The Beginning of the End
Book of Luke Chapter 21
This is one of the chapters in the New Testament that is known as the Olivet Discourse.
The Lord Jesus will teach us:
1) The destruction of the Temple.
2) His return.
3) The end of the world.
The Book of Matthew, Chapters twenty-four and twenty-five, along with the Book of Mark Chapter 13, should also be studied to get a complete picture of what the Lord Jesus is teaching here.
The Lord Jesus begins with the destruction of the Temple.
We should understand that this Temple was intended to be a House of Prayer.
Mat_21:13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.
Mrk_11:17 And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.
Luk_19:46 Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves.
The Temple had been made into a house of commerce and was no longer the house of God, but a house of men.
Only for faith did it have any value, such as that poor widow who had given all she had in faith.
The disciples of the Lord were still blind to the corruption in the House of God at this time.
Much of the Church is blind to the corruption in many houses of God today, which are more entertainment centers than they are Houses of Prayer.
What is wrong with the Houses of God today? Repentance is no longer required, and the Bible is not preached, or it has been changed to reveal a false gospel.
*****Luk 21:5 And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said,
Luk 21:6 As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
The Lord Jesus begins to reveal to them what will happen to this Temple that they are so proud of, and some of them may have still been alive to see it happen.
The Lord Jesus describes to them the destruction of Jerusalem and the total destruction of the Temple that took place in 70 AD.
The siege of Jerusalem began in April 70 AD, led by the Roman general Titus, as part of the First Jewish Revolt against Roman rule (66-73 AD).
The city was already weakened by internal strife among various Jewish factions, including the Zealots, which hindered their ability to mount a unified defense against the Roman forces.
After months of intense fighting, the Romans breached the city walls and captured Jerusalem. The climax of the siege occurred in the summer of 70 AD when the Romans set fire to the Second Temple.
Estimates suggest that over a million Jews died during the conflict, with many more enslaved or displaced.
The Romans systematically destroyed much of the city, leaving only a few structures, including parts of the Western Wall, which remains a site of pilgrimage today.
The fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple fundamentally altered Jewish religious life and still does today.
The destruction of the Jewish Temple in 70 AD was a significant event that reshaped Jewish history, culture, and religion, with effects that are still felt today.
It is said that Titus did not want the Temple to be destroyed, but he lost control of his armies and Temple was set on fire to melt all the gold that could be captured.
Josephus the historian wrote that, except for Herod’s three great towers and part of the western wall, the whole circuit of the city was so thoroughly levelled and dug up that no one visiting it would believe that it had ever been inhabited.
This is why the Muslim say today that Israel never existed.
The disciples then wanted to know when these things would take place.
*****Luk 21:7 And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?
Luk 21:8 And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.
The Book of Mark tells us that Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked this question.
They also asked if there would be a sign before it happened.
The Jews did love their Temple. We know that King Herod had spent forty-six years making the Temple one of the great wonders of the world.
The government of the Jews had no respect for Jehovah God.
The disciples had already begun to see that the Lord Jesus was not going to sit as King of the Jews at this time, and this thing told of the Lord made this more real to them.
The Lord Jesus told them that this destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple was not one of the signs of the end times.
The Apostles of Jesus Christ would face some terrible times as they taught the first words of Christianity and the beginning of the Church.
In other words, there will come a time of the destruction of Jerusalem and a new rebuilt Temple, which would take place during the time of the Gentiles.
Mat 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
Mat 24:22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
We get the idea that it would certainly be centuries before the return of Jesus Christ, first to get His Church and Second to reclaim Jerusalem and all the earth.
2Pe 3:2 That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:
2Pe 3:3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
2Pe 3:4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
2Pe 3:5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
2Pe 3:6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
What is the greatest sign mentioned by the Lord Jesus Christ?
The sign of deception!
Mat 24:23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
Mat 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
Mat 24:25 Behold, I have told you before.
The Lord Jesus is dealing with the end of the Temple and the end of the world, the destruction of the Temple and the destruction of the world.
