Luke 21:20-27
Pay Attention
Last week, in haste, we looked at verses 5 through 28. In these
verses, our Lord gave us four categories of end-time signs. These
signs are not directly related to us. They are related to the Jews
and to Jesus returning to establish the millennial kingdom; however,
we know that before Jesus comes to set up His kingdom, He will come
to take His church so if we see the signs being fulfilled for the
return of Jesus for the kingdom, how much closer is His return for
the church?
In review, let’s remember the different groups of signs:
1. \\#8-12\\ Common Signs
2. \\#12-19\\ Persecution Signs
3. \\#20-24\\ Israeli Signs
4. \\#25-26\\ Heavenly Signs
Let’s notice two thoughts:
I. Christians looking for signs will be too late.
A. The best I can tell, there are only three specific "time"
signs given in this message.
1. I mentioned last week that many of the signs are common
and that the reason they are signs at all is because I
believe they will become often and intense.
2. Wars, rumors of wars, earthquakes, famines, pestilences,
persecution, betrayals—they are not very time specific.
B. However, three of them are very time-specific.
1. \\#25\\ The sign of the heavens
Luke 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;
a. The details of this sign is not given in Luke, but we
can read one of the first ones in the book of
Revelation.
Rev 6:12 And I beheld when he had opened the
sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great
earthquake; and the sun became black as
sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as
blood;
b. Interestingly, Jesus said this sign would reoccur at
the END of the tribulation as well.
Mt 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of
those days shall the sun be darkened, and the
moon shall not give her light, and the stars
shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the
heavens shall be shaken:
c. So the sign of the sun and the moon will actually
occur twice, but both times will be AFTER the church
has been removed.
2. The "abomination of desolation."
a. Luke did not use the phrase.
b. Luke does not give as much detail of Jesus’ teaching
here as either Matthew or Mark.
c. Let’s read the extra that they gave. It fits in the
Israeli sign between verses 20 and 21.
Mr 13:14 But when ye shall see the abomination
of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet,
standing where it ought not, (let him that
readeth understand,) then let them that be in
Judaea flee to the mountains:
d. The phrase "the abomination of desolation" is very
important.
e. It was first mentioned in \\#Dan 11:21, 12:11\\ and
has to do with the anti-Christ setting desecrating
the Jewish altar and temple.
f. Since it is an act of the antichrist and we know he
will not be revealed until after the church and the
Holy Ghost are removed \\#2Thess 2:7\\, we know that
this is during the Tribulation.
g. Since Jesus comes for the church BEFORE the
tribulation, if you see the "abomination of
desolation," you messed up.
3. \\#Luke 21:24\\ "the times of the Gentiles"
Luke 21:24 And they (the Jews) 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.
a. This sign is a very specific and explained in detail.
(1) The city will be surrounded by enemy armies
\\#Luke 21:20\\.
(2) Some of the residents will be slain by the sword.
(3) Some will be lead captive.
(4) And Jerusalem shall be trampled over by the
Gentiles.
b. If it were not for two things, we would likely think
the times of the Gentiles started with the Jewish
conquest either in 70 AD or 136 AD.
(1) But we remember that both Matthew and Mark told
us about the abomination of desolation which is
tribulation.
(2) And Revelation tells us the time period is very
limited.
Re 11:2 But the court which is without the
temple leave out, and measure it not; for it
is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city
shall they tread under foot forty and two months.
(3) 42 months is 3 1/2 years.
(4) From this passage and others, I am thinking that
the anti-Christ will lead an army against
Jerusalem somewhere around the middle of the
tribulation and Gentiles will rule over it from
then until the Lord returns, 3 1/2 years later.
(5) However, this is also a post rapture sign.
C. Christians cannot be sign seekers!
1. We are not looking for more earthquakes, more wars, more
famines, more pestilence, for signs in the skies, or
anywhere else.
2. We are looking for Jesus.
II. \\#29-36\\ With that in mind, notice some truths that Jesus gave
afterward.
A. Be Assured
1. Jesus assured the people of two things:
a. The signs are sure.
Luke 21:29 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.
(1) Jesus was saying that as sure as leaves on a fig
tree mean figs are coming so these signs means
He is coming.
(2) You can be assured of it.
(a) The signs will some.
(b) Jesus will follow the signs.
b. The Word of God will not fail.
Luke 21:33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but
my words shall not pass away.
(1) While \\#29-31\\ speak specifically of the signs,
this verse speaks of all of God’s Word.
(2) Everything in it is true and will happen as God
has said.
B. Be Ready
Luke 21:32 Verily I say unto you, This
generation shall not pass away, till all be
fulfilled.
1. The emphasis of this verse is that when things start to
happen, they will complete quickly—within one generation.
2. The question is "When does that clock start?"
a. Some see it starting when Israel became a nation.
(1) I have always had a soft spot for that
interpretation.
(2) I believe that the fig tree is Israel in at least
one Biblical event.
(3) If the fig tree is Israel here then Israel
becoming a nation in 1948 would likely be the fig
tree budding and we should expect everything to
happen before the generation that saw Israel
bloom passes away \\#32\\.
b. HOWEVER, I notice that Jesus applied this prophecy to
ALL trees \\#29\\.
(1) That being the case, the signs may be the three
"time" signs that we just pointed out.
(2) What were they?
(a) The sign of heaven (to start the
tribulation)
(b) The abomination of desolation (in the middle
of the tribulation)
(c) The time of the Gentiles which lasts 42
months until the end of the tribulation.
3. Regardless of what starts the one generation clock, the
thought is when it starts, things are going to happen
very rapidly.
C. Be Alert
Luke 21:34 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.
1. Jesus warned that people would become "overcharged" with
sinful behaviors.
a. "Overcharged" means they will be more so than ever
before.
b. He spoke of drunkenness.
(1) We know what that is but it has always been
around.
(2) Yet today it is more so than ever before.
(3) With the recent wave of legalized marijuana (and
other recreational drugs will follow), people
are flying higher for longer, and in more places
than ever before.
c. He spoke of surfeiting which is basically the hangover
effect.
d. And the cares of life which means more problems.
2. What Jesus seems to be saying is some people will be so
drunk and hungover they won’t care about anything and
others will be so concerned about this world they won’t
have to care about the other one.
3. Be aware that you don’t miss the signs.
a. A stupor has come upon this world and it is only going
to get worse.
b. We could call the stupor another sign, but it is here
right now.
Most of what Jesus said in this chapter applied directly to the Jews,
but it hits us too. Not only the signs but the stupor. Let’s be
alert and ready for what God has for us.
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