Luke 21
The Widow’s Offering
21:1 Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box. 21:2 He also saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. 21:3 He said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. 21:4 For they all offered their gifts out of their wealth. But she, out of her poverty, put in everything she had to live on.”
Jesus watches His people and takes not of their giving. He verbalizes both the selfish and good acts of giving to others.
The Signs of the End of the Age
21:5 Now while some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and offerings, Jesus said,
Herod’s temple was still in construction. It was very large and very beautiful. Herod’s building of the temple preserved the allegiance of the Jews.
21:6 “As for these things that you are gazing at, the days will come when not one stone will be left on another. All will be torn down!”
Jesus predicted that all of the stones of the temple would be torn down.
21:7 So they asked him, “Teacher, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that these things are about to take place?”
The disciples asked three questions of Jesus, but Luke only recorded two of the questions. The disciples wanted to know the date of the temple destruction and the signs which would precede it. The third question in the other gospels was the identification of the signs at the end of the age.
21:8 He said, “Watch out that you are not misled. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them!
In verses 8-11, Jesus gave the signs for the end of the age. The first sign was that many false messiahs will arise.
21:9 And when you hear of wars and rebellions, do not be afraid. For these things must happen first, but the end will not come at once.”
There will be wars and rumors of wars.
21:10 Then he said to them, “Nation will rise up in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
There will be world wars. World War I began Zionism, which was a movement to bring the Jews back into the land of Palestine. World War II produced the United Nations, who declared Israel as a nation.
It is possible that the Antichrist wants to herd all of the Jews into the land of Israel so that he can slaughter them all at once. He may have caused the United Nations to bring Israel back into the land. The purpose of the Arab-Israeli conflict may be to place so much pressure on Israel, that Israel will desire a peace treaty with the Antichrist.
21:11 There will be great earthquakes, and famines and plagues in various places, and there will be terrifying sights and great signs from heaven.
Before the end of the age, there will be great earthquakes, famines, pestilences, and astronomical signs from heaven.
21:12 But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you, handing you over to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and governors because of my name.
In verses 12-19, Jesus informed the twelve disciples of some personal persecutions that would come upon the disciples themselves. Before the temple destruction of 70 A.D., the disciples will be seized, persecuted, and imprisoned by Jewish synagogue leaders and Gentile political leaders.
21:13 This will be a time for you to serve as witnesses.
These persecutions will provide opportunities of testimony.
21:14 Therefore be resolved not to rehearse ahead of time how to make your defense. 1:15 For I will give you the words along with the wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict.
The disciples will not have to rehearse their testimonies, because the Holy Spirit will give them divine utterance.
221:16 You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will have some of you put to death.
The disciples will be rejected by their own family members and friends.
21:17 You will be hated by everyone because of my name.
The disciples will be hated by Jews and Gentiles. Some of them will be martyred.
21:18 Yet not a hair of your head will perish.
The salvation of the disciples is assured.
21:19 By your endurance you will gain your lives.
The disciples will succeed in winning many souls for Christ.
The Desolation of Jerusalem
21:20 “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near.
In verses 20–24, Jesus predicted the destruction of the Jewish temple. In 66 A.D., the Jews revolted against Rome. The Roman general Cestus Gallus came with his armies from Caesarea and surrounded Jerusalem. The Messianic Jews and the Orthodox Jews were trapped in the city with no escape. However, Gallus ran out of supplies, retreated, and was later killed by Jewish forces.
The Messianic Jews knew this prophecy of Jesus, so they left Jerusalem. Titus returned four years later and sacked the city. Over 1,100,000 of the Orthodox Jews died in the city. During the siege, many of the Orthodox Jews ate their own children. Not a single Messianic Jew was killed, because they all left the city according to the prophecy of Jesus.
21:21 Then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. Those who are inside the city must depart. Those who are out in the country must not enter it,
After Gallus left, the Messianic Jews were warned by Jesus to leave the city and not return.
21:22 because these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written.
