With Our Face Set for the Journey to Jerusalem

With Our Face Set for the Journey to Jerusalem

“But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem.” Luke 9:53.

Jerusalem is God’s chosen city and the gathering place of His chosen people. When Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem in order to conclude His work of salvation, He traveled through Samaria, but His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem, which was the reason they did not want to receive Him. They sensed that He had a different spirit and that He was exalted above them; therefore envy constrained them not to receive Him.

Having our face turned toward Jerusalem is the equivalent of, in our heart, turning to God and His will.

“Look upon Zion, the city of our appointed feasts; your eyes will see Jerusalem, a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that will not be taken down; not one of its stakes will ever be removed, nor will any of its cords be broken.” Isa. 33:20.

“Our feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem! Jerusalem is built as a city that is compact together, where the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, to the Testimony of Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord.” Ps. 122:2-4.

First you get to see Jerusalem as a desirable and safe city, and if you continue, you can testify: Our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem, the city that is compacted together.

We go from light to light, and from strength to strength.

Once our eyes are focused on Zion and we hold fast to it so that nothing on earth can draw us away from it, we have gained the upper hand over the world, the devil, and our own flesh.

It is written about Eve that “the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.” Gen. 3:6.

Look at Zion and not at the things that are forbidden! Turn your eyes toward Jerusalem, the city of our feasts! If you look at forbidden things, you will fall! If you stay close to that which is forbidden, you will be close to a fall. Stay far away from things that are forbidden; do not feed that desire even with a glance or a thought!

Lot’s wife was bound; therefore she looked back. But if she had continued on her journey together with the others and had silently suffered because she had to leave her home, she would have been set free from the bonds that bound her to her home.

The Jerusalem that is on this earth and which is praised in every way in the Scriptures is an image of the Jerusalem that is above.

“Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” Rev. 21:2. This is the new Zion. Heb. 12:22.

We have come to Mount Zion and our eyes must be turned towards it. Look upon Mount Zion, the city of our feasts! It is our eternal joy.

Blessed are all those who succeed in getting there!