Luke 19:37-48 – “As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, ³⁸ saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” ³⁹ And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” ⁴⁰ He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.” ⁴¹ And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, ⁴² saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. ⁴³ For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side ⁴⁴ and tear you down to the ground, you, and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.” ⁴⁵ And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold, ⁴⁶ saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of robbers.” ⁴⁷ And he was teaching daily in the temple. The chief priests and the scribes and the principal men of the people were seeking to destroy him, ⁴⁸ but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were hanging on his words.”  ESV

Back to our question as to why these people or any people would miss the time of their visitation.

Number Three – Placing Improper Worth on God’s House, Word, and Work. 

The visual of Jesus casting out the money changers is evidence of this truth.  They had perverted the purpose and focus of God’s house.  Jesus said in (v. 46) – “My house shall be a house of prayer.”  They had made it a place of merchandise not a place of worship!

God’s House is a place of Prayer!  God’s House is a place of Worship!  God’s House is a place of Learning!  God’s House is a place of Salvation!  God’s House is a place of Discipleship!  To corrupt, the purpose of God’s House is to blaspheme the Name of God!

Irreverence for God’s House and God’s Word distracts and blinds one to the visitation of God.  It mutes the message of the Gospel with the mundane and noise of self-centeredness.

Why did those people manifest this gross spiritual ignorance?  Why did they fail to grasp the things of which Jesus spoke?  Why did they fail to recognize the time of their visitation?  Why?  They were filled with religious prejudice.  They were too preoccupied with themselves. They placed improper worth and reverence on God, God’s House, God’s Work, and God’s Word. 

The question for us is are we willing to acknowledge any failure on our part and come to Him for cleansing?  Are we willing to make ourselves available to Him and His purposes and become involved in the Kingdom?

Sadly, too many fail to realize their time of visitation and allow their heart to become so filled with other cares they crowd out all thought of God and His purpose.  They allow their hearts to become hard toward the things of God.  They place a higher value on themselves than on God and others. 

The scripture says, “Today is the day of salvation.”  I urge you to realize that He is here right now on this earth extending His Grace, Peace, Power, Promise, and Mercy to whosoever will hear and heed His call.  This is our time of visitation.  Will we recognize it?

God bless you as you enjoy this day in Jesus!