O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it!
Luke 13:31-35
Wherever Jesus was, in Judea, He was near Jerusalem when “some Pharisees” warned Jesus that Herod was looking to kill Him. Scripture is unclear about these Pharisees, whether they believed Jesus or not, but, Jesus’ response to them to tell Herod of His casting out demons; of His healing the sick and afflicted; and, of His coming to Jerusalem to die where many of God’s prophets had perished in the past, shows the determination of Jesus to finish the work for which God the Father had sent Him to do. Jesus, then, laments over Jerusalem and its wanton nature in killing the prophets of God, of whom Jesus was the greatest. Then, Jesus mourns for His people, the Jews, whom Jesus would love to gather to Himself, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings for protection, to bring the Jews into salvation and eternal life. Unfortunately, Jesus says, “…you were not willing.” Since the Jews had rejected their Messiah, Jesus says their “house is forsaken.” Even today, most Jews do not believe Jesus is their long-awaited Messiah. Though that has meant good news to us, the Gentiles of the world, it will not always be the Jews’ lot at the end of this world. In Daniel and in Revelation, we learn of a time when the Jews will recognize Jesus as the Messiah and a great revival will occur among the Jews, led by specially appointed evangelists from each of the 12 tribes of the Jews. Jesus ends His lament by saying that the Jews “will not see Me until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.’” Many believe this to be about what is called Palm Sunday, to Christians, when Jesus fulfilled Zechariah 9:9 by entering Jerusalem to the shouts of people welcoming their Messiah. Yet, these same fickle people will call for Jesus’ crucifixion just days afterwards. Scripture does tell of a day when our Messiah, for both Jews and Gentiles, will be seen coming, riding on a white horse, in power and glory, to defeat the evil of this world and take His seat, on earth, as the King of kings and the Lord of lords, His current seat of Authority, at the right hand of God the Father, and, of His Kingdom, there shall be no end!
Source: S C Ball March 1, 2023
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