Matthew 23:37 KJV
[37] O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
Following the rapturous reception that Jesus received from the Jerusalem crowd, you would not be wrong to think that all was well and truly forgotten and forgiven. The people had thrown down their clothes for the ass and Jesus to ride on, and declarations that lined up with prophecies from long ago were also made by the crowd. Be careful of things that look good on the surface, but have no depth in the Word of God. Be very wary of letting the reception or applause of men determine the actions that you take in response. That is the start point of the verse above. How did a crowd that has declared: 'Hossana' get to be addressed in this way, in the same week? Truly, words are cheap; it matters what you do and why you do it.
Jerusalem had been warned several times by God about its reaction to instructions and directives from God. This was a city loved by God, but God would not love it so much as to perpetually excuse its sin and rebellion. He would warn, sending men and prophets to tell them to change and return to Him, but you would find a range of responses, such as the killing of the prophets or stoning them. God's love was such that would not easily give up, but you found Jerusalem consistently turning its back on God and insisting on its own way. Before one would point the finger at the city or people of Jerusalem, it will be good to look inwards too, and be sure we are not doing the same thing today. How many times have I despised the warnings from the Word, due to my own selfish desires? How many times have I ignored convictions in the name of self-sufficiency and independence?
As Jesus makes clear in the verse above, He will not give up until it is indeed too late, and then at that time, it is indeed too late. He wants to gather his children together, and keep them safe, but there are conditions that need to be met for this to happen and be sustained. God will not force Himself on me, or go against the exercise of my freewill. His love does not depend on my response, but His love will not wait forever for my response. His arms are open wide, waiting for me to come to Him and receive all that He is and has for me. As always, the power of the choice is mine but the consequences of the choice is for God to determine, and He has made those quite clear. How do you respond? God's time of favour is here.
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