READING FOR MARCH 10, 2026: ISAIAH 30, MATTHEW 27, PSALM 18:20-30 ISAIAH 30 God calls Judah rebellious children. That might not sound so bad given America’s individualist emphasis, but it puts Judah in the same category with Adam and Eve, our sinful and fallen parents. They had a plan, but it wasn’t God’s plan. They had an ally, but it wasn’t God’s Spirit. They took action but did not seek direction from God first. Judah sought protection but from the Egyptians who were shameful and disgraceful. This is the same recipe for any person or church who strays from God. They look for help from contemporary sources who do not honor God’s revealed plan, presence, practices, and protection. They might continue to exist in some form, but not as obedient children of God. For example, here is the original motto of Harvard College: "Truth for Christ and the Church." Here is its current mission: “To educate the citizens and citizen-leaders for our society.”
Verse six begins a section about animals of the Negev. Why this zoological information all of sudden? These animals represent threats Judah would face traveling to Egypt--threats Judah likely had not considered until the Lord saw fit to enlighten them. God said in effect, the dangers are not worth it, especially since Egypt would not be helpful. In verse eight God told them to document His words. He wanted a permanent written record of His warnings. Why? “That it may serve in the time to come as a witness forever.” What time to come did He have in mind? How about including March 10, 2026. As what Harvard has done over the centuries, Judah told the prophets to “stop speaking before us about the Holy One of Israel.” Instead, they said, “You must not prophesy the truth to us. Speak to us pleasant words.” Or as Havard might say, words that are more palatable in “our citizens and society.” God said that this attitude will lead to collapse.
Despite all this, we learn that God still “longs to be gracious to you, and therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you.” Can we believe it? Are we keeping Him waiting? God longs to show us the way. Has He done this? YES: “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me”’ (John 14:6). God, who longs to have compassion on us, is, however, also a God of ultimate authority and holiness. What is the future like for those who reject His way? “And the Lord will cause His voice of authority to be heard, and the descending of His arm to be seen in fierce anger, and in the flame of a consuming fire in cloudburst, downpour and hailstones” (vs. 20). This sounds like what was revealed to John about the last days: “Huge hailstones, weighing about a talent each, came down from heaven upon people; and people blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, because the hailstone plague was extremely severe” (Rev. 16:21).
MATTHEW 27 This chapter provides the details of the crucifixion, part one of the most important two-part event in human history. The passage does not extensively discuss the cross’s theological significance, although this will be addressed below. Rather, it mostly describes the action and provides revealing glimpses into those involved. Let’s explore some of their stories. They might provide insight about how we and others today respond to Jesus.
Judas. It seems that Judas did not expect his actions to lead to Jesus’s execution (vs. 3). He regretted his sin, proclaimed Jesus’s innocence, tried to give back the money, and hung himself. This paints a more nuanced picture of Judas. Note, though, the text does not say his remorse led him to seek forgiveness or place his faith in Jesus. Many may regret their sins, but that is not the same as being saved. Also, consider how, like Judas, we can disastrously underestimate the eventual consequence of our sins. BE HOLY BECAUSE GOD IS HOLY.
READINGS FOR MARCH 10, 2026 Continued: Matthew 27, Psalm 18:20-30 Religious Leadership. Their response to Judas (vs. 4) proves they had no interest in the truth. They acknow- ledged they understood all along that Jesus had predicted his resurrection (vs.62-63), not His destruction and rebuilding of the temple as they earlier alleged. Even Pilate, the Roman governor, knew their motive was envy (vs. 18). They used positions of trust to shape public opinion to call for Jesus’s execution. They took no pity on the innocent Jesus even while He hung on the cross. Instead, they mocked His seeming inability to save Himself as He was dying to pay the price for their sins. This is a gross example of how the desire to hold power can seduce even religious leaders to heights of injustice. WE ARE ALL SUSCEPTABLE.
Roman Soldiers. The behavior of the Roman soldiers described in verses 27-37 was disgusting. It was in the tradition of military abuses displayed in more recent times during the Bataan Death March and at the Abu Ghraib prison. That said, they were eyewitnesses to how Jesus died and all the accompanying dramatic events: three-hours of darkness, an earthquake, saints coming out of their tombs, and the veil in the temple tearing from top to bottom. They responded with the clearest statement of the truth of Jesus: “Truly this was the Son of God.” As we keep learning, DON’T ASSUME OTHERS WILL NEVER BELIEVE THE TRUTH OF JESUS.
Theological Implications for us:
- The tearing of the temple veil from top to bottom shows how Jesus’s atoning death fully paid for our sins. The sacrificial system only pointed to this result. ACCESS TO GOD IS NOW ONLY THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS, not a priest making annual sacrifices. Christians are now the temples of the Holy Spirit.
- As Jesus hung on the cross, He quoted from Psalm 22: “My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Some believe Jesus did not really feel forsaken because the Psalm in its totality eventually voices confidence in God’s goodness. Others just cannot accept the Father would treat Jesus this way. Still others believe that the Father didhave to turn His back on His Son so that He would experience the full weight of God’s wrath on the sins of the world. Part of that wrath included separation from the Father. Of course, Jesus knew the eventual result would be positive: bringing those who believe into eternal relationship with God. But looking back to His plea in the Garden to avoid the cross, if possible, we cannot dismiss the fact that His death was unlike any other: bearing the full wrath for the world’s sins as He separated from the Father. JESUS WAS FORSAKEN BY THE FATHER IN OUR PLACE!
PSALM 18:20-30 This is a Psalm David spoke after God delivered him from his enemies. As we saw from the first 20 verses, David was over the top in His praise to God for rescuing Him. No one could accuse him of think- ing he achieved this result on his own. These next verses might make us a little uneasy, though. Is David being a bit too self-righteous? Here is a perspective from Biblical scholar Dr. R. Herbert: “In the Hebrew Bible the word sedek, which is often translated as ‘righteousness.’ literally means ’straightness’ as opposed to ‘crooked- ness,’ but it is usually used of the status of relationships rather than as a measure of perfection.” Indeed, sedek is the word used here. David is far from perfect, as will become increasingly clear. He did, however, start out walking with the Lord and here rightly ascribes all credit to God: “For Thou dost light my lamp; the Lord my God illumines my darkness” (Psalm 18:28). As David did, let’s walk in the light of God’s word. In addition, let’s balance any confidence we might feel from our relationship with God with wisdom from the New Testament: “Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you” (James 4:10).
