Jesus Foretells the Destruction of Jerusalem

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(Luke 21:1) And He looked up and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury.

In the last chapter, Jesus had been teaching in the temple, where priests, scribes, elders, and Sadducees had all come to Him trying to catch Him saying something they could use against Him.  He had used everything they threw at Him as a lesson back to them.  He now witnessed the rich men throwing their monetary gifts into the treasury.

(2) And He saw also a certain poor widow casting in there two mites.

Jesus then witnessed a poor widow casting into the treasury two mites.  The mite was the smallest unit of coin used by the Jews.

(3) And He said, "Truly I say to you that this poor widow has cast in more than them all."

After seeing the widow put in her two mites, Jesus said that she had given more to the treasury than all the others who gave their gifts that day.

(4) "For all these have out of their abundance cast into the offerings for God, but she of her poverty has cast in all the living that she had."

Jesus's reason for saying that was that while the other people, especially the rich men He had witnessed, have given to the temple treasury out of their abundance, the poor widow had given all that she had.  Here is the perfect example of Jesus judging the heart.  I can't help but compare my dutifully giving my 10% tithe to this woman lovingly sacrificing all that she had, and I certainly come up wanting.

(5) And as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts, He said, (6) "These things which you behold, the days will come in which there shall not be left one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down."

In the accounts in Matthew and Mark, it was said that it was Jesus's disciples who had commented on the beautiful stones with which the temple was built.  Jesus said that there was a time coming when there would not be even one of those beautiful stones which they admired left upon another as they would all be torn down.

(7) And they asked Him, saying, "Master, but when shall these things be? And what sign when these things shall come to pass?"

The disciples asked Jesus when that time was coming that all the stones of the temple would be torn down.  They asked what sign there would be that it was about to happen.

(8) And He said, "Take heed that you be not deceived, for many shall come in My name, saying, 'I Am,' and 'The time draws near.' Do not go therefore after them."

Jesus answered that they should take care not to be deceived.  There would be many who came in His name, each saying he was the Messiah and that their time drew near.  Jesus warned them that they should not follow them.  In the similar account in Matthew, Jesus had said the deceivers would say, "I am Christ."  But here and even in the account in Mark, which I think I missed at the time, Jesus said their words would be "I Am."  "Christ" was added by the translators for better understanding.  The KJV tells us it was added and not part of the original text by using italics.  Of course, it was Christ the Messiah and God Himself they meant by saying only "I Am."  God had told Moses when he had asked for God's name that it was "Hayah," or "I Am" (Exodus 3:14).  When Jesus called Himself "I Am" in John 18:6, the soldiers who had come to seize Him fell backward to the ground.  Luke and Mark recognized that Christ was Himself the great I AM and that was all that was necessary to be said by the deceivers for people to know who they meant.

(9) "But when you shall hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified, for these things must first come to pass, but the end is not by and by."

Jesus told them when they heard of wars and commotions or uprisings, they were not to be afraid because those things would happen first, but the end would not come immediately after.

(10) Then He said to them, "Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom."

Then there would actually be wars when nation rose up against nation which might mean one part of the Jewish nation rising up against another, and kingdom against kingdom might be when the Jewish nation rose up against the Romans, possibly encouraged by false Christs, as they still expected an earthly King Messiah.  This is where it starts to sound like end time prophecy.  The disciples had asked specifically about when the destruction of the temple would occur, so I am sure Jesus was answering that question.  However, as so often is the case with prophecies in the Bible, they apply to what was going on at the time as well as being prophetic about some far future event.

(11) "And great earthquakes will be in diverse places, and famines and pestilences, and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven."

