Matthew 19:30 (ESV)
But many who are first will be last, and the last first.
In Matthew 17-19 we have much teaching from Jesus about the Kingdom of God. He teaches about faith for the Kingdom, He teaches about children in the Kingdom, He teaches about taxes, forgiveness, lost sheep, as well as riches and divorce in regard to Kingdom living. God, through the Son, is setting up His eternal Kingdom. The above verse comes at the end of teaching on the rich entering the Kingdom of heaven. A wealthy young man came to Jesus and wanted to know what he had to do to accumulate a ticket to heaven. Note how he asked Jesus about heaven:
Matthew 19:16 (ESV)
The Rich Young Man
And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?”
The key word in that sentence is “have” eternal life. The young man was very wealthy. Jesus tells him to keep the commandments. He says he has. Jesus says, “Great then, you are almost perfect. Now go sell all you have and “you will have treasure in heaven.” The young man wanted treasure in heaven but to get it he had to sell what he had on earth. Jesus is not saying that salvation is achieved from a yard sale of all your property. He is saying that salvation is allowing your heart to want Jesus more than anything. That is the context for the verse on the first/last/last/first concept. There are many, in our society, that are “first” in that they have the power, the property and the prestige of the world. The “last” have little of any of that. If you gave it all away and lived as a pauper, you would be the “last” in society. The rich think their good standing in this earthly kingdom will give them great standing in the Heavenly Kingdom. Not so. Notice when the end comes what will happen to the rich, powerful, leadership and rulers:
Revelation 6:12-17 (ESV)
When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”
The “great ones” and the “generals” and the the “rich” and the “powerful” will seek refuge from God’s wrath. However, those who suffered persecution will be anointed with blessing:
Revelation 6:9-11 (ESV)
When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.
When Jesus says that the “first will be last, and the last first,” He means it, literally! Seek power, possessions and prestige all you want in this life. But, be careful that you use it for the right Kingdom.
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