It was night. The sun had long since set behind Mt. Carmel in the west, and from mid-heaven the moon shone down upon the great guilty city. The song of the drunkard was ended, and he slept heavily. Weary workers had sought rest from the labor of the day and in sleep would find strength for the day to come. The quiet of night erased the lines of care from the faces of tired mothers, while their little ones slept peacefully near them. Business problems were forgotten; all seemed at rest.
But toward the east, on Mt. Olivet, stood a Stranger, solitary and alone. Travel-weary, wet with the dew. He stood and looked upon the city, and through His eyes, compassion shone. As He looked, He wept.
It was Jesus the Nazarene from the plains of Galilee. Still the city slept; the Weeper and His tears were all unheeded by those for whom He wept. But wakeful heaven looked on in wonder, and multitudes of angels bowed and worshipped at the sight.
Jesus is the Lord of heaven, the eternal Son of God; yet there He stood without a home upon the earth His hands had made. Why? The reason is not far to seek. Men's hearts were full of sin, and His was full of love. He came to bring them blessing, to flood their land with joy from heaven. He came to shield them from evil, as the mother bird shelters her young beneath her wing when the hawk approaches.
But they would not. They slept indifferently. His words, His works, His tears did not awaken any love for Him. The city slept. How dark was that slumber!
He stood and wept, then passed onward to the cross. He died; His blood was shed. His love passed the test. He died for sinners, for those who hated Him, and being raised from the grave He sent His followers with the word of life into the city over which He wept.
Nearly two thousand years have passed away since then, and still the Savior-Jesus sends the message of salvation to all. But still there are thousands who sleep indifferently in a dark and dreadful slumber—the sleep of sin. They do not want Christ, nor God, nor heaven. How terrible the awakening will be!