Four Towns or Cities

From: Messages of God's Love: 1967

If you look at a map of Palestine you will find four towns or cities, in each of which the Lord Jesus spent part of His earthly life. From each of these we may learn something.

BETHLEHEM — (Matt. 2:1¹Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, (Matthew 2:1)), where the infant Jesus was born. There was no room for Him in the inn. The inn at Bethlehem is like the world, and the worldling’s heart. Room for pleasure, room for business, but no room for Jesus. Is that like your heart?

NAZARETH — (Luke 2:51⁵¹And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. (Luke 2:51)), was the place of His boyhood. He was known among men as “Jesus of Nazareth” (Luke 18:37³⁷And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. (Luke 18:37); John 19:19¹⁹And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS. (John 19:19)). Nazareth was a despised place: “Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?” (John 2:46). But the Lord still delights to own that name in glory (Acts 22:8⁸And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest. (Acts 22:8)). Yet, sad to say, the people of Nazareth openly rejected Him (Luke 4:28²⁸And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, (Luke 4:28)), because lie spoke the truth. Are you rejecting Him?

CAPERNAUM — (Matt. 9:1¹And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city. (Matthew 9:1)), was the place of His choice, “His own city,” where much of His time was spent, and where many of His miracles were wrought (Matt. 11:23²³And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. (Matthew 11:23)). Exalted to heaven in privileges, yet sunk down to hell in judgment — nowhere to be seen now. It despised Christ. Solemn lesson. Let us remember it. Do you despise Christ?

JERUSALEM — (Matt. 16:51), where Jesus died. Guilty Jerusalem; it crucified the Lord of glory. Jesus wept over it (Luke 19:41⁴¹And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, (Luke 19:41)), for well He knew its doom. Alas for Jerusalem, and for all who know not the day of their visitation. After grace comes judgment; after privilege, perdition.

ML 02/05/1967

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