Originally posted: 09/28/2019
When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it, 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,” (19:41-42).
The hardness of their hearts, their rebellious unwillingness to humble themselves and accept His way over their own preconceived notions about His kingdom had severe ramifications; and it broke His heart.
But before this heartbreaking judgment, before the hiding from their eyes, there was much He revealed, so very much He Did Not Hide.
Consider What He Did Not Hide
- He Did Not Hide He is the Savior.
- When Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, “Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.”… 9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham, (19:5, 9).
- He Did Not Hide His Purpose.
- “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost,” (19:10).
- He Did Not Hide He will come again as Judge.
- So He said, “A nobleman went to a distant country to receive a kingdom for himself, and then return… 15 When he returned, after receiving the kingdom, he ordered that these slaves, to whom he had given the money, be called to him so that he might know what business they had done… 17 And he said to him, ‘Well done, good slave, because you have been faithful in a very little thing, you are to be in authority over ten cities.’… 27 But these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them in my presence,” (19:12, 15, 17, 27).
- He Did Not Hide He is the Triumphant King.
- They brought it to Jesus, and they threw their coats on the colt and put Jesus on it. 36 As He was going, they were spreading their coats on the road. 37 As soon as He was approaching, near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles which they had seen, 38 shouting: “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord,” (19:35-37).
- He Did Not Hide He is Worthy of Praise.
- Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.” 40 But Jesus answered, “I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out!” (19:39-40).
- He Did Not Hide He is the Lord of the Temple.
- Jesus entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling, 46 saying to them, “It is written, ‘And My house shall be a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a robbers’ den,” (19:45-46).
- He Did Not Hide the Power of His Word.
- …the chief priests and the scribes and the leading men among the people were trying to destroy Him, 48 and they could not find anything that they might do, for all the people were hanging on to every word He said, (19:47-48).
How do we respond to What He Did Not Hide?
Although there is much about Him we do not understand for His thoughts and ways are high above ours (Isaiah 55:8-9), there is much He Did Not Hide; so very much He has made evident about Himself so that all of us are without excuse.
…because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse, (Romans 1:19-20).
Remember yesterday, the blind beggar in Luke 18? Though he was blind, it was clearly evident to him that Jesus was his only hope for mercy.
As Jesus was approaching Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the road begging. Now hearing a crowd going by, he began to inquire what this was. 37 They told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. 38 And he called out, saying, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 39 Those who led the way were sternly telling him to be quiet; but he kept crying out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Luke 18:35-39).
In his desperation, this lowly beggar would not be silenced. He was willing to lose his dignity before man; and in his dogged determination he gained the attention of Jesus, the Son of David.
And Jesus stopped and commanded that he be brought to Him; and when he came near, He questioned him, 41 “What do you want Me to do for you?” (Luke 18:40-41).
We too are in desperate need of His mercy to open our eyes of faith to see Him in His preeminence, purpose, praise, and power. Let us be dogged in our appeals to the only One Who can open our eyes to see What He Did Not Hide.
And he said, “Lord, I want to regain my sight!” 42 And Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has made you well.” 43 Immediately he regained his sight and began following Him, glorifying God; and when all the people saw it, they gave praise to God, (Luke 18:41-43).
May we continually seek Him, our powerful and merciful God, to open our eyes that we may see What He Did Not Hide.
Open my eyes, that I may behold
Wonderful things from Your law.
19 I am a stranger in the earth;
Do not hide Your commandments from me, (Psalm 119:18-19).
And when in His grace and mercy He turns to us to open our eyes, may we never hide what He has shown us, what He has done in us. May our Father in heaven be glorified every day as we make evident to those around us What He Did Not Hide.
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven,” (Matthew 5:14-16).