Day 146: To the Fox’s Den

Luke 13:31-35 :

On that same day, some Pharisees came, saying to him, “Get out of here, and go away, for Herod wants to kill you.”

He said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I complete my mission. Nevertheless I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the next day, for it can’t be that a prophet perish outside of Jerusalem.’

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that kills the prophets, and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, like a hen gathers her own brood under her wings, and you refused! Behold, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’”

It’s amazing but true that the Herod family had been tracking down Jesus His whole life. When Jesus was about two years old, an earlier Herod was so power hungry that he had all of the children two years and younger killed in Bethlehem to the coast in order to kill this “King of the Jews.” It was Egypt that God used to protect Jesus from Herod until he was no longer in power. This new Herod was not any better. It appears that he was quite vain and had already put John the Baptist to death. Jesus didn’t shy away from him in at all proving again that Jesus was not passive but courageous as He headed strait into the place where He knew He would be killed.

Jesus clearly states in these verses that Jerusalem had failed to accept their Messiah. Notice that Jesus clearly states that He will not be seen but that some time in the future it will be said about Him: “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” This is where Israel finds itself today. The day is coming when they will finally say of Jesus, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” but this has clearly not happened yet.

It is clear from the writings of Daniel that there will first come a false messiah but Daniel mentioned exactly how it will be made clear to the Jews that he is a false one. This messiah will set himself up as God in the Most Holy part of the temple. This all sounds quite strange now because it deals with a powerful leader and a temple that doesn’t exist yet, but that’s what the Bible says. When this happens, it will be a sign to the Jews to get out of Jerusalem as fast as possible because bad things are about to take place. When Jesus returns, it is pretty clear that they will be happy at that point because He will save them by “brightness of His coming.” (2 Thessalonians 2:8) Jesus, the Son of David, will come again and clear out the foxes.