These Days

I am thoughtful of Jesus these days just before the 10^th of Nisan that year He crested the Mt. of Olives on the colt of a donkey presenting Himself to the nation as the Lamb of God to be analyzed and then killed that when His blood was/is applied, death would be trumped for those who by faith obey.

On Thursday, He crossed over the Jordan and moved into old and new Jericho.  But before that crossing, He had been moving down the east side of the Jordan amidst thousands of Jewish faithful going to Jerusalem to keep the Days of Unleavened Bread as demanded by the Law of Moses.  I go back to the past Saturday and believe that Jesus rested as God prescribed for His followers and also attended “church.”  That is, “as His custom was” He went to the synagogue to hear the precious Word of God – His Word – read (Luke 4:16).  I can fully believe that the passage(s) read was precisely important to Him knowing what He was about to face from men and from God – wrath!

Then Sunday through Wednesday He moved south from the Sea of Galilee area towards the Dead Sea all the time teaching and touching.  Acts 10:38 notes that He went about doing good, healing, and casting out demons.  Whether it was a touch or a truth that was maybe even painful (Go sell all that you possess, give it to the poor, and follow Me, Mathew 19:21), He was about the good of those He came in contact with.

I have little basis for this idea except that it makes sense based on what He was doing and saying in the Garden when He was arrested (pleading with the Father – “Is there any other way?”) – that is, He left the masses maybe on Monday or Tuesday and moved east up the Jabbok stream a couple of miles to “wrestle” with the Father as did Jacob some 2,000 years earlier – maybe at the precise spot.

Genesis 34:28-30, And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.” Then Jacob asked, saying, “Tell me Your name, I pray.” And He said, “Why is it that you ask about My name?” And He blessed him there. So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: “For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.” 

Then on Thursday of that week Jesus crossed the Jordan where the priests had stood some 1,500 years earlier bearing the Ark containing the Covenant.  When they entered the river, it dried up for twenty miles letting the nation cross into the Promised Land and they then piled 12 stones in its center as a reminder and memorial.  Jesus had been there back then and had crossed this place many times in His 33 years of human life but this time it was different, He now crossed as the Lamb on a mission to redeem God’s chosen from their sins.  That had to have been a very emotional crossing.

The Bible reports that Jesus encountered two blind men on leaving Jericho (Mark 10:46) and on entering Jericho (Luke 18:35).  After moving through the ruins of the Jericho destroyed by God in front of Joshua, Jesus was about to enter the new Jericho when He encountered and healed two blind men.  Heavy with the future and troubled by the lack of faith of even His own, He thought of and served others.

In Jericho, Jesus encountered the loathed tax collector, Zacchaeus, sitting in a tree for a view.  Jesus engaged him and followed him to his house for the rest of the day and the coming night.  Why?  At least 2 reasons:  1.) Jesus was a friend of publicans and sinners and called them to faith and embraced those who responded with love and acceptance and 2.) tax collectors were hated thus he provided a safe haven for the night as the Jews would not dare be contaminated by an encounter with such a one with Passover looming.

The next morning, Friday, Jesus and His troop began the 17 mile climb from Jericho to Bethany (from 700 feet below sea level to about 2600 feet above) through a very desolate and stark landscape – Oh, what the sin of men and the subsequent curse by God had done to a once perfect world!  But He was now on mission to pay the price that even the creation might be restored!

He surely found some joy pondering the fact that He was going to the home of dear, dear friends Mary, Martha, and Lazarus where a wonderful meal awaited, but looming past the Sabbath rest the next day, was the day that would set in motion the wrath of man and the wrath of God upon Him at Calvary – Palm Sunday.

 

[Photo of Israel landscape by Diana Johnson]