Jesus said, “39 For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord’ ” Matthew 23:39.
Israel’s religious leaders have fully and officially rejected Jesus as the Messiah. Without His protection, Jerusalem and its temple will be left as vulnerable as an abandoned building, with no One to protect them.
In that context, Jesus says that He will not be there to protect Israel. Further, His public ministry is now complete. The people, in a public sense, will not see Him again until He returns as the conquering King:
11 Then I saw heaven opened, and there was a white horse! Its rider is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name inscribed that no one knows but himself. 13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies of heaven, wearing fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a scepter of iron; he will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty” Revelation 19:11-15.
Jesus quotes Psalm 118:26, "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD." When Jesus comes to Israel again, He will not come as a sacrificial Savior, and Matthew makes note of this in chapter 16, “21 From that time on, Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed and on the third day be raised” Matthew 16:21. Jesus will come as the Judge: “28 So Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him” Hebrews 9:28.
At that time, the people of Israel will finally acknowledge who He is as their King.
This text, then, serves as a warning to me not to be dismissive of Jesus unit later, thinking I can live without Him until I’m ready to turn to Him! Live now “in the name of the Lord” — not later!
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner.
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