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The Gospel of Luke Chapter 21:1–38 All for God 21:1 Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box. As Jesus Christ was sat near the place where the people cast their offerings into the treasury He look up and saw the large amounts that the rich were putting in. 21:2 He also saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. He took particular notice of a widow who came and put in two small coins about the value of a farthing (the lowest coin). 21:3 He said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. Speaking to His disciples He told them that this very poor widow had put more in the treasury than all the others put together. 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." What the rich had put in they did so out of their abundance of wealth, it would have been a little amount to them at the least it should have been a tenth of their earnings. But this widow put in all that she had left; she had given her all to God. In making this sacrifice, for it was more than an offering, she was also putting complete faith and trust in God.
Destruction of the Temple 21:5-6 Now while some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and offerings, Jesus said, "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!" Some of His disciples were remarking about the grandeur of the temple adorned with beautifully dressed stones and the costly gifts that had been given. Jesus told them that all these things that they were admiring would soon be destroyed. There would not be one stone left upon another. This was literally fulfilled Josephus says "Caesar gave orders that they should now demolish the whole city and temple" this happened in 70 AD under Titus the Roman General.
Signs of the Last Days 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?" After saying this the disciples asked Him when will this happen and what sign will there be just before it takes place. 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! He does not answer their question about the temple in these verses but later in the chapter. Here He is telling them about the things that will happen before the Rapture of the Church. First He warns them not to be misled by anyone for there will be many who will come and proclaim themselves to be the Christ and that the time has come for the deliverance of the Jews from their enemies. They should not listen to these or follow them. 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." In the last days they will hear about wars and revolutions and unrest in many places throughout the world but the end will not come then. 21:10 Then he said to them, "Nation will rise up in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great wars between the nations of the world. 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. There will be mighty and violent earthquakes throughout many areas of the world, famines and many deadly diseases will be widespread. There will be terrifying things and miraculous 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.
Before any of these things happen the disciples of Jesus Christ will be persecuted and taken before those in authority and thrown into prison (Acts 5:18 and Acts 7:57-59). They will stand trial before kings and rulers for Christ's sake (Acts 12:1-2). This was not only for the disciples with Jesus Christ then but for all His disciples through the ages. 21:13 This will be a time for you to serve as witnesses. Although all these things would be done against the followers of the Lord Jesus Christ they will be used as an opportunity to give a witness and will be a testimony to the grace and power of Christ in the lives of those who are His (Phil. 1:12). 21:14-15 Therefore be resolved not to rehearse ahead of time how to make your defense. For I will give you the words along with the wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. Resolve, be firm in your heart, do not worry or prepare your defense in advance for the Lord will give the wisdom and the right words to say at the time you face your persecutors. They will not be able deny the truth of what is said or to challenge it. 21:16-17 You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will have some of you put to death. You will be hated by everyone because of my name. The disciples will be betrayed to the enemies of Christ by their parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends. They will not be able to trust anyone that is not a Christian. There will be those that shall be put to death (Acts 7:59, Acts 12:2, Revelation 6:9). There will an hatred for all those that belong to Christ for His name's sake (Matthew 10:22). 21:18 Yet not a hair of your head will perish. But here is the promise although there will be those that will suffer greatly and be killed for their faith yet nothing can happen to them unless God allows. It will all work out according to God's plan and purpose (Romans 8:28, Luke 12: 6 -7). 21:19 By your endurance you will gain your lives. By steadfast endurance, in standing firm in the faith your soul shall be secure in Christ.
Destruction of Jerusalem In verse six Jesus told His disciples about the destruction of the temple and in verse seven they asked Him when this will be. Instead of answering this question He told them about the signs of the Last Days. It is in these verses that He answers their question about the destruction of the temple and of Jerusalem which happened at the same time. 21:20 "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. When they see Jerusalem surround by the Roman Legions then they will know that the time of its destruction has arrived.
