Bruce Collins, Evangelist

The Lord had just made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9 which foretold this event.  The Lord knew that within a week the crowd that had wanted to crown Him king would reject Him and want Him to be crucified.  He wept because He loved the nation and He loved its people.  But He knew that while God has decreed blessing on those who believe in His Son, He has also decreed destruction on those who reject Him.  This was true of Israel as a nation and it is true of each of us today.  John 3:36 says, “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

I believe that in the life of every one of us there comes a special time of visitation when the Lord does His best to convict us of our sin and to convince us that the Lord Jesus can and should be trusted as the sacrifice for our sins.  In a sense, that day could be today because we know that none of us have a promise of a tomorrow.  But it is also true that God brings circumstances and people into our lives to keep us from destruction.  This happens for everyone at least once but I believe that generally it happens many times.  In Luke 13:8-9 there is a barren fig tree that doesn’t produce fruit.  The keeper of that vineyard pleaded for one more year for the tree before obeying the owner and cutting the tree down.  The parable no doubt speaks of God’s long suffering with the nation of Israel, but it should also speak to us of His long suffering to us.

When the Lord said that Jerusalem did not know the time of its visitation, He knew that on that day a prophecy in Daniel 9:26 was being fulfilled to the actual day. The Jewish leaders that considered themselves teachers did not understand that on this day a 483 year period was coming to an end.  The Lord had given the nation over three years at the end of this 483 year period to acknowledge Him as their Messiah and now the end of their day of opportunity had come.  They would reject the Lord and He would reject them.  Terrible destruction was coming and the Roman general Titus became the instrument of God’s destruction in 70 A.D. 

I think there is an application to us here today.  There are those who know that they have rejected the Lord but they are unconcerned.  This verse tells me that they will not have forever to change their minds about their relationship with the Lord.  Then there are those who claim to be worshiping the Lord just like the Jews did and just like Paul the apostle did whose consciences must be bothering them   They must see the difference between people who really trust the Lord and who have peace and joy in their lives and the people who carry great burdens because their system of religion is all about ceremony and religious burdens.  These people are still trying to please God in order to get passage into heaven rather than trusting the Lord and His finished work to take them there.  These people also will not have forever to accept the fact that it is by grace through faith in the Lord that we are saved.  Then there is the true church, the believers in Christ who have settled this great issue of trusting in Christ for salvation.  In the US most in this church are wasting their lives on the attractions of the world rather than living separated lives in devotion and service to the Lord.  In many cases they are finding the worship of the religious world of ceremony and works more attractive that the simple worship of the primitive New Testament church.   These believers are not doing business for God until He comes (Luke 19:13).   They will not have forever to change their loyalties and make a difference for the Lord either.

Special opportunities do not last forever.  We can all look back over missed opportunities. Today is a special day when we can make sure are hearts are right with God.  The blessings will be eternal.

Bruce Collins