Eight Woes on Israel's Leaders

From: Our Lord Jesus Christ: King, Servant, Evangelist and Son of God By: Clarence E. Lunden

Matthew 23 • 1 min. read • grade level: 9

Matthew 23

The Lord takes up the leaders and shows their Pharisaical wickedness and character. Then He pours out eight woes on them. This chapter closes His public ministry with this solemn Judgment on the leaders of the nation (Ezek. 34:1-3¹And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, ²Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks? ³Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock. (Ezekiel 34:1‑3)).

Then He opens His heart to the nation, desiring that their children may see the marvelous grace to that nation when He comes again to "turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers." Mal. 4:6⁶And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse. (Malachi 4:6).

He laments, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see Me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord."

In Psa. 91:4⁴He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. (Psalm 91:4) we read, "He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust." This verse answers to the Lord's desire as the true shepherd, expressed in His lament over Jerusalem.

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