Luke 19:41-44 NIV
[41] As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it [42] and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. [43] The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. [44] They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”
Towards the end of Jesus’ ministry He weeps or mourns for Jerusalem. He ended His thought with “because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.” Jesus, the Word of God, gave prophecy after prophecy about His first coming. He gave signs and miracles to look for, yet His own people rejected Him. His own people missed their opportunity to worship God in the flesh, why? Because they didn’t know, nor could they recognize the time of His visitation.
Jesus is coming back. He’s coming for His people. He’s coming with signs and prophecies fulfilled just as He did the first time. This now begs a very important question: do you know the time of your visitation? Do you know the signs that proceed His coming? The prophecies that need to be fulfilled? Do you know when to look up for your redemption draweth nigh? Or will you be like the Israelites 2000 years ago and miss the second coming of Christ?
Casting Crowns has a song called “While You Were Sleeping.” The first verse starts with how Bethlehem had no room for the Messiah to be born in Him. The second verse then goes to how Jerusalem crucified Him. Then the third and final verse they asked America “will you be sleeping?” Will you be asleep and miss the second coming of Christ as Israel missed the first?
Jesus is coming back real soon. He’s coming in a time the majority will not be ready for. Not because He wants to catch people unaware but the world and the church alike are falling into a deeper and deeper sleep allowing for evil to run more and more rampant. The LORD God set a specific time for the coming of Jesus. The Father set a perfect time to rescue His people from the evil of this world. It’s up to us to get ready. To discern the times. So, I’ll ask you one more time, will you be like the Israelites of Jesus’ day or will you be ready for His return?