< Luke 21 >

Jesus observed people in the temple and commended the widow who cast in “all her living” though it was a very small amount of money, but it was relatively large in relation to the wealthy who cast in just a small portion of their wealth, on the principle: “If there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not”.2 Corinthians 8:12Waiting for response for 2 Corinthians 8:12

The temple was a glorious building, recently completed after forty-six years’ construction,v.5Waiting for response for Luke 21:5 but Jesus made a dramatic statement: “The days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down”.v.6Waiting for response for Luke 21:6 The disciples naturally wished to know when this would happen v.7Waiting for response for Luke 21:7 and Jesus told them of future events which would affect them personally, Jerusalem, and the Jews in the land; speaking both of the near future v.32Waiting for response for Luke 21:32 and of the time far off v.24Waiting for response for Luke 21:24 when he would finally return. That time was a period of peace and tranquillity, maintained by the Roman legions, but Jesus told them this would soon end with “wars and commotions” but this would not signify the end.v.9Waiting for response for Luke 21:9 Nation would soon rise up against nation,v.10Waiting for response for Luke 21:10 there would be great natural calamities,v.11Waiting for response for Luke 21:11 and the disciples would be persecuted by the authorities v.12Waiting for response for Luke 21:12 and betrayed by their nearest and dearest,v.16Waiting for response for Luke 21:16 but they were to trust in God v.18Waiting for response for Luke 21:18 and be courageous.v.19Waiting for response for Luke 21:19

Jesus gave them a specific sign to watch for so that they could act to save themselves. Jerusalem would be encompassed with armies and the disciples would then know its destruction was imminent v.20Waiting for response for Luke 21:20 and should flee into the mountains of Judea.v.21Waiting for response for Luke 21:21 And so in A.D.70, following a Jewish rebellion, the Roman legions besieged Jerusalem. Dramatically the Jews sallied forth and discomforted the Roman soldiers who retreated briefly, giving the disciples of Christ the opportunity to flee before the Romans returned to destroy the city and slaughter most of the inhabitants.vs.22-23Waiting for response for Luke 21:22-23

Jesus said that the Jews “shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled”.v.24Waiting for response for Luke 21:24 And so Jerusalem was in the hands of the Gentiles for eighteen hundred years, with the Jews scattered throughout the world, but recently they have returned to the land. The State of Israel was established in 1948 and the whole city of Jerusalem was taken by the Jews in 1967. This is a great sign that we are very near to the return of Christ. He observed that people recognise Summer is close when the leaves begin to appear on the trees,vs.29-30Waiting for response for Luke 21:29-30 and so we should know from these signs the nearness of the summertime of the world’s history when God’s kingdom will be re-established: “So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand”.v.31Waiting for response for Luke 21:31