Luke 21`20

Luke 2:20 says, And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.  Jesus warned them of the coming destruction of Jerusalem and dispersion of the Jewish people.  He said when Jerusalem was besieged, that the desolation of it was near.  Verse twenty-nine adds, 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.  Jesus warned the people of Judea to flee to the mountains, and for the people of Jerusalem to leave the city while they could and not to let other people enter the city.  Matthew Henry says this tells us that we should not enter a city that God has abandoned, though I am not sure how we would know that He truly had, especially since they would be the ones most in need of the gospel.  Verse twenty-two continues, For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.  Jesus said that these would be the days of vengeance, which would occur to fulfill the scripture.  We know that we have been given some signs of things to come before the return of Jesus Christ as well.  Verse twenty-three states, 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.  Jesus said there would be woe for expectant and young mothers in that day, because of all the destruction was going on around them.  In cities today where war is raging, it has to be rough on young mothers, who fear not only for their safety, but also with the safety of their child.  Verse twenty-four adds, 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.  Jesus said that Jerusalem would fall and the people of Isreal would be oppressed by the Gentiles, until the time of the Gentiles was fulfilled. This is the time that we have been living in since that happened, and one day it will come to an end.  Verse twenty-five says, 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;  Jesus warned them that when the day of the Gentiles was ending, even the heavens would give warning.  Verse twenty-six adds, 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.  Jesus warned that when these things began to happen that people would lose heart, but I believe that the followers of Christ never should.  Verse twenty-seven declares, And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  This definitely is a statement about the second coming of Christ, which will occur at the end of the days of the Gentiles.  Verse twenty-eight adds, And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.  Jesus tells us that when these things begin to happen that we are to look up.  We should always focus on God and keep our faith in Him.  We need to look up to God everyday,  and if we do, we will never be defeated no matter what happens in the world.  Verse twenty-nine says, And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;  Jesus then taught them with another parable, this one the parable of the fig tree.  Not everything that the Bible teaches us is spelled out completely, but we must read it under the direction of the Holy Spirit in order to understand what God is saying is us.  Verse thirty adds, When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.  Jesus said when we see new growth on the fig tree, we know summer is at hand.  Verse thirty-one continues, So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.  Jesus then tells us that when we see these things that He had spoken of come to pass, that the kingdom of God is at hand.  All we can say for certain is that His kingdom, which will be ushered in with the return of Jesus Christ is closer than it has ever been.  Verse thirty-two states, Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.  Jesus then spoke of the fall of Jerusalem and the beginning of the day of the Gentiles once more.  He said that that generation would not pass away before it happened.  Verse thirty-three adds, Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.  Even if all the universe passes away, God's word will never pass away, and His word is all that we should put our faith in.