Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, Matthew 23:34
God was retiring His protection upon this nation. They had forgotten all the blessings He had given them. During the life of each of the prophets, the Lord had punished the nation hoping that they would repent from their evil ways and seek Him wholeheartedly. The prophets of God had done everything possible to steer the nation in the right direction, seeing the future that awaited them if they did not.
Solemn judgments had been pronounced against Jerusalem by the prophets. Its iniquity and crime had once caused it to be destroyed, and its people carried captive to Babylon. In their humiliation, many sought the Lord with repentance and confession; and when they returned from captivity, they seemed for a time to reform. In his mercy, God forgave them, and gave them his blessing. "I will not contend forever," he declares, "neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made. For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart. I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners. I create the fruit of the lips. Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the Lord; and I will heal him." *1
But the leaders of the people did not remain converted. They did not, as faithful sentinels, keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment. Again and again the word of the Lord through his prophets was rejected. Then God sent his only begotten Son with a message of mercy; but they refused to receive him, and said, "This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours." Christ "came unto his own, and his own received him not." *1
Having rejected the Lord who had spoken to them through the prophets, would it be possible that they would reject His own Son?
"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!" You have refused to see in me a merciful Saviour, offering your redemption. When God's heavy judgments fall upon you, you will still refuse to see in me a sin-pardoning Saviour. But you will one day long for the Deliverer who was once among you, and whom you would not receive. *1
The sentence against Jerusalem was no longer being pronounced by the prophets. Now it was God himself who pronounced the sentence against this nation. Because God’s love and mercy are so great, when they are rejected, He removes His complete protection.
Christ charged the whole nation with this sin. In rejecting my servants and prophets, he said, you have not only rejected them, but the Son of God, whose you are by creation and by redemption. You would none of my counsel, you despised all my reproof. If you are destroyed, you yourselves will be responsible. I have offered you help because I loved you, but you would not come unto me, that you might have life. *1
Unfortunately, Jerusalem had reached the same condition as that of Sodom and Gomorrah. The Lord had tried to reach the hearts of these people but they had rejected Him. In this way their sins reached heaven and God's judgments were pronounced upon Jerusalem.
The hour of hope and pardon was fast passing; the cup of God's long-deferred wrath was almost full. The cloud that had been gathering through ages of apostasy and rebellion, now black with woe, was about to burst upon a guilty people; and He who alone could save them from their impending fate had been slighted, abused, rejected, and was soon to be crucified. When Christ should hang upon the cross of Calvary, Israel's day as a nation favored and blessed of God would be ended. The loss of even one soul is a calamity infinitely outweighing the gains and treasures of a world; but as Christ looked upon Jerusalem, the doom of a whole city, a whole nation, was before Him--that city, that nation, which had once been the chosen of God, His peculiar treasure. *2
This nation was about to engage in an event which the entire universe would be observing. Something that on several occasions Jesus had revealed to his disciples.
From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” Matthew 16:21-23
If only we could imagine what the Lord was experiencing at this time. Peter along with the disciples of Jesus, were still focused on the earthly and not the heavenly. Perhaps thinking of doing he was doing good, Peter told Jesus to save himself. He did not understand that Jesus had come to save the human race. A sacrifice that God's peculiar treasure rejected.
Thus with power and authority our Lord reproved the Jewish nation. "Ye shall not see me henceforth," he continued, "till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord." When the Jewish people see Christ again, they will ask no sign. That day will not be to them a day of joy, although, as they see the One they rejected, the acknowledgment will come from their lips, with overwhelming power, "Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord." When Christ comes in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory, they will praise him whom they once cursed; but it will then be too late. *1
Such heartbreaking words! Thus it is the same concern that exists over the inhabitants of the world today. What will the great day of the Lord be for you? Will it be a day of great joy and happiness, or will it be a day of terrible sadness?
Jerusalem was lost because of its obstinate refusal to acknowledge the truth. This the world is doing today. Men refuse to see the truth that is plainly revealed in the word of God. A "Thus saith the Lord" is regarded as of no account, while the words of men are given great authority. And as the inhabitants of Jerusalem were punished, so will those be punished who refuse to receive truth. God would have us realize that by the city of Jerusalem a world is represented. Christ's utterances regarding the destruction of Jerusalem are ever to be connected with the more terrible destruction of the world. *1
The condemnation of Jerusalem removed any opportunity for their salvation. But for us there is still a short time of grace. Everything indicates that the Lord is near. We must give our hearts to Jesus. We must accept the truths revealed in His Word and obtain salvation through Jesus Christ.
JESUS IS COMING SOON, AMEN, YES, COME LORD JESUS!
1 * The Review and Herald, "Words of Warning .-- No. 1 ", December 13, 1898, Ellen g. White
2 * The Great Controversy, "The Destruction of Jerusalem", Ellen g. White
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