Luke 21:1-4
Jesus was still talking to His disciples in the presence of the crowd, with widows on his mind, when He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts in the offering. Other sources there were 13 receptacles for offering within the temple. These were large brass trumpet-like in appearance. Once could make a lot of show in their giving in dropping their coins in the receptacles. Some of the rich were known to do jus this thing.
Also, in the treasury was the poor widow. She still had two mites to her name that the scribes had not got from her yet. This was a coin that was of the least value in that day. It was 1/128 of a denarius, which was about a day's wages. The widow is characterized as poor and the offering she made was done in faith. She trusted God for her provision, not wealth. Her gift was sacrificial. Proportionally, her gift was far greater than that of the rich. They gave of their abundance. The money they parted with was a pittance of their worth and would not be missed.
"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give."
(Winston Churchill)
Luke 21:5-7
Tacitus, the Roman historian, called the temple immensely opulent. Josephus wrote of the beauty of the temple. The New Manners and Customs of the Bible summarizes it this way:
The temple of Herod was built of stones so exceedingly white that Josephus, the Jewish historian, says the building from a distance looked like a mountain of snow. It was also gilded in many places, so that the reflection from the sun's rays was sometimes painful to the eye of the beholder. It was likewise adorned with the spoils of war, and with the voluntary offerings of those who desired in this way to express gratitude to God for past favors, or manifest a hope for future benefits. According to Josephus, there were among these costly gifts, golden vines from which hung clusters of grapes as tall as a man.
(New Manners and Customs of the Bible)
I can imagine Jesus motioning toward all the amazing temple complex before Him and saying that there was a time coming when not one stone would be left on another. He talking about granite stones, 40 feet long x 7'10" x 43" and weighing 160,000 pounds. What kind of event could this be to cause such devastation? How was it possible? Their questions were natural follow up to such a thing. When would these crazy thing happen and would there be a sign leading up to it.
Luke 21:8-9
Jesus looks toward the coming days, beyond the time when the temple would be destroyed. He first warns to 'take heed' against those who would deceive many, coming in the name of Jesus. This 'taking heed' would be a part of life, an ongoing vigilance against the abuses that came with His name. This comes on the heels of the warning of the greed and pride of the scribes. The modern-day scribes would attach themselves to the name of Jesus for their own gain. While there are some examples of modern-day claims of the messiah, it is most likely those falsely claiming an authority of Jesus over the work they do. We must be careful to not follow after these men. We follow after Jesus, not men, teachers or philosophy.
Matthew calls them wars and rumors of wars. The word is used 18 times in the New Testament and 14 of these uses refer to the end times. James said these come from but the desires for pleasure that war in your members. It's men's greed and hunger for power. While we think of war strictly in the sense of taking up arms, I'm not convinced we should limit it to that in the days of cyberwar and social media character assassinations. The 'commotions' Luke refers to are also called tumults and confusion. James (3:16) said that where envy and self-seeking exist, we'll find this commotion and every evil thing. This is the idea of political and social upheaval. It's riots, violence and disorder. When we see these things, we aren't to be terrified though. These things must happen first. Even when they happen, the end won't come immediately.
Luke 21:10-11
The nations that will rise against other nations are actually people groups. The word is 'ethnos'. These are groups tied linked by social, political, geographical or other means. This is becoming more and more prominent in our day as everyone seems to belong to a group that wants the world to give them more attention, money, power, authority or respect.
The kingdoms that will rise against each other is more along the lines of what we know as nations, with a leader and leadership structure; with geographical boundaries and a cultural identity and past.
Earthquakes, famine and pestilence are the primary elements of judgment. Moses spoke of this in Deuteronomy 32 as a warning to God's people. All through the prophetic writings we see these used to speak of God's judgment against nations. There will be great earthquakes around the globe. The USGS confirms the increase in frequency and magnitude, however they seem to imply it is temporary. One article seems to imply the increase is merely increased awareness. This may be true, as the increase, be it temporary or not, become another news flash among many others in the world, they strike fear in an unbelieving world.
We were just a few weeks into the spread of Covid when news sources began to speak of famine (among other shortages). People began to panic and attempted to stockpile supplies. There have always been famines in the world, however the amount of food per capita has increased (I know I'm doing my part). When I consider famine in the context of the bible, I automatically think of the famine of God's word.
11 "Behold, the days are coming," says the Lord God,
"That I will send a famine on the land,
Not a famine of bread,
Nor a thirst for water,
But of hearing the words of the Lord. (Amos 8:11)
The world economy seems to be teetering on the edge; affluent and flowing, but lean and without depth. It's like a house of cards that will crumble in an instant. While this passage seems to be conveying the physical state of the creation and created, we can't rule out the effect of the famine of God's word on the creation and created.