Jesus said there would be great earthquakes in various places, as well as famines and pestilences.  There would be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.  While this sounds like end time prophecy, and might well be also, it definitely pertained to the destruction of Jerusalem.  The historian Josephus wrote in his book The Wars of the Jews about some of the signs witnessed, and some by he himself.  He wrote, "There was a comet in the form of a fiery sword, which for a year together did hang over the city...the inner gate of the temple on the east side, being of massy brass, which required at least twenty men to shut it, was seen at midnight to open of its own accord...seen in the air chariots and armies in battle array, passing along in the clouds and investing the city..."  Also witnessed was a bright light in the temple at night, a heifer to be sacrificed giving birth to a lamb in the temple, quaking and a great multitude of voices saying, "Let us remove hence," and a prophet named Yeshua Ben Ananus crying out continuously day and night for four years before the siege, "A voice from the east, a voice from the west, a voice from the four winds, a voice against Jerusalem and the sanctuary, a voice against the bridegroom and the bride, a voice against all the people," never ceasing, though beaten till his bones showed, never uttering a word for himself or against his torturers.  Wow!  It's hard to believe that the Jewish people didn't recognize these things as signs from God.  Josephus wrote, “Thus were the miserable people persuaded by these deceivers, and such as belied God himself; while they did not attend nor give credit to the signs that were so evident, and did so plainly foretell their future desolation, but, like men infatuated, without either eyes to see or minds to consider, did not regard the denunciations that God made to them.”  For those of us seeking a sign of the end times, though we may observe wars, earthquakes, famines, and pestilences, we may expect powerful undeniable signs before the very end.  I hope and pray people will recognize them as from God!

(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."

Jesus told His disciples that before those things happened, they would be seized and persecuted and put in prison, and even put to death in the case of Stephen, all because they were followers and teachers of Jesus Christ.

(13) "And it shall turn to you for a testimony."

The disciples' persecution would turn out to be a testimony for Jesus Christ when they were willing to endure all for Him.

(14) "Settle therefore in your hearts not to meditate before what you will answer, (15) For I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries shall not be able to say against or resist."

Jesus told them to settle it within themselves not to worry and think about what they would say to their persecutors when that time came.  He would give them at that time the wisdom and the words that none of their adversaries would be able to refute.

(16) "And you shall be betrayed by parents and brethren and kinfolks and friends, and some of you they shall cause to be put to death."

Jesus warned His disciples that they would be betrayed by some of their closest family and friends and some of them would be even put to death. 

(17) "And you shall be hated by all for My name's sake."

Jesus told them they would be hated by virtually all men because of His name they preached.  Isn't that the way it is these days?  Most people believe in God, some sort of God, and they may even call Him God, but it may be a god of their own making, not the only true God, the God of the Bible.  So many people may talk about God and can get along, but mention Jesus to one who is not a Christian?  That name is hated and rejected and considered prejudiced and non-inclusive among non-believers, when such the opposite is true.  Jesus gives to everyone who will accept His gift of salvation!

(18) "But there shall not a hair of your head perish."

Jesus told them that not a hair on their heads would perish.  How could that be, when they would be persecuted and some even killed?  Obviously, it could only mean in their restored bodies in the resurrection.  Nothing could separate them from their salvation.  Even if they were killed, it only meant less time in their persecution in a temporal world and more in their ultimate eternal and happy home.

(19) "In your patience possess your souls."

Jesus encouraged them to be patient through their troubles and persecutions and not to let those things distress them or rob them of their peace and joy; just know that in persevering with patience, they were possessing their eternal living souls.

(20) "And when you shall see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near."

The final sign would be when they saw the Roman armies surrounding Jerusalem, then they would know that its desolation was near and inevitable.

(21) "Then let them who are in Judea flee to the mountains and let them who are in the midst of it depart out, and let not those who are in the countries enter in."

When they saw that final sign, they were to immediately drop everything and flee to the mountains as that was their only possible escape from their total destruction.  Those who were in the midst of Judea, in Jerusalem, were to quickly depart, and those in other countries should not enter in; however, they would because of the Passover and would be destroyed.

(22) "For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled."

From the point when Rome surrounded Jerusalem, that would begin the days of vengeance, God's vengeance on the Jewish nation for their rejection and crucifixion of their Messiah, fulfilling the prophecies of it (Deuteronomy 28:20, Daniel 9:26-27).

(23) "But woe to them who are with child and to them who are nursing in those days! For there shall be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people."

Jesus expressed grief especially to women who were pregnant and those who were nursing.  Perhaps it was because it would be much harder for them to escape the great distress and wrath of God on His people, or maybe because they would have borne and nursed babies only to be seized and perhaps murdered by the Romans.

(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 by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled."

