The Jewish leaders held to a form of godliness, yet utterly rejected Christ when he came on the scene. They prided themselves in their knowledge of the law and the prophets. They received the respect and privileges accorded to their elevated station and position within the religious structure in Israel at that time.
They had well-established expectations... regarding the coming of the Messiah. They were well versed in the Books of the Law and the Prophets... yet all of their apparent assets were useless when they stood before Jesus The Christ... the Anointed Son of God. They could not recognize Him... their eyes were blinded.
They held to long established, preconceived imaginings of how their promised Messiah would appear on the scene. The fact that HE came in a manner that was different than they had anticipated was unacceptable to them. Their hearts were darkened as they loved their power and position far more than they loved God.
They could not accept that their Messiah could come in a lowly manner. Their expectation was that when He came, He would establish His Kingdom... and that they would rule the world with Him. Ruling the world held great appeal then, as it still does today.
Jesus called them 'white washed sepulchers full of dead men's bones,' 'blind guides,' 'full of hypocrisy and iniquity,' 'serpents, generation of vipers.' Their minds were closed to the Spirit of God... and their flesh refused to even consider the possibility that they could be wrong. Their confidence and trust then... right up through today... is in their own perceived righteousness... their own status as the 'chosen people of God.'
Matthew 26:59 Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;
Mark 11:18 And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine.
Mark 12:12 And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way.
Luke 19:47-48 And he taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy him, and could not find what they might do: for all the people were very attentive to hear him.
John 7:1 After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him.
He was a threat to their power and hold over the people, and they hated Him for it. So much so, that they finally succeeded in crucifying their Messiah on the cross. To this day, the Jewish people still consider themselves the 'chosen people of God' ... as does the majority of the Christian world. The Jews are still looking for their Messiah to come and fulfill their expectations... to establish his kingdom and rule the world with them. This is why they will accept the anti-Christ when he steps onto the world stage.
Collectively the Church... Christendom today in all her many facets, has done the very same thing. Believers today have been taught imagined expectations pertaining to Christ's long prophesied 'Second Coming.' And again, when Jesus comes in a manner that is contrary to our expectations, we too will fail to recognize and receive Him. (Bear with me here before you pass judgment).
We have built great religious organizations, with millions of members, all just as convinced as the Sadducees and Pharisees of old... that we are the apple of God's eye. Jesus said in John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. Our organized religion has succeeded in taking the LIFE out of Christ's gospel... and reduced it down to ordinances, forms, rituals and traditions.
Religion cannot impart Life. In fact, religion will snuff the life out of a believer if given half a chance. We need to come into agreement with Christ and His doctrine, not the doctrines of men. All of the many denominations and sects throughout Christendom contain parts of the teachings of Christ... they use parts of the commandments handed down to man, but they are still in-part and full of mixture. The people today have been taught the culmination of the vain imaginings of men. We have been taught to expect that at the Lord's return, we will be caught away to meet Him in the clouds. That we will not be required to suffer in this life, completely contrary to Christ's teachings.
This generation is already seeing the fulfillment of the warning given in 2 Timothy 3:1-5 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. These things are all rampant today, both within and without the Church. Can you see the similarities between the attitudes of the Jewish leaders 2000 years ago, and the Christian leaders today?
There is no longer a cry for repentance... for brokenness before God. There is arrogance and pride rather than humility and meekness. We are told that God is only love... there is no knowledge of the 'fear of the Lord.' The Church today is indiscernible from the world... in that they both employ marketing strategies to draw people in and keep them coming back. They both are totally dependent upon being entertained... and to continue operating they require huge sums of money (mammon). The majority of the Church world today believes in the rapture teaching, they are not preparing for Christ's return... they don't think they have to do anything but sit around waiting to be caught up. When that doesn't happen... when persecution arises... they are not going to be prepared to stand. They will cave like a house of cards.
The Jewish nation rejected Christ, the anointed One, and God brought judgment upon them as a nation in 70 A.D. That which calls itself the Church today have abandoned their first love, they have taken other lovers, they are full of mixture, calling darkness light. There are multitudes who are following after 'another Jesus'... 'another gospel'... they have no understanding of Jesus' words to the Church found in Revelation 2:23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.
Ezekiel 36:23 And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.
We have the choice before us today... we choose who and what we will receive and who and what we will reject. Jesus IS coming back to receive us unto Himself... but not in the manner we have been taught. We are in danger of making the same mistake that the Jews made when He came the first time... that of so fully trusting in our expectations that we do not recognize Him when He comes to us. May we humble ourselves before Him... and prepare our hearts to receive Him.