It seems every day there is a new flesh-eating virus, a new plague for the public to wring its hands over. Has pestilence gotten worse or is it just more unacceptable to a godless world? Those who trust in this world alone must resolve these threats to our physical being. We are in the midst of what the world calls a pandemic; yet to do so is to redefine the term. In the past, pandemics spread fast and deadly killing million and millions. Now the slow spread of a fu-like virus in which relatively few die, has shut down the world. The numbers are so low, they've inflated them to count those who died with the virus versus dying from it. As of this writing 2 million have died in which the CDC confessed that only 6% died from it. The chances of dying are less than 1/1000th of 1% for the young. For those in good health in the 45-59 it is 5/1000th of 1%. Your risk of dying on the interstate is much greater.
Then, most fearful of all to those who trust alone in this world, are the sights from heaven. Things will be seen in the heavens to strike fear in men. Great signs will cause panic in the hearts of the public. It seems monthly we have a near miss of an asteroid or another scientific group seeking a grant speaks of the threats of the sun burning out of solar flares consuming the earth. But what if these signs that strike fear are in the lower heavens – in our atmosphere? What if these are UFO sightings convincing the earth that aliens are among us? Have you ever wondered why these aliens are always assumed to be super intelligent and have technology beyond anything we possess? It's nearly always assumed they are studying us and will some day attack us et al War of the Worlds. Does the thought not strike fear in our hearts? This seems to be the work of the Devil bring deception and fear.
Luke 21:12-19
Prior to these things that are prior to the end, there will be persecution. The idea is a physical seizing of the believers and making them suffer either physically or emotionally. They would be delivered to the synagogues for punishment, the religious center of life for them. If a Jew was expelled from the synagogue, others were to called have not part with them. They would essentially be shunned. Thy might also be delivered to prisons for incarceration. Verses like these seemed so odd not that many years ago. Now, churches are in trouble with the law for meeting, singing and freely worshiping because some in our government feel empowered to take or freedom of religion away due to a virus. They've let prisoners out of prison so they didn't get a virus and they threaten to imprison pastors and churches for worshiping. What seemed nearly impossible and improbable a few years ago is happening right before our eyes.
Believers will be brought before Kings and rulers for the sake of the name of Jesus. While this might be intimidating and threatening on the surface, we are to know that it is an occasion for testimony. These are opportunities to speak truth to a leader who has some authority in t he culture. The ruler might wonder, 'What is it this person believes so much that they would sacrifice their life for?' We are to be resolved that this may happen and that we aren't to wring our hands with concern and worry about our defense or testimony. Instead, the Lord promises to give us words or wisdom and the courage to speak them. The wise words will silence those adversaries. Things will be such that even family members will betray you, even to the sentence of death. I would presume someone would betray their own family in order to preserve their own life.
The days aren't far off where you will be hated by all because you follow Jesus. While it says some will die for their faith, it now says that not a hair will be lost. This seems to be speaking of the eternal fate of the followers of Jesus. We may die in this world but eternal life awaits those who repent and trust in Him. Verse nineteen is fascinating. It is an encouragement to trust Jesus and endure, that this is the way to life. It is by steadfast endurance we are kept through this season and win eternal life.
It is here that Matthew said the gospel would be preached to the entire world and then the end would come. When the end comes, no one would be able to say they had not heard the gospel.
Luke 21:20-24
Both Matthew and Mark use the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel (Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11). This had been previously done. Antiochus Epiphanes entered the temple sanctuary in 167BC and sacrificed a pig upon the altar. This was an abomination that desecrated the temple and altar. Something similar will be done in the end of days, presumably by the Antichrist. Luke simply states that once again, a day will come when the nations gather against Jerusalem. It is then that one could know that the desolation is near. This serves as a marker that things were about to get really serious. At this point, Jews left in Jerusalem were instructed to flee.
These will be the days of vengeance, when the wrath of God is poured out on the nations. See what Isaiah says of these days:
Why is Your apparel red,
And Your garments like one who treads in the winepress?
3 "I have trodden the winepress alone,
And from the peoples no one was with Me.
For I have trodden them in My anger,
And trampled them in My fury;
Their blood is sprinkled upon My garments,
And I have stained all My robes.
4 For the day of vengeance is in My heart,
And the year of My redeemed has come.
5 I looked, but there was no one to help,
And I wondered
That there was no one to uphold;
Therefore My own arm brought salvation for Me;
And My own fury, it sustained Me.
6 I have trodden down the peoples in My anger,
Made them drunk in My fury,
And brought down their strength to the earth." (Isaiah 63:3-6)
Jesus was covered in His own blood when He died for us on the cross. He came as the Lamb of God. When He comes again, He comes as the Lion of Judah and His garments will be covered in the blood of the nations. See also Daniel 9:24-27.
Likewise, Hosea speaks of these days:
7 The days of punishment have come;
The days of recompense have come.
Israel knows!
The prophet is a fool,
The spiritual man is insane,
Because of the greatness of your iniquity and great enmity.
8 The watchman of Ephraim is with my God;
But the prophet is a fowler's snare in all his ways—
Enmity in the house of his God.
9 They are deeply corrupted,
As in the days of Gibeah.
