Last First and First Last - Luke 13:30

The beloved physician Luke wrote how Jesus said people, “shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God”, and in chapter thirteen and verse thirty of his book Luke shared how Jesus said, “there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last” where we read:

And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.

The verse reads, “And, behold, there are last which shall be first, ...” Luke began with the words, “and, behold” or “and lo, look and consider” “there are last” which means “there exists people who are at the ends of, the latter end, the lowest and the uttermost” “which shall be first” or “who will be chief in influence, honor, principal and foremost”. Luke shared how Jesus desired for people to consider how there are people who are in humble and lowly positions in this life who will be exalted to positions that are chief in influence and honor in God's Kingdom.

The verse goes on to say, “... and there are first which shall be last.” Luke continued with the words, “and there are first” or “and there exist people who are chief in influence, honor, principal and foremost” “which shall be last” which means “who will exist as at the ends of, the latter end, the lowest and the uttermost”. Luke shared how Jesus said there are people who are in exalted positions in this life who will be in the most humble and lowly in God's Kingdom.

When we think through Luke's words in this verse, we see how people who seem to be in “chief” positions in the world will be placed in “lowly” places in the Kingdom of God, and people who are in “lowly positions” in the world will be exalted to “chief” places in God's Kingdom. Though it seems opposite of the way things naturally work, God sees people according to their faithfulness in whatever position they hold. Sometimes people who feel themselves of little worth and position wonder if they will ever amount to very much at all, however, if they are faithful to the call of God upon their lives, God is watching, and He will lift them up to a place they cannot even imagine. However, if a person believes themselves worthy of their place, position and office, and the world is lucky to have them there, God will grant them a humble position in His Kingdom if they submit themselves to His Son Jesus. Let all who read these words take heed.

Next time Luke shares how “certain of the Pharisees” told Jesus, “Get out, and depart from here: for Herod will kill you”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".