Our paragraph topic is: (The destruction of Jerusalem) Part 7.
The tragedy of the destruction of Jerusalem becomes even more disturbing as Christ continues to paint the picture. He tells of all the odd things that are going to occur to the people who are not aware, those who do not believe and continue to deny what may happen. He has come from on high to bring a message to the people. He has come from the Father to save the people, to bring forth a new beginning. Yet few will listen, few will believe.
If love and tenderness will not move then surely fear will raise awareness. Fear of impending doom will make people listen. Fear of death will reach the inner most reaches of the most hardened person and bring them to some sense of reality. Fear of loss, fear of loosing that which one has, fear of loosing the luxury of the day will cause one to take action to make something happen. For he told the people: "But pray that your flight may not be in the winter."
Pray that there would not be a winter if destruction comes. Pray that they would not have to flee in the cold, in the wind, in the rain, in the ice of winter. They lived in Jerusalem, in a warm climate. Winter was non-existent to them. They knew of it but not to the extent that it would cause them to fear for their lives. They could prepare for winter by storing up food and planning to have heat in their homes. But to have to flee during a cold, cold winter with the wind and rain and ice, would be fearfully unbearable. That would be something no one would want to undertake.
Yet Christ was telling the people to pray. He was telling them to pray that that would not happen to them, that God would spare them of that suffering of cold during escape from their home. Would they listen? Would they hear his words and believe. They saw the miracles he performed. They knew of the many he had cured. They knew of the dead he had raised. And no other prophet before him had come close to doing the things that he did. He was the Messiah. But what did that mean to the people?
What does it mean for us today? We have the Bible that tells us of all the things that Christ did while he was here on earth. We have the disciples that he left behind that established the church and taught and trained the early saints. We have the writings of those apostles and saints to guide us in our daily lives. We have the whole foundation of the church and the built up ministries to go by to help us live according to the principles that Christ gave us. But what does it all mean?
What does it mean for you and me is what we want it to mean in a relationship with ourselves and the one who gave us life. If we understand one thing it is we have life eternal through the gift that Christ gave us. Not life today, not life tomorrow, not life for a minute, or an hour but life eternal. We have life beyond the end of the flesh. And that one thing should be our waking and living focus day in and day out. The knowledge that through Christ we are more than just physical. We were created in the image and likeness of the Father and because he has life in him we also have life through Christ and his grace, his mercy, and his all giving love.
Read the sign of the times! Read the Highlighted New Testament Bible and lift the scales from your eyes that you may see, that you may know, that you may find the truth of who you are in Christ. Read it as though you would read a good book, from cover to cover, and see for yourself. Do not study it in parts reading one passage nd then skipping to another, but read it for understanding. Read it for knowledge. Read it for faith. Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ . The Holy Spirit awaits you. Christ seeks to know you. Open the door and let him in.
