Day 109: The Kingdom Only Comes Close To Some

Luke 10:10-16 :

But into whatever city you enter, and they don’t receive you, go out into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust from your city that clings to us, we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the Kingdom of God has come near to you.’ I tell you, it will be more tolerable in that day for Sodom than for that city.

“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which were done in you, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you. You, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades. Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me. Whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

Now we can see clearly what is going on. This harvest is a harvest of repentance. Those who repent are saved and those who don’t, get what we read here. Jesus is holding the cities of Israel responsible for not recognizing the time of their visitation by the Messiah. The scriptures had already told Israel that the Messiah was coming, John the Baptist had already gone out and warned the people of their need to repent, and now this final harvest time had come.

Jesus pronounces “Woe’s” on Chroazin and Bethsaida for failing to repent, saying that they will be going to Hell. Notice that Jesus isn’t the least bit afraid to talk about Hell. Not only that, He isn’t afraid to send people there. We know that He hates to send people there because the Bible says that God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but His holiness and justice require it. Also, a part of the love of God is to demonstrate His punishment toward those who mistreat His loved ones.

Notice that Jesus doesn’t forget the judgments that were given out to other cities for committing sins. We see here that His judgment doesn’t get softer for one group than for another. His justice is perfect and these cities will have a less tolerable judgment than the cities of long ago. God is still the God of the Old Testament, even today. That same God of the Old Testament does forgive anyone who has faith in the Messiah today, but for those who don’t, there will be severe judgment.

Jesus gave His workers His own own authority. This is a pattern that we see repeated again with Christians today. Our instructions are different but we go in the Name of Jesus. We have His authority behind us. It is also true that we are a part of Jesus Christ according to the Bible, and because of this, anything that is done to us is also done to Jesus.