But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near

 "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.  Then let those who hare 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.  For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.  But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies those days!  For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people.  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.

"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."

- Luke 21:20-28

Yesterday we read that, as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and donations, Jesus said, "These things which you see --- the days will come in which not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be thrown down."  So they asked Him, saying, "Teacher, but when will these things be?  And what sign will there be when these things are about to take place?"  And He said:  "Take heed that you not be deceived.  For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and, 'The time has drawn near.'  Therefore do not go after them.  But when you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified; for these things must come to pass first, but the end will not come immediately."  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.  But not a hair of your head shall be lost.  By your patience possess your souls."

 "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.  Then let those who hare 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.  For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.  But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies those days!  For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people.  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."  Jesus' prophesy of the Roman Siege of Jerusalem is vivid and graphic.  They are images of the urgency to flee, to take the warnings seriously.  They would be fulfilled in AD 70.  The early Church thereby escaped and survived this devastating event. 

"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."  Jesus' description of end times and His return is mixed with the warnings about the destruction and devastation to come after a generation to Jerusalem.   That the powers of the heavens will be shaken indicates a tremendous cosmic event.  The one thing that is clear about Jesus' return, coming in a cloud with power and great glory, is that it will be an event known to all when it happens, unmistakable to the whole world. 

As is consistent with descriptions of the end times found elsewhere in the Gospels, Jesus' prophecy mixes events concerned with the destruction of Jerusalem (and the Second Temple) which would take place a generation after He speaks, and the time of His second coming, which we yet await.  For all kinds of reasons, these two things coincide with one another, not least of which is the tremendous shift involved from one covenant to another, and Jesus' words in John's Gospel that "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth"  (John 4:24).  The destruction of the temple is a type of manifestation of this truth, a sign that God is not in one place or another, nor in one building or another, but that God's kingdom is within us and among us (17:21).  Jesus' Resurrection begins the end times, in which we now live.  We are all familiar with "wars and rumors of wars," nations rising against nations, devastation, famines, earthquakes, persecutions which Jesus warns about.  But of one thing He wishes us to be certain:  our faith.  When He returns, we will all know it and it will be unmistakable and obvious to all.  We are to endure through all things, and count all experiences as possible opportunities for witnessing.  Persecution is not the true end, nor is death by martyrdom the true end.  We must remember what we are to be about, as His good servants, and as those who have been made aware of the reality behind all that we will see and experience.  What Christ gives us, then, is a focus and a way to see.  No matter what happens or befalls us, He seems to teach, there is a way to think of our lives and our purpose, and that derives from faith.  Fear is not the purpose of these prophetic warnings.  Rather, His purpose is the opposite:  to give us a way to live through them and know Whose we are and what we are to be about.  He gives us a point of reference for all things, including our very identities, and perspectives from which we live our lives.  When we face conflict or even world-shattering experiences, let us remember what He tells us about ourselves and our hearts.  He gives us the true center of our own being from which we are to view everything.