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"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem! You kill the prophets. You kill with rocks those men that God sent to you. Many, many times I wanted to help your people. I wanted to gather your people together like a hen gathers her chicks under her wings. But you did not let me. Now your house will be left completely empty. I tell you, you will not see me again until that time when you will say, 'Welcome! God bless the one that comes in the name of the Lord.'"
—Matthew 23:37-39
Key Thought
Cities have always made a key impact on the heart of God. They are places of crime and evil, but they are also places of people with great need. They are places of power and government and they are places of family and friends. But Jerusalem was special. It was the place of God's dwelling, the Temple. It was the city of sojourn, where Israelites came from all over the world on pilgrimages.
Jerusalem was also the city of rejection when it refused Jesus. Jesus knows this means Jerusalem is headed for destruction. Her people have not just rejected him, they have rejected hope, promise, and future. Jesus will die outside the city of Jerusalem, rejected by every level of religious and civil authority. Jerusalem will claim no other king but Caesar and seal her own fate. It is a time of great sorrow.
The Old Testament rises up and haunts us with its great stories of deliverance for Jerusalem. It reminds us of God's love for the people of a city, even the great cities of Israel's enemies. So we know that Jesus' tears are God's tears for his people, their city, and their future. God longs for the cities to ring with the cry, "Jesus is Lord." But Jerusalem will have none of it. What else can you do but weep?
Today's Prayer
O Lord, God of the ages, please bless the great cities of our land. May we help take the name of Jesus to the people of these cities so they will not be lost without hope and without you. Give me a heart more like your own for the cities. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Today's Verses in Context
"You are snakes! You are from a family of poisonous snakes! You will not escape God. You will all be judged guilty and go to hell! So I tell you this: I send to you prophets and wise men and teachers. You will kill some of these people. You will hang some of them on crosses. You will beat some of these people in your synagogues. You will chase them from town to town. So you will be guilty for the death of all the good people that have been killed on earth. You will be guilty for the killing of that good man Abel. And you will be guilty for the killing of Zechariah son of Berachiah. He was killed between the temple and the altar. You will be guilty for the killing of all the good people that lived between the time of Abel and the time of Zechariah. I tell you the truth. All of these things will happen to you people that are living now. "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem! You kill the prophets. You kill with rocks those men that God sent to you. Many, many times I wanted to help your people. I wanted to gather your people together like a hen gathers her chicks under her wings. But you did not let me. Now your house will be left completely empty. I tell you, you will not see me again until that time when you will say, 'Welcome! God bless the one that comes in the name of the Lord.' "Matthew 23:33-39
Related Scripture Readings
The Lord spoke to Jonah son of Amittai. The Lord said, "Nineveh is a big city. I have heard about the many evil things people are doing there. So go to that city and tell the people to stop doing those bad things." — Jonah 1:1-2; 3:10-4:1, 10-11
Jesus said to them, "The Father is the only One who has the authority to decide dates and times. You cannot know these things. But the Holy Spirit will come to you. Then you will receive power. You will be my witnesses—{you will tell people about me}. First, you will tell people in Jerusalem. Then you will tell people in all of Judea, in Samaria, and in every part of the world." — Acts 1:7-8
"You will see armies all around Jerusalem. Then you will know that the time for the destruction of Jerusalem has come. At that time, the people in Judea should run away to the mountains. The people in Jerusalem must leave quickly. If you are near the city, don't go in! The prophets wrote many things about the time when God will punish his people. The time I am telling you about is the time when all these things must happen. — Luke 21:20-22
Ⓒ 1996-2017 Heartlight, Inc. This material may not be reproduced in part or whole for commercial use without written consent. What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware. Easy-to-Read Version copyright © 2001 by World Bible Translation Center. All rights reserved.
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—Matthew 23:37-39
Key Thought
Cities have always made a key impact on the heart of God. They are places of crime and evil, but they are also places of people with great need. They are places of power and government and they are places of family and friends. But Jerusalem was special. It was the place of God's dwelling, the Temple. It was the city of sojourn, where Israelites came from all over the world on pilgrimages.
Jerusalem was also the city of rejection when it refused Jesus. Jesus knows this means Jerusalem is headed for destruction. Her people have not just rejected him, they have rejected hope, promise, and future. Jesus will die outside the city of Jerusalem, rejected by every level of religious and civil authority. Jerusalem will claim no other king but Caesar and seal her own fate. It is a time of great sorrow.
The Old Testament rises up and haunts us with its great stories of deliverance for Jerusalem. It reminds us of God's love for the people of a city, even the great cities of Israel's enemies. So we know that Jesus' tears are God's tears for his people, their city, and their future. God longs for the cities to ring with the cry, "Jesus is Lord." But Jerusalem will have none of it. What else can you do but weep?
Today's Prayer
O Lord, God of the ages, please bless the great cities of our land. May we help take the name of Jesus to the people of these cities so they will not be lost without hope and without you. Give me a heart more like your own for the cities. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Today's Verses in Context
"You are snakes! You are from a family of poisonous snakes! You will not escape God. You will all be judged guilty and go to hell! So I tell you this: I send to you prophets and wise men and teachers. You will kill some of these people. You will hang some of them on crosses. You will beat some of these people in your synagogues. You will chase them from town to town. So you will be guilty for the death of all the good people that have been killed on earth. You will be guilty for the killing of that good man Abel. And you will be guilty for the killing of Zechariah son of Berachiah. He was killed between the temple and the altar. You will be guilty for the killing of all the good people that lived between the time of Abel and the time of Zechariah. I tell you the truth. All of these things will happen to you people that are living now. "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem! You kill the prophets. You kill with rocks those men that God sent to you. Many, many times I wanted to help your people. I wanted to gather your people together like a hen gathers her chicks under her wings. But you did not let me. Now your house will be left completely empty. I tell you, you will not see me again until that time when you will say, 'Welcome! God bless the one that comes in the name of the Lord.' "Matthew 23:33-39
Related Scripture Readings
The Lord spoke to Jonah son of Amittai. The Lord said, "Nineveh is a big city. I have heard about the many evil things people are doing there. So go to that city and tell the people to stop doing those bad things." — Jonah 1:1-2; 3:10-4:1, 10-11
Jesus said to them, "The Father is the only One who has the authority to decide dates and times. You cannot know these things. But the Holy Spirit will come to you. Then you will receive power. You will be my witnesses—{you will tell people about me}. First, you will tell people in Jerusalem. Then you will tell people in all of Judea, in Samaria, and in every part of the world." — Acts 1:7-8
"You will see armies all around Jerusalem. Then you will know that the time for the destruction of Jerusalem has come. At that time, the people in Judea should run away to the mountains. The people in Jerusalem must leave quickly. If you are near the city, don't go in! The prophets wrote many things about the time when God will punish his people. The time I am telling you about is the time when all these things must happen. — Luke 21:20-22
Ⓒ 1996-2017 Heartlight, Inc. This material may not be reproduced in part or whole for commercial use without written consent. What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware. Easy-to-Read Version copyright © 2001 by World Bible Translation Center. All rights reserved.
