The End According to Jesus, Part 4

Luke 21:25-28

Now we come to one of the more difficult parts of this passage.

Two ways to look at this passage.

First Interpretation

This is speaking of the end, the return of Jesus.

We see cosmic upheaval at described in:

Revelation 6:12, 8:12

Christ returns in the clouds with glory.

Second Interpretation

The reason for a second interpretation:

Jesus is answering the question in v.6-7

“when will these things (the temple being destroyed) take place.

Jesus doesn’t change topics until v.36

In Matthew Jesus says He will tell them of His parousia, when He comes and abides with us and sets up His physical kingdom (what we call the second coming), but it doesn’t appear that Jesus changes topics to speak of His return until v.36.

Matthew 24:29 speaks of this happening directly after the Great Tribulation.

Which if it’s the same tribulation that he spoke about earlier took place in 70 A.D.

v.32- This generation.

v.32- says that it must happen within the time frame of “this generation.”

Those reasons are enough to cause reasonable doubt in me.

For those reasons, I ask, is Jesus speaking of His second coming. Or because of the prophetic language being used are we missing what He is saying.

v.25

Matt 24:29

The Heavens

Both passages refer to crazy things happening in the sky.

Matthew makes it sound like stars are dropping from the sky.

Is this a literal event, or not?

Some would say, yes the stars will literally fall, total cosmic shift and change.

If this is speaking of the return of Christ, then yes I can agree. We know the heavens will be destroyed and all things will be made new.

But what if it isn’t the second coming, and this is prophetic language.

When you hear “The day of the LORD.” What do you picture?

The day of the Lord many times referred to the day of the Lord’s wrath upon a people.

Isaiah 13:9-10

Isaiah 13:9–10 ESV

9 Behold, the day of the Lord comes, cruel, with wrath and fierce anger, to make the land a desolation and to destroy its sinners from it. 10 For the stars of the heavens and their constellations will not give their light; the sun will be dark at its rising, and the moon will not shed its light.

The wrath of the Lord was coming upon Babylon in this prophecy.

We see that it speaks of the stars and constellations not giving light.

It sounds like the end of the world with the wrath of God coming by cracking open the ground and swallowing them whole or brimstone and fire raining down.

But in:

Isaiah 13:17

Isaiah 13:17 ESV

17 Behold, I am stirring up the Medes against them, who have no regard for silver and do not delight in gold.

It comes by ordinary means through the Medes and Persians.

In

Isaiah 34:4

Isaiah 34:4 ESV

4 All the host of heaven shall rot away, and the skies roll up like a scroll. All their host shall fall, as leaves fall from the vine, like leaves falling from the fig tree.

God speaks of the judgement of the nations, the language seems like all things come to an end.

We know that this came to pass, but the sky didn’t fall. It’s still here.

This is prophetic language to describe the total destruction and the wrath of God that is coming upon a nation.

To them, the sky might as well be falling and everything being destroyed for their entire world is now coming to an end and everything they know and love is being destroyed.

So we see that the stars don’t literally have to fall, but this is prophetic language that Jesus is using.

Coming of the Son of Man

Now the more difficult part to understand.

To get a better understanding of Jesus using this phrase.

Mark 14:61-62

Mark 14:61–62 ESV

61 But he remained silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” 62 And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”

Imagine Jesus staring down Caiaphas. Looks him in the eye and say “you will see the son of Man seated at the right hand of power, and coming with the clouds of heave.”

The “YOU” is the part I have a hard time with.

Once again this is a statement of them seeing this take place within their life time.

Are we desiring to move this passage to the end of time as well?

To say that Caiaphas is still alive?

We could generalize it and say that Jesus is saying that people will see Jesus coming on the clouds, but it seems specific that Jesus is speaking to Caiaphas.

I believe that Jesus is speaking directly to Caiaphas and this statement is the same that we in Matthew and Luke. We just are missing what Jesus is saying.

Parousia

Many times in the Greek when they speak of the second coming, the word being used is Parousia.

Matthew 24:3

Parousia is being used for coming.

Matthew 24:37

Which I believe is speaking of the second coming. Parousia is used to describe His coming.

In v.30 when Jesus speaks of the coming. He uses err-ko-me.

Not a nail in the coffin, but why would Jesus use a different word if it was the same event?

The Sign

Matt v.30

In Luke Jesus says you will see the Son of Man coming, but in Matthew He says you will see the sign of the Son of man, and see Him coming.

Is it possible that what Jesus is describing isn’t the actual second coming, but a sign pointing to the fact that this desolation that has come upon Jerusalem is from God.

A sign of vindication for Jesus, that He was who He claimed to be.

Daniel

I believe that Jesus is making a reference to Daniel in this passage.

Daniel 7:13-14

Daniel 7:13–14 ESV

13 “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. 14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

In Daniel we see the coming of the Son of Man.

But who did He come to?

The coming of the Son was to the Father, to receive authority, dominion.

The coming of the Son that we see is the sign, the revelation to the people that Jesus is God. That Jesus had come to the Father and recieved power and authority.

There was something that happened within those wall that vindicated Jesus, and the people knew that they had crucified and rejected the Lord of Glory.

The same thing that we see with the abomination of desolation, the Great Tribulation, everything in this passage has been pointed towards showing the people that Jesus is the Lord of All!!

The coming of the son of Man, is to do exactly the same thing; To prove the divinity of Jesus and to vindicate Him to the people.

Lord of All

Because He has recieved power, dominion, authority. Jesus is the Lord, not just of Israel, not just for those who will believe in Him. But the Lord of all.

We know that every knee will bow, that every tongue will confess. We need to be witnessing, so that people will come to Jesus now.

What we have been looking at, is a small amount of the wrath of God being poured out on Jerusalem for the rejection of Jesus.

Do we understand that God has wrath against sin, especially when He has made a way through the life of His own son, for us to be liberated from our sin, and spit on the sacrifice of Jesus and say I can do it better my own way.

Would you want any of your loved one’s to be walled up within Jerusalem when Titus came, starved the people, and slaughtered the people?

We wouldn’t want anyone to have gone through that hell.

To anyone who rejects Christ, woe to them.

The wrath of God that was poured out in part on Jerusalem will be poured out in everlasting fury in hell for all eternity.

You, are missionaries, when you step out that door, you are on the mission field encountering those who are on their way to hell.

Messengers

v.31

I believe this is speaking of you.

angelos, this can mean an angel, or a messenger.

Mark 1:2

Mark 1:2 ESV

2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way,

Messenger, the same word as is being used in 31.

After the destruction of Jerusalem, God dispersed the people, they went carrying the good new, preaching the word to “the four winds” or all over the earth.

For the purpose of gathering those who God is working in the hearts of, the elect.

We don’t know who the elect are, so we preach to all.

We must do our jobs, and be faithful messengers.

Communion:

Our purpose in this life, is to glorify God.

When we participate in communion, we proclaim that He is our Lord. We proclaim that He died for our sins. And we proclaim that He was raised for our righteousness.