Luke 13
Calamities come on some from time to time, but every man, unless he repents, will ultimately perish.
Israel is seen as a fig tree in which there is no fruit. For three years Jesus looked for fruit and found none. "Cut it down; it only cumbers the ground," the owner of the fig tree said to the dresser of his vineyard. The dresser of the vineyard said, "Leave it for another year while I cultivate and fertilize it. If it bears fruit, well. Otherwise, cut it down." Israel today is a nation of withered fruit for God and estranged from their place for God on earth.
A Woman Bowed Down
A certain woman who had been bent over with affliction for eighteen years, a picture of Israel in captivity, is loosed by a word from Jesus. The leaders of Israel again object because what was done happened on the sabbath day. The Lord answered, saying, Do you not loose and water your beasts on the sabbath day? Then ought not this woman, bound by Satan for eighteen years, to be set free on the sabbath? The adversaries were ashamed.
A Great Tree and Leaven
The kingdom of God is likened to a great tree which sprang from a mustard seed. Its branches made a home for the birds of the air. This mustard seed was intended for food for man, but became a tree to protect evil spirits. Such now is the profession of Christianity-in the beginning it was small, with a large testimony of Jesus and saving grace, but it has become a great system of religion, denying the truth of the holy Scriptures.
The kingdom of God is likened to leaven, which was hid in three measures of meal by a woman. The place for a woman is in the house. What is done in the house is private. It cannot be seen by others. The leaven (evil doctrine) was hidden in the meal (the testimony of Christ). During the past two thousand years, the evil of false doctrine has gradually and systematically been introduced, secretly, by that system which falsely claims to be the original church, and which continues until the whole of the Christian profession will be leavened (corrupted) when the true Church has left this world.
From the beginning God has always had a people on the earth, and, though they may be small and weak, they are the testimony on earth for God. We are thankful that all true Christians will be raptured when Jesus comes for His own.
Many claim to be believers and they have built a vast system of religion which tends to outward show and formal order rather than to the order given in the Scriptures. Whenever man departs from the order given in the Word of God, the flesh in the natural man must replace what God has ordered through the leading of the Holy Spirit with a man made order suited to religious flesh. Man's system finally becomes completely corrupt just before the Lord returns to judge. The rapture will be at least seven years before the final corruption of idolatry overcomes this vast, wicked profession.
The Word of God to all believers is to separate from this spurious system to be gathered to Christ alone. "Come out of her, My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues." Rev. 18:44And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. (Revelation 18:4).
The Shut Door
The question was put to the Lord, "Are there few that be saved?" Jesus answered, "Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able." Christ is the strait gate. The time will come when the door of salvation will be shut and men will stand outside and knock, saying, "Lord, Lord, open unto us," but He will answer and say, "I know you not whence ye are." Then such will say, We have dined with You and have listened to Your teaching. Jesus will respond, I do not know you, where you come from; you are workers of evil; go on your way.
The Lord goes on to say, There will be untold sorrow when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob with all of the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you will be shut out. There will be some there from the east and the west, the north and the south, who shall sit down in the kingdom of God, but you who do not hear now will then be thrust out.
Those coming last (the Church) shall be first, and the first, last. Israel, the first, shall be last. The Gentile, last, shall be first.
The Pharisees said, Get out of the country, because Herod will kill You. The Lord answered, "Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected. Nevertheless I must walk today, and tomorrow, and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem."
Jesus mourned over Jerusalem, saying, "How often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!" In the millennial day, or just before, when Israel is again gathered, it shall be said, "He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust: His truth shall be thy shield and buckler." 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). This will be the Lord's answer to this lament over Jerusalem.