The restoration process
The city of Jericho was cursed. Joshua had cursed it once they took over it with God bringing the walls down. God cursed the city with the penalty that whoever rebuilds it both of their sons would be killed. No one could reconstruct the city to its prior glory. But someone rebuilt it and paid the price for which God graced it with the presence of three of his heroes, Elijah, Elisha, and Christ. Jesus on his way to raise Lazarus from the dead decided to visit Jericho. God is in the business of rebuilding and restoring the broken (Jer30:17). The Psalmist tells us that God restores our soul when broken and is beyond repair (Ps23:3). Though Christ stopped at the cursed city his course was not altered, he continued to raise Lazarus. But, during his journey many people’s faiths were turned to him, while in that city. It did not matter a person’s socioeconomic status Christ impacted their faith. The apostle Paul tells us that whoever puts their faith in Christ will not be ashamed (Ro10:11).
Luke 19:1-6
And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. 2 And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. 3 And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. 4 And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way. 5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.6 And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.
Zaccheus was a rich man. He was the chief of the publicans; the tax collectors. He made his prosperity from those under him whose job was to collect the tax and divide a portion for him. He was a man with authority, that probably had Roman guards to his call. Now the bible tells us that it is difficult for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God according to Matthew 19 (23-24). The young rich man decided to walk away from God’s kingdom after our Lord told him to leave his riches and give them to the poor. Unless one has had a buildup of faith, nothing will stop him from entering the kingdom of God like Zaccheus had. Zac could have called on the guards to pave his way to Christ. He did not need to climb the tree to see Christ, because what he did not have in stature he had in riches. Climbing the tree demonstrated the type of faith he had. Jesus said that Zac was a descendant of Abraham, the father of faith (Lk19:9-10).
The sycamore tree’s branches provide shadow and relief from the sun. This tree reminds us of the tree of mustard seed and faith in that it too provides relief to the birds of the air. The trees need tending and like Amos (7:14) we need to take care of our faith. The tree’s branches were spanning enough to hide anyone under them. Zaccheus could have hidden under them and not been spotted. Faith is a revealer of the believer, and Zac could not hide from Christ, and he probably was not hiding. Zaccheus’s faith also provided relief after he came to Christ. He told the Lord and those around him that he would pay fourfold to anyone he had defrauded; if any. Salvation came to Zaccheus’s home because of his persistent desire to see Christ.
Jeremiah 30:17
But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds, declares the Lord,
‘because you are called an outcast, Zion for whom no one cares.’
Psalms 23:3
he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.
Romans 10:11
As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.”
Matthew 19:23-24
23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
Luke 19:9-10
9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Amos 7:14
Amos answered Amaziah, “I was neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees.