#DailyDevotion Don’t Weep For Me

Luke 23²⁷A large crowd of the people followed Him. The women in the crowd were beating their chests and weeping over Him. ²⁸Turning to them, Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, don’t cry over Me, but cry over yourselves and your children, ²⁹because the time is coming when people will say: ‘Happy are — the women who couldn’t have children, the wombs that didn’t bear, and the breasts that didn’t nurse.’ 30Then people will say -to the mountains: ‘Fall on us! and to the hills: ‘Cover us! ³¹If this is done to the green tree, what will be done to a dry one?” ³²Two others, who were criminals, were also taken away to be put to death with Him.

As we head towards the last Sunday of the church year, our lessons have been focusing in on the Last Day when Christ returns as King. This lesson is no different. Even text which talk about death and judgment in the near future of when the prophesy was spoken, those are types of the judgment to come. Here Jesus is speaking to both the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans (a type of Last Day) and the Last day. In both instances I believe it is likely they would say, “Happy are — the women who couldn’t have children, the wombs that didn’t bear, and the breasts that didn’t nurse.” With the destruction of Jerusalem it would be said because women would see their children die both by famine and by the sword. On the Last Day because they had given birth to children who would most likely be born for destruction and judgment. For there is no one who is innocent, no one.

In verse thirty I believe that most pointedly looks to the Last Day as those words are spoken in prophesy concerning that day often. In Revelation 6 it is written, ^15“The kings of the earth, the great men, the tribunes, the rich, the powerful, and every slave and free man hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, ¹⁶ calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from Him Who sits on the throne and from the anger of the Lamb, ¹⁷because the great day of their anger has come, and who can stand before it?”  I know you’re thinking that’s chapter 6 but chapter 6 is ‘one’ of the seven times in Revelation the end of the world, Judgment Day is described.

So on the one hand you may not want to be around when Christ Jesus returns for if you are not in Christ, it’s not going to be a good day for you. You will see your loved ones who are also not in Christ perish by the sword of Christ’s mouth and at the hands of his angels and then you too will die to be food for birds. (Rev. 19) Of course there are the spiritual plagues that you will undergo headed to that day and those won’t be pleasant either. You will wish to be dead but death will flee from you. (Rev. 9:6) However, if you are in Christ then Jesus says, Luke 21²⁸“When these things begin to happen, stand ready and look forward cheerfully because you will soon be set free.”

Jesus said, ³¹ If this is done to the green tree, what will be done to a dry one?” Jesus of course is the green tree for he is the Life and Light of the world. All who are joined to him in baptism are like branches of a live tree. He is being tortured and put to death even as those who follow him can expect during these last days of this age. It is hard to burn up a live tree. Indeed in Christ we never do die. (John 11:26) The dry trees are the people of this world who do not have Christ’s life in them. On the Last Day when Christ returns in judgment they will be put to death for all eternity. They will suffer for all eternity because they rejected the one, Jesus Christ, who could and wanted to give them life.

So be sorry for your sins and confess them to God. Be baptized into Christ and suffer your judgment there with him on the cross so you may receive his life never to die again. Trust in him and you will never die as he said in John 11:26.

Merciful God and Father, grant us such faith in your Son Jesus Christ, that on the Last Day when he returns in judgment, we may escaped from the wrath to come through being joined to him in baptism and faith. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.