Our Scripture meditation is based on Luke 23:26–31, a section of next week’s Gospel Lesson.
[26] And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus. [27] And there followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him. [28] But turning to them Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. [29] For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ [30] Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ [31] For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
This week we are preparing for the Last Sunday of the Church Year. In this reading, Jesus is preparing God’s people for the last days before He returns in judgement.
We could be tempted to minimize Jesus’ words. After all, Jesus uttered these words after he had suffered torture. The chants of a Jewish throng were echoing in his ears: “Crucify him! Crucify him! Crucify him!”. Roman Governor Pontius Pilate had just delivered Jesus over for that crucifixion.
Even given Jesus’ suffering, there is no Biblical evidence that Jesus was exaggerating what would happen in the last days. Instead, Scripture teaches this world will come to a turbulent end. This is yet another reason Jesus in this passage is walking toward His cross on Mount Calvary: In addition to earning the forgiveness of sins of the world, Jesus is drawing closer to creating a new heavens and new earth. In Revelation 21:4, we’re told that in this new heavens and earth, “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
Until next week, the Lord bless and guide.
Kevin Wilson 360 