The Son of God will come into a generation like the one He found when He was born of Mary. The scribes and Pharisees are and will be teaching the rules of men as the law of God, this time calling it Christ. The burden is heavy on the backs of those seeking, not by the hand of God, by the hand of the watchmen and the shepherds. Charity has become taxation and the love offering a requirement of membership. Meekness has become clothing and hairstyle. The shepherds grow fat and teach the seekers to seek possessions and to judge instead of to love. Jesus said, “If anyone serves Me, let him follow me; and where I am, there they will be also.” Jesus is in the Kingdom of God. If we seek Him, we will seek the Kingdom of God.
The Kingdom of God is not food or drink nor is it clothes or hair. If Jesus were here today, He would not pass the “spiritual application” required to get a job at most of the religious bodies that call themselves after Christ. Thank God that the Church is not these; the Church is Christ on this earth – the body of the living Christ and has little to do with the administrative social groups that claim to be church. Consider the lily. Would John the Baptist’s hair be short enough? Would the disciples be wearing appropriate footwear? Would the word of God be welcome wearing a robe? You would answer yes knowing the questions in that way. But what if you are asked the same of the least of God’s children? What would you answer then?
The Pharisees of today, just as in Jesus’ day, claim to be the authority. And just like in Jesus’ day, they don’t get it. They walk around saying the same things to each other, dressing according to some made up code, doing what they do and calling it righteousness and teaching it to others. Just like in Jesus’ day, they make law of men’s rules and call it righteousness. Jesus, the Son of God, is our righteousness. No, one cannot continue to walk or live in sin. One must follow the righteousness to the Kingdom of God; not the rules of man but the righteousness that is our Lord.
To the shepherds of this generation Ezekiel’s warning is made new, “This said the Lord God, ‘woe to the shepherds who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks? . . . I Am against the shepherds, and will require My flock at their hand; I will cause them to cease feeding the sheep, and the shepherds will feed themselves no more; for I will deliver My flock from their mouths, that they will no longer be food for them.'” The offerings that were given out of love in the name of Jesus will now find their way into the cups of the poor and the houses of the widows and fatherless. When the workers of God come calling, the widows and the fatherless will not judge them by their clothes or the length of their hair, but will see the works of the Lord of righteousness.
When Jesus calls the righteous to stand on His right side, He will not know them by their dress or hairstyles. He will know them because He is their righteousness. They will answer Jesus and say, “when did we clothe you or feed you or take you in?” When you ceased fattening the shepherds and starting feeding the flocks. When you gave to the least instead of to the mighty. When you did it to the least of these. Seek you first the Kingdom of God.
© 2000 Tim D. Coulter Sr.