If you had known on this day, even you, the conditions for peace!

Luke 19:28-48 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

After Jesus said these things, He was going on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.

²⁹ When He approached Bethphage and Bethany, near the mountain that is called Olivet, He sent two of the disciples, ³⁰ saying, “Go into the village ahead of you; there, as you enter, you will find a colt tied, on which no one yet has ever sat; untie it and bring it here. ³¹ And if anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’” ³² So those who were sent left and found it just as He had told them. ³³ And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” ³⁴ They said, “The Lord has need of it.” ³⁵ And they brought it to Jesus, and they threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. ³⁶ Now as He was going, they were spreading their cloaks on the road. ³⁷ And as soon as He was approaching, near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles which they had seen, ³⁸ shouting:

“Blessed is the King, the One who comes in the name of the Lord;
Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

³⁹ And yet some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples!” ⁴⁰ Jesus replied, “I tell you, if these stop speaking, the stones will cry out!”

⁴¹ When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it, ⁴² saying, “If you had known on this day, even you, the conditions for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes. ⁴³ For the days will come upon you when your enemies will put up a barricade against you, and surround you and hem you in on every side, ⁴⁴ and they will level you to the ground, and throw down your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.”

⁴⁵ And Jesus entered the temple grounds and began to drive out those who were selling, ⁴⁶ saying to them, “It is written: ‘And My house will be a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of robbers.”

⁴⁷ And He was teaching daily in the temple; but the chief priests and the scribes and the leading men among the people were trying to put Him to death, ⁴⁸ and yet they could not find anything that they might do, for all the people were hanging on to every word He said.

In today’s text it says: When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If you had known on this day, even you, the conditions for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you when your enemies will put up a barricade against you, and surround you and hem you in on every side, and they will level you to the ground, and throw down your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.”  From the beginning of His earthly ministry, Jesus said: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17) It is more than Jesus visitation into Jerusalem that was missed. It is the visitation of the kingdom of heaven. Jesus taught us to pray saying: “Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.” We may not have been there when Jesus entered Jerusalem, but still, most of us do not fully recognize the visitation of the kingdom of heaven. In Luke 17:21 Jesus says: “Behold, the kingdom of God is within you.”   Even more than a visitation to our lives, the kingdom resides in us and through our lives. Like Jerusalem in today’s text, many do not know the conditions for peace. In John 16:33 Jesus says: “These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”  The only true condition for peace in this world of tribulation is in Christ and the impartation of the kingdom of heaven in our lives.

In today’s text it says: Jesus entered the temple grounds and began to drive out those who were selling, saying to them, “It is written: ‘And My house will be a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of robbers.” And He was teaching daily in the temple; but the chief priests and the scribes and the leading men among the people were trying to put Him to death, and yet they could not find anything that they might do, for all the people were hanging on to every word He said.  What about us, will we daily hang on every word that Jesus says? Or will we choose only the words are pleasant to us? Will we submit when Jesus drives out the things that rob us of our peace? 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says: All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man or woman of God may be fully capable, equipped for every good work.  We need to hang on every word, on all scripture, on what encourages and exhorts and on what rebukes and corrects. Romans 8:28-30 says:  We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.  In Isaiah 55:10-11 God says: For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth And making it produce and sprout, And providing seed to the sower and bread to the eater;
So will My word be which goes out of My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the purpose for which I sent it.  If we will hang on and submit to every word of God, it will succeed in its purpose, to conform us to the image of Christ, His Son, justifying and glorifying us in Him. We will not miss the impartation of the peace and the glory of the kingdom of heaven in our lives.

Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.