“AND HE AROSE from thence, and cometh into the coasts of Judea by the farther side of Jordan: and the people resort unto Him again; and, as He was wont, He taught them again.”
Jesus did not stay long in one place, for He had come to present His love to all of Israel, and the time was short. We have noticed how He was received in many of the places. Some would not have Him; others would not listen to His words; others rudely challenged Him and sought to discredit His being the Son of God. Yet there were some who gladly received Him and proved the reality of His blessings. We are not today privileged to see the Saviour, yet He says: “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.” Rev. 3:2020Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. (Revelation 3:20). Have you heard that knock at your heart’s door? and have you opened the door to Him? If not, delay no longer. He will not forever knock and perhaps your delay in answering may close your opportunity forever.
Once more those who refused Jesus sought to trap Him. “And the Pharisees came to Him, and asked Him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting Him.” The Lord, well aware that they were not sincere in their question, asked in turn: “What did Moses command you?” When they reply, He “suffered to write a bill of divorcement,” the Lord reminds them this was only because of the hardness of their hearts. But from the beginning it was not so, and God never intended that what He joined together should be put asunder by man. The Pharisees could not deny the truth of this and were silenced.
Next we read: “They brought young children to Him, that He should touch them; and His disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, He was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God.” We can easily understand the Lord’s displeasure, for He loves every little one and we have already noticed how often He expressed His tender thoughts toward them.
The disciples—perhaps thinking the children not important enough to take up their Master’s time when there were so many older people needing attention—held the young ones back, but entirely misunderstood the character of the Saviour in doing so. He found in these little ones, not contaminated with sinful ways, an eager acceptance of His love, and taking them in His arms, blessed them. Let every Christian mother and father be encouraged by the oft-repeated examples of the love of the Lord toward little children, and bring their own little ones to Him early in life, ere their hearts become hardened by the deceitfulness of sin, pride, disobedience and other evil that Satan so soon puts in their pathway.
God’s Word emphasizes the need of such faithfulness in the home (not merely attending religious services). May the love of parents toward the little ones respond to this family responsibility, so well expressed in the scripture: “And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” Deut. 6:6-76And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 7And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. (Deuteronomy 6:6‑7).
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