RESOURCES — SHORT ARTICLES

 

SHORT ARTICLES BY TOM ELSEROAD
	2021-02-09	What Does Jesus Mean By 'Your House Is Left To You Desolate? (Mt.23:38)
		Mat 23:37  "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! Mat 23:38  See! Your house is left to you desolate; Mat 23:39  for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, 'BLESSED is HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!'" The context of Matthew 23 is based on the Scribes and Pharisees outright rejection of Jesus. In fact this chapter contains 7 woes to the Scribes and Pharisees. It is the last words Jesus said in His message to the Scribes and Pharisees as He prepares to go to the cross. Jesus spoke this prophecy regarding the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem. There is a twofold meaning to the “house” which refers to the temple in Jerusalem being left “desolate”. 1. Jesus, who is God, was departing from the temple for the last time. He was leaving it deserted of divine presence. God was forsaking the 'house' of worship leaving it spiritually empty. Jesus says the Jews will not see Him till they say, “blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” (Mt.23:39). This refers to the future event when “all Israel will be saved” (Ro.11:26). There will be a time when the Jews alive at this time will be converted, and place their faith in Jesus as their Messiah (Ro.11:25-27). 2. This refers to the physical destruction of the temple in 70AD. Around 40 years from Jesus' words the Romans will invade Jerusalem and destroy the temple. In fact concerning the temple Jesus said, “not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down” (Mt.24:2). When Jesus said this it must have shocked the disciples to hear these words. This was the sad desolation in store for Jerusalem, the temple and the people who rejected their Messiah. Jesus cleansed the temple the second time (Lk.19:45-48) about a week before He said, your house is left to you desolate. Luk 19:46  saying to them, "It is written, 'MY HOUSE IS A HOUSE OF PRAYER,' but you have made it a 'DEN OF THIEVES.' " Notice the words Jesus uses. He distinguishes between “My house” (Lk.19:46) and a week later when He called it “Your house” (Mt.23:38). See the events. Jesus cleanses the temple, exits it for the last time, then calls it “Your house”. He is saying it is no longer God's house, but theirs. They had wrested control of God’s house and objected to the Lord’s right to oversee it. In return, God forsook it, leaving it open to devastation. Jesus found no satisfaction in saying these words. In fact He laments over its destruction (Mt.23:37). Mat 23:37  "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! We see the heart of Jesus for the people of Israel. For Christians today, we are the spiritual temple of God with the Holy Spirit dwelling within (1Co.3:16-17). Paul's exhortation, based on that truth, is for us to live in unity among one another. Pastor Tom Elseroad

 

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