All of the orthodox Jews were killed.
21:23 Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing their babies in those days! For there will be great distress on the earth and wrath against this people.
During the siege, the mothers will eat their babies.
21:24 They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led away as captives among all nations. Jerusalem will be trampled down by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
After the Temple destruction of 70 A.D., Jerusalem will become a city under Gentile control until Christ returns.
The Arrival of the Son of Man
21:25 “And there will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth nations will be in distress, anxious over the roaring of the sea and the surging waves.
In verses 25-27, Jesus explained some of the details of the last half of the Great Tribulation. The sun, moon, and stars will experience supernatural upheaval. All of the nations of the world will be in distress. The seas will be extremely violent.
21:26 People will be fainting from fear and from the expectation of what is coming on the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
As the heavens shake, fear will strike the nations.
21:27 Then they will see the Son of Man arriving in a cloud with power and great glory.
On the last day of the Great Tribulation, there will be a blackout. Through the darkness, the entire world will observe the appearance of the Shekinah Glory.
21:28 But when these things begin to happen, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
The Jews who see these signs will know that if they survive, they will be redeemed. They will enter into the Millennial Kingdom as believers.
The Parable of the Fig Tree
21:29 Then he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the other trees. 21:30 When they sprout leaves, you see for yourselves and know that summer is now near.
In verses 29-33, Jesus gave the parable of the fig tree. When the fig tree sprouts leaves in April, then it is a sure sign that summer is near.
21:31 So also you, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near.
When the Jews see these supernatural signs at the end of the age, then they are not to fear. The Millennial Kingdom is near.
21:32 I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.
There is much controversy over this verse. Some claim that Israel is the fig tree. They teach a generation is 40 years. When Israel returned to her land in 1948, they taught that Jesus would return 40 years later. However, 1988 arrived and there was no Jesus. These false prophets sold a lot of books, made a lot of money, and discredited Christ and the Bible.
New Bible commentators updated the date to 1967, the day in which Israel took Jerusalem. However, 2007 came and went with no Messiah. Again, Christ was discredited by sloppy teaching.
In Scripture, a generation can be 20, 40, 60, 80, or 100 years. There is no reason to spiritualize the fig tree to make it fit Israel. If taken literally, then the Jewish generation who sees these supernatural signs during the Great Tribulation will not pass away. Within these seven years of the Jewish generation who is living during the time period of the Great Tribulation, Christ will return and establish His Millennial Kingdom.
21:33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
Jesus was more than just a Jewish carpenter or a Jewish rabbi. He was God in the flesh. His words will never pass away. This is a prophecy in which skeptics cannot refute.
Be Ready!
21:34 “But be on your guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day close down upon you suddenly like a trap.
The disciples of Jesus were commanded to be ready. The Second Coming of Jesus contains many signs, but the Rapture is imminent and has no signs. The Rapture can occur at any time.
21:35 For it will overtake all who live on the face of the whole earth.
Many will be caught up in the satanic world system. They will miss the Rapture and enter into the Great Tribulation. They will be deceived by the Antichrist.
21:36 But stay alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that must happen, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
The only way for Jews to escape the Great Tribulation is to believe in Jesus before the Rapture.
21:37 So every day Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, but at night he went and stayed on the Mount of Olives.
There was no technological media in that day. However, most of the world spoke Koine Greek. Roads were safe to travel. Rome was their Golden Age of Pax Romano, which was a 200 year period of peace where travelers could go all over the world safely without being drafted into Roman wars.
21:38 And all the people came to him early in the morning to listen to him in the temple courts.
Notice that “all” of the people came to hear Jesus speak. Jesus taught daily in the Temple courts. Jews from all over the Roman Empire left their homes for the Jewish feasts twice a year. They were able to hear Jesus teach all day long on a daily basis. After the Jewish feasts ended, they would spread His teachings all over the Roman world in which they were scattered. The Assyrian and Babylon Captivities caused the good news of the gospel to spread quickly throughout the Roman Empire.