Jesus compared His longing to gather and protect Israel to a mother hen gathering her chicks under her wings.
In Matthew 23:37, Jesus lamented over Jerusalem, saying He had often wanted to gather her children as a hen gathers her chickens, but "ye would not." Les Feldick explains that this image reflects Israel's long refusal of God's prophets and ultimately His Son. Christ was willing to shelter the nation, but Israel was unwilling to come.
Matthew 23:37 — Jesus directly states the hen-and-chicks analogy for His relationship with Jerusalem/Israel.
In Matthew 23:37, Jesus directly answers this question with the hen-and-chicks image. Speaking in the temple area as the Passover crowds gathered, He said: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!" The verse shows both sides of the relationship: Jesus repeatedly longed to gather Israel's children as a hen shelters her brood, but Israel was unwilling — "ye would not."
Les Feldick emphasizes that when Jesus spoke these words in Matthew 23, He was speaking to the city of Jerusalem — and in reality, to the Jewish people, not the world. As the Passover crowds gathered at the temple, Jesus pronounced "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets" to the very nation that had murdered God's messengers. Les traces the background of Jesus' longing: God called the nation of Israel out, gave them covenant promises, and dealt with them through the prophets — but Israel killed the prophets or threw them in dungeons. Next, God sent His Son, and Israel rejected Him as well. The hen-and-chicks picture, then, was not a generic illustration; it was Israel's history of being called to shelter but refusing to come. Les stresses that Israel's refusal was not without consequence. Because they rejected their Messiah, they lost their temple, their land, and were sent into a dispersion that led to centuries of suffering. Yet Les also teaches that God has never turned His back on the nation forever — He disciplines Israel but His mercy never departs, He watches over them even in unbelief, and He will yet fulfill every promise He made to their forefathers.
Les Feldick explains that Israel had a long record of refusing God's messengers. When God called the nation out and gave them covenant promises, He sent the prophets to His covenant people, and they killed them or threw them into dungeons. After the prophets, God sent His Son — and Israel rejected Him as well. Every Jew living at that time would have to come to a place of repentance and salvation through that repentance and water baptism for Christ to return and yet give the kingdom to Israel, but instead Israel kept rejecting the offer.
According to Les Feldick, no. Because Israel rejected their Messiah, they lost their temple, their land, and were dispersed through centuries of suffering — but God also promised from day one that He would not give up on them. Even when Israel falls into iniquity, God disciplines them, yet His mercy never departs from them. He has set them aside, but He will bring them back to the land and yet fulfill all the promises He made to their forefathers.
Les Feldick pictures God as watching over Israel like a hawk, preserving the nation even though they are on their own. He explains that the nation of Israel has to be there in unbelief and in the land in order for God to consummate the seven years of tribulation — if every Jew were a believer and the rapture took place, there would be no Jews left to fulfill prophecy.
Jesus Speaks to Jerusalem, Not the World
Les explains that in Matthew 23:37 Jesus is addressing the city of Jerusalem — the Jewish people — so the hen analogy is specifically about His relationship with Israel, not with the world.
God Watches Over Israel Like a Hawk
Les compares God's care for Israel to a mother watching every move of her children — noting that the nation must be preserved in unbelief to fulfill end-time prophecy.
God's Mercy Never Departs From Israel
Les explains that regardless of how far Israel falls into wickedness, God will discipline them but His mercy will never depart — He has not turned His back on the nation forever.
The Kingdom Offered to Israel Was Rejected
Les shows that every Jew at that time would have had to come to repentance and faith for Christ to return and yet give the kingdom to Israel — but instead Israel kept rejecting the offer.
God Sent the Prophets, Then His Son
Les traces the background of Jesus' longing: God sent His prophets to Israel and they killed them, so God then sent His Son — whom they also rejected.
Rejecting the Messiah Brought Judgment
Les teaches that because Israel rejected their Messiah they lost their temple, their land, and were dispersed — yet God promised from day one that He would not give up on them.
Does God Harden Hearts? Romans 9:18-24 and the Potter's Clay
And so he made it again into another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. Got the picture? "...Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, O house of Israel," now remember Jeremiah is a prophet in Israel, and so this is written to the Jews of that day, "...
The True Meaning of Israel as a "Peculiar People"
Oh, He had them on His mind all the while, but He had to let them go until He had tutored, until He had prepared this covenant people of Israel to fulfill the role that He has given to them. Now you've got Isaiah 42, and again, I'd like to just remind our listening audience that we will be coming to all these things more in detail as we come up through the Old Testament, so this is just kind of an…
Matthew 23:37: O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
This is the verse where Jesus directly uses the hen-and-chicks analogy to describe His desire to gather and protect Israel.
Jesus compared Himself to a mother hen who longs to gather her chicks under her wings for safety. In Matthew 23:37 He said, "how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!"
Les Feldick points out that Jesus was speaking to the city of Jerusalem — in reality, the Jewish people. He was not talking to the world but to the nation of Israel, whom He had called and cared for through the centuries.
Israel killed the prophets God sent and then rejected His Son. Les Feldick shows that although the kingdom was offered, Israel refused to respond in faith and repentance, and so they experienced judgment, dispersion, and centuries of suffering.
Watch the Teaching: Why Israel Rejected Their King — Matthew 23 Explained