It is sin that causes the judgment of God upon this entire world and not just the sin of the Jews!
Deception is the state of being misled.
As Christians, we recognize that the Church Age will end with the judgment at the return of Jesus Christ.
Because God is Holy, He must judge all that is unholy; otherwise, He would no longer be Holy Himself.
God is judging in this present age as every true Christian has been justified, but this future judgment goes much further than this.
At some point in the past, God judged Lucifer and the fallen angels.
God judged the people of the earth when He sent the flood.
God judged the people at the Tower of Babel, and the different languages began.
God judged the Northern Kingdom of Israel, and then later He judged the Southern Kingdom of Judah.
None of these things were the final judgment.
Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
Heb 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
Believers will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ.
Rom 14:10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
Unbelievers will stand before the White Throne Judgment!
Rev 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Rev 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
At the end of the ages, God will judge Satan and his demons together with the beasts and the false prophet.
Yes, judgment is coming to all God's created people!
A great deception is already in place today in the Church and in the world.
We believe that after the Rapture of the Church and the Church meets the Lord Jesus in the air, it is at this time or near this time that a covenant of peace will be signed with Israel, and the Temple will be rebuilt, and the priestly duties, along with animal sacrifices, will begin again.
This begins the time of Jacob's trouble, when Israel has relative peace until they find out that the Antichrist, who is the great deceiver, has no intention of peace, the sacrifices will stop, and the Temple will again be destroyed in what we know of as the Great Tribulation.
Dan 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
Mat_24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
This is the time of Israel, and God has removed the Church just as he promised before this takes place.
Some things should not bother us too much, for the Church will not see this wrath of God as He has promised.
As long as the Church is upon this earth, we are to stay busy spreading the Gospel.
The Lord Jesus says that we will live in a time of unrest, and we are today, and it may get worse before
we go home to Heaven.
We have seen this unrest since the Crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ and the beginning of the Church Age.
*****Luk 21:9 But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.
Luk 21:10 Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:
What have we seen?
1) We have seen nations fight each other and kingdoms take up arms against each other.
2) We have seen that the earth has been moved by great earthquakes and natural disasters.
3) Heaven has also spoken; terrible things have happened that make great impressions, and great signs in the heavens have already been seen.
The Lord Jesus said that these things are going to happen, but they are not necessarily signs that the end is imminent.
The Lord Jesus Christ was preparing His Apostles for His death and departure and preparing them to carry on without Him.
We already know that these eleven men and the Apostle Paul faced some terrible times in which they were all martyred, but the Apostle John.
The most important thing we can gain from this message of Jesus Christ is that we must not grow weary in waiting for His return.
He was telling us all that we will see and experience so much trouble in our world that our faith might falter, and we must guard against this happening.
Many walk this earth today after their own lusts, not even caring if Christ will return, in fact stating, where is He, where is His promise.
One of the key signs of the return of Jesus Christ is what we see today: 1Jn 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
1Jn 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
1Jn 2:20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
Many of the doubters come from the Church itself.
We see a falling away from the Church today, but this speaks of those who belong to Satan who have become leaders in many churches and now deny Jesus Christ.
We should know that God is never caught off guard. He is still on the throne and still in charge of His creation.
We should not get caught off guard ourselves. We can expect these things from a corrupt world, so we must not get discouraged.
Joh 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
Joh 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
Joh 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
Joh 14:4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
We will face challenges that will try to draw us away from God, our Savior.
We must concentrate our trust on New Heaven and the New Earth and not in this world.
We must remember that the Lord Jesus was not preaching a sermon here; He was answering the questions from His Apostles.
Joh 16:31 Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe?
Joh 16:32 Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.
Joh 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
We should also understand that the turmoil we see in our world is not part of the plan of God; He just knows that these things will happen.
It is because of the lust, the greed, and the wickedness in this evil world, which never goes away.
Jas 4:1 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?
Jas 4:2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
Jas 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
Jas 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
We must not get caught off guard by these things we see every day!
