Matthew 23:1-39
“Past the Point of No Return”
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!”– Matthew 23:37
God is willing, but Israel is not, at least not yet. These are the final words; the final warning before Jesus would go to the Cross and return to the Father. Jesus had come for His own, and His own rejected Him.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” [Jn 1:1] “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” [Jn 1:14] Jesus, fully God, veiled His glory to dwell amongst His people. He came to the house of Israel, but Israel turned away. How could that happen? How could they reject the One who performed so many miracles and taught with such authority? He answered every one of their questions [ref. Matt 22]. They even marveled at His words. And yet they remained “not willing.”
This might seem difficult to understand, but it applies to our day as well. There are many who have experienced the presence of God, they have felt His touch upon their lives, and have been moved by His word; and yet, like religious Israel in our Chapter this morning, they continue in their unbelief. It is a sad reality and one that breaks God’s heart.
The picture that Jesus paints is a hen gathering her brood under her wings. God’s desire is to gather His people under His wings but theyfirst must want to be gathered. And there lies the problem. They are not willing, and so our Lord weeps.
This weeping is similar to what we see in some of the prophetic books: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, and Ezekiel. In Jeremiah’s prophecy he uses the word “backslidden” nine times. In Hebrew this word carries a similar meaning to repent. Repent means to change direction toward the Lord; backslidden means to change direction toward the world. When we willingly decide to go the way of the world we are in abacksliddenstate, and that breaks the heart of God. But you can see the application. Which way are we going, toward God or toward the world?
Matthew 23 is a scathing rebuke of Israel’s leaders; it was their final warning. They are past the point of no return. Their hearts were so calloused over, they could not repent.
But notice our Lord’s tears. In the midst of rebuke,He wept; His heart was grieved for those who had rejected Him.