Jesus prophesied that the Jews would be killed and others led away captive to various nations and Jerusalem would be completely trampled down and destroyed by the Gentiles.  It would stay that way for them until the times of the Gentiles were fulfilled, that is, as long as God had planned for the Gentiles to carry out His vengeance.  There were 1,100,000 Jews killed during the siege and 97,000 carried away captive.  Additionally, the Jews did not have their own country until two thousand years later when they were given their own state in 1948.  "Until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled" may also mean until all Gentiles were given the opportunity to be saved by Jesus, when the Gospel had reached the entire world.  After all, that is why they were driven out in the first place; they had rejected and crucified their Messiah and God had said He would then offer it to the Gentiles far and wide.  It had been God's plan all along that the whole world would be blessed by Abraham's offspring, namely Jesus Christ (Genesis 22:18).  In a parable in Matthew 22 Jesus told about a wedding banquet that had been prepared by a king for his son but none of the invited guests cared to go.  Some of them even killed the servants who had gone out to invite them.  The king was very angry and sent forth his armies to kill those murderers and destroy their city.  Then he sent his servants out in the highways and byways to invite everyone to the feast.  In Luke 14 Jesus told a similar parable.  These stories were symbolic of God preparing salvation for His chosen people and they rejected His invitation, even killing some of His servants, so He then offered it to everyone far and wide.

(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."

This is where Jesus's prophecy definitely seems to turn to the end time of the world and His second coming.  Biblical scholars differ greatly on this.  Many say it pertains to the signs from heaven and earthquakes and such that precede the destruction of Jerusalem (v. 11).  That is certainly possible, but Jesus had already spoken about that and went on to say that the Jews would be killed or carried away captive.  Perhaps the signs in the sun and moon and stars continued and such a terrible siege would certainly distress the nations around Jerusalem.  I see the destruction of Jerusalem as a picture of what will happen to the world in the end.  Indeed, all these things related to the destruction of Jerusalem, but as was so often the case with prophecies in the Old Testament, although they seemed to pertain to what was going on at the time, they were prophetic of even greater things to come.  Just as God judged Jerusalem for rejecting and killing Christ, so will He judge the world that has rejected Christianity and attempted to destroy Christ all over again.

There certainly is an unease all over the world at the time of this writing.  Wars, riots, invasions, poverty, sexual depravity, hatred of Jews and Christians, these things abound, but I believe there is still time to change our ways and seek God and accept Jesus.  There are signs that people are turning back.  I have come to believe that God, in His patient love and mercy, gives us signs and even troubles to steer us back to Him.  The end won't come immediately if He is trying to steer us back to Him.  But we had better take heed, as there will come a time when it is too late.  When we start seeing those signs like fiery swords and armies in the heavens, it will be too late; those will be pictures of what is certainly coming.  Men's hearts will certainly be failing them then for fear of the things they see coming from a powerful shaken heaven.

As I reread what I wrote here, I have to stop and say that there is no guarantee that we will see a fiery sword in the sky or armies in the clouds before the end of the world.  But I do believe that God sends lesser signs to make us turn back to Him, and that is a loving and merciful thing!  And we'd better take heed as there will definitely come a time when it is too late:

"Seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near." - Isaiah 55:6

(27) "And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory."

While many commentators suggest that this meant Christ coming in judgment against Jerusalem, and that it has already happened, I firmly believe it is meant to be prophetic of the end when Christ comes in final judgment of the world.  Wow!  I just had a vision of Christ in a cloud somewhat like the chariots and armies in the clouds that Jerusalem saw before her destruction.  When we see that, the end has come!

(28) "And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up and lift up your heads, for your redemption draws near."

Whether it related to the signs of the coming destruction of Jerusalem or to those signs of the end of the world, in both cases, the disciples and Christians could look up to heaven with joy, knowing that their redemption drew near and they would soon be with their Lord.  While the unsaved world will be in terror, true Christian followers of Christ need not fear, but rejoice that they will soon be in their eternal home with Christ.

(29) And He spoke to them a parable, "Behold the fig tree and all the trees."

Jesus then began a parable, telling them to consider the fig tree and actually all trees.

(30) "When they now shoot forth, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near at hand."

Unlike His parables that were stories, this was more of a simple analogy.  Jesus told them that when they saw the trees begin to shoot forth buds and new limbs, they saw those signs and knew that summer was coming.

(31) "So you likewise when you see these things come to pass, know that the kingdom of God is near at hand."

Just as they judged the signs of the seasons, Jesus told them to be aware and judge the signs of the coming kingdom of God.

(32) "Verily, I say to you, this generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled."

Jesus told them that the present generation would not completely pass away until all He had told them was fulfilled.  That, of course, had to refer to the destruction of Jerusalem, which would occur during the lifetime of some who were alive at the time Jesus spoke.  

