Done in a Green Tree or in the Dry - Luke 23:31

Luke the beloved physician wrote when Jesus was condemned to be crucified, “as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus. And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him. But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us.”, and in chapter twenty-three and verse thirty-one of his book Luke shared how Jesus asked, “if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?” where we read:

For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?

The verse reads, “For if they do these things in a green tree, ...” Luke began with the words, “For if they do these things” or “because, since and on account that whether people perform, produce and make ready the troublesome times and difficulties” “in a green tree” which means “within a damp, moist, wet and full of sap tree”. Luke shared how Jesus referred to what people did during the time when there was freshness and vitality when He was on the earth.

The verse continues, “... what shall be done in the dry?” Luke added the words, “what shall be done” which means “what will be the thing performed, produced and made ready” “in the dry” or “within the shrunken, withered and scorched earth”? Luke shared how Jesus questioned how people would act when there it was “arid and withered” on the earth or without Him.

When we consider Luke's words in this verse, we see how Jesus implied there was a time of freshness and opportunity while He was on the earth, and yet, people treated Him in the manner they did, and He questioned what would happen when He was no longer around. God knows the future on the earth and in Heaven, and His desire is for people to be the “Lord and Savior” of their lives so regardless of how the times are on the earth, they may rely upon Him. Those who are wise will yield their lives to Him and allow Him to govern over their lives regardless of what people do.

Next time Luke shares how, “two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death”, 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".