Psalm 105:1-22; 1 Maccabees 4:1-25; Revelation 21:22-22:5; Matthew 18:1-9
The battle is engaged. Judas hears of the enemy’s plans and avoids what would surely have been disaster. Prior to engagement in battle Judas reminds the warriors of what the Lord did in Egypt in delivering His people in spite of overwhelming odds and opposition and then calls them to reliance on their covenant relationship with Yahweh as they fight. He is not depending on military might but on that relationship and the covenant of protection and his aim is that these Gentiles will know that it is the Lord who redeems His people. In the end, the outmanned and out supplied Israelites win the day!
Whoever humbles himself like a child is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Was that the motivation for the disciples’ question of who is greatest? No one could have seen that answer coming and now how do they seek to become great? We still don’t really pursue greatness in the kingdom in the only way Jesus ever said to pursue greatness. We all like recognition and we all want to do something the world, or at least the church, considers truly great. Jesus calls us to greatness in the most countercultural and counterintuitive way possible, to simply humble ourselves, stop seeking greatness by worldly standards. His reply turns everything about who we are and how we think on its head. Our measuring tools don’t work in this instance but we use them anyway. I think we are in for some incredible surprises in eternity. Our minds aren’t renewed enough to understand Him most of the time. Have we embraced Jesus’ way of thinking or are we still thinking like we always have?
In the new creation and the new city there is no temple and there is no sun or moon. There is no temple because the Lord is there and there is no sun because the Lamb is the light of the world. Will all live in the city? It seems that it will be the city of God but that there will be more to the new creation than just the city as we see the kings of the nations coming into her. We are preparing for life in that new creation in this life by learning to think like new people and learning to appreciate the things of God rather than the things of earth. We can appreciate earth as His creation, albeit fallen from its original and intended glory, so long as we move from that appreciation of creation to wonder and worship at the One who created it. We stand in awe of Him and we fall to our knees to worship Him. That is true humility.
Mighty victim from on high,
hell's fierce powers beneath thee lie;
thou hast conquered in the fight,
thou hast brought us life and light:
now no more can death appall,
now no more the grave entrall;
thou hast opened paradise,
and in thee thy saints shall rise.
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