The Coming War of Jesus – Part 3
Luke 21:5-36 (20-28)
September 27, 2020
As you know we are currently in the middle of Luke’s version of “The Olivet Discourse”.
• It is a sermon prompted by a question from the disciples.
• And it is the longest recorded answer Jesus ever gave to any question.
On one hand it is certainly PROPHETIC in the sense that Jesus does here give indications of what is coming in the end.
On the other hand is very PRACTICAL as it is filled with warnings for today.
That is one of the real beauties of having more than one gospel account.
While the gospel writers each recorded the works and teaching of Jesus, the Holy Spirit was able to use each writer in different ways to confer different points to us.
It is clear that the answer and sermon of Jesus
Hit the various writers differently,
And you see those distinctive differences in the gospels they wrote.
Matthew’s gospel
• Very much focuses on the events and timeline of the end.
• His version is by far the most informative for the “end times” enthusiast.
• And so his version is probably the most widely studied as well.
Luke’s version is different.
• And I would again point out that he’s not trying to make the same point that
Matthew made.
Luke’s purpose was made clear the moment Jesus entered Jerusalem.
While ALL THE SYNOPTIC GOSPEL WRITERS include some version of this Olivet Discourse and the revelation of Jesus that the temple would be destroyed.
Luke focused in on that reality more than any other.
• He is the only gospel writer to reveal that Jesus not only revealed it to His disciples on the Mount of Olives,
• But that He also announced it to His entire crowd of followers at the Triumphal Entry.
Luke 19:41-44 “When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes. “For the days will come upon you when your enemies will throw up a barricade against you, and surround you and hem you in on every side, and they will level you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.”
That announcement from Jesus, that only Luke recorded,
Has really been the point that Luke has not let go of.
We know what happened next.
• Jesus cleared the temple.
• Jesus set up shop in the temple preaching the gospel.
• Most of his preaching was warnings of rejected repentance, rejection of the Son, failure to meet God’s standard, and impending judgment.
• And then Jesus exposed the false religious leaders.
ONE MIGHT SAY
Jesus ANNOUNCED judgment on Monday.
He BEGAN judgment on Tuesday.
He EXPLAINED judgment on Wednesday.
And now He has left the temple
And the disciples seem to have missed the point.
Because the first thing they do is point out to Him
How beautiful the temple is with all its precious stones.
Jesus announced that this temple was not beautiful to Him.
• It was but yet another example of hypocritical false religion.
• It was beautiful on the outside, but inside it was full of corruption.
And for the SECOND TIME IN 3 DAYS
Jesus announced that He was going to see it torn down.
The disciples of course had two questions.
(7) “Teacher, WHEN therefore will these happen? And WHAT will be the sign when these things are about to take place?”
Those questions sparked this Olivet Discourse.
But before Jesus ever answered their question,
HE FIRST GAVE THREE WARNINGS.
#1 DON’T BE DECEIVED BY OPPORTUNISTS
Luke 21:8
• There will be plenty of people who will use your curiosity about the end to captivate you and deceive you.
• We saw the discouraging effects of that with the Thessalonians who were shaken from their composure because someone told them they had missed the rapture and were under God’s judgment.
#2 DON’T BE DISMAYED BY ORDINARY THINGS
Luke 21:9-11
• Jesus spoke of wars and earthquakes and famines.
• And He mentioned them because those things typically serve as the evidence used by the false prophets to convince you of the end.
People see a WAR and tell you it’s “the end”
People see an EARTHQUAKE and say “it’s the end”
People see a VIRUS or a CORRUPT LEADER and say “it’s the end”
I was approached Thursday by a pastor who asked me if we were going to do anything in regard to the event called “The Return”?
He said it was a massive prayer rally being held in Washington D.C., praying for the repentance of the church, that was being held Friday and Saturday.
Certainly I looked into it, because I’m a fan of prayer
And I certainly think the church is need of repentance.
When I looked at it I found the key note speaker was a man named: Jonathan Cahn.
• If you don’t know him, he has written 3 books, the first called “The Harbinger”
where he takes Isaiah 9:10-11 and claims that he has unlocked the mystery.