(33) "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away."

What Jesus had prophesied to them was most assuredly fact; the sentence was irreversible at that point.  Heaven and earth were more likely to pass away before Jesus's words to them would.  It was going to happen!  I don't believe that is to say that it was always predestined that Jerusalem had to be destroyed.  Had the people not rejected Him at the last, but had come to belief and salvation in Him, Jerusalem would have been spared, but Jesus knew their hearts and what they would do, so assuredly knew what was to befall Jerusalem.

(34) "And take heed to yourselves lest at any time your hearts be weighed down with gluttony and drunkenness and cares of this life, and so that day comes upon you unaware."

Jesus warned His disciples not to let their hearts be burdened with any excessiveness and cares of life so that they missed the signs of the day of judgment that would come upon Jerusalem, and the same will come upon the world in the last days, so must we all heed His warning.

(35) "For as a snare shall it come on all them who dwell on the face of the whole earth."

Jerusalem's judgment would come upon them quickly when they were unaware as a net might come over a butterfly.  Jesus said it would come to all who dwelled on the face of the whole earth.  While the meaning could have very well been "the whole land," I can't help but think that it was also meant to be a prophecy for the whole world in the end.

(36) "Watch therefore and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass and to stand before the Son of man."

Jesus warned them to watch for the signs He had forewarned them of and to pray always that they might be counted worthy to escape all the things that would indeed come to pass.  Historians at the time actually did report that remarkably not one Christian perished in the destruction of Jerusalem.  They had heeded their Messiah's warning and had fled to a town called Pella before the siege.  Those counted worthy to escape would spiritually stand with Christ and not fall in the siege.  I think the same could be said about Christians in the end times who stand with Christ, not that they won't suffer persecution, but they will stand with Christ in eternity, and not fall into the pit of hell.

(37) And in the daytime He was teaching in the temple, and at night He went out and abode in the mountain that is called the Mount of Olives.

During His time in Jerusalem since riding in on the donkey colt until the Passover, Jesus taught every day in the temple, and at night He went out to the Mount of Olives, likely to pray and recharge and perhaps to spend time with His apostles as His time with them was drawing to an end.

(38) And all the people came early in the morning to Him in the temple in order to hear Him.

All the people came out early in the mornings in order to hear Jesus teach in the temple.  This is a beautiful example of how we ought to begin our days, in communion with God, in prayer and study of His word, to prepare us for a day in the wicked world.

Signs of the End and Exhortation to Watchfulness

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

In the last post, Jesus had been answering the disciples' question about the signs of the coming end of Jerusalem.  They had asked in the same question, as if they assumed it would happen at the same time, what would be the signs of His coming.  This is where it gets very difficult to interpret.  Even Biblical scholars are mixed on the meaning of verses 29 through 31.  I will take them all in context:

(Matthew 24:29) "Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun shall be darkened and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. (30) And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven, and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. (31) And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other."

It starts "immediately."  "Immediately" would seem to have to mean regarding the destruction of Jerusalem.  Jesus said in verse 21 that there would be great tribulation "such as has not been since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be."  The historian Josephus confirmed that never had a city suffered so much as when Jerusalem fell.  Therefore, verse 29 would seem to be saying that immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun would be darkened, etc.  So what would happen immediately after?  The sun would be darkened.  That is a very reasonable thing to happen after the fall of Jerusalem.  The sun would be darkened by the smoke and dust of destruction; likewise, the moon.  But what about stars falling from heaven and the powers of the heavens being shaken?  Those seem like the kind of things that would happen during or at the beginning of the tribulation.  That makes sense if you take the meaning of verse 27 in the last post to be as some suggest that the immediate coming of Jesus would be in the act of destroying Jerusalem in the form of the Roman army sweeping in from the east like lightning and sweeping across it westward.

To continue with the assumption that it is Jesus leading His destruction forces with all the fire and fury of the powers of the heavens, verse 29 said it would happen after the tribulation of those days.  So what would be the tribulation that happened prior to the final destruction of Jerusalem?  It would seem to be wars and rumors of wars, famines, pestilences, earthquakes, persecution, and death.  Then would the sign of the Messiah appear.  Whether it would be an actual visual sign, or just the knowledge that it was Jesus in the fury of the heavens the people observed, there would be the sign of His coming to destroy Jerusalem.  Then all the tribes of the earth would mourn.  This would seem to mean the tribes of Israel, as other countries were not usually said to be divided into tribes.  All the tribes of Israel would certainly mourn as they saw the actual destruction sweep across Jerusalem with the power and fury of heaven. 

