The First – Last and the Last - First - Matthew 19:30

Matthew the apostle wrote how Jesus said, “Verily I say unto you, That you which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And every one that has forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life”, and in chapter nineteen and verse thirty of his book, Matthew shares how Jesus said what happens to, “the first … and the last” where we read:

But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.

The verse reads, “But many that are first shall be last;”. Matthew began with the word, “but” or “” “many that are first” which means “massive and large groups who are chief in influence, honor and rank” “shall be last” or “will be at the uttermost part, the end and lowest of rank”. Matthew shared how Jesus said a lot of people who are “chief in influence and honor” will be “at the end and lowest rank” among people.

The verse continues, “and the last shall be first.” Matthew added the words, “and the last” or “and the people who are at the uttermost part, the end and lowest of rank” “shall be first” which means “will be chief in influence, honor and rank”. Matthew wrote how Jesus declared the people who are of “lowest rank” will be made to be the “chief in influence and honor” among people.

When we meditate upon Matthew's words in this verse, we may wonder how this works in the world. Many people consider themselves as the “first” or of highest rank, and they feel themselves just a little better than others. Other people humble themselves and believe themselves to be “nobodies”. However, in God's Kingdom, people who have obtained the “first” positions in the world shall be the “last” there, and those who are in the “last” positions in the world will be the “chief” there. God desires to have relationship with every person through His Son Jesus, and when they align themselves with Him, their position in His Kingdom will likely be opposite to their station in this world.

Next time we begin a new chapter and see Matthew writes how Jesus says, “the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder”, 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.