Luke, Chapter 21 is an interesting area of Scripture that deserves our study. More study than I will have time to go into in this message. It begins with the disciples admiring the beauty of the temple, and Jesus telling them that there will come a day when not one stone will be left upon another. The disciples ask Him when this will happen.
And then Jesus speaks of false christs and how many will follow after them. He speaks of wars and rumors of wars, but says that “these things must come to pass first, but the end will not come immediately.”
And then, starting at verse 10, we read, “Then He said to them, ‘Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven. But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name’s sake. But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony. Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist. You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake.’”
In verse 20, He says, “when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.” Jesus goes on to describe the destruction of Jerusalem, which we know took place in the year 70 A.D.
This chapter of Luke describes not only the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D., but also the last days before Jesus’ second coming. I believe He often explained things that would be taking place soon right alongside things that would be taking place at His second coming.
In Luke 21, He goes on the describe His second coming starting in verse 25: “And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”
In verse 29, Jesus tells them the parable of the fig tree — how when we see the tree begin to start budding, we know that summer is near. And then He says, “So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near. Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away ‘til all things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.”
Then a warning for us to be prepared for His coming: “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch, therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
Obviously, He was speaking not only of the destruction of the city and the temple in 70 A.D., but also His second coming…because the generation that saw the temple destroyed did pass away, and like Christians in every generation, they did suffer great persecution first.
But Jesus spoke of a generation of people on the earth that would witness His second coming firsthand, and His coming would be preceeded by signs in the sun, moon and stars, distress of nations here on earth, with perplexity. The sea and waves roaring. Men’s hearts failing them because of fear. Famines, pestilences. The powers of the heavens are shaken. And THEN they see the Son of Man coming on a cloud with power and great glory. That didn’t happen in 70 A.D., but it WILL happen when Jesus returns.
We’re admonished to pay attention to the signs leading up to His coming, like the fig tree, and when we see all those things taking place, to be ready for that Great and Terrible Day of the Lord. We’re also told that this day will come as a snare on all who dwell on the face of the whole earth — most will be paying no attention to the most important things. Instead, they’ll be caught up with carousing, drunkenness, and hearts weighed down with the cares of this life. Most will be unprepared. Have you tried to explain the truth of what’s been happening to someone who knows nothing about the Globalist agenda? You’ll find they don’t care at all. In fact, they think you’re crazy. Just as the devil and his demons hope for. Distracted by the cares of this world, carousing, entertainment, luxury and ease… yet Jesus said His coming will be a “snare” on all who dwell on the face of the whole earth.
Yes, Jesus tells us to prepare and be ready, to understand the wiles of the devil and be prepared to do daily battle. I think we should always be prepared to meet our Lord, because none of us knows the number of our days. And persecution of Christ-followers is greater in America now than it’s ever been. There was a time when being a “good Christian” was a good thing, but now, according to our American government, there’s no greater threat to the nation than those who name the name of Christ. We are the new “terrorists” that must be done way with. Perhaps more precisely stated: no greater threat to their demonic regime, but I digress.
Yes, we’ll be seeing signs in the sky — in the sun, moon and stars. The sea will be roaring. Men’s hearts will be failing them for fear. Distress of nations with perplexity. This reads like every day’s headlines now. I’m sure many generations saw their own days in these words, but never before have we seen the “buds” on the “fig tree” so ready to burst forth with fruit as we see every day now.
I’m not one to just sit back and wait for the Lord’s return. I believe we’re to occupy until He returns. I believe when He comes, we should be found doing our Father’s business. I believe we should be living each and every day circumspectly, following in our Savior’s footsteps the best we can, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. And I believe we should always be prepared.
One of our readers, from Maryland, recently suggested that I speak on the topic of being prepared and so I’ll share some thoughts with you here. We must all be prepared for the days ahead — whether we live to see our Savior’s coming on the clouds of heaven or whether we go to be with Him on our own first — because things are not getting any better in this world. On the contrary, the days are becoming darker all the time, as evil is celebrated and good is vilified. Justice no longer exists in our country, and we cannot expect justice for ourselves when our doors are broken down and we’re unjustly accused, tried and sentenced. This is happening on a daily basis now — yes, to Christians, and yes, here in America. Christ-followers are now “public enemy number one” in just about every area of society. I’m not just talking about “church-goers.” Simply going to church and calling oneself a “Christian” won’t get you into any hot water. But start actually living the Christian life — start actually following Jesus — and you’ll find it is THEN that you become a “terrorist.” That’s when you become the greatest threat to the regime.
