LUKE 21

Keep in mind, Jesus is still in the middle of Jerusalem. For Him, it is the week of the Passion, and He is teaching both formally and casually, watching and observing all that is going on around Him. He worked very hard that week, as the end of this chapter mentions. He was up early and teaching, retreating to rest late in the day. After warning of the scribes and hypocrisy, He looks up.

He notices the gifts of money being brought to the temple treasury, especially how the rich pour their offerings in. From other accounts, we know they did so in a way as to attract attention, to purposely be seen. In stark contrast, a widow puts in a simple amount, two small coins, all she really had, and Jesus commends her to his followers as an example.

These people love their temple, and are perplexed when Jesus tells them of the days to come when it will be turned to rubble. So they ask Him two questions: what will be the signs of this occurring, and when will it happen? In His reply, he never really answers the “when”, and the signs He points to have Him bouncing back and forth between near and far future to those He was teaching. Note verse 9, with the wars and disturbances which must take place, followed by “the end does not follow immediately.” In this context, He is not talking about the temple and the defeat of Jerusalem; this is much more a comment on the end times, the end of this age. Even to us, we wait for the “when” of the end times. Verses 10 and 11 are similar, speaking of big picture, end times happenings.

Then verse 12 addresses more of their immediate question, with Him saying “before all these things.” Each of the disciples there will have opportunity to witness for Christ, opportunity to testify. There is to be this reliance on what God gives them to speak, and Him giving utterance to them is seen in Acts, when the Spirit is given, and they preach publicly. Most notable there are the sermons Peter delivers on the spot. And in a great twist, Jesus tells them some of them will be put to death, yet not a hair of their heads will perish. How so? When thinking eternally, He is offering them the assurance of their faith, long-term, eternally. They might come under physical and even mental persecution (and most were martyred eventually), but they were not to worry. They were very safe.

Side theological note: While there may not be a single verse to prove the trinity, knowing the Holy Spirit’s work in Acts, and comparing that to Jesus saying that He will be the one giving the words to speak, it is clear to see that Jesus and the Spirit are the same. The Spirit of God is the Spirit of Jesus.

Verse 20 slips back to future end times, and the images presented take us to the time to come known as the Tribulation. That time will be horrific; the terror that will come upon people will be unspeakable. This world will have never before seen such despair.

THEN…The Son of Man will come in a cloud, with power and great glory! How can that even be written in a way as to give this happening the excitement it deserves? Daniel spoke of this in Dan. 7, John saw it in Revelation 1. All will know who He is. Jesus led His followers to this point in the story masterfully.

After His teaching here reached a climax, He again illustrated using a simple fig tree. The trees show signs of their producing fruit. So will the events to come signal the imminent coming of the kingdom of God. We have been seeing these signs since the establishment of the church. The Son of Man is coming soon, indeed!

SO WHAT…? (Straight from the text today)

So, as Jesus taught, I should recognize the kingdom is near, and I should rest in the fact that His words will not pass away.

So, I am not to be too weighed down with the concerns of this life.

So, I am to be ready to stand before the Son of Man, a clear reference to my being judged as a Christian. Am I ready? Are you?