Lament over Jerusalem

Oh how I love you

After some hard words to the Chief priests, Scribes, Elders of the People, the Pharisee’s the Herodians, the Sadducee's and the disciples of the Pharisee’s comes these final words.

He speaks these words of lamentation from a heart that loves Jerusalem. Though like Israel as a whole has been given many opportunities to repent and return they don’t. Jesus has grief over the the rejection of God’s messengers (the Prophets) and the rejection of Himself.

Maybe you are not familiar with the word lament so here is the definition.

thréneó: to lament Original Word: θρηνέω Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: thréneó Phonetic Spelling: (thray-neh'-o) Short Definition: I wail, lament Definition: intrans: I lament, wail; trans: I bewail.

Original Word: θρηνέω Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: thréneó Phonetic Spelling: (thray-neh'-o) Short Definition: I wail, lament Definition: intrans: I lament, wail; trans: I bewail.

to be grieved, sorrowful, to weep, to shed tears, to groan, to work out with labor, be grieved, to be displeased, to murmur to grumble to complain indignantly. - complete Word Study Dictionary (N.T.)

Have there been things that have broken your heart, things that you have lamented over, death of someone special or maybe like Jesus here the rejection of salvation?

Now also as a pre-cursor into this section in (v.39) is where many build their theology that all of Israel will be saved at Jesus return and I believe that is a mistaken or misunderstood thing giving a wrong theology (expand only briefly)

NOw also as a pre-cursor into this section in (v.39) is where many build their theology that all of Israel will be saved at Jesus return and

Let’s turn to Story book, (pg.125) and in Bibles to Mt23:37-39

What do you see, what do you notice, what sticks out to you?

I. The Lament

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Matthew 23:37 NASB95

37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling.

Previously we have seen Jesus speak of killing the prophets from Abel to Zechariah (from A to Z) (v.35) so this is easy to see the joining of these sections.

from a broken heart over continued failure of the leadership

from a broken heart over the rejection of those commission to carry the message of God (prophets)

from a broken heart at the rejection of God’s own son

In looking at (v.37) what was Jesus desire? - He desired to gather them and uses the illustration of a hen gathering her chicks or brood depending on version you are looking at.

This is not a new concept like this, it has been used before in the scripture. And each time it is a picture of care, of love

Deuteronomy 32:11 NASB95

11 “Like an eagle that stirs up its nest, That hovers over its young, He spread His wings and caught them, He carried them on His pinions.

Jesus has always had an affection for His people, even though they did not receive Him.

Jn1

John 1:11 NASB95

11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.

Notice it says “How often” you can see the persistent compassion Jesus had for them, always had for them, the repeated attempts to bring them in and turn them from their self destructive ways that was leading them to destruction of the city and the temple.

Look at the end of (v.37) what is the comment, statement that Jesus makes?

You were unwilling.

Salvation is free will, you have a choice to receive God’s gift of grace wrapped as He has it in Christ Jesus or not. - they were unwilling to accept it. God does not force salvation on anyone, it is your choice. Christ died on the Cross for everyone, and that includes the nation of Israel, but they have to receive the gift the same way.

They have removed themselves from the favor of God; not the love, but the favor.

Matthew 8:10–11 NASB95

10 Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, “Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel. 11 “I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven;

Matthew 8:10 NASB95

10 Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, “Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel.

Matthew 8:12 NASB95

12 but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Speaking of a gentile who made a proclamation of faith in the previous verses.

A statement of faith made by a Gentile in the preceeding verses lead to Jesus remakes about the sons of the kingdom (Israel)

Matthew 21:43–44 NASB95

43 “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people, producing the fruit of it. 44 “And he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust.”

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Kingdom taken away. when we get into chapter 24 there is much more to follow on this. Now keep in mind Jesus said

“You were unwilling”

Are we unwilling at times to do what we know is right to do? Are we II. following the commands of God and the law of love which is in Christ Jesus?

To have the kingdom has requirements and we don’t get to pick and chose those things that we want, its not a smorgasbord it is a pathway to heaven. Let us not be unwilling.

II. Results

Matthew 23:38 NASB95

38 “Behold, your house is being left to you desolate!

So what do you think the house is that is going to be left desolate?

the term “be left” has both physical and spiritual application

A.D. 70 - physical destruction of the temple is coming; more to follow on this when we get to chapter 24

There is also the complete abandonment of God; which is not new either, we have seen that before

Ezekiel 11:23 NASB95

23 The glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city and stood over the mountain which is east of the city.

God, Jesus is going to leave Jerusalem and go to Mt. Olives (see 24:1-3)

Matthew 24:1–2 NASB95

1 Jesus came out from the temple and was going away when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him. 2 And He said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down.”

Matthew 24:3 NASB95

3 As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

this now brings us to the last point, the explanation of the results.

III. Explanation of Results

Matthew 23:39 NASB95

39 “For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ”

Hum, interesting statement, until you say blessed be . . . didn’t this week, passion week start that way?

Matthew 21:9 NASB95

9 The crowds going ahead of Him, and those who followed, were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David; Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest!”

Now Jesus is saying this until they say that.

It was the believers, the followers that were outside the city that were saying this

The day is coming when everyone will say it, regardless of belief

Romans 14:11 NASB95

11 For it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall give praise to God.”

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Philippians 2:11 NASB95

11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Everyone will see the Lord come, everyone will acknowledge the Lord but not all will be saved. Remember free will, God will not force you to chose Him via Jesus.

Every tongue does not mean salvation for all, it does not mean salvation for all of Israel, it is available to all, available to Israel if they come to Father through the Son by faith.

The chances for Israel to chose Jesus as Messiah while He is physically present have come to an end. Oh He is coming again in judgment

Psalm 118:26 NASB95

26 Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord; We have blessed you from the house of the Lord.

The quote blessed comes from Psm118; and it was the blessing of God to the chosen of God to bring the Messiah to the World so all could be saved. They were blessed, they had special privilege and that time has now ceased as Jesus leaves the temple, the city.

While some believe in the deliverance of all of Israel when they link the Psm118:26 verse with Zech13:1

Zechariah 13:1 NASB95

1 “In that day a fountain will be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for impurity.

And I like what D.C. Allison says regarding the prophesy

“A conditional prophecy meaning that Israel’s deliverance is contingent upon acceptance of the person and work of Jesus.”

Today is the day of opportunity for those who have not chosen Jesus, Jesus laments for they were “unwilling” to chose Him. Paul so wanted Israel to chose Him too.

Romans 11:1–2 NASB95

1 I say then, God has not rejected His people, has He? May it never be! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel?

Rom11:

Romans 11:6–7 NASB95

6 But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace. 7 What then? What Israel is seeking, it has not obtained, but those who were chosen obtained it, and the rest were hardened;

Grace, Paul wanted them to come to Jesus by grace through faith, not by works that could not save them.

Our heart should be for the unsaved now to share the truth of the scripture while there is still time. Pray for softened hearts to hear the gospel message and respond to it by faith.

So, we have seen

the lament

the results

the explanation

So now it is in our hands, we are responsible for it, to carry the truth even if it is rejected by many.