Today,we will be looking at Luke 21:25-28. In this passage, Jesus continues to giveHis great prophetic message concerning future events to His disciples from theMount of Olives as they overlook the city of Jerusalem. He's answering theirquestion: what will the signs be of the end of the age, and when will thathappen? Here, Jesus describes what we've already discussed as the greattribulation period, the seven years between the time of the church age, therapture of the church, and the millennial reign of Jesus Christ on earth.
Inverses 8-19, Jesus described some of the things that will happen in theseven-year tribulation. There will be great deception, great chaosinternationally with wars and rumors of wars, great earthquakes in variousplaces, along with famines and pestilences, and great persecution of the Jewsand Christians alike. In verses 20-24, Jesus describes the destruction of Jerusalemand the temple. Luke's account refers not to a distant event to occur duringthe Tribulation, but to the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus and the Romanarmy in 70 A.D., just forty years from that time that Jesus is explaining theseevents to His disciples (see Luke 19:41-44).
Nowin verses 25-28, Jesus is revealing what will happen in the last three and halfyears of the Tribulation jus before He returns. Revelation 15-19 also describein great detail the frightening judgment signs that God will send on the earthduring the last half of the "time of Jacob's trouble" (Jeremiah30:7). When these things occur, it will be evidence that the Lord's coming isdrawing near. The image of "waves roaring" describes nations risingand falling like waves in a storm (Psalms 46:1-6; Revelation 17:15). It will bean awesome time, and the population of the earth will tremble with fear, butmen will not repent of their sins and turn to God by faith (Revelation 9:20-21;16:9-11).
Matthew24:29 informs us that the sun and moon will be darkened and the stars will fall(Isaiah 13:10; 34:4; Joel 2:10, 31; 3:15). Matthew 24:30 states that "thesign of the Son of man" will appear in' heaven. We do not know what this"sign" is, but it will produce fear among the nations of the earth.However, then Jesus Christ will appear, and every eye will see Him (Revelation1:7). The nation of Israel will at last recognize their Messiah, repent,believe, and be saved (Zechariah 12:10-14; and see Mark 14:61-62).
Theseawesome signs will bring terror to the lost people of the world, but hope tothose who have trusted the Lord during the Tribulation period (Revelation 7),for these believers know that the Lord's coming will be soon. Believers todaylook for the Savior, not signs. However, as we see "coming events castingtheir shadows," we believe that the Lord's return is near.
Christ'sappearing will be sudden, glorious, and with great power (Luke 21:27). Theimage here is taken from Daniel 7:13-14, a messianic passage that must havebeen familiar to the disciples.
Thereare those who ignore and even ridicule the doctrine of the return of Christ.After all, the church has been waiting for the Lord for 2,000 years, and He hasnot returned yet! Peter answered that accusation in 2 Peter 3. He pointed outthat God keeps His promises whether we believe them or not, and that Godmeasures time differently from the way men measure it. Furthermore, the reasonHe waits is so that unsaved sinners may repent, be saved, and be ready whenJesus comes. While His seeming delay is a trial to the church, it is anopportunity for the lost.
Havinganswered the disciples’ questions concerning “the end of the age”, the Lordthen "applied" the message to their hearts by giving them this closingadmonition in verse 28: “Now when these things begin to happen, look up andlift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."
Today,we should also be waiting, watching, and working! Jesus is coming again!
