O JERUSALEM
Matthew 23 v. 34 - ch 24 v. 2
1. What weeping v. 37 "thou that killest the prophets"
Note:-
(a) The explanation of His grief it was because of :-
(1) Their sin - "killing and stoning the prophets"
(2) Their stubborness - "how often would I have gathered you as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings and ye would not"
(3) Their sufferings v. 35 & 36 "all these things shall come upon this generation"
(4) Their separation v. 38 & 39 "your house is left unto you desolate"
(b) The extent of His grief v. 37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem" -
Note:-
(1) The Lord wished to save Israel "how oft would I" Adam Clarke says- "it is evident that our blessed Lord seriously and earnestly wished the salvation of the Jews"
(2) He worked to save Israel - that He did everything that could have been done, consistently with His own perfections, and the liberty of His creatures, to effect this.
(3) He wept to save Israel - that His tears over the city sufficently evince His sincerity
(4) He would have saved Israel - but that these persons nevertheless perished.
(5) He couldn’t save Israel - and that the reason was they would not be gathered together under His protection, therefore wrath came upon them to the uttermost.
John 5 v. 40 - "and ye will not come to me, that ye might have life"
(c) The expression of His grief v. 37 " O Jerusalem"
it was :-
(1) Sincere - from a heart full of love
(2) Soverign - from a heart full of light Luke 19 v. 42 "if thou hadst known, even thou in this thy day the things which belong unto thy peace, but now they are hid from thine eyes because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation"
(3) Seemly - from a heart full of life and liberty, Jesus is the judge speaking before his judgement
(4) Solemn - from a heart full of loss v. 38 -"your house is left unto you desolate"
2. What wickedness v. 37 "thou that killest the prophets"
Their’s was a:-
(a) Personal crime "thou" (what light rejected)
(b) Persistent crime "killest" -( keep on killing)
(c) Pernicious crime "who?" the prophets, from where? heaven "sent unto thee", why? they had come for blessing, why they were killed? - sin
(d) Provoking crime v. 38 - desolate "my spirit shall not always strive with man"
- light obeyed increaseth light but light rejected bringeth night
3. What warmth v. 37 "how oft would I"
i.e. in Sunday School - how oft in sickness - how oft in sufferings, how oft in sorrow, how oft for shelter, for salvation, for satisfaction, for strength, and for security
4. What welcome v. 37 "even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings"
(a) A symbol of attention - mother hen
(b) A symbol of protection - God is our refuge
(c) A symbol of devotion - sooner would the hen perish than her chicks
(d) A symbol of compassion "how oft would I have gathered" - they were as sheep having no shepherd
5. What willfulness v. 37 "and ye would not"
Note the :-
(a) Divine passion "O Jerusalem"
(b) Divine patience - killest, yet others are sent
(c) Divine purpose "gathered"
(d) Divine prevention "ye would not" - resistible grace
6. What woe v. 38 - judgement awaits
(a) The scope of Judgement v. 36 " all these things"
(b) The solemnity of judgement v. 38 "your house left desolate"
(c) The severity of judgement ch 24 v. 2 " not one stone upon another"
(d) The sanctity of judgement v. 39 "blessed is he" that will renounce such folly
Proverbs 1 v. 24 - 26 "because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded, I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh."
