20. And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.
21. Then let them which are in Judea 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.
22. For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.
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.
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.
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;
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.
27. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
28. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
29. And he spake to them a parable: Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;
30. When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.
31. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.
32. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.
33. Heaven and earth shall pass away; but my words shall not pass away.
34. And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.
35. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.
36. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
(Memorize verses 34-36.)
Golden Text: “Heaven and earth shall pass away; but my words shall not pass away.” Luke 21:33.
NOTE.—The lesson not only includes the destruction of Jerusalem, but foretells the second coming of Christ as well. The parallel scriptures of Matthew 24 and Mark 13 should be studied in connection with the account in Luke. The query that opened the way for this prophecy was propounded by the disciples, following the remark of Jesus that the time would come when the temple, with its magnificence and stately grandeur, would be completely destroyed. Luke 21:6. The question was, “Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” Matt. 24:3. Then are enumerated certain signs applicable alike to the destruction of Jerusalem and to the end of the world. Luke 21:8-19. This discourse was given on the Mount of Olives, after leaving the temple for the day. See Matt. 24:3; Luke 21:37. This was the last day of Jesus' public ministry in the temple.
SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.
(1) What sure sign would foretell the desolation of Jerusalem? Verse 20. (2) What warnings were given to the inhabitants of city and land? Verse 21. Note 1. (3) What did Jesus call this time? Verse 22. Note 2. (4) What woes were pronounced, and why? Verse 23. (5) How complete was the destruction to be? Verse 24. Note 3. (6) What manifestations will be witnessed in the physical world? Verses 25, 26. Note 4. (7) What will then be seen? Verse 27. Note 5. (8) What were those to do who saw these things, or knew of their fulfillment? Verse 28. (9) What parable did Jesus speak? Verses 29, 30. (10) For what purpose did he give it? Verse 31. (11) How near did he say the kingdom of God was? Verse 32. Note 6. (12) How sure did Jesus declare the prophecy to be? Verse 33. (13) What admonition did he give to all? Verse 34. (14) Will mankind be looking for that event? Verse 35. (15) In view of the nearness of the coming of the Lord, what should be the attitude of every soul? Verse 36.
NOTES.
1. Flee to the mountains.—The query might arise, How could this warning be heeded with armies surrounding the city? History reveals the way. The city was twice surrounded and its destruction threatened before the final stroke was made. In A.D. 66 Cestius Gallus, a Roman general, threw his forces about Jerusalem, but “suddenly, and for no apparent reason, withdrew his army.” Two years and a half later, Vespasian forced his way to the city's walls, and retired to be proclaimed emperor. Eusebius says that during this time of cessation of hostilities the whole body of the church in Jerusalem removed from the city to a town called Pella, in Decapolis, beyond the Jordan, in obedience to the words of the Saviour.
2. Days of vengeance.—The days predicted were the days of vengeance upon Israel for all the neglected opportunities and unperformed duties and final rejection of Christ. They were written of old. See Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 28, 29, etc.
3. And they shall fall, etc.—Probably no city in the world's history underwent so terrible a siege as did Jerusalem in A.D. 70. Language can not describe the scenes of famine and pestilence in their awful reality which fell to the lot of the beleaguered Jews. History states that there was accurately fulfilled the prophecy in Deut. 28:53-57. And all because they forsook the Lord. During this siege by Titus, the Roman general, more than 1,100,000 Jews perished, and the survivors were “led away captive into all nations,” where they are found at the present day. The times of the Gentiles refers to the Gospel age, for it was to all nations that the Gospel went when rejected by the Jews. Now all who accept Christ become spiritual children of Abraham, and are of the Israel of God. But into this true and good olive tree, Israel after the flesh who were cut off as unprofitable branches, may again be graffed by believing on Jesus Christ. Rom. 11:23-25. And so all Israel,—the spiritual Israel, which includes all of every nation and kindred who are redeemed through the blood of Christ (Heb. 9:12; Rev. 7:4, 9:12),—shall be saved.
4. There shall be signs.—The signs here mentioned precede the coming of the Son of man in the clouds of heaven (see Luke 21:27), and are not far distant from that event. These signs are literal, and have been fulfilled and are fulfilling at the present time. The sun has been supernaturally darkened (May 19, 1780), the moon likewise (the following night), and a remarkable fall of stars occurred in 1833. There is unprecedented distress of nations, with perplexity, and men's hearts quake with fear of impending calamity. This latter specification of the prophecy is true as never before, and its time in the world's history is fixed by the other signs, as well as by the declaration of verse 27, and the illustration in the following verses.
5. They shall see the Son of man coming.—It is well to note that this is a literal, visible coming, and hence betokens the end of the world. The coming of Christ is not in secret, but will be as the lightning, seen from east to west. Matt. 24:27. The angels told his tearful disciples, “This same Jesus, . . . shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven,” that is, visibly, and with clouds. See also 1 Thess. 4:16-18; Rev. 1:7; 14:14.
6. This generation.—The language has the same import as that of Luke 21:28, and applies to the generation that lives in the time of these signs. That generation is the present generation. The kingdom of God.—As we have learned that the coming is literal, and since we know from various scriptures that the “kingdom and dominion” of the earth made new, with its righteous dwellers, is to be given to Christ at his coming, so we know that it is the literal kingdom of God here referred to. The spiritual kingdom will have been already set up in the hearts of the believers. Luke 17:21. Moreover, the apostles did not look for the coming of the Lord in their day. See 2 Thess. 2:3-10. Is nigh at hand.—The day and the hour knoweth no man (Matt. 24:36); and it is therefore manifestly of no avail to set the exact time, as some attempt to do. Sufficiently solemn should the imminence of that event be to lead every individual to “watch and be sober” (1 Thess. 5:6), lest that day come upon them unawares.
