June 10 2025

Tuesday June 10

Luke 21:20-24 –The Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple

20 "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her. 22 For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. 23 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people. 24 And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

Today, we will be looking at Luke 21:20-24. In this passage, Jesus gives His great prophecy concerning future events to His disciples from the Mount of Olives as they overlook the city of Jerusalem. He's answering their question: what will the signs be of the end of the age, and when will that happen? Here, Jesus describes what we've already discussed as the great tribulation period, the seven years between the time of the church age, the rapture of the church, and the millennial reign of Jesus Christ on earth.

In verses 8-19, Jesus described some of the things that will happen in the seven-year tribulation. There will be great deception, great chaos internationally with wars and rumors of wars, great earthquakes in various places, along with famines and pestilences, and great persecution of the Jews and Christians alike. Remember His word to the disciples and to us today are; don’t be deceived, don’t be terrified, and don’t worry. Be patient and in “possession of your souls” (v. 19).

Now in verses 20-24, Jesus describes the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. This passage is peculiar to Luke; there is no parallel description found in Matthew or Mark, in spite of the similar language in Matthew 24:16-21 and Mark 13:14-17. However, it is clear that both Matthew and Mark were referring to events in the middle of the Tribulation when "the abomination of desolation" would be set up in the Jewish temple and the Antichrist (the world ruler) would begin to persecute Israel (Dan. 9:24-27; Rev. 13). That is where Jesus warned the Jewish people, to flee and go into hiding, for "great tribulation" was about to fall.

Luke's account here in verses 20-24 refers not to a distant event to occur during the Tribulation but to the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus and the Roman army in 70 A.D., just forty years from that time that Jesus is explaining these events to His disciples (see Luke 19:41-44). This terrible event was in many respects a "dress rehearsal" for what will happen when Satan vents his anger on Israel and the believing Gentiles during the last half of the Tribulation (Rev. 12:7-17).

When this event in verses 20-24 historically took place in 70 A.D., the Jewish historian Josephus claimed that nearly a million people were killed by the Romans, and over 100,000 taken captive, when Titus captured the city. And the Jewish people and nation was scattered throughout the world.

But this was not the first time Jerusalem would be "trampled by the Gentiles," for the Babylonians had destroyed the city in 586 B.C. and taken the people captive to Babylon. This is basically when, what is called "the times of the Gentiles" began. The Jewish people went back into their homeland in 1948 at the end of War World 2, and in 1967 recaptured and occupied Jerusalem in the Six Day War.

But we believe that this significant time period of the Gentiles did not end then. Because in the middle of the Tribulation the Antichrist will break his peace treaty with Israel and again take over Jerusalem after he kills to two witnesses in Revelation 11. In God's plan, the “times of the Gentiles” will end when Jesus Christ returns to the earth, destroys all Gentile power, and sets up His own righteous kingdom (Daniel 2:34-36, 44-45; Revelation 19).

The Apostle Paul also spoke of this time of the Gentiles ending in Romans 11:25-27. He called it the “fulness of the Gentiles”, speaking of the time at the end of the Tribulation when Jesus comes again and there is a national spiritual salvation for the Jewish people.

Today we need to remember that believers are looking for their Lord's return should not apply Luke 21:20-24 to their own situation. Jesus was talking about Jerusalem in 70 A.D.. In Matthew 24:15-28 and Mark 13:14-23, He was speaking about Israel's situation at the middle of the Tribulation. Since our Lord's coming for the church will take place "in the twinkling of an eye" (1 Cor. 15:52), no one will have time to go back home for a coat; nor will we have to worry about traveling on the Sabbath or caring for nursing babies.

My friend, we are getting closer every day to the return of Jesus Christ! Make sure you are ready!

God bless!