Distance Devotions – April 16, 2020
Matthew 11:12 – The Violent Take It By Force
Matthew 11:12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
The Bible has some hard to be understood terminology. There are endless debates of Melchisedec whether he was a type or a preincarnate Christophany. Hebrews chapters 6 and 10 have been the source of endless writing defending one position or another. And, who can by-pass Genesis 6 where we read about the giants, the sons of God, and the daughters of men? I have been on both sides of that debate sometimes almost at the same time! But, today, we see perhaps one of the strangest texts of all. Heaven taken by violence? Can it be?
How do people approach God today? Unfortunately many seem to think that God is their BFF and pal. The overly casual approach to the Lord is distressing to me and I believe demeaning and disgusting to the Lord of the Universe. How dare we haphazardly or lightly approach unto Him while angels cover their eyes out of reverence? Moses, the meekest man on all the earth, the divinely chosen leader of the Jewish nation even spoke of his fear and trembling before the Triune God. Fast forward to the year 2020, we see some “minister” in his skinny jeans, tee shirt and blazer, following the laser light show and praise band, step out and begin to speak of the God who created the universe in what can best be described as untoward familiar terms. Where is the sense of the holy and pure? Lost in our drive to “be real,” I can only assume.
What does it mean then for the violent to take Heaven? I am not going to be dogmatic about this, but I believe what I am about to write is the truth about this text. Instead of a BFF/Pal approach to God, in the Gospels, we see men and women who were desperate to get to Him. The woman with the issue of blood, worked her way through the crowd and crouching down near His feet, touched the hem of His garment and was immediately healed. Jairus’ daughter lay dying and nothing would do, but that Jesus must come to his house and heal her. The Syro-Phoenician woman begged for “the crumbs” that fell from the table. Blind Bartimaeus cried out and when people tried to silence him cried all the louder! Four friends, seeking some way to help their sick, bedridden friend, tore the roof up on the house where Jesus was just to lower their friend down in front of the One who could heal. Sounds pretty violent to me. When men are at the end of themselves, they are ready to grasp the outstretched hand of the Savior. Have you come to that place in your life? Have you with energy, with violence cried out to the God who alone can save? If not, please, please, do so today. And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
Pastor F. J. Weems III