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, Then let those who are in Judea and those who live in Jerusalem flee to the mountains for safety, and let not those who live in the surrounding country seek to enter her. The Christians who heeded this warning did flee to Pella and the Mount Lebanus. 21:22 because these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. This is the days of vengeance against Jerusalem for her rejection of the Lord Jesus Christ as their Messiah (Deuteronomy 28:20, Zechariah 14: 1 - 2, Romans 2:5). 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. It will be terrible in those days for those who are pregnant and those who are nursing babies. It will be disastrous for the whole nation for the Romans will take reprisal against it for its rebellion against Caesar. 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. It is reckoned that eleven hundred thousand perished in the siege of Jerusalem by Titus and that ninety seven thousand were taken away captive and dispersed throughout the nations (Josephus War, b. vi. c. ix. s. 2, ). Jerusalem from that time forth will be inhabited and ruled by Gentile nations until the time that God has decreed for His purposes to be fulfilled. That is until the time of the last days. In 1948 Israel became a nation again and from then on the Jews have been returning to it. Jerusalem became completely in control of Israel after the six days war in 1967. By the act of the Jerusalem Law passed by the Israeli Government in 1980 declared that "Jerusalem, complete and united, is the capital of Israel" (Wikipedia).
The Coming 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. Here He tells of what will happen before He comes to judge the earth in righteousness. Strange things will take place that will be a sign of the coming of the "Son of Man". The sun will be darkened the moon and stars will not give light and on the earth the nations will be perplexed, will not understand what is going on, and this will cause great distress. There will be tremendous tidal waves and the seas will be in turmoil (Mark 13:24, 26, Revelation 6: 12 - 17). 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. Because of fear and apprehension of what is going to happen on the earth the hearts of men will fail, they will have heart attacks. The very powers that keep the stars, moon and sun in their places will be shaken (Matthew 24:29).
21:27 Then they will see the Son of Man arriving in a cloud with power and great glory. He shall come in clouds of glory as He ascended (Acts 1: 9 - 11) and in power and all the people on earth will see Him (Revelation 1:7, 14: 14). 21:28 But when these things begin to happen, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." When all these things begin to happen, that is those things He has told them about from verse eight to verse twenty seven, look towards heaven lift up your heads high for the time of Christ's return for His own is drawing near.
The Parable of the Fig Tree 21:29 Then he told them a parable: "Look at the fig tree and all the other trees. To get the point of what He has been saying to His disciples Jesus tells this parable about the fig tree or any tree. 21:30 When they sprout leaves, you see for yourselves and know that summer is now near. In the springtime when the trees are beginning to bud we know that summer is on its way. 21:31 So also you, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near. So it is with the signs that will happen that Jesus has told them about. return is imminent, will shortly happen.
They will know that His
21:32 I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. The generation that is living at the time when these things happen will not die until all things have been accomplished. 21:33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. There is one thing that is certain everything else will pass away but the Word of God will be forever (Isaiah 51:6, 1 Peter 1:25).
Be Ready for His Return 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. At the end of this discourse on the events that will show the approach of the last days Jesus gives a warning to all His followers. Take care, pay attention to the way that you live and behave. Do not allow yourselves to be led astray into riotous living and drunkenness and get caught up with the cares of this life. If you do then the Day of the Lord's return will come upon you suddenly. 21:35 For it will overtake all who live on the face of the whole earth. It will happen like a trap that is sprung and catches it prey upon everyone living on the earth.
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." In order for this not to happen to any believer they will need to be alert, on their guard at all times and continually praying that they may have the strength by the grace of God to stand firm in the faith and so be found worthy to escape from these coming horrors and be able to stand before the Lord Jesus Christ (1 John 2:28, Jude 1:24). 21:37 So every day Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, but at night he went and stayed on the Mount of Olives. During His last days in Jerusalem Jesus continually taught in the temple but in the evening He went out of the city and stayed on the Mount of Olives. 21:38 And all the people came to him early in the morning to listen to him in the temple courts. The people came very early in the morning to the temple to hear Him. Š Derek Williams & Mathew Bartlett 2015 Bible Studies Online UK www.biblestudiesonline.org.uk You may copy, print or distribute our studies freely in any form, just so long as you make no charges. Sign up today for our FREE monthly Bible study magazine “Living Word� Scriptures taken from the NET Bible www.bible.org