Charles Spurgeon Commentary Matthew 22:7

"But the king was wroth; and he sent his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned their city." — Matthew 22:7 (ASV)

In these terrible words, the siege of Jerusalem, the massacre of the people, and the destruction of their capital are all described: When the king heard thereof, he was wroth.

The King had reached the utmost limit of His forbearance and long-suffering patience. The cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath overflowed when He heard how His servants had been mistreated and killed, and he sent forth his armies.

The Roman emperor thought that he was sending his armies against the Jews, but he was, unconsciously, working out the eternal purposes of the Most High God, just as the kings of Assyria and Babylon had been, in ancient times, the instruments by which the Lord had punished His rebellious people (see Isaiah 10:5, Jeremiah 25:9).

The cruel executioners did their terrible work in the most thorough manner. Read Josephus and see how the Romans destroyed those murderers and burned up their city. The words are remarkable in their awful force and accuracy. Only Omniscience could foresee and foretell so fully and faithfully the woes that were to befall the murderers and their city.

The divine retribution that fell upon Jerusalem should convey a solemn warning to us, in these days when so many are making light of the Gospel in our highly favored land. No nation has ever refused the Gospel without some overwhelming judgment following as the consequence of its daring criminality. France is to this day suffering the effects of the massacres of St. Bartholomew. If England should reject the truth of God, its light, as a nation, will be quenched in seas of blood. May God prevent such an awful calamity by His almighty grace!