Then there is verse 31:  "And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other."  For the first time in my life, I can actually see this in the context of the destruction of Jerusalem.  If the Son of man coming in the clouds with the force and fury of the heavens is symbolic of the Roman army sweeping in, then the same could be said of the angels and trumpets coming with great noise, also symbolic of the judgment coming swiftly upon Jerusalem.  However, the angels will gather His elect.  The trumpet might also represent the call to bring the Christians together to their Lord.

I have to admit, this is the first time in my life I have seen this scripture only in the context of the destruction of Jerusalem.  How many people take these verses literally and interpret them to mean that Jesus will come in the clouds and gather His people up into the sky in a rapture?  Even if this were a true interpretation, it sounds as if it comes after the tribulation.  Therefore, I can see no reasonable interpretation of a pre-tribulation rapture.

There are many early scholars who believe that part of this description of the end does indeed mean the end of the world and Jesus's second coming.  I think a case could be made for that, as well.  Personally, I believe that Jesus had to mean the destruction of Jerusalem through verse 26.  That might be the point where the time changed.  The disciples had also asked what the signs of His coming and the end of the world would be.  They mistakenly thought that all was one and the same with the destruction of Israel.  Jesus had been telling them of the events during the tribulation leading up to the siege that would destroy Jerusalem.  He told them in verse 26 that when false prophets arose claiming that He was to be found on earth at that time, not to believe them.  This might be where He began to discuss His second coming.  "Don't be deceived by a false prophet," I paraphrase Him, "because there will be no doubt when I, the Messiah, return."  In verse 27, He said, "For as the lightning comes out of the east and shines even to the west, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be."

Then there is verse 28:  "For wherever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together."  A carcass is a dead thing, as Jerusalem was, so this really seems to be a reference to the destruction of Jerusalem.  Perhaps Jesus's reference to coming as lightning was a parenthetical reason as to why the disciples should not believe that He could be found on earth during the destruction of Jerusalem; and then He returned to the subject at hand, the destruction.  I have read some Biblical scholars who believed this meant just as sure and swiftly as eagles (or vultures) descended on a carcass, just as quickly would the second coming be upon a dead world.  Indeed, in Revelation 19:17-18, written by John some 20 years or more after the destruction of Jerusalem, there is a call to the birds of prey to come feast on the flesh of kings, generals, and all people, in the destruction of the New Testament Babylon.

Following the interpretation that Jesus had switched the topic to His second coming and the end of the world, one has to grapple with verse 29 that begins, "Immediately after the tribulation..."  What tribulation?  The tribulation He had just been talking about was the tribulation in the times leading up to the destruction of Jerusalem.  However, Jesus did say, "Immediately after the tribulation of those days..."  The emphasis on "those" is mine.  Perhaps He was referring to the tribulation that would occur before He came as lightning in His second coming.  Then, of course, verses 30 and 31 do seem to relate to His second coming.

One other possibility about that word "immediately," as a thousand years is as a day with our Lord, "immediately" can take on a different meaning, for sure.  I don't really think Jesus would have used "immediately" knowing it would be thousands of years.  However, the same account in Luke adds in Luke 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 trodded down by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled."  In the Expositor's Bible Commentary, it is written:  "It is...sufficiently obvious that the tribulation of those days began with the destruction, or rather with the besieging, of Jerusalem. But when did it end? As soon as the city was destroyed? Nay. If we wish to get some idea of the duration of those days of tribulation, let us turn to the same place in the same prophecy as given by St. Luke...where it clearly appears that it embraces the whole period of the Jewish dispersion and of the standing of the Gentile Church. 'The tribulation of those days' is going on still, and therefore the events of these verses are still future."   

I have to admit that now I tend to believe that this prophecy referred to Jerusalem, but maybe He is talking about both.  So often scripture has a double meaning.  It was written by inspiration of God for our learning (2 Timothy 3:16), so we should learn from the signs the Jews were shown before and after they rejected their Messiah.  Are we not at a point in our time where the world seems to have rejected Him once again, and the true Christians should be watching the signs for His second coming and the end?  Albert Barnes wrote in his Notes on the Bible:  "In his answer he has reference to both events, and his language may be regarded as descriptive of both. At the destruction of Jerusalem, the sign or evidence of his coming was found in the fulfillment of these predictions. At the end of the world, the sign of his coming will be his personal approach with the glory of his Father and the holy angels."

