Here are three stand alone verses about End Time in Jerusalem to which one might not but should pay much attention. This is a passage that reflects all the past, present, and future wrapped into it. Jesus laments Jerusalem. Why? He knows what this city in Judah/Israel was, is, and will be shortly before the end of current events of today and the world as we now know it. It is a lament about how Israeli secular and religious leaders have been, and continue to be. This passage includes their history and future attitudes ever since their appointment as God’s chosen people. The lament explains why Israel had problems before and will continue to struggle with national enemies until the end of the 7-year Tribulation.

Backing up a few verses one finds the primary issue in this chapter. Jesus in verses 37-39 is, in a sense, comparison of how a good intending parent has a vested interest in their children. After many attempts to give guidance to their children, the kids still walk off in the wrong direction. Just as do these parents, Jesus laments Jerusalem with a similar “sigh” of a parent or woe of parents. Five times in this chapter we read that Jesus addresses his chosen with woe to you. He supplements these five “woes” by calling Israeli leaders “fools and blind.”

We won’t expand on it here, But Jeremiah 3:14 states…”Return, faithless people [Israel] ,” declares the LORD, “for I am your husband“.

Look at verses 25 and 28. How similar this is to both the modern-day Godly and seemingly Godly churches. This is not the church building itself that addresses those within it who religiously attend church and activity events. They have particular and notable ways of conduct that make them appear godly, but they are only being religious. So often their conduct and appearances change according to which crowd they are trying to mimic. At times, verse 28…“even so you outwardly appear righteous to men…” includes dependable pew dwellers who don’t even try to appear righteous when outside of their church setting. Last week’s article covered “The Book and the books” mentioned in Revelation 20. There are no deeds or thoughts a person can commit that will not be found recorded in The Books.

Be careful. God defines sin as sin. To him and broadly speaking, all sins are equal to God in that all sins are by definition “unrighteous” and “imperfect.” Man tries to self-protect by identifying sins as having different levels of wrong. We do this in justice systems, but different systems cannot agree on the punishment levels of wrong. One often tries to make his or her sin less punitive. In God’s eyes, a sin is a sin (reference James 2:10). This by itself should prove that mankind makes his own rules of wrongs, rights, and consequential punishments. God created man and only HE can set the boundaries of right and wrong.

In 2014 Billy Graham stated… It is always difficult and dangerous to attempt to list sins according to their degree of seriousness. In one sense, all sins are equal in that they all separate us from God. The Bible’s statement, “For the wages of sin (singular tense) is death …” It matters not the magnitude of the sin. (Romans 6:23), applies to all sin, whether in thought, word, or deed. NOTE: Billy Graham died four years later in 2018.

 Since today’s reference is but three verses, we write them out. The reader will find commentary inserted within these verses. The verse is in italisized and the commentary is weaved into each of the three verses in black.

Matthew 23:37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, [repeated twice for the reason of absolute emphasis. This is the same emphasis as when a verse starts with “verily, verily”] the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I [God] wanted to gather your children [this is the “her” in those who are sent to “her”] together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! [Again, this shows that God allows free will]

Matthew 23:38 See! Your house [both Jerusalem and the Promised Lands] is left to you desolate; [desolate to those who were originally given this land by God to be a nation of light onto other nations and peoples]

Matthew 23:39 “for I say to you, you shall see Me no more until you say, ‘BLESSED is HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!’ “

You shall see me no more…This is the time between when this verse is stated and the end of End Time i.e., Tribulation. Israel will find itself so surrounded and overwhelmed by enemy forces, even the irrational mind will concede that there is no way out. This is also one reason the timid, but antisemitic will willingly and eagerly join the nations aligned against Israel. They want to have part of both the anticipated victory and the plunder. People blindly and by choice join the forces against ISRAEL. Just like fans at a sporting event join the cheering of the fans around them. Not one of them did anything to help win but all wish to share in the glory. Tin comparison, it is similar to when a team’s lead seems insurmountable. Somehow in the last moments of the game, they lose. This will be true of Jerusalem at the ending of the 7-year Tribulation. The odds against their very survival will seem like it is a given.

 Rev. Dr. Jstark
2023

PS; The United States is not mentioned in scripture by name. To Include them requires speculation, something we at ahabiblemoments hesitate to do unless we preface the statement with a JIV (Jim’s Introspective View). The following is one of those JIV moments but given thought and consideration. United States is a leading country. It is rapidly going down a path of self-destruction. We will not list the abundance of poor decisions being made as a nation with all of these cancel culture idioms. People are being deceived by lies, half-truths, misleading speeches, social media, main line news casters, church pulpits that offer false religious statements but stress social positions, ignorant or empty Bible lesson content, political hacks and those who fail to follow the laws and constitution they were sworn to protect. All of this and more is what scripture means by kingdom against kingdom.

Perhaps the reason the United States is not mentioned in scripture is because the word “united” no longer applies.