• That America is the new Israel, that 9/11 was prophesied in Isaiah 9:10 and he
goes on to claim to have seen the fall of Wall-Street, etc.
That’s precisely the thing Jesus was warning against.
A man who captivates millions by taking a Bible in one hand and a newspaper in the other and convincing people he’s got an answer regarding “the end”.
Jesus warned us about those people.
And the reason for the warning is because they either DISCOURAGE the church,
Like they did with the Thessalonians,
Or at the very least they DISTRACT the church from her true calling.
And the church’s true calling is to preach the gospel.
Which was the 3rd warning the Lord gave.
#3 DON’T BE DISTRACTED BY OPPRESSION
Luke 21:12-19
Jesus told of coming persecution, hatred, and betrayal.
But He was very clear about our position on such things.
• Persecution was NOT to turn us into political activists.
• Being hated was NOT to motivate us into civil revolt or disobedience.
Jesus said that our persecution was an OPPORTUNITY
(13-15) “It will lead to an opportunity for your testimony. “So make up your minds not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves; for I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute.”
His point was clear.
Don’t be distracted by the timing and events of the end;
Be focused on your mission to preach the gospel.
Matthew’s gospel actually says:
Matthew 24:14 “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.”
And I would remind you again this morning of the warnings of Jesus.
• Keep your foundation.
• Keep your perspective.
• Don’t get distracted.
But now, having issued the warning, Jesus will answer the question.
And in doing so HE RETURNS TO THEME.
And the theme is the very one He announced on Monday
When He entered the city.
THERE IS A WAR COMING.
It is a war on His enemies.
It is a time of destruction coming for those who rejected Him.
So after warning the disciples He now gets back to that theme
And answers their specific questions of “When” and “What”.
#4 DON’T BE DISCOURAGED BY OBLITERATION
Luke 21:20-28
Now we see the questions being answered.
(20) “But when…”
That is the answer to the first question.
(25) “There will be…”
That is the answer to the second question.
And we could certainly combine Luke’s gospel with Matthew’s
And turn this in to a detailed description the timeline of the end.
BUT I FEAR TO DO THAT WOULD BE TO MISS LUKE’S POINT.
If you want that detailed description, go on the website and pull up the sermons on Matthew 24, that’s exactly Matthew’s point.
But as I mentioned, Luke’s point is different.
Luke’s point is to sound the alarm
Of the danger of missing the day of your visitation.
That is what Jesus announced when He entered Jerusalem,
And that is what Luke picked up on as Jesus answered this question.
Take a quick survey of this text this morning
And you’ll see what I’m talking about.
(20) “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that her desolation is near.”
It is another announcement (3rd if you’re counting) when Jesus speaks of a coming desolation of Israel.
(22) “because these are days of vengeance”
This coming desolation, just as He warned when He entered the city will come because His people did not recognize their visitation.
(24) “Jerusalem will be trampled under food by the Gentiles”
It is another warning of the peril that awaits.
(27) “Then they will see THE SON OF MAN COMING IN A CLOUD with power and great glory.”
• After this time of desolation…
• After this time of vengeance…
• After this time of trampling…
• After all the devastation of the end…
Then those who failed to see Jesus the first time will finally see Him.
THAT’S THE POINT.
Do you see that?
LUKE’S MAIN GOAL in including this sermon IS NOT to answer all your questions about the end; go to Matthew’s gospel for that.
Luke’s objective is to show you the tremendous danger
In failing to see Jesus and trust in Him.
Luke wants you to see
That rejecting Jesus is not an option that you should choose, because you will eventually see Him, and you will bow to Him,
But the question is if you will bow willingly or with broken knees?
TURN TO: PSALMS 2
You are likely familiar as David sings of the rejection of God’s authority and of God’s anointed.
(READ 1-3) – There is the account of those who refuse to submit to God’s King.
(READ 4-6) – There is God’s response to their foolish rebellion.
(READ 7-9) – There is God’s promise that all will bow to His King.
(READ 10-12) – There is David’s plea that you bow now and not later.
That is the exact point that Luke is showing us here
As he records the answer of Jesus.
• Don’t be like the religious leaders who rejected the baptism of John.
