Jesus sends the 72 in our reading today. it's easy to forget that He did this. we remember the 12... but i often forget about these 72. i wonder who they were? the Bible is pretty good about giving us people's names... we even know the names of the sons of the man who was forced to carry Jesus's cross. but we don't ever get the names of these 72 men.
i bet they have some stories to tell! wow. they were sent out like lambs among wolves... and Jesus gave them very good instructions! when i read this as a teenager, i always thought He sent them without possessions so that they would learn to trust in God to take care of them. and there might have been some truth to that. but when you couple it with His admonition not to stop and talk to people on the road... i think He was keeping them from being robbed! if they didn't have expensive things with them, they would have less to worry about regarding thieves who might kill them to take their stuff.
in any case, they went out and did amazing things and prepared the world (their corner of it, anyway) for the Kingdom of God, which was coming soon to a Tabernacle near them. and then it did.
there is SO MUCH that we don't know about that time. right after Jesus died, when the Gospel was preached to the whole world... we know about Paul's journeys, and we hear bits and pieces of what happened to the 12... but what about these 72? as far as i know, we never hear from them again. but when i get to heaven (God willing) i can't wait to ask them questions.
i wish i could go back in time and see how the world changed from the time when these 72 started visiting villages to the time that the Kingdom of God came in power and transformed the world.
God, please help me to go out like a lamb among wolves (but wise as a serpent) and share the Kingdom of God in my little circle... and maybe even do something that brings Your healing into someone's life.
1 comment:
Yes this was interesting reading today. I have often wondered about the 72, they did as instructed and took the Kingdom of God to the people. Just as we are told to do. Their names apparently aren't important. It what they did and following His commandment and instructions. Wow, if we would do this the world would be changed.
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