Matthew 12:38-50
³⁸Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.”
³⁹But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet; ⁴⁰for just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
⁴¹The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment, and will condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.
⁴²The Queen of the South will rise up with this generation at the judgment and will condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.
⁴³Now when the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and does not find it.
⁴⁴Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came’; and when it comes, it finds it unoccupied, swept, and put in order.
⁴⁵Then it goes and takes along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. That is the way it will also be with this evil generation.” Changed Relationships
⁴⁶While He was still speaking to the crowds, behold, His mother and brothers were standing outside, seeking to speak to Him.
⁴⁷Someone said to Him, “Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside seeking to speak to You.”
⁴⁸But Jesus answered the one who was telling Him and said, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?” ⁴⁹And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, “Behold My mother and My brothers! ⁵⁰For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother.”
Devotional
When you evangelize, you quickly discover that many have a strong anti-Jesus attitude.
Many scribes and Pharisees do not want to repent, but they want to see a sign. But to these wicked and faithless people, Jesus says they will receive no other sign than the sign of Jonah (Matthew 12:38-40).
However, a sign can also be requested from another setting. As was the case with Gideon (Judges 6:17,36-40). And also with King Hezekiah (2 Kings 20:8-11). Then God will give what is asked. He cares about strengthening faith.
The Greeks are philosophical, but the Jews want signs (1 Corinthians 1:22). Jesus only gives the Pharisees the sign of Jonah (Jonah 1:17).
Jonah was a disobedient prophet. Yet he went to Nineveh with a message of repentance. And the city repented (Jonah 3:4,5). This principle also applies to the scribes and Pharisees. No great miracles, just a simple conversion. But they don’t want that.
The queen of Sheba was impressed by Solomon’s wisdom. She honored God for it (1 Kings 10:1-13).
- In the final judgment, the converted people of Nineveh and the queen of Sheba will be on Jesus’ side. They will condemn those who would not repent (Matthew 12:41,42).
- An unbeliever is on the side of the devil until Jesus comes. Then the unclean spirit must give way to Jesus.
In the desert, where death reigns and where there are no people, that evil spirit finds no rest. When he returns to the one in whom he has lived and finds that house of life empty, he moves in with seven of his kind.
It ends badly for that man or woman (Matthew 12:43-45). With conversion it would have been completely different. For where the Spirit is, there can be no demon.
How important it is that we are always full of the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18)!
In Matthew 12:46-50, Jesus rejects the appeal to blood ties as a criterion for true attachment to Him.
That real connection lies in doing the will of the Father (Matthew 7:21-27).
Therefore, build a deep relationship with the Lord Jesus by obeying the Father.
Question
- Where will you stand at the final judgment?
Prayer Suggestion
- Thank Jesus for living in a close relationship with Him.
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