Know the Time and Be Reconciled (Luke 12:54-59)

Beginning with Chapter 12 of Luke, Jesus says first to His disciples the truth of life, especially about the fatherly care and attention for the children of God. Jesus warns of the hypocrisy of the Pharisees who can kill the body and do no more. But Jesus says His children to fear the One who has authority to throw them into hell. Jesus comforts His disciples by calling “little flock” that the Father in heaven will give the kingdom of light to those who are waiting for the master to come even in the middle of the night or toward daybreak. Jesus also tells them that He came to bring not peace but division because Jesus Christ is the Lord and Master who will determine the destiny of every individual justly and rightly.

Now, our Lord Jesus turned toward the crowd to give a warning that they should take to heed how to interpret the present time as they could interpreted the cloud and hot air. He told a parable why they should interpret the present time, especially judging themselves what is right.

He said to the crowd: “When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, ‘It’s going to rain,’ and it does. And when the south wind blows, you say, ‘It’s going to be hot,’ and it is. Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don’t know how to interpret this present time?” (Luke 12:54-56)

People are very sensitive to the trends and fads of the world. They are also sensitive to the weather because it directly affects their daily lives. The weather news is the essential part of the television news and newspapers. There is even some weather channels dedicated to the weather broadcasting 24 hours. All the smartphone subscribers use weather apps. Why? It’s because they want to be ready and prepared appropriately to fit for the weather.

People know how to respond to the stock market, either buy or sell. People know how to prepare to go to college and to get the better paying jobs. There are so many voices, books, media, televisions, radios, movies, religions, institutions, schools, politicians, forums, conferences, retreats, organizations, associations, libraries, and governments to try to shape up the mind of the people to be prepared and ready for the possibly better future and the upcoming circumstance.

Even in ancient days people knew how to read the appearance of the earth and the sky. When a cloud appeared in the west, Mediterranean sky, they knew the rain would fall. And when the south wind blew, they knew it would be hot and scorching. At that moment, the crowd was the Jews. Every physical revelation is associated with the spiritual meaning and implication. That’s the way of God’s teachings and revelations.

The cloud of rain indicates the shower of God’s blessings upon the nation Israel and beyond. God sent the Promised Messiah and demonstrated many evidences to prove that He was the One to come according to the scriptures. Our Lord Jesus performed many miracles, healing the lame, opening the eyes of the blind, raised the dead, driving out the demons, feeding five thousands, and many others. He also taught the truth of the kingdom of God, revealing the secrets and mysteries of life.

The south wind indicates hot air, blowing from the desert. Our Lord Jesus prophesied the destruction of the city of Jerusalem in Matthew 24:2. “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” It was fulfilled by the Roman Armies in A.D. 70 led by the general Titus. It was just forty years for the destruction to come when our Lord Jesus spoke to the nation.

So, our Lord Jesus says to the crowd that calling them hypocrites because although they knew how to interpret the appearance of the earth and sky they didn’t know how to interpret the present time. They had the Messiah in hands but rejected to believe in Him. Our Lord cried, looking down the holy city of Jerusalem because they refused to receive the outpouring love of God who sent the only begotten Son so that they would not perish but have eternal life by receiving Him as Lord and Master. “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.” (Matthew 23:37)

Our Lord Jesus warned the crowd to judge themselves what was right and to be reconciled with the adversary before they were brought to the court where they would be found guilty and eternally condemned.

“Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right? As you are going with your adversary to the magistrate, try hard to be reconciled on the way, or your adversary may drag you off to the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.” (Luke 12:57-59)

In this parable, our Lord Jesus tells us that they should try hard to be reconciled on the way. At the moment the Jews considered Jesus Christ as an enemy, because they thought He broke the Law of Moses. How could they be reconciled? Admit that they were wrong with the truth and repent in mind and heart and be baptized in the name of Jesus. That’s the only way to be reconciled with God the Judge. Repentance is the way of receiving the love of God manifested in the Son Jesus. Repentance means to change one’s mind and heart and to synchronize with the thought of God. It is the year of the Lord’s favor. Prophet Isaiah prophesied the unconditional offer of God’s love.

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
    because the Lord has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
    to proclaim freedom for the captives
    and release from darkness for the prisoners,
  to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
    and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
   and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
    instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
    instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
    instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
    a planting of the Lord
    for the display of his splendor.” (Isaiah 61:1-3)

But the Day of the Lord will come and no one knows the time when He comes again. It will be a dreadful day as Prophet Malachi prophesied, saying “See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes.” (Malachi 4:5) God doesn’t want to judge anyone and to put him into hell. So, our loving God demonstrated the outpouring love and grace with compassion and mercy in the Son Jesus at Calvary that anyone believes in Him shall have eternal life. God speaks through nature and the Scripture that the way of reconciliation is wide open for those who come to the place where the Lord Jesus Christ was crucified to take away the sin of the world and are cleansed by His blood.

But the time is limited and getting nearer and nearer. There is one sin which cannot be forgiven. Jesus says, “And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.” (Luke 12:10) The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth who only testifies the Son Jesus Christ. If anyone continue to reject the Son Jesus Christ and to the end, his case is hopeless and helpless. They cannot avoid the second death. Do you understand the present time? Listen carefully to the admonition of Apostle Paul.

“And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.” (Romans 13:11-14)