Results 1 - 7 of 7
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | The time of your visitation? | Luke 19:44 | humbledbyhisgrace | 177674 | ||
Greetings Brothers and Sisters! Looking for some help on this passage of scripture. Luke 19:41-44 (NASB95) 19:41 When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it, 19:42 saying, "If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes. 19:43 "For the days will come upon you when your enemies will throw up a barricade against you, and surround you and hem you in on every side, 19:44 and they will level you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation." Is it accurate to say that the time of ones visitation may be over long before ones death so to speak and that after this time of visitation the way will be hidden? I struggle to even ask the question properly :-( These are the things that stand out to me and I want to make sure I am not reading into this. Verse 44 mentions the time of ones visitation and the fact it was not recognized. Verse 42 seems to me to say judgment had already been passed for the things which make for peace were "now" hidden from their eyes. Does this apply to salvation? |
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2 | The time of your visitation? | Luke 19:44 | DocTrinsograce | 177675 | ||
Dear Humbled, There's a tendency in almost everyone today to try to dig up some kind of deeper meaning behind things. Its almost as if there is a disdain for things that obvious and clear. Evangelicalism suffers from this malady today. It is true that the Scriptures cannot properly be understood without the Holy Spirit. To the lost there is little hope of comprehending. I don't think that's because it is something magical. The lost are so concerned with themselves and their hatred of God that they push the truth away. God is far above our ability to understand. Nevertheless, He has taken great care to explain Himself through history, poetry, instruction, etc. of the Word of God. Even the authors of Scripture wanted people to understand. They weren't trying to hide things in a code or something. Now that doesn't mean that everything is simple. No, sometimes truth is deeply profound. But that doesn't mean we should expect it to always be so profound! Consequently, when we read a passage we look for the clear and obvious meaning. Let's look at this passage: And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples." He answered, "I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out." And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, "Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation." (Luke 19:39-44 ESV) Christ is speaking to the Pharisees. They were objecting to the people's reaction to his triumphal entry into Jerusalem (see verses 36-38). Christ had told the Pharisees that they did not believe in Him because they were not "His sheep" (John 10:26). Instead, they chose the darkness that they loved (see John 1). Christ tells them that God has given them up to a judicial blindness. They can't see the things that make for peace with God. As a consequence judgment would come upon them. Christ prophesies here of the destruction of Jerusalem. The "visitation" he speaks of here is His own entrance into history: the very thing happening before the Pharisees eyes. I hope that helps you to understand this passage properly. You might want to look through the thread I posted sometime back on properly interpreting the Scriptures (#156916). In particular there is a section on interpreting narrative (#157733). (This passage in question is of the literary form known as narrative.) In Him, Doc |
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3 | The time of your visitation? | Luke 19:44 | humbledbyhisgrace | 177774 | ||
Greetings Doc! Thanks for the reply. I have read your post you mentioned in the past. As a matter of fact, I have several resources on hand related to how to study the bible also and I read them from time to time. I also saved your post in the past as a quick reference ;-) Like all areas of study this is one I'm sure I need much more time with. Application of these methods being the tricky part! Praise God for the Holy Spirit Amen? I can assure you of this, I am not one to try and dig something up that isn't there. It is true I don't understand it all but searching the scriptures for hidden codes is not at all what I do when reading the Word. If you have time, read Brother John Piper's sermon on these scriptures. I would like to hear your thoughts on his sermon if you have time. I found this online last night and thought it would be interesting to add to the discussion. Thanks again my Brother for the response! God Bless, Steve |
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4 | The time of your visitation? | Luke 19:44 | DocTrinsograce | 177776 | ||
Dear Brother Steve, I apologize if it sounded as though I thought you were trying to read something into that passage. What I meant was that the tendency to do that is so widespread that it is easy for us all to slip into that mode. With regards to application: Our tendency is to identify with Christ in narratives like that. However, I suspect greater instruction can be derived by identifying with the Pharisees. I'll check out Piper's teaching on this passage. In Him, Doc |
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5 | The time of your visitation? | Luke 19:44 | humbledbyhisgrace | 177819 | ||
