TEXT: Matthew 11:20-22 – “Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent: 21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, 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. 22 But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you.”
Continuing our study in the Book of Matthew. We have started looking at Jesus as He reassures the disciples of John the Baptist, rebukes several cities, rejoices in His Father’s wisdom, and reveals that He is the only way to the Father in Chapter 11. We saw that even the strongest of Saints can be affected by Doubt, Despair, and Depression.
Today, let us continue to look at Matthew’s account of the Rebuking by the Savior. We are going to see His rebuke of three Galilean cities of His day – Korazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum. We will begin by looking at the rebuke to Korazin and Bethsaida.
Jesus spoke of their privilege in verses 20 and 21. He goes on to condemn their pride in verse 21. They had rejected Him. They did not repent and seek the Kingdom of God. They did not believe in Him as the promised Messiah.
So, Jesus continued to pronounce their punishment in verse 22. Tyre and Sidon better off on the day of judgment than they would be. Along with the city of Tyre, Sidon was the most powerful city-state of ancient Phoenicia and first manufactured the purple dye which made Tyre famous and was so rare and expensive that the color purple became synonymous with royalty. They worshipped Gods such as Baal, Astarte, and Melqart and had temples built in their name, offerings, and sacrifices were regularly made to them. In the case of Astarte, there was a tradition of women prostituting themselves in her honor. At particular times of danger, for example, war or natural disaster, human sacrifices, largely children, were also made. The victims were killed by fire, although it is not clear precisely how.
The Sidonian princess Jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal, married to King Ahab of Israel. Jezebel's insistence on maintaining her own religion and personal identity was an affront to a number of Ahab's subjects and, most notably, the prophet Elijah who denounced her. Jezebel and Ahab's rule was ended by a coup by the general Jehu.
So, this is a heavy
declaration coming from our Lord. That these evil cities would be better off on
the day of judgment.
Tomorrow we conclude
with His rebuke of the city of Capernaum.
No comments:
Post a Comment