One thing I can see clearly now is that we can't point with assurance to one particular event and say with certainty that it definitely means the end.  However, we have been given warning to watch the times, and there are certainly signs in this stage of our time that the end could be getting close unless enough people turn to God and He intervenes for a time.  Back to Matthew 24, verse 32:

(32) "Now learn a parable of the fig tree; when its branch is yet tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near."

Indeed, our Lord told the disciples that they knew how to discern times; they knew that summer was coming by watching the signs on a fig tree.

(33) "So likewise, you, when you see all these things, know that it is near, at the doors."

In the same manner that they could discern the coming of summer, when they saw the signs that Jesus warned about the coming destruction of Jerusalem, they would know that the end was near.

(34) "Verily, I say to you this generation will not pass till all these things are fulfilled."

Jesus told them that the present generation would not completely pass away until they saw those things fulfilled.  This certainly does sound like all Jesus's prophecies referred to the destruction of Jerusalem only.  However, I have heard it suggested that "this generation" meant the particular generation that witnessed the tribulation suggesting it could be the last generation at the end of the world.  It seems to me that one has to stretch the imagination more to make these prophecies about the end of the world than just accepting them as about the destruction of Jerusalem.  However, like suggested before, there is probably a parallel to end times, as well.

(35) "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away."

All things of mass and substance would eventually pass away, but Jesus's words were sure and certain.

(36) "But of that day and hour no man knows, no, not the angels of heaven, but My Father only."

Although they were given many signs of the coming end, no one knew exactly when these prophecies would be fulfilled except Father God in heaven.

(37) "But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be."

I believe the implication is that the world would be found as self-centered and wicked as it was in the days of Noah, and also as surprising and unexpected as the flood was, so would His coming be.  However, those who watched the signs and followed the guidance of their Lord, as Noah did, would be ready.

(38) "For as in the days that were before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, (39) And knew not until the flood came and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be."

There is nothing wrong with eating and drinking and weddings in and of themselves, but I believe the idea is that the people were going along their merry ways, eating, drinking, and having lavish feasts with no notice of the signs of their impending doom.  In Noah's day, there was a huge sign for a very long time; imagine how long it must have taken to build an ark so large as to take on two of every animal on earth, as well as supplies and provisions necessary for keeping them.  People probably bored of seeing Noah working on it every day and apparently took no notice of him finishing it and filling it with animals.  It seems incredulous, but they didn't know a thing until the flood swept them away.  I'm just imagining it raining and people going on with their feasts, thinking nothing of it until it was too late.  So will the coming of Christ be.  Again I am imagining, this time of partying at same-sex weddings, "taking care of" unwanted pregnancies, participating in sex trafficking, pride parades, etc., etc., etc., with no regard to God and His moral law, ignoring the signs and ridiculing those who see them.

I am struck by something else in thinking about Noah's time.  Deducing from the age of Noah and his sons at different points in scripture, it is believed it may have taken as many as 75 years to complete the ark.  Therefore that sign lasted an entire generation according to our time.  That means just because we see the signs, it doesn't mean the end is going to be immediate.  I think in our instant gratification type world, even if we see signs, many people will tire of waiting and want to go on with their worldly plans.  In the third chapter of 2 Peter, the apostle discussed how people would scoff in the end days ridiculing the promise of the Messiah's coming as it had been predicted since the time of their forefathers, and yet everything was as it had been from the beginning.  So how is a Christian to live when a sign can take 75 years or more to come to fulfillment?  I don't believe that we can't feast or marry, but we are to be always ready for the end.  We live holy lives following Christ's example and go on with our Godly missions in life, looking forward to the day when we shall see God.  As the apostle Paul said in Ephesians 6:13, having done all to arm ourselves with the armor of God, "having done all, to stand."  One thing we can actively do is to warn others and share the gospel of Christ.  Referring again to Paul in the sixth chapter of Ephesians, it has been noted that when armed with the armor of God with a belt of truth, a breastplate of righteousness, boots with preparation of the gospel of peace, a shield of faith, a helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit which is the word of God, that the only active weapon is the sword of truth, the word of God.  As I write this, I have to also note that what I called boots, "your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace," may also be seen as active, walking and sharing the gospel and doing God's work.

