Lamentation and Expectation

Author: Joseph

Date: March 3, 2024

Yeshua lamented over Jerusalem for the reason that time after time prophets were sent to the people of the city; to kings, nobles, princes, governors, the common folks. The prophets encountered every sort of man on their journeys in and out of the city, yet the time after time they were rejected because the people loved the darkness of evil and lies more than the truth of God and the light of life that He gives. Yeshua began His lament remembering the regretful history of the people of that city, Jerusalem:

“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” (Matthew 23:37).

What a remorseful way to be remembered. A city that kills prophets and stones the ones sent to it for the sake of their repentance. The message that would have caused them to find salvation in God was rejected over and over. The message that would have restrained great evils from spreading across the land. The message that would have caused them to prosper instead of being exiled and slain by the sword of their enemies. The message of the prophets of God were a great mercy that was rejected.

God wanted to gather His people and shelter them like a hen gathering her chicks for protection, warmth, and growth. But instead of coming under the wings of God, they remained outside of His protection and vulnerable to everything that would come their way. Outside of the wings of God they faced famine (1 Kings 18:2), drought (1 Kings 17:1), and plagues (Ezekiel 5:11-12). Without God’s protection they faced violence from their enemies (Isaiah 1:20-21), slavery to stronger kings (2 Kings 24:1), and exile from their own land (2 Kings 24:10-16). The people were unable to resist the evils that fell upon them.

And soon after Yeshua’s death and resurrection, they would be judged again for rejecting Him:

“Behold, your house is being left to you desolate!” (Matthew 23:38).

Not only was the city already in its downfall from rejecting the prophets many times, but they were repeating the same sin again by rejecting Yeshua, Who was God in the flesh. They were truly without excuse for rejecting Him. And so, just as the city was previously destroyed and its people exiled, so it would happen again, with consequences that would last nearly 2000 years.

"...will its people finally recognize Yeshua?"

Now the nation of Israel has returned again to the land of promise, but will its people finally recognize Yeshua as the one Who comes in the name of the Lord?

“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.’” (Matthew 23:39).

They cannot see Him, recognizing Him for who He truly is, unless they understand that He is God in the flesh, Who comes in the name of the LORD. When that day comes, they will finally be gathered under His wings as He has much desired, and they will no longer be vulnerable to their enemies and to their own ways that lead to disaster.

We who know Yeshua are already sheltered under the protection of God through our eternal life in Him. Pray that the lost people of Israel would also call upon the Lord, recognizing Yeshua as their Messiah, and come under His wings as well. Yeshua lamented for His people, but He also left them with an expectation that one day they would turn to Him and they would see Him for Who He really is.

Pray for the lost people of Israel.

Matthew 23:37-39

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org