We see how violent our world has become, so we believe that the end is near, and it may be, but it may not be.
We are to remain busy with the work of the Lord!
Jer 51:45 My people, go ye out of the midst of her, and deliver ye every man his soul from the fierce anger of the LORD.
Jer 51:46 And lest your heart faint, and ye fear for the rumour that shall be heard in the land; a rumour shall both come one year, and after that in another year shall come a rumour, and violence in the land, ruler against ruler.
There will most certainly be natural disasters, which may increase and have.
We do live in a cursed world!
*****Luk 21:11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.
We can say that since the time of the flood, there have been great earthquakes.
We seem to forget sometimes that when the Lord Jesus first created this earth, all the land was in one great continent.
During and after the flood, this big continent broke apart, and volcanoes and earthquakes began as the tectonic plates began to shift and are still shifting.
Gen_7:11 In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.
Gen_10:25 And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided; and his brother's name was Joktan.
What do we know about earthquakes?
Just on March 30th.
Map data from National Geographic
5.1 magnitude Celebes Sea
3.9 magnitude Road Town, British Virgin Islands
4.9 magnitude, Lakatoro, Malampa, Vanuatu
4.2 magnitude, The Valley, Anguilla
4.1 magnitude, Road Town, British Virgin Islands
4.6 magnitude, Fiji
Another 5.0 magnitude, The Valley, Anguilla
Another 3.9 magnitude, The Valley, Anguilla
Another 3.6 magnitude, Road Town, British Virgin Islands
Another 3.7 magnitude, The Valley, Anguilla
There have been 195 earthquakes in the past 24 hours
1,278 earthquakes in the past 7 days
5,452 earthquakes in the past 30 days
50,842 earthquakes in the past 365 days
Earthquakes are one of the most feared disasters among people.
The historian Josephus made a record of the earthquake that fulfilled the prophecy of the Lord Jesus upon the cross.
Josephus also thought the world was coming to an end on the day Jesus died.
He wrote: There broke out a prodigious storm in the night, with utmost violence, and very strong winds, with the largest shower of rain and continuous lightnings, terrible thundering, and amazing concussions and bellowings of the earth, that was in an earthquake.
He added: These things were a manifest indication that some destruction was coming upon men, when the system of the world was put into this disorder, and anyone would guess that these wonders foretold some grand calamities that were coming.
The Lord Jesus speaks of "great earthquakes" more powerful than what we see daily.
Food is one of the necessities we cannot do without. Jesus said there would be a great famine before Jerusalem falls again.
Rev 6:5 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.
Rev 6:6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.
The Bible says that those who are slain with the sword are better off than they that die from hunger.
There will be great diseases, and we know disease shows no partiality.
No one can buy their way out of an epidemic of disease.
There will be fearful sights and great signs in the heavens.
We know that the earth can be darkened by the dust of volcanoes, windstorms, and even smoke from huge fires.
Whatever darkens the sun will also affect the moon.
Meteorites fall from the sky, and we have been seeing very large meteorites pass through our solar system lately.
Large enough to destroy our planet.
The earth is primed for all these things to take place, but if we believe that the "Rapture" is the next event on God's calendar to take place, then there is one more thing that will take place.
*****Luk 21:12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake.
Luk 21:13 And it shall turn to you for a testimony.
Luk 21:14 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:
Luk 21:15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.
This is the sign that concerns the Christian that will happen before God removes His Church.
Right now, there is a Christian murdered every two hours just for following the Lord Jesus Christ, and it is only going to get worse.
For them, following the Lord Jesus Christ has cost them everything!
They are tortured and murdered just for saying "I believe in Jesus Christ".
This is the reality for Christians who live in the Islamic World.
More than 388 million Christians suffer high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith.
We had better understand that we will face persecution for claiming our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
We stand for godliness; the world is not godly, nor does the world seek to become godly.
The Muslims claim to serve the God of Abraham, yet they reject the Lord Jesus Christ, so this is an outright lie; they serve the Devil.
