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9/8 Reading Portions: 2 Samuel 2; 1 Corinthians 13; Ezekiel 11; Psalm 50
Psalm 50:12
“If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are Mine.”
HUNGRY
As a Man, Jesus hungered. It is mentioned in the gospel narratives. Both Matthew and Luke tell us Jesus became hungry after fasting forty days and nights in the wilderness (Matt 4:2; Luke 4:2). Yet Jesus never told His disciples that He was hungry. As perfect Man, Jesus inquired of His heavenly Father for all His earthly needs (Phil 4:19). As God incarnate, Jesus owns all that is in the world and its fullness. This is one of the reasons Jesus cursed the barren fig tree when He became hungry (Matt 21:18-18; Mark 11:12-14). The fig tree provided no fruit for the Son of God, its Creator, thus illustrating how saturated with sin the world had become through Adam’s disobedience. Rebellion against God brings a curse, whether you’re the first man clothed in figgy leaves or a leafy fig tree with no fruit (even being out of season). Jesus hungers for righteousness in His creation. Disobedience to His call and commands will bring His ultimate judgment. We who are saved by His grace, however, will stand in the Day of Judgment (Psa 1:5) because Christ Jesus is the blessed Man (Psa 1:1-3) who stands in our place (Psa 1:4). Jesus owns all, but He owns us most especially because we are bought with the price of His perfect life, precious blood, and atoning death (1 Cor 6:20). Jesus is therefore worthy to partake of the righteous fruit of our lives. Nevertheless, fruit must come forth because we’ve been made new creations in Christ. If we remove detestable things and abominations (Ezek 11:18), it means nothing unless we have “one heart, and new spirit” put within us (Ezek 11:19) because the text says, “And” (Ezek 11:19); and this is by God’s grace because He makes it happen. As a result, we…
“may walk in [God’s] statutes and keep [His] rules and obey them.” Ezekiel 11:20
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
I’m not ashamed to praise my Christ,
Or to defend His cause;
Sing of His glorious sacrifice,
And honor all His laws.