• Don’t be like the renters of the vineyard who killed the Son.
• Don’t be like the Chief priests who didn’t render to God what was God’s.
• Don’t be like the Sadducees who were not prepared to stand before God.
• Don’t be like the Scribes who chose their own goodness over Christ’s.
All that will do is land you in judgment,
And in the end, you’re going to bow anyway.
THAT IS LUKE’S FOCUS.
So let’s work our way through this text.
(20) “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that her desolation is near.”
We’ve talked about the Preterist view
• Which holds that all the prophecies concerning the end were fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70.
• We discussed how that was false back when studied Luke 12:41.
• And so naturally when studying Luke’s gospel, they read this verse and say, “This is in reference to the Roman attack”
And they’ll read verse 21
(21) “Then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains, and those who are in the midst of the city must leave, and those who are in the country must not enter the city.”
And THEY’LL NOTE that when Rome attacked Jerusalem those things happened.
• People in the city did flee.
• People in the country stayed out of the city.
The problem with that is the rest of Scripture makes it clear
That on this day Jesus was speaking of more than just that event.
We aren’t studying Matthew’s gospel here,
But the cross-reference is very important and informative.
Matthew 24:15-18 “Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. “Whoever is on the housetop must not go down to get the things out that are in his house. “Whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his cloak.”
Luke doesn’t include it because it’s not his main point,
But looking at Matthew does help us answer the question.
The “desolation” Jesus is referring to here
Is what Matthew and Daniel called “the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION”.
Daniel 8, 9, and 11 all reference this coming abomination.
• Daniel gives the historical accounts of Greece
• And ultimately a man named Antiochus Epiphenes
• Who attacked Jerusalem and set up an altar of Zeus in the temple and
sacrificed a pig on the altar.
And Daniel said that event was a foreshadowing of the coming Anti-Christ
Who would commit similar abominations.
I will read you one passage.
Daniel 9:24-27 “Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place. “So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress. “Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined. “And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.”
You recognize the first part of that passage
Because we looked at it when Jesus entered the city.
• Daniel prophesied the 69 weeks to the day of when Jesus would be rejected
by His people.
• That left one final week or 7.
• That is Jacob’s 70th week and it is the 7 year tribulation which is to come.
And during that time you will have a world ruler emerge who will make a firm covenant with Israel, but at the half-way point will commit the abomination of desolation, break his covenant, and seek to destroy Israel.
Even though Luke doesn’t mention it,
That is the event that Jesus is referring to here.
The “armies” that are surrounding Jerusalem are his armies.
But Luke’s goal is NOT to give you details about whose army,
But rather to make sure you understand THE MAIN POINT.
THIS IS THE MAIN POINT
Because Israel failed to recognize here time of visitation
She is going to be made desolate.
There is a war coming.
You don’t reject Christ without consequences.
AND IT’S GOING TO BE BAD,
The only way anyone will survive is to flee.
(21) “Then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains, and those who are in the midst of the city must leave, and those who are in the country must not enter the city;”
And just in case you are still failing to get the point of all of this,
LUKE RECORDS IT AGAIN.
(22) “because these are days of vengeance, so that all things which are written will be fulfilled.”
• Why is Jesus allowing Jerusalem to be destroyed?
• Why is Jesus allowing her desolation?
• Why is Jesus forcing her inhabitants to flee in terror?
VENGEANCE
Psalms 2:4-6 “He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them. Then He will speak to them in His anger And terrify them in His fury, saying, “But as for Me, I have installed My King Upon Zion, My holy mountain.”
You don’t get to reject God’s King.
When Jesus gave the parable of the vineyard where those vine-growers killed the Son.
Matthew 21:40-41 “Therefore when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vine-growers?” They said to Him, “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end, and will rent out the vineyard to other vine-growers who will pay him the proceeds at the proper seasons.”
Romans 12:19b “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,” says the Lord.”
Isaiah 59:18 “According to their deeds, so He will repay, Wrath to His adversaries, recompense to His enemies; To the coastlands He will make recompense.”
It is the coming time of God’s retribution.
