Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, Luke 19:41
Recall the reason why Jesus wept. The image he saw that moment was not just the destruction of Jerusalem, but the final destruction of this world.
Christ saw in Jerusalem a symbol of the world hardened in unbelief and rebellion, and hastening on to meet the retributive judgments of God. The woes of a fallen race, pressing upon His soul, forced from His lips that exceeding bitter cry. He saw the record of sin traced in human misery, tears, and blood; His heart was moved with infinite pity for the afflicted and suffering ones of earth; He yearned to relieve them all. But even His hand might not turn back the tide of human woe; few would seek their only Source of help. He was willing to pour out His soul unto death, to bring salvation within their reach; but few would come to Him that they might have life. *1
The Majesty of heaven in tears! the Son of the infinite God troubled in spirit, bowed down with anguish! The scene filled all heaven with wonder. That scene reveals to us the exceeding sinfulness of sin; it shows how hard a task it is, even for Infinite Power, to save the guilty from the consequences of transgressing the law of God. Jesus, looking down to the last generation, saw the world involved in a deception similar to that which caused the destruction of Jerusalem. The great sin of the Jews was their rejection of Christ; the great sin of the Christian world would be their rejection of the law of God, the foundation of His government in heaven and earth. The precepts of Jehovah would be despised and set at nought. Millions in bondage to sin, slaves of Satan, doomed to suffer the second death, would refuse to listen to the words of truth in their day of visitation. Terrible blindness! strange infatuation! *1
Jesus desires that we all be saved. But we must also understand that what happened to Sodom, Gomorrah, and Jerusalem will repeat itself. The world ignores the condition in which it is in, it denies the warnings made, and worse still it denies the only way to salvation, it denies Jesus.
The flames that consumed the cities of the plain shed their warning light down even to our time. We are taught the fearful and solemn lesson that while God's mercy bears long with the transgressor, there is a limit beyond which men may not go on in sin. When that limit is reached, then the offers of mercy are withdrawn, and the ministration of judgment begins. *2
The warning has been given. We cannot turn away from God and hope that He will protect us. As the door of grace is still open He continues to plead with us but His mercy has a limit which is being crossed more more each day.
The outlook in our world is indeed alarming. God is withdrawing His Spirit from the wicked cities, which have become as the cities of the antediluvian world, and as Sodom and Gomorrah. The inhabitants of these cities have been tested and tried. We have reached a time when God is about to punish the presumptuous wrongdoers, who refuse to keep His commandments and disregard His messages of warning. He who bears long with evildoers gives everyone an opportunity to seek Him and humble their hearts before Him. *3
And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury.” Revelation 18:2, 3
The apostle John declares that the earth will be destroyed when the sins reach to heaven. But this time, it will be the coming of Jesus, the brightness of His glory, the consuming fire, which will destroy everything.
How do we know that the sins of this world have reached to heaven? What will be our sign to leave the cities?
The sins of the world will have reached unto heaven when the law of God is made void; when the Sabbath of the Lord is trampled in the dust, and men are compelled to accept in its stead an institution of the papacy through the strong hand of the law of the land. In exalting an institution of man above the institution ordained of God, they show contempt for the great Lawgiver, and refuse his sign or seal. The question of most vital importance for this time is, "Who is on the Lord's side? Who will unite with the angel in giving the message of truth to the world? Who will receive the light that is to fill the whole earth with its glory?" Those who cherish the light that they have, will receive more. Increasing light will shine about the souls who yield to the softening, subduing grace of Christ; and those who love the light, will be saved from the delusions of Satan. He will strive with intense energy to exhibit, through his miracle-working power, signs and wonders that will seem to eclipse the work that God will do in the earth. And all will be deceived except those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life. We need light now at every step, lest we be swept away with the error of the wicked. *4
This is the process we will discuss in the following studies. It is necessary to prepare ourselves each day. We must watch and pray so that as the Christians left the city and God saved their lives, we too, at the right time, will leave the cities and save our lives.
JESUS IS COMING SOON, AMEN, YES, COME LORD JESUS!
2 * Patriarchs and Prophets, "14. The Destruction of Sodom ", Ellen g. White
3 * This Day With God, "144. Securing Our Inheritance ", Ellen g. White
4 * The Review and Herald, "God Warns Men of His Coming Judgments", November 5, 1889, Ellen g. White
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