All those who live for the world do not think they should have to change; therefore, the message of Jesus Christ is that they will die in their sin.
Repentance is not even taught in many so-called houses of God today because few people left are willing to change their lives.
When this persecution happens, we must be settled in our hearts that we will remain with Christ, and the Holy Spirit will use our own mouths to speak the words of Jesus Christ.
Without a test of our faithfulness, we will never have a testimony!
What will our persecution look like?
Luk 21:16 And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.
Luk 21:17 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.
Luk 21:18 But there shall not an hair of your head perish.
Luk 21:19 In your patience possess ye your souls.
*****Luk 21:20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.
Many believe that the destruction of Jerusalem by Rome in 70 AD was the fulfillment of this prophecy.
1.1 million Jews were slaughtered.
97,000 were taken captive and removed from Jerusalem.
Not one Jew was left alive in Jerusalem.
Not one Christian died because they fled Jerusalem before the siege of Jerusalem took place.
Many Jews have used this as an excuse to hate Christians ever since, but our main job is to obey the Word of God and not this world.
The Romans not only destroyed the Temple and Jerusalem, but they also ransacked the entire area around Jerusalem, so that it looked as if no one had ever lived there.
Was this even what the Lord Jesus described?
After the destruction of Jerusalem and the dispersion of the Jews predicted by Jesus in the previous verses, there would come a long period when Jerusalem would be dominated by Gentiles.
But miraculously, in 1948, Israel again became a nation, and in 1967 Jerusalem was captured again by the Jews and is now again one of the mightiest nations on this earth.
As long as the Muslim rule on the Temple Mount, Jerusalem is still trampled by the Gentiles, there remains prophecy to be fulfilled.
Dan 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
As Christians, we believe that this one week is the seven years of tribulation that have not taken place yet and will not until the Rapture of the Church has taken place.
The truth is that no one knows exactly when these things will happen, and the Lord Jesus says to watch and pray.
To watch means to keep up with what is going on in Israel and Jerusalem at all times.
*****Luk 21:21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.
Luk 21:22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.
Luk 21:23 But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.
Luk 21:24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and 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.
No doubt these things took place in the siege of Jerusalem in 70 AD.
Some who Jesus was teaching were alive to see these things happen.
Some of the Apostles and the Christians fled to a place called Pella in the district of Decapolis.
In reality, we are still to be prepared for the coming judgment of the end times because we know they have not taken place yet.
As Christians, we may be actual witnesses to the beginning of these things of the end times.
*****Luk 21:25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
Luk 21:26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
Luk 21:27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
Luk 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
We should understand that Jesus describes things that did not happen in the years around 70 AD, so the Lord Jesus is describing a future event.
Revelation Chapters 6, 8-9, 15-18 give us a much clearer picture of what the Lord Jesus is teaching here.
Our universe will be in complete turmoil.
What Size Asteroid Would it take to destroy Earth?
It is believed that no single asteroid can completely and utterly destroy the Earth as a planet. However, an asteroid approximately 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) in diameter or larger could trigger a global catastrophe that renders the planet largely uninhabitable for humans and many other species.
In the last few years, there have been asteroids or comets that have entered our solar system larger than this.
Gravity is another power in the heavens, and gravity in some way must fail before the stars of heaven can fall.
The power above all power is in God, the Holy Trinity, who only can cause such things to fail.
It is at the end of these things that the Lord Jesus will return to this earth.
The Church will already be in Heaven or will be returning with the Lord Jesus, so those who are gathered would be those who were saved during the Great Tribulation, and they would be mostly Jews, who still have God’s covenant.
Rom 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
Rom 11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
Rom 11:27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
Rom 11:28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes.
This is the remnant that is mentioned throughout the Bible.
Isa 10:21 The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God.
This is a lot to take in, but when we see any of these things begin to take place, then we need to look up, lift our heads high, because we are soon going home.
Remembering that deception is the main culprit affecting the Church, we should be holding our heads up high now and not be deceived.
The Church will be out of here soon.
Amen