So we must prepare spiritually and physically. Jesus told us what’s coming. He gave us the “weather forecast” and told us what to expect and that we should prepare. If we’re caught in a “snare” like the rest of the world when the storm hits, we’ll have no one to blame but ourselves. The time for preparation is now — before the storm. Here’s how we can prepare spiritually:
First, review your commitment to Jesus and draw closer to Him. 2 Corinthians 13:5 says, “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves.” Also pray without ceasing. (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Be in constant communication with the Father, through the Son and the Holy Spirit. Be in such close contact that you need only utter a “thought” to the Lord and you KNOW that He not only hears you but is ready and willing to answer every prayer.
Many think they’re “good to go” with God’s Word… no need for a time of serious Bible study every day. But we need more Bible study, not less. There’s always more to learn, and the most devout of Bible students always finds new insights every time He opens the Scriptures.
And as you sanctify yourselves, redeeming the time, spending more time in communion with the Lord, seek out good and Godly teachers — perhaps men of old, heroes of the faith — or modern day saints who are teaching the whole counsel of God. Run from people pleasers. Also, your heart will rejoice at the great old hymns of the faith as you draw closer to Christ as well… in a way the “praise choruses” of modern so-called “worship music” can never do. Listen to, and sing, some of the old hymns each day, and be blessed.
As we pray without ceasing, we should also maintain a prayer journal and an intercessory prayer list, praying for family members, neighbors, friends, co-workers, and others. Pray for their physical needs, but more importantly, their spiritual needs, that they may come to know Christ as Savior and that you may have an opportunity to lead them to Him. This is the will of God.
Regarding physical preparation, take this time now to get any dental work, eye exams and medical issues taken care of. Improve your health naturally and keep your immune system strong. Pay attention to what you eat, and eat as close to naturally as you possibly can. Understand that today’s genetically-modified foods (which is just about all of them now) are not only unhealthy, they’re designed to keep you sick. Eat clean and be healthy. Let your food be your medicine. Don’t allow yourself to be weak and sickly when the storm comes, if you can build and strengthen your health naturally now. Then you’ll not only fare better yourself, but you’ll be prepared to help others as well.
Pay off debts as soon as possible and live within your means. Make sure you have a vehicle that’s reliable and one you can drive long distances in emergency situations if necessary. Get out of crime-ridden cities. Seek small towns, and even the countryside, if possible. The cities are only going to continue to decline and get worse. They’ll also be the first places to be locked down under government control and martial law. For the safety of yourself and your family, escape now, while you still can.
Begin storing pure water, and have a way to purify it again when you’re ready to use it. Understand that in the wild, the one place where most animals become easy prey is at the watering hole. Don’t get yourself in that position. Start a system of storing, maintaining and purifying water now. We cannot live without it. Along with water, begin storing food that will last until needed, and have multiple ways to cook and prepare it with no electricity or gas to cook with. Food and water will become necessities when we’re no longer allowed to buy or sell as Christians. They’ll also be valuable for bartering in an underground economy, which I believe will be needed soon. And have ways to heat your home off the grid, so you don’t freeze to death in winter.
Now, these are just a few ideas, but yes, Jesus did tell us to prepare — for ourselves and so that we can help others. I don’t believe we’ll escape the coming storm… why else would He tell us to prepare? Before He comes on the clouds of heaven, we’ll see great confusion, distress of nations, with perplexity; men’s hearts failing them for fear. Chaos. Anarchy. Sounds like to bad storm to me. And we know the wiles of the enemy, the Globalists, bent on our destruction. We’ve already been named as the most dangerous threat to America. A prudent Christ-follower would prepare for the storm before it hits and overtakes us. Jesus told us to be ready. Let us not be “ensnared” like the rest of the world.
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