Matthew 23:29-39
Jesus' Sorrow for Jerusalem
29 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous. 30 And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31 So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Go ahead, then, and complete what your ancestors started!
33 “You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? 34 Therefore I am sending you prophets and sages and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. 35 And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 Truly I tell you, all this will come on this generation.
37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. 38 Look, your house is left to you desolate. 39 For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”
Luke 13:31-35
31 At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, “Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you.”
32 He replied, “Go tell that fox, ‘I will keep on driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.’ 33 In any case, I must press on today and tomorrow and the next day—for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!
34 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. 35 Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”
19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’
25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’
27 “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’
29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’
30 “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”
Jesus teaches us that He has had sorrow for the people of Jerusalem...The people of Jerusalem have for many, many years believed in God...And God has sent them the prophets, teachers, and sages...But the people of Israel have killed the prophets and stoned those that God had sent...God has sent us very wise men to tell us to trust in the LORD, but we have failed...And yet, Jesus still is trying even today to help us, through His LOVE and teachings...Jesus has known this from the beginning, and He personally has wanted and wants to help His people, because He LOVES us -so much... Jesus says He often has longed to gather His children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and we were not willing...Look, your house is left to you desolate...For I tell you, you will not see Me again until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord...
The LORD is Almighty and can take care of Himself...He stands ready for those who come in His name...He will not leave those He LOVES, when there is trouble...And it is not good that we keep ourselves away from the LORD, but to try to keep others away from Him and ask Him to leave is also not good...
Why haven't the people of Israel listened to Moses and the Prophets?...The people of Israel are God's people...Why haven't they listened to the wise men and sages that God has sent?...I have often wondered if I were on earth, when Jesus walked the earth with His Twelve, would I have followed Him and done the right thing?...Would I have followed the Truth?...And if I believe that Jesus is alive today, then He is talking to me, in these verses today, as I write...What is stopping me from trusting in the LORD?...Am I treating Him any better in my word and my actions today, than if He were physically in front of me (two thousand years ago), at this moment?...Because He is alive, then in a sense, I am killing His prophets and stoning those who want to help me into heaven...And like the Loving Mother Hen, He wants to gather His chicks and protect us from harm, and all the mistakes and sins we have made -He still stands ready...What stands between me and my LORD is my sin...What stand between me and my LORD is me wanting to do things my way, instead of His way...I sometime may think I am clean on the outside, while I have dirtied my souls, with my earthly thoughts and doing my will, instead of His...
God, Jesus, Moses, the Prophets, the sages point to The Way...The Way is the Word of the LORD...He wants us to follow Him and longs to hold us under His wings...He LOVES us and that is why He passionately laments for us and our ways...If we believe He is the Living God we will follow His Way through the narrow door...The road is so narrow...We must persevere in our faith...In His great LOVE and His lamentations for us I find great hope...We must accept His Word and Truth forever in Him...We must trust in the LORD...