In The Word
Read: Luke 10:13-24
13 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that occurred in you had occurred in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you. 15 And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You will be brought down to Hades!
16 “The one who listens to you listens to Me, and the one who rejects you rejects Me; but the one who rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me.”
The Joyful Results
17 Now the seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name!” 18 And He said to them, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like lightning. 19 Behold, I have given you authority to walk on snakes and scorpions, and authority over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you. 20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.”
21 At that very time He rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for doing so was well pleasing in Your sight. 22 All things have been handed over to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son determines to reveal Him.”
23 Turning to the disciples, He said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see the things you see; 24 for I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see the things that you see, and did not see them, and to hear the things that you hear, and did not hear them.”
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
Yeshua warned the cities of Chorazin and Capernaum because, even though they saw miracles performed, they continued in their wicked ways. You see, God had destroyed the cities of Tyre and Sidon because of their wickedness. He told the people that if the cities of Tyre and Sidon had seen the same miracles they had seen, they would have long ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. In those days, the seventy disciples that were sent out were going about teaching and performing many miracles, and all who believed were saved. By the declaration Yeshua made to these cities, we know not all received the message.
When the seventy returned from their mission, they were joyful about the exploits they had seen. While they were out, they witnessed demons yield to the authority they had been given by the Messiah. They were excited that they were being used to do such things. I can imagine this made the disciples feel incredible because of the power they possessed. But Jesus reminded them that satan was already defeated. “And He said to them, ‘I was watching satan fall from heaven like lightning. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you’ ” (Luke 10:18-19).
We are confronted with a great lesson in these passages. That lesson is that even though God is using us to do His work, it should not be the source of our rejoicing. Rather, we should take comfort and pleasure in knowing that our names are recorded in heaven.