Would Jesus weep over America?
St. Luke 19:41-44
Luke 19:41 ¶ And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,
42 Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.
43 For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side,
44 And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.
At the beginning of chapter 29 Jesus had entered and passed through Jericho.
There He met Zac-chae-us, a chief among the publicans who was very rich.
That day Jesus made a strong difference in his life, and he became a believer.
In verse 28, after speaking to those around Him, He began His journey to Bethany where the mount of Olives was located.
There the crowd placed Jesus on a colt, a young male donkey, and began to cast their garments in His path.
When He came to the descent of the mount of Olives the whole multitude of His followers began to rejoice and praise Him, saying, “Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.”
They could not keep from thinking that Jesus was going to be their King who would liberate them from the Roman Empire’s rule over them, and set Himself up as their king.
So they were saying, “Blessed be the King that comes in the name of the Lord.”
How credulous these people were! How willingly blind to the truth.
They still could not comprehend the real reason Jesus came.
They were looking for a Messiah, but for the wrong reasons.
Jesus did not come to be a King, He came to liberate them, but not from the Roman bondage. He came to liberate them from their sins and condemnation.
Before there is a Kingdom, there must be redemption. Before there is a physical kingdom there must be a spiritual kingdom.
Jesus was their Messiah, not to deliver them from Rome and build the Jews a kingdom, for what good would a kingdom be if they were still in their sins?
Their redemption from their sins was more important then their deliverance from Rome.
These followers of Jesus had it all wrong. They were ready to crown Jesus as king before He went to the cross.
I believe Jesus was wounded in His Spirit at the behavior of these people.
Verse 41 says, “And when He was come near (to Jerusalem) He beheld the city and wept over it.”
There are two main reasons that I believe Jesus wept over Jerusalem.
1. Because the Jews could not comprehend their need for a Savior to take away their sins.
2. Because Jesus knew that this beloved city would be destroyed because of their rejection of Him.
In April 70 AD, three days before Passover, the Roman army started besieging Jerusalem.[4][5] The city had been taken over by several rebel factions following a period of massive unrest and the collapse of a short-lived provisional government.
Within three weeks, the Roman army broke the first two walls of the city, but a stubborn rebel standoff prevented them from penetrating the thickest and third wall.[4]
[6] According to Josephus, a contemporary historian and the main source for the war, the city was ravaged by murder, famine and cannibalism.[7]
70 AD (August 30), Roman forces overwhelmed the defenders and set fire to the Temple.[9] Resistance continued for another month, but eventually the upper and lower parts of the city were taken as well, and the city was burned to the ground.
Jesus knew this was coming. He knew their rejoicing in Luke 19:37-38 would soon turn to rejection in just a few days.
Jesus had prophesied in Luke 19:44 “And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.”
They did not understand the real reason Jesus came. When Christ came to save them from their awful fate, but they rejected Him.
To these Jews their Messiah was not supposed to die in open shame upon a cross, He was to be an overcoming King!
So Jesus wept over Jerusalem for their rejection of Him and their only means of salvation.
What a shame! What a condition of disgrace! To them, they were embarrassed and humiliated when they saw, whom they thought would be their King, hanging in public shame on a wooden cross with two criminals.
So Jesus wept! He was heart-broken! He was disheartened, He was grieved!
Why could they not understand who Jesus was? Because their eyes were so blind to the truth. They were so deeply rooted in their own Jewish traditions and religion.
Okay, lets ask the question, “If Jesus was here today, walking among our cities, towns and communities, would Jesus weep?”
Would He weep for the babies being murdered at the abortion clinics?
Would He weep if He saw the people lying in the streets, broken and bound by drugs and alcohol, people’s lives that have been crushed by Satan’s tricks and subtle attacks?
Would Jesus weep if He saw transgenders, gays, behind the pulpits of our churches.
Would Jesus weep if He saw transgenders parading in our public schools?
Would Jesus weep if He saw people who used to be active in the church, but no longer darken the church doors?
Would Jesus weep if He saw the rotten, diabolical, deceptive, filthy lifestyles that is accepted in our government offices?
Would Jesus weep knowing this country was founded upon Christian principles but now has turned their backs on what is good and right?
I believe He would weep and say, “America, America how oft have I blessed you?”
“How oft have I protected you from your enemies?”
“How oft have I blessed you during hardships and conflicts?”
Jesus said to Jerusalem in
Luke 13:34 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!”
Israel had been called to be God’s chosen people to proclaim His holiness and power throughout the world that they may see the majesty and glory of the Almighty God, creator of this universe.
Would Jesus weep if he came and visited our churches?
Would Jesus weep if He came to this earth and saw how the church has allowed worldliness to creep in, changing the glory of God for entertainment, worldly methods and even denying the power of God, or churches who compromise the Word of God just to get a crowd.
2Ti 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
Would Jesus weep if He came to this earth and saw the unfaithfulness of His people, saw those who were on fire for God in the past but now are impassive, lethargic, indifferent, unconcerned, and insensible?
In closing remember my text, 42 Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.
43 For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side,
44 And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.
Jesus was saying to the Jews, “How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes.” (NLT)
They did not understand, nor did they even desire to understand that the only way to make everlasting peace with God was through the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross.
They rejected the one who could bring them peace with God and divert His wrath upon them.
So because of their rejection of God’s way of salvation their beloved city would be destroyed (verses 43, 44).
And indeed Jerusalem was destroyed in AD 70 by the Roman Empire.
Verse 44 “they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another (KJV) means total destruction.
The Jews had their chance to accept Jesus as their Messiah. John 1:1, “He came unto His own, but His own received Him not. John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave the power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: {power: or, the right, or, privilege}
America has had their visitation from God. He has demonstrated His mercy and grace upon this nation time and time again.
He has protected us in war. He has blessed us with an abundance of His grace.
God has called, and millions have responded over the years.
But today our nation, as a whole, has turned from God.
Listen, Hosea 8:7 “For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind:”
America has sown to the wind, and now they are about to reap a whirlwind.
God help us! God help America to turn to you.
