37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! 38 See! Your house is left to you desolate; 39 for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ”
Jesus showed His compassion for unbelieving Israel and assured them that God would fulfill His promise to establish them as a nation in the future (vv 37-39). He lamented their present rejection of the Messiah.
23:37
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her!
Jesus directed His lament to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. It was in Jerusalem that Israel would officially reject her Messiah. This was characteristic of a city that killed prophets and stoned those sent to rebuke her. What was true of the past will be true of the future. Jesus drew no happiness from this, but instead sorrow and grief.
How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!
Jesus often longed to appeal to Jerusalem tenderly to accept Him as Messiah, but the city was shut down volitionally. They had every opportunity to receive the Messiah.
23:38
See [emphatic statement]! Your house is left to you desolate;
The judgment on the “house” refers to the temple. This was the center of faith for Israel. As a result of Israel’s rejection of the Messiah, they were left “desolate” (deserted and alone without the Messiah).
23:39
for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ”
This was the last public appearance of Jesus before the events surrounding the cross. Jesus next gave the Olivet Discourse to His disciples privately (Mt 24, 25). Jesus finished communication with the nation with this verse.
From this point the nation would not receive any further public messages from Jesus until His Second Coming. Their rejection of Him was final, but Jesus anticipated the time when Israel will accept Him as Messiah. This is a quote from Psalm 118:26. The crowds a few days before recited this psalm at the Triumphal Entry. One day there will be another Triumphal Entry when Israel will accept Jesus as her Messiah.
PRINCIPLE:
Jesus never pronounces judgment without an offer of grace.
APPLICATION:
In a future day the Lord will restore Israel and they will acclaim: “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” Jesus will postpone His kingdom until after His Second Coming. One day God will restore Israel in Millennial glory. At that time Israel will own Jesus as their Messiah King. Jerusalem will be the capital of His kingdom.
Could you explain to me the meaning of Matthew 24:13 But he that endure to the end the same shall be saved. Is this physically or spiritually and what basis do you give. Thank you
Gay, I am working on chapter 24 and should have it posted shortly.
well,what a glorious day for Believing Israel to see the precious and glorious face of the Creator and OUR
Savior-God. The Lamb is God.
What would have been evidence of Jesus being accepted as the Messiah by the people? Was there a set amount of people who should have accepted? Or should it have been the leaders who had influence over the people? Or everyone who heard his message? I ask primarily because I think that there were people including his followers who accepted and believed him to be the Messiah.
Richard, the unconditional promises such as the Abrahamic covenant or the David covenant were given to the nation Israel. The issue is whether the nation as a whole receive Him as the Messiah. However, Israel as a nation rejected Him and attributed His work to Satan. That was the official rejection of Jesus as a nation.
Dr Grant,
In the millennial you say Israel will be restored…my understanding also, Now i am wondering does that mean “all” Israel and “all” Jews or are you just saying in general Israel an the Jews will recognize Jesus as the Messiah.
Thanks,
Donald Beck
Don, the purpose of the Tribulation is to restore Israel as a believing nation. Jews who embrace Jesus as the Messiah during that time will be ushered into the Millennium along with Jews and Christians who return with Him in His Second Coming at the end of the Tribulation. Everyone in the Millennium will be believers. Israel as a nation today is in a state of apostasy.