No need to apologize Doc! I think I know you well enough now to know that even if that was your intent it was done out of love for a brother and to redirect where one might be barking up the wrong tree ;-) Trust me, I can take the redirection should I need it! I've learned to not only accept it from those I know to be my brothers and sisters in Christ but to expect it from time to time. I hang out with the old guys at church ;-) For some reason they have taken me in as one of there own and it's as if they our out to disciple me every step of the way. Guess what I'm learning the most from them??? Patients! That's a tuff one for me! I probably should have clarified my comment of assurance with "why I can assure you!" I'll do that now to clear the air. It is a great fear I have of misleading others and of not understanding it myself. I truly want to understand the Word myself but there is also a God given desire in me to share it with others. Have you ever had to deal with a burning passion you couldn't hold back yet have a constant fear of hurting someone else out of neglect or ignorance? I'm like a blind man walking through a mine field and there is an irresistible draw to the other side that I can't ignore and I'm constantly trying to get the other blind folks to follow me :-) I don't want to hurt them but I don't want them to miss out either. God bless you brother. I've learned much from you and others on this forum. Never hesitate to teach because I'm sure there are others learning from the folks on this forum as well. Steve |
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6 | The time of your visitation? | Luke 19:44 | DocTrinsograce | 177824 | ||
Dear Brother Steve, Your concern for the proper handling of the Word is one born of the change that God has wrought in your life. It is a Godly fear. It is proper and right that we be concerned to properly present the whole Word accurately, completely, and without embellishment. It is a very serious task that He has given us, and one for which we shall be judged. However, I'd also like to commend you for your desire to minister the Word to others. This, also, is a God given desire. (The old divines called it an unction.) Like the former fear, this desire is evidence of your salvation. So be of good cheer! My only advice, brother, is that you continue to learn and continue to teach. Pray that God will bring Himself glory as He magnifies the truth. Ask Him to show you when you are in error, and that He would also mitigate the consequences of such error. Also beg Him to work the power of the Word in your own life. This is how I approach my own teaching and preaching. I often think of the following two verses, that seem well connected... "But His Word was in my heart as a burning fire... (Jeremiah 20:9) ...Yea, woe unto me if I preach not the Gospel! (1 Corinthians 9:16)" Perhaps you will find comfort and encouragement in the following old, Puritan prayer: "My Master God, I am desired to preach today, but go weak and needy to my task; yet I long that people might be edified with divine truth, that an honest testimony might be borne for Thee; give me assistance in preaching and prayer, with heart uplifted for grace and unction. Present to my view things pertinent to my subject, with fullness of matter and clarity of thought, proper expressions, fluency, fervency, a feeling sense of the things I preach, and grace to apply them to men's consciences. Keep me conscious all the while of my defects, and let me not gloat in pride over my performance. Help me to offer a testimony for Thyself, and to leave sinners inexcusable in neglecting Thy mercy. Give me freedom to open the sorrows of Thy people, and to set before them comforting considerations. Attend with power the truth preached, and awaken the attention of my slothful audience. May Thy people be refreshed, melted, convicted, comforted, and help me to use the strongest arguments drawn from Christ's incarnation and sufferings, that men might be made holy. "I myself need Thy support, comfort, strength, holiness, that I might be a pure channel of Thy grace, and be able to do something for Thee; give me then refreshment among Thy people, and help me not to treat excellent matter in a defective way, or bear broken testimony to so worthy a Redeemer, or be harsh in treating of Christ's death, its design and end, from lack of warmth and fervency. And keep me in tune with Thee as I do this work." One last point: I was reading J. I. Packer the other day. "Wherein comes the skill to apply God's truth appropriately in preaching?" he asked. "From the experience of having God apply His truth powerfully to oneself." John Owen said something similar, but related, "If the Word does not dwell with power in us, it will not pass with power from us." Persevere, dear brother! Persevere! In Him, Doc |
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7 | The time of your visitation? | Luke 19:44 | humbledbyhisgrace | 177946 | ||
Greetings Doc! Great stuff Brother! One point in particular, "beg Him to work the power of the Word in your own life" Amen! It reminds me of a few of the older brothers and sisters in my local church. You can see it in them! They teach by example! This also applied to our Pastor who recently went Home! I learned much from his example. God bless, Steve |
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