Jesus once declared, “I tell you, if they keep silent, the stones will CRY OUT!” (Luke 19:40). This was said in reference to the Pharisees’ demand that Jesus rebuke His disciples for their celebration of Jesus’ Journey into Jerusalem (vv. 28-39). Jesus told the “religious” hateful Pharisees, “If they (the disciples) keep silent, the stones will cry out!” What? Stones crying out?
Following this event, Luke records, “As He (Jesus) drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, ‘If this you only knew, what makes for peace – but now is hidden from your eyes’” (vv. 41-42).
The religious Pharisees hated Jesus’ followers for praising and honoring Him – “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29) – therefore Jesus wept, knowing that by not accepting Him as the One Who mediates, Jerusalem will not find peace but persecution, and will become the victim of Roman devastation (70 AD), as we read in verses 43-44. Jesus describes the actual disaster that lies ahead.
Was Jesus making small talk when He said the stones would cry out if the people were silenced? Did Jesus make reference to the prophet Habakkuk’s words, “For the stone in the wall shall CRY OUT!, and the beam in the frame shall ANSWER IT!” (Habakkuk 2:11). Habakkuk 2:11-12 makes it clear that “places within towns, built at the expense of gross injustice (vv. 6-10), call down vengeance on their builders.” This is typical prophetic language, as they say, for the CONDEMNATION of social crimes that occurred within Israel and Judah.
So, in reference to Luke 19:40, I believe Jesus was predicting (as a Prophet) that the building stones of Jerusalem’s great temple and walls would “CRY OUT!” in condemnation against Judah’s crimes. Jesus went to Jerusalem to preach REPENTANCE in the beginning and went the last time to pay the price for man’s redemption by allowing Himself to be crucified. The crucifixion actually SEALED Judah’s doom! Let’s recall what Jesus told His disciples while in Jerusalem: “Do you not see all these things (in reference to the temple and buildings of the temple – v. 1)? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down!” (Matthew 24:2).
The Jewish nation (as a whole) rejected Him: “What then is this that is written: ‘The Stone which the builders rejected has become the Chief Cornerstone?’ Whoever falls on that Stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder” (Luke 20:17-18; see also Psalm 118:22; Isaiah 28:16).
The stones did cry out in condemnation/destruction in AD 70. But what about Isaiah 55:12? “For you shall go out with joy, and be led out with peace; the mountains and the hills SHALL BREAK FORTH INTO SINGING before you, and all the trees of the field SHALL CLAP THEIR HANDS.” Mountains and hills singing? Trees clapping their hands? Really?
This is not all. Isaiah also spoke of the desert rejoicing (Isaiah 35:1) with joy and singing (v. 2), and waters bursting forth in the desert wilderness (v. 6).
Paul, under the inspiration of the Spirit, wrote: “For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.” (Romans 8:20-22, NKJV). Both humankind and God’s natural creation groans for deliverance. We can be delivered from the curse of sin by REPENTANCE; the creation itself will eventually be dissolved by fire, the elements melted with fervent heat. A new Heaven and a new Earth will arise from the ashes! Rejoice!
~ Gen. Jim, POW