TURN TO: 2 THESSALONIANS 2
We’ve talked about how the Thessalonians were deceived by this letter saying the day of the Lord had come.
Well Paul here straightens them out.
(READ 3-5) – Paul reminds that before the end you’re going to have the abomination of desolation where the anti-Christ declares himself to be god.
(READ 6-8) – Right now he is restrained (not allowed to rule) by the Holy Spirit, but there is coming a day when the Spirit will allow him to do so.
(READ 9-12) – And there you see why God is allowing/doing all of this.
God is going to raise up a deceiver and cause people to be deceived
As a punishment for not receiving the truth.
Do you know what you call that?
VENGEANCE
It is God repaying evil men for rejecting His truth,
Rejecting His Son, and rejecting His salvation.
(23) “Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days; for there will be great distress upon the land and wrath to this people.”
Really? Even pregnant women under wrath?
YES because they rejected Christ.
There will be great “wrath to this people.”
• There is no partiality with God.
• There is no omitting judgment due to pregnancy or old age or whatever.
(24) “and they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive to all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled under food by the Gentiles until the time of the Gentiles are fulfilled.”
It’s going to be a horrible time of judgment on those who rejected Christ.
The answer Jesus gives there
Must have been the real “punch in the gut” to the disciples.
The “time of the Gentiles” began when Babylon destroyed Jerusalem in 586 B.C.
• Israel has not known peace in her borders since that day.
• And that is why the disciples keep asking if “now is the time”?
And the answer is, “No”, now is not the time.
Jerusalem has been trampled under foot by Gentiles
And IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE TRAMPLED under food by Gentiles
Because they did not recognize their Savior and King.
They will remain under wrath
They will remain under vengeance
They will remain under foot
And they will stay there “until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.”
That is the answer to the “When” question.
The disciples want to know when this judgment is coming,
And Jesus says until Israel receives the vengeance
She deserves for rejecting Christ.
Now do you understand why Peter begged the Jews to repent?
Acts 3:19-21 “Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time.”
Peter was begging the Jews to return to Christ so that He would return to them because he knew the vengeance that was coming.
Matthew 24:21-22 “For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. “Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.”
IT’S GOING TO BE SO BAD THAT
The only way anyone will escape is by the sovereign prerogative of God.
BUT JESUS STILL ISN’T DONE.
• The disciples also wanted to know “And what will be the sign when these
things are about to take place?”
So Jesus answers that question too.
(25-26) “There will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.”
THIS IS A 2 VERSE SYNOPSIS
Of the coming tribulation and destructions you read about there.
You are familiar with the timeline of the Revelation.
• There are 7 seals that are opened.
• The 7th seal ushers in 7 trumpets that are blown.
• The 7th trumpet announces 7 bowls that will be poured out.
Each of the seals, trumpets, and bowls unleashes with it another judgment,
And many of them are judgments that are revealed in “sun and moon and stars, and on the earth”… “the roaring of the sea and waves” etc.
For example.
At the 1st trumpet (Rev. 8:1) – 1/3 of the earth is burned.
At the 2nd trumpet (Rev. 8:8-9) – 1/3 of the sea turns to blood.
At the 3rd trumpet (Rev. 8:10-11) – 1/3 of the fresh water turns bitter.
At the 4th trumpet (Rev. 8:12) – 1/3 of the sun goes dark
At the 5th trumpet (Rev. 9) – demons are released on earth and men try to die.
At the 6th trumpet (Rev. 9) – 4 death angels are turned loose that kill 1/3 of humanity.
When you get to the bowls, it only gets worse.
The 1st bowl (Rev. 16:2) – gives men a loathsome sore
The 2nd bowl (Rev. 16:3) – turns all the sea to blood
The 3rd bowl (Rev. 16:4) – turns all the water to blood
The 4th bowl (Rev. 16:8-9) – the sun begins to burn men
The 5th bowl (Rev. 16:10-11) – the kingdom of anti-christ is darkened
The 6th bowl (Rev. 16:12) – God calls His enemies to a place of war
The 7th bowl (Rev. 17:17-19:11) – brings Armageddon and the return of Christ.
It is nothing but pure and utter vengeance.
• It will cause men to fear and to faint.
