Monday Reflection: Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King
By Major Graham Bailey
Bible Reading: Luke 19:28-44 New International Version (NIV)
Thought:
A familiar reading that we shared yesterday as we celebrated Palm Sunday. However, there is a couple of verses that I want just to concentrate on for us today & it’s particularly verse 41 – ‘As He approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it.’
Jesus Wept – In amongst all the celebrations of that day (The buzz that will have been in Jerusalem over the coming Passover feasts, the riding of the donkey, the prophecy everyone would have known, the waving of palm leaves etc – Jesus was aware of what was going on and yet, in the midst of all this – ‘He cried’. Did the disciples think that He was overcome at the reception He was receiving? Did they notice?
But we know that Jesus cried because the people didn’t see what was happening as the event that it was - the coming of their King – the long-promised Messiah! The ‘celebration’ was really skin deep; they hoped that Jesus was going to match the nations aspirations; the overthrow of Rome? The restoration of Israel & her God?
However, instead of just throwing up His arms and despairing with them all, Jesus had compassion upon them. It’s a theme we encounter many times in the gospels e.g. Mark 6: 34 (feeding of the 5,000).
Jesus Wept – In amongst all the celebrations of that day (The buzz that will have been in Jerusalem over the coming Passover feasts, the riding of the donkey, the prophecy everyone would have known, the waving of palm leaves etc – Jesus was aware of what was going on and yet, in the midst of all this – ‘He cried’. Did the disciples think that He was overcome at the reception He was receiving? Did they notice?
But we know that Jesus cried because the people didn’t see what was happening as the event that it was - the coming of their King – the long-promised Messiah! The ‘celebration’ was really skin deep; they hoped that Jesus was going to match the nations aspirations; the overthrow of Rome? The restoration of Israel & her God?
However, instead of just throwing up His arms and despairing with them all, Jesus had compassion upon them. It’s a theme we encounter many times in the gospels e.g. Mark 6: 34 (feeding of the 5,000).
Song: Salvation Army Songbook 418 - People Need The Lord - especially note verse 2
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