replied. “I will never appear before you again.”
Matthew 21:12-22
Jesus at the Temple
12 Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. 13 “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’” 14 The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant.16 “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him. “Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read, “‘From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise’?” 17 And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night.
Reflections:
Pharaoh, the chief priests, and the teachers of the Law had one thing in common. They wanted to be in charge. And in doing, so they prevented the true worship of God. Today Pharaoh continues to bargain with Moses and tries to make deals like only the men can go and worship or not the animals too. But in true form after the plague of locusts relents, Pharaoh hardens his heart again. He is moving to the point of darkness where is heart is permanently sealed and God can do nothing with him.
The temple, a place which was supposed to be a place of worship, had become a place of money changing. Since the people had to bring their offerings of what they had (doves, pigeons, or animals and birds) that were exchanged for currency for the requirement of worship, the leaders had turned it into a business. The people in charge were profiting at the expense of the people who came to worship God and bring the right offering.
We see the true hearts of the leadership, when the children start to recognize who Jesus is and shout, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” This is what you have expected from the religious leaders, but they were more concerned about the pride of their position and completely missed the fact the Savior was in their midst, the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecy.
Before we get to critical of these guys, how can we fall into the trap of becoming so entrenched in our earthly position or obsessed with the things of the world that we forget to worship Christ like a child? We lose the disposition that cries out “Hosanna to the Son of David”. Are we childlike in our worship? Meaning, do we come at it with the faith and exuberance of child in the presence of His true heavenly Father? Take some time to worship the Lord today! Put him first in your day!
You, O God, are my king from of old; you bring salvation upon the earth. Psalm 74:12 (NIV)
Wherever Jesus went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed. Mark 6:56
God of healing power, we intercede today for all in illness of body, mind or spirit. Give comfort in their dis-comfort, ease in their disease, rest in their restlessness and strength in their weakness. Above all, assure each one of your presence. Amen.
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