He will remember their iniquity;
He will punish their sins. (Hosea 9:7-9)
These are the days in which all prophecy would be finally and completely fulfilled. How terrible it will be in those days and especially terrible for the pregnant or the mother with a nursing child. This would be terrible in the sense to bear the burden of seeing a world end as you held your baby you thought would grow up. It's a terrible hopelessness and great distress. Many will die by the sword, some led away in captivity. Jerusalem would be trampled by the gentiles. This is an allusion to the oracle of Zechariah against Jerusalem.
And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it. (Zechariah 12:3)
Zechariah has much to say about that day, but he sees Jerusalem as a stone trampled by the gentiles until the timing is fulfilled and then the Lord comes and intervenes.
Luke 21:25-28
There will be indicators of this time everywhere. What exactly will these be? We don't know the details, but it implies there will be no doubt. This will be a time like there has never been.
- Signs in the sun, moon and stars: We don't know the details of this, but to be a sign for a first, and last time cosmic event, this will likely be unprecedented signs.
- Distress of nations: The word 'distress' is stranglehold or 'choking the life from'. The nations will have been making war. Many will have no ally. As there are perceived threats around them, now they are threated from above, from the heavens.
- Perplexity: This is the state of someone lost, who doesn't know where to go or what to do. It is the state of those who trusted in governments and their own understanding of God, who made the climate their idol, who believed in mankind's ability to rule himself, who looked for utopia or nirvana.
- Sea and waves roaring: The cosmic upheaval of the planet causes incredible tsunami activity. The cycles of the tide are disrupted. Some see a pole shift or reversal, causing a wobble that rocks the planet.
- Men's hearts failing from fear and anticipation of the future: Revelation pictures men hiding in caves shaking their fist at the god they didn't believe in. This is a failure of courage, overwhelmed by fear and the knowledge of what is to come, as well as the loss of the life of which they felt they were in control. It's would not be bizarre to see the emotional effect leading to the physical effect of failure of the hearts of people.
The powers of heaven will be shaken: Some see this as more indication of some cataclysmic event among the planets. Isaiah saw it like this:
4 All the host of heaven shall be dissolved,
And the heavens shall be rolled up like a scroll;
All their host shall fall down
As the leaf falls from the vine,
And as fruit falling from a fig tree. (Isaiah 34:4)
It is then that mankind will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud.
13 "I was watching in the night visions,
And behold, One like the Son of Man,
Coming with the clouds of heaven!
He came to the Ancient of Days,
And they brought Him near before Him.
14 Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom,
That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
Which shall not pass away,
And His kingdom the one
Which shall not be destroyed. (Daniel 7:13-14)
Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. (Revelation 1:7)
14 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. 15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, "Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe." 16 So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped. (Rev 14:14-16)
Matthew 24:31 also speaks of this time. Just prior to the coming of Jesus the elect of the earth will be gathered to Him. This is the last call of sorts. Those who came to the Lord after the rapture of the church, those who repented of their sin and trusted in Him in the midst of these final days.
The fig tree is often a picture of Israel in the scriptures. Some see this passage the same way, the budding being the restoration of the nation on May 15, 1948. However, it seems more likely just an example of the reading the signs of the times.
As I write this, it is October and the leaves are beginning to change. The nights are cool, I had to rifle through the closet to find my jacket I had not wore in months. Harvest is underway. All the signs are present to show we are in the fall season and winter is coming. It is imminent. In the same way, we can know when we begin to see these signs that the Lord's return is near. He will come and remove His bride before the tribulation begins. We can see the signs and know it is imminent. Those who see the full array of signs will not pass away until these things happen. Today, we see many signs, but they are debated and even believers aren't sure. However, there are no signs prior to the rapture of the church. God's people are not to live their lives by signs. We aren't to live one way unless we see a sign and then change. We live by faith. By faith we abide in Him, seeking first His kingdom. We are to live expectantly, daily anticipating His return.
Luke 21:34-38
We are to take heed to ourselves today, now. Our sinful nature in the midst of a fallen world will lead to us being led away to what John called the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. This is living with no thought towards the return of Jesus. It's setting yourself up to be surprised at His coming. These days will be like a snare released upon the earth; suddenly and unexpectantly it is sprung.
We are to watch. This is to live in daily expectation; to be alert and prepared, to be found with oil in your lamp, awaiting the return of the bridegroom, to be found living in expectation and longing for that day.
We are to pray. We aren't worthy to escape these things. We've all sinned and fallen short of His glory. Our only hope is found in Christ. Our worthiness is based on His worthiness. To be worthy is to trust in His promises and be part of His church. Too many find themselves with a light grasp on the church, a nominal Christian with a firm grasp on the things of this world.
We are to stand. We will stand with Him. Wow. Because of the righteousness of Christ given to us, we are able to stand with Him. We are sons and daughters of Almighty God and He is our Heavenly Father. We will stand like that tree planted by the rivers of water that brings forth its fruit in season. However, the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
©2020 Doug Ford
[1] The New King James Version. (1982). (Is 63:2). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
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