• The O.T. repeatedly says they will writhe like women in labor.
When Daniel saw it, he said:
Daniel 8:27 “Then I, Daniel, was exhausted and sick for days. Then I got up again and carried on the king’s business; but I was astounded at the vision, and there was none to explain it.”
It will be a horrible time of vengeance for all those who refuse to repent and trust in Christ. It is the day of His great wrath.
• He will come and declare war on this temple and upon all His enemies.
• He will allow them to be deceived.
• He will allow them to be attacked.
It is the punishment for refusing to repent and to trust in Him.
And rest assured, they may have refused to see Him the first time,
BUT THEY WILL SEE HIM THE SECOND TIME.
(27) “Then they will see THE SON OF MAN COMING IN A CLOUD with power and great glory.”
Revelation 1:7 “BEHOLD, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen.”
It will be a time of distress and wrath for those who rejected Him.
But at the same time, it will be the great day of salvation for Israel.
Because God will use this time, to punish, to purify,
And ultimately to bring them back to Him.
TURN TO: ZECHARIAH 12
The first 9 verses describe the very wars and attacks that will occur on Jerusalem.
And yet, despite their great punishment, you see that God still preserves Israel.
(READ 1-9)
And through all of this tribulation and desolation.
We come to a final and great promise.
(READ 10-14)
It is through this great tribulation that God will save Israel.
He will use this to cause them to look to Christ.
He will use this to cause them to finally see Him.
That is what is going on in the Coming War of Jesus
• It is a great day of distress.
• It is a great day of desolation.
• It is the wrath of God on those who rejected Him.
• He is going to use these events to crush the idols of their hearts.
• He is going to use these events to break the foolish pride.
• He is going to use these events to remove their self-sufficiency.
• He is going to use these events to expose their useless religion.
AND THEN, THEY WILL SEE HIM.
And you see why Jesus wept as He announced this.
• How much easier would it have been if they had only repented at His coming?
• How much easier would it have been if they had bowed instead of Him having to break their knees?
Now, at this point, one can only imagine
HOW BIG THE EYES OF THE DISCIPLES ARE.
I’m not sure they were ready for that answer.
Perhaps there is even fear and trembling in them as He answers.
Perhaps these things even bring fear to you.
So pay special attention to verse 28.
(28) “But when these things begin to take place straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
This wrath is NOT for those who have trusted Christ.
This wrath is NOT for those who believe in Him.
• Yes, His followers will be persecuted.
• Yes, His followers will suffer.
• But their suffering is at the hands of the enemy who hates Christ.
The suffering Jesus spoke of here
Is the vengeance and wrath of God
And that is not for those who believe in Christ.
Isaiah 35:4 “Say to those with anxious heart, “Take courage, fear not. Behold, your God will come with vengeance; The recompense of God will come, But He will save you.”
Romans 5:9 “Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.”
(Is that verse clearer now?)
1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 “For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.”
Romans 8:1 “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
WHAT IS THE POINT?
The day Jesus speaks of here is indeed a day of great dread,
But not if you are in Christ.
This is the day of God’s wrath on His enemies.
And if you’ll remember, for those who are in Christ,
God already poured our portion of this wrath on Jesus on the cross.
Matthew 27:45-46 “Now from the sixth hour darkness fell upon all the land until the ninth hour. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?” that is, “MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?”
Those in Christ have nothing to fear.
We don’t dread this day,
We “straighten up and lift up [our] heads”.
This is the day of our redemption.
And so the point here is:
DON’T BE DISCOURAGED BY OBLITERATION.
There is a lot of wrath going to be poured out on the end,
But if you are in Christ, you need not fear it.
If however, you are not in Christ,
• Then you need to know that the wrath of God abides on you,
• And if you learn nothing else from this passage, you should learn that you do not want to face it.
God is a God of vengeance.
• He punishes His enemies.
• He laughs at those who rebel.
• And He ultimately breaks the knees of those who won’t bow.
The Psalmist closed with an invitation, it would be fitting here as well.
Psalms 2:10-11 “Now therefore, O kings, show discernment; Take warning, O judges of the earth. Worship the LORD with reverence And rejoice with trembling.”
