1/8/25
Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have ordained strength, because of Your enemies, that You may silence the enemy and avenger. Psalm 8:2
In Matthew 21 Jesus had just arrived in Jerusalem for the final days leading up to His death on the cross. While He was in the temple, healing the blind and the lame, the leading priests and scribes saw Jesus performing miracles and even heard children shouting, "Hosanna! Praise God for the Son of David." The religious teachers grew irate, questioning Jesus,"Do you hear what these children are saying?" "Yes," Jesus responded to His critics, asking, have you never read, "out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants you have perfected praise?"
The Jewish leaders could not miss the implications as they observed everything taking place. They witnessed Christ's victorious entry into Jerusalem, the ecstatic crowd of worshipers, His commanding cleansing of the temple, His miracles of healing, and even children proclaiming His praises. The people hailed Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God, and it was more than these religious hypocrites could handle. They became outraged.
By pointing out what they saw as a dreadful error - children worshiping Him as Messiah - they thought Jesus would be horrified that He had misled these innocent ones, even causing them to commit blasphemy. Surely Jesus would put a quick stop to it. But instead, Jesus saw nothing wrong with receiving their praise. He accepted it enthusiastically, supporting their actions by referring to psalm 8:2 the children had understood what the leaders had not. That Jesus was their promised Savior. The Jewish leaders were the same as God's old testament enemies who would be silenced and put to shame by children's praise.
Heavenly Father thank you for the praise of children. Children have a way of seeing things as they are while adults cloud their vision with doubt. Help us to have child like faith and praise you like children do, with innocent faith. In Jesus name AMEN!
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