As we approach Easter, I want to look at one powerful idea that we find, especially in Luke’s narrative of Holy Week. That idea is that the fate of Jerusalem is tied to the fate of Jesus. Jesus will be the willing and redemptive sacrifice by God’s will, but Jerusalem’s leaders will decide their own fate, their city’s fate, and the Temple’s fate, as they decide to have Jesus executed.
In Luke 19, we see Jesus coming into Jerusalem, embodying the prophecy of Zechariah 9 by entering on a donkey. Both the crowd and the leaders got the meaning. The crowd rejoiced, crying for the Lord to save them, while the leaders feared Roman military action. What neither fully understood was Jesus’ peaceful, sacrificial purpose as He rode in as the King of Shalom.
Here is an important moment in Jesus’ entrance into the city:
41 As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 42 and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43 The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. 44 They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.” (Luke 19:41-43 NIV)
Trying to calculate how to achieve peace on human terms, they opposed Jesus and instead chose war and destruction.
Once Jesus entered the city He went to the Temple.
45 When Jesus entered the temple courts, he began to drive out those who were selling. 46 “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be a house of prayer’; but you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’” (Luke 19:45-46 NIV)
In these words, Jesus invoked the prophetic words of Jeremiah, in his famous Temple sermon, found in Jeremiah 7. Jesus brought the full context of that sermon into His present moment. Jeremiah’s words were spoken just before Babylon came and destroyed Jerusalem and Solomon’s Temple, taking many captives. People then thought that Solomon’s glorious Temple would forever protect them from their enemies. Jeremiah told them that they were wrong. Jeremiah was proven right. Jesus, too, would be proven right.
In Luke 21, Jesus took up the apocalyptic language of the Old Testament prophets and spoke of the fate of Jerusalem. Those words were not hopeful for Jerusalem, but there would be hope for those who proved faithful:
16 You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. 17 Everyone will hate you because of me. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish. 19 Stand firm, and you will win life. (Luke 21:16-19 NIV)
Here, the paradox is profound! Even if you should be put to death, not a hair on your head will perish if you stand firm, for, in standing, even in dying you will win life.
The last word is not given to Jesus’ enemies or any worldly power. One day, Jesus will put all things right:
27 At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” (Luke 21:27-28 NIV)
What is crucial in this for us is that we, too, must decide about Jesus. Our fate, as were theirs, is tied to our decision about Jesus. This is not tied to any nation, including ours, but to the Kingdom of God, and His King, Jesus. We can certainly be patriotic and pray for peace, but we should not be confused. Only Jesus is Lord. Only He is the King. Only He can bring us to win life! Take courage, for His grace leads us to Life.
Tim Kelley