He recognized the feeling for what it was—the need within himself to protect and care for something beyond himself. It was that, in part, that had led him into so many fights that were not his; and yet, was not the cause of human freedom and liberty every man’s trust?”
–Louis L’Amour (The Mountain Valley War)
“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence!”
–Matthew 23:25 (NLT)
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I have been doing my morning devotions from the Book of Matthew and am currently on the section where Jesus has made His final entry into Jerusalem. The tone and message of His words have changed upon this occasion. The verses from yesterday morning’s made me do some pondering.
“Snakes! Sons of vipers! How will you escape the judgment of hell?
“Therefore, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers of religious law. But you will kill some by crucifixion, and you will flog others with whips in your synagogues, chasing them from city to city. As a result, you will be held responsible for the murder of all godly people of all time—from the murder of righteous Abel to the murder of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you killed in the Temple between the sanctuary and the altar. I tell you the truth, this judgment will fall on this very generation.”
–Matthew 23:33-36 (NLT)
Do you depict harshness in the words of Jesus? My mercy, He is telling them like it is and the Pharisees and other religious leaders don’t like it one bit. In these verses, Jesus is pronouncing judgment. I like what Alexander MacLaren has to say, “Let us remember that He who sees hearts had a right to tell harsh truths… There is nothing so terrible as the anger of gentle compassion, and the fiercest and most destructive wrath is that of the Lamb.”
From the beginning, God has graciously called people back to Him. He had sent the prophets, He had given His word to the people, and yet/still they refused to listen, now to the very Son of God. Look at His wording here, “Snakes…vipers!
There is poison oozing from them to deceive. Here is Truth standing in front of them and they are writhing around seeking for a way to destroy the Truth.
Judgment did come–in two forms. First, the judgment of sin fell upon Christ to appease the character of a holy God, then also in 70 A.D. the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple came with the armies of Titus. But stop, think, could this be one of those two-fold prophetic messages? God is still sending out His message: “Come to Me.” He is speaking to men in the world today not wanting any to perish. Yet…men of today are similar to those of old–they reject the message.
MacLaren writes, “God goes on sending His prophets because we reject them; and the more deaf men are, the more does He peal His words into their ears.” God speaks, God speaks, God continues to speak–there will be none who can say, “I didn’t know.” I heard it said many years ago, and I have seen it born out: “the Holy Spirit will either convict or enrage.” When the Spirit speaks men will either be convicted and repent or they will harden their hearts as Pharaoh of old and hate God all the more. Until the day when the cup of iniquity is full and God says, “That is enough!”
My ears may be failing me some in my later years, but I think they are also more sensitive. I sometimes I can hear the cry of the innocent unborn: “when Lord, when?” Besides the other major issues of this election, you tell me how can so-called Christians bide with a side that is seeking premeditated murder? The blood of the innocent, will be on their hands, and the “anger of gentle compassion” is ready to burst upon the scene.