On that very day some Pharisees came, saying to Him, “Get out and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill You.” And He said to them, “Go, tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.’ Nevertheless I must journey today, tomorrow, and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem. (Luke 13:31-33; see THE GOSPEL: Herod, Herodias & John; Bad Choices & Results)
All Jesus did was heal the sick, raise the dead, comfort the afflicted, show compassion to the hurting, forgive the sins of the sinner and proclaim to be the Son of God, Who came to die for the sins of the world. For this, all of the religious leaders and even Herod, the Roman leader over Jerusalem, wanted to kill him! Jesus came to be ...The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29) But He also knew it wasn't going to happen until the appointed time, because He still had to go share the gospel in other areas; then He would return to Jerusalem, for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem.
The children of Israel were the people God chose to use as a vessel to reveal Himself to the world. He commanded Abraham, “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Genesis 12:1-3) He made a promise through Moses to the children of Israel It will come to pass when you come to the land which the Lord will give you, just as He promised, ... (Exodus 12:25) a promise He made before He led them out of Egypt.
Finally, after 40 years of wandering in the desert (Psalm 95:8-11), because they were too scared to enter into the land after the 40 days it originally took to get there (Numbers 13-14), ...Lord gave to Israel all the land of which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they took possession of it and dwelt in it. The Lord gave them rest all around, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers. And not a man of all their enemies stood against them; the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand. Not a word failed of any good thing which the Lord had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass. (Joshua 21:43-45)
This "promised land" had many names, first Canaan (Genesis 13), Israel (Genesis 33:18-20), then they split and the southern part became Judah (I Kings 12:1-24). But the city of Jerusalem, also known as Salem and Zion, has always been ...The City of the Lord, Zion of the Holy One of Israel. (Isaiah 60:14) God even revealed to the Apostle John, Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (Revelations 21:2) God promised the children of Israel that if they obeyed Him, I will set My tabernacle among you, and My soul shall not abhor you. I will walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that you should not be their slaves; I have broken the bands of your yoke and made you walk upright. (Leviticus 26:11-13)
But He also warned them, ‘But if you do not obey Me, and do not observe all these commandments,... I will destroy your high places, cut down your incense altars, and cast your carcasses on the lifeless forms of your idols; I will lay your cities waste and bring your sanctuaries to desolation, and I will not smell the fragrance of your sweet aromas. I will bring the land to desolation, and your enemies who dwell in it shall be astonished at it. (Leviticus 26:14, 30-32) Well, they didn't obey God, for centuries going back-and-forth, from obedience to disobedience. And finally Jesus is their during the time of their Roman captivity, and they have rejected the Word of God and Him as the Son of God.
How does Jesus respond: “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 brood under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate [Leviticus 26:14-46]; and assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ [Psalm 118:26]” (Luke 13:34-35) There are severe consequences to rejecting Christ Jesus! For ...how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will? (Hebrews 2:3-4)
Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (Hebrews 3:29, 31) And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. (Ephesians 4:30) For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? Now “If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?” [Proverbs 11:31] (I Peter 4:17-18) All choices have consequences, and many last for eternity. Choose wisely, choose Christ Jesus as your Savior and Lord today!
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