Lesson 57L The Coming Kingdom Luke 17:20-34

Kingdom Principles? 17:20- 34

King James Version Chapter 17

20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said,

The ESV says in verse 37, “Where the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.”

Verse 36 is left out of the Lexham English Bible and the English Standard version. That is why I used the King James version. The differences in the final verse above are in the use of the word “corpse” in the ESV and “body” in the KJV and “Eagle” in the KJV and “Vulture” in the ESV. The difference is one thing. It depends on whether or not the word for vulture or eagle is used. An eagle only feeds on live prey. A vulture usually eats dead things and travel in numbers. Eagles are loners. Since both birds are heavy meat eaters, the word is translated either way throughout Scripture, depending on the bird. Either way, with the birds standing by to eat humans, means there is judgement afoot for those who are spiritually dead. Obviously the pharisees would have been the object of this blast that they are the spiritually dead.

Cyril of Alexandria, who lived in the 400’s AD, attributed this question of the pharisees as mocking the Lord’s return/coming. A truth so wonderful and encouraging as His coming is used as a tool to attack the Lord Jesus. I would dare say the same would be evident if someone would scoff at someone’s interest in the coming of Christ as a clear message that they don’t want to deal of the lost souls of today. Cyril called it “Mocking at the Mystery” of what the lord has taught and is teaching to us today. The Lord compels us to know both truths, among others. The two truths expressed here are 1.) the Great Commission of winning, baptizing, and teaching 2.) The Lord’s Kingdom of having more than one aspect of that which is visible.

I have said it one various occasions that the signs of the last days before his return are three-fold from the third chapter of Second Peter. They are all plainly seen by those who make a mockery of : 1.) the Lord’s return, 2.) The Genesis Flood, and 3.) The Creation. The mocking of any of these are signs of living in the last days. Are we there yet? When are we going to get there?

This 17th chapter in Luke gives us principles of discerning when the true kingdom arrives:

The kingdom cannot be observed because the kingdom is within, or you are living amongst it. vs.20, 21- “The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, 21 nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”

The kingdom that Jesus was speaking of is a spiritual kingdom. In other words it will come and you would not even know it or recognise it. There is no outward show.

2. The kingdom can be here without seeing the Son of Man. v.22. “ And he said to the disciples, “The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.” We know that Jesus would soon be taken away and even be crucified, but that does not take away the kingdom. Verse 21 says “Look here it/He is or there!” There is no particular place where the king sets up his kingship except in your hearts. Right now, at this moment He is in heaven awaiting thew words of the Father to come and get us.

3. Not everyone who says they are kingdom servants are to be followed- stay away vs.23 “ And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them.” Not everyone who cries Lord will make it into heaven. Some He will tell, “I never knew you!” Jesus comes without all of this type of fanfare, or you might say “flattering words.” External pomp and PR are not the mark of the true kingdom or his church. We must test the spirits, look for fruit, and keep our eyes to the skies for His return.

4. The Son of Man will appear for a brief time in the kingdom. verse 24- “For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.” The kingdom gives light, not just to the Jews, but to the Gentiles. The light shines from one part of heaven to the other so that all can see. The brightness of Jesus is not limited to those who saw Him in person but to those of us who have not seen Him. We see Him by faith just as Moses and Abraham.

5. The kingdom is where the Son if Man will suffer many things and encounter rejection of His people and His generation. vs. 25- “But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation.”

“But first,” is a reminder and in this passage, warning that the cross comes first. They had no clue at the suffering of the Savior. Isaiah 53 did not come to their minds until later. The kingdom will be evident only after suffering and rejection. The word for suffering is where we get the term” Paschal Lamb...” it is an innocent lamb that endures suffering. Jesus is telling the disciples and pharisees, that some one is going to be unprepared for what is coming in the kingdom.

6. The Kingdom will be as it was in the days of Noah. They ate, drank, married, and gave in marriage until the day that Noah entered the ark. The flood came and destroyed them all. Vs.26, 27 -  “And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. 27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.” Noah lived in a time when the whole world was warned and still perished. It was business as usual. People reserved wedding halls, hired caterers, and made pettifors right up until judgement came.

7. The Kingdom is also as in the days of Lot. There will be eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, and building. When Lot left town, the judgement came. It rained fire and brimstone and destroyed them all. v.28- 32 

“Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; 29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. 30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. 31 In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back. 32 Remember Lot’s wife.”

Even lot’s wife was lost. Lot escaped with his two daughters. It is a very sad story. Verses 30 onward do not describe the rapture, but when Jesus visibly comes to set up His kingdom on earth. When He comes suddenly for His church there will be no revivals, warnings, signs or wonders. There will be no time to go back into the house to prepare. You must be prepared now. At the end of the age, there is nothing to mock. It is very serious business. From this day forth, your kingdom work is to be prepared and looking for his return so that we can take as many with us as we can. Remember Lot’s wife. There is no turning back.