JERUSALEM:

Luke 19:41 ¶ When He approached {Jerusalem,} He saw the city and wept over it,Jerusalem- “city of Peace” or “foundations of peace.”

Jerusalem is a Holy City for the Worshipers of the One God. Jerusalem is a holy city for all the believers in the One God: Jews, Muslims, and Christians. Jerusalem was a Jebusite city, with no Jewish history, when King David captured it and dedicated it to the One God. David united the Northern and Southern kingdoms of Israel, so it was important to choose a central city that was not associated with either kingdom. Until then, the Jews had always worshiped and sacrificed at the Ark of the Covenant, which they carried with them as they traveled.

As a nation, we love parade don’t we? Peace march, Rallies, Procession, Victory rally etc. Jesus was entering Jerusalem for the last time. Jerusalem was His city of Destiny.

Our Lord’s coming to Jerusalem was an act of mercy and grace, not an act of justice and judgment. He did have salvation for them (John 1:11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him).

Jesus did two things:

1. He declared Himself to be King and Messiah

2. He deliberately challenged the religious leaders.

Jesus had fixed His eyes to go to Jerusalem, and He knew exactly what was to happen to Him there as He had explained to His disciple in great detail in Luke 18:31-33.

During this time, it was preordained by God, that His Son would enter the city of Jerusalem as King, be recognized as a Prophet and have zeal for God’s house as a Priest and a Judge. During this Passover in Jerusalem, Jesus would be arrested, crucified and rise from the dead. It was the triumphant Entry into Jerusalem that initiated all these events.

The first time the King came , He came riding on a donkey ( Matt 21:5-7)

When the King comes again to earth- he will come in a white horse ( Rev 19:11)

The 1^st time it was the cross, the 2^nd time it will be the crown, the King is Coming ( rev 1:7; Matt 21:27)

Luke 19:41 ¶ When He approached {Jerusalem,} He saw the city and wept over it,

• LOOKED BACK: He saw how the nation had wasted its opportunities and been ignorant of their time of visitation.

• LOOKED WITHIN: Spiritual ignorance and blindness in the heart of the people.

• LOOKED AROUND- Jesus saw religious activity that accomplished very little. The temple had become a den of thieves and the religious leaders were out to kill Him.

• LOOKED AHEAD: He wept and He saw the terrible judgment that was coming to the nation, the city, and the temple. In AD 70, the Romans would come and after a siege of 143 days, kill 600000 Jews, take thousand more captive and then destroy the temple and the city.

The next time Jesus is again going to enter Jerusalem

Is 33:20 Look upon Zion, the city of our appointed feasts; Your eyes will see Jerusalem, an undisturbed habitation, A tent which will not be folded; Its stakes will never be pulled up, Nor any of its cords be torn apart.

As a prophecy, this has never been fulfilled as pious hope it may be fulfilled at some future time. Most Christian resort to the belief in a “new Jerusalem” which is waiting in the clouds to descend to earth at the right time.

A Jerusalem will be the center of the world

Jer 3:17 "At that time they will call Jerusalem 'The Throne of the LORD,' and all the nations will be gathered to it, to Jerusalem, for the name of the LORD; nor will they walk anymore after the stubbornness of their evil heart.

Jer 3:18 "In those days the house of Judah will walk with the house of Israel, and they will come together from the land of the north to the land that I gave your fathers as an inheritance.

The next time Israel sees the king, He will ride in great power and glory (Rev 19:11 ¶ And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it {is} called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war.)

There is no room to doubt that the Rider of this "white horse" is any other than the Lord Jesus Christ. But He will appear thus at His second advent. Then everything shall be changed. He who came before in humiliation and shame shall return in power and majesty. He who once had not where to lay His head shall then sit on the throne of His glory (Matthew 25:31). He who was nailed to a malefactor’s Cross shall, in that day, wield the scepter of imperial dominion. Just as the "ass" was well suited to the One who had laid aside His glory, so the white "war-horse" of Revelation 19 is in perfect keeping with the fact that He is now "crowned with glory and honor."

If Jesus comes to our church,home, what will He do?