(40) "Then shall two be in the field; one shall be taken and the other left."

In context with the previous verses, one can plainly see that this is not proof of a pre-tribulation rapture, as many have suggested.  The meaning is rather that so suddenly and unexpectedly would the coming of the Son of man be, that although two people could be working side by side in the field, one could be whisked away without any warning.  This appears to be in reference to the second coming of Christ at the end, but it applies in different ways.  When destruction came upon Jerusalem, Christians were saved from the calamity by the grace of God.  As was discussed in verse 13 in the last post, he who endured to the end would be saved, and Adam Clarke, in his commentary, wrote that Christians did not perish in the destruction of Jerusalem.  When applied to the second coming of Christ, verse 31 above said that the angels would gather together Christ's elect, so it appears the ones taken were the ones saved.  Whether taken away and saved from the judgment, or taken away by death, one thing is certain; there will be a separating of Christians following Christ from those who rejected Him.

(41) "Two women shall be grinding at the mill; one shall be taken and the other left."

This is just another example of the same thing as discussed in verse 40.

(42) "Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord does come."

Jesus exhorted His disciples and others to be watchful of the signs.  Whether taken away by destruction or taken away to safety into the arms of a merciful God, we are warned to be always ready, for we do not know when our end will come, nor how.

(43) "But know this, if the master of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched and would not have allowed his house to be broken up. (44) Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of man comes at an hour you do not expect."

Obviously, if one knew exactly in what three hour period (watch) a thief would break into his house, he would have been prepared to prevent it.  However, seeing that we will not know the exact time Christ will come, we should always be prepared as if it were our last hours.  Christ could be coming at the end of the world as we know it, or He could be coming for our souls as we die.  We have no idea which will happen first or when, so we are warned to always be ready for Jesus.

(45) "Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord has made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season?"

Jesus posed the question to His disciples about who was a wise and faithful servant whom his lord had made ruler over his household to supply provisions when appropriate.  This was, of course, symbolic of the servants Jesus would make rulers over His Christian house who would spiritually feed His flock.

(46) "Blessed is that servant whom his lord, when he comes, shall find him so doing."

Jesus declared such a servant blessed when his lord returned and found him faithfully doing what his lord had asked him to do.  Blessed is the man whom the Lord finds faithfully ruling the household of God well.

(47) "Verily, I say to you, that he will make him ruler over all his goods."

I believe the point Jesus is making is that the faithful servant will be rewarded with a higher office, not merely over his household, but over all his property.  A good and faithful servant of God will be rewarded.  As Jesus would tell in a parable in the next chapter, because a good and faithful servant had been faithful over a few things, his lord would make him ruler over many things (Matthew 25:21).

(48) "But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My lord delays his coming,' (49) And begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken, (50) The lord of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour he is not aware of, (51) And shall cut him in two, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

However, Jesus said, if that servant turned out to be evil instead, and because his lord was gone such a long time, he began to mistreat his fellow servants and began to fellowship with drunkards and such, the lord of his house would return at a time he least expected it.  The evil servant would be cut down and severely punished and counted among the worst of sinners.  Likewise, the servant of God who began to mistreat his fellow Christians and to live a life of sin, would experience much pain and anguish.

Perhaps it is in keeping with Jesus's declaration that no man would know the day or hour of His coming, that we cannot precisely know which event Jesus spoke of in His foretelling of signs, the coming destruction of Jerusalem or His second coming at the end.  We are to always be ready.  However, if we are to always be ready, then why be watchful and observe the signs of the end?  The original word translated as "watch" as in verse 42, is "gregoreuo" and means "to keep awake, be vigilant," even "give strict attention to, be cautious, active."  Watching doesn't mean merely spectating at a distance.  It implies action, ever vigilant, on guard, a fully awake Christian, intently focused on the things of God.  In Revelation, in messages to the churches, God said He hated the lukewarm church of the Laodiceans; actually His exact words were that He wanted to spew them out of His mouth (Revelation 3:16).  He actually said that He would prefer them to be cold or hot.  Imagine that!  God actually preferring one to be cold regarding the things of God rather than lukewarm!  He then told them to be zealous and repent.  God desires zealous watchmen on the wall sounding warnings to an unsaved world, conveying truth despite opposition from the world.