*WISDOM FOR TODAY.*
*JESUS THE PIPER (3)*
*Scripture Treasure.*
Matt 11: 20-24 *Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not:*
*Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.*
*But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.*
*And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.*
*But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.*
*Insight and Highlight.*
Bad consequences follow bad decisions.
*Scripture Commentaries.*
When the people of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum rejected Jesus, they were condemned, and eternal curse was placed on them.
Any wrong decision we make is followed by
bad results.
We can not be wiser than God.
It was unwise for them or anyone to reject Jesus, the Messiah.
The parable of Jesus in Matt 17: *"We have piped to you......"* may be translated to mean
a course of action that was embarked upon but had to be stopped because it was not conclusive for lack of interest of the proposed or intended target/recipient.
The soul that had the opportunity to hear the good news, that saw the light of the many miracles that were performed in his presence, yet remained unmoved shows a lack of repentance and a sign of unwillingness. Such people may never change.
The cities of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum were rebuked for their lack of repentance.
There would be nothing more the Kingdom could offer such souls. There was no more music the piper could play for the people in these three cities.
As it was then, so also it is today. There are people in the categories of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum.
While some like Sodom will receive judgment on judgment day more than they had received here on earth, Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum would receive more.
Just like believers will receive crowns of different names though they are all in Heaven so it would seem, from Jesus' statement, that punishment and judgment of the wicked may differ in severeness though they are all as unbelievers are in hell.
It was unwise to reject the forerunner who prepared the way. Worse still was that they missed the Kingdom of Heaven because they rejected Jesus.
Jesus compared them to wicked cities like Tyre and Sidon and Sodom.
He told them that if Sodom had the same opportunity they had, they would have repented.
There is no act of disrespect, wilful sin, and damaging neglect of God's commands that could be compared to the sin of Sodom.
Till today to eternity, it remains a name for wickedness, homosexuality and other forms of immorality.
However, the worst of Sodom was considered as forgivable if they had the opportunity to repent, ref Gen 18:26-32.
Sodom, which was destroyed by God's fierce indignation of fire and Trye and Sidon, were 'better' than the worst in the Chorazin Bethsaida and Capernaum.
Not so much that Sodom was preferable, but
just like Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 5:24, the sins of the five cities may be circumstantial given how God evalutes them in judgment.
Paul says *Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after.*
The sins of Sodom, Tyre and Sidon, Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum were condemned.
No one sin is greater than the other 1 John 5:17, but an open rejection and condemnation of Jesus by Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum was the same as putting Him to an open shame, ref Heb 6:6-8.
We must be careful of our conduct so that we will not be compared with the world.
If we have received the word of truth, let us walk in it.
We must neither be Sodom, Tyre, and Sidon, or Chorazin, Bethsaida nor Capernaum.
All the cities were condemned, and none was recommended for us to emulate.
It is not good to be void of the opportunities to hear the gospel, witness the word of God, see His miracles yet not believe or accept.
Can you hear Jesus calling?
Can you hear His tunes?
*Remorse corner.*
The word of God and the miracles Jesus testify to the authority of Jesus. To refuse to respond is to reject salvation and be opened to His rebuke and condemnation.
*Call to Word action.*
Isaiah 30:29
*Ye shall have a song, as in the night when a holy solemnity is kept; and gladness of heart, as when one goeth with a pipe to come into the mountain of the LORD, to the mighty One of Israel.*
*The Christian clarion duty.*
We must always remember that good outcomes always come from wise choices.
The people of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum made a bad choice, and it brought eternal condemnation.
*Prayer.*
Lord, help me to make good choices acceptable to You. Let me not fall under Your rebuke in Jesus name.
Good morning all, and have a blessed day.
God bless you.
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