This thread is for posting your thoughts, comments, and questions on Luke 21-22 from our daily Bible readings.

Click here to read the passage at Bible Gateway.

This passage is packed! The Gospel of Luke is quickly heading to a climax as we see the betrayal of Jesus by Judas, the Last Supper, Jesus' arrest, Peter's denial of the Lord and Jesus' trial. I think there's been discussion on these in our readings of Matthew and Mark already, but one thing I'm interested in that I haven't paid much mind to is Jesus' teaching about the signs of the end of the age. There's that familiar line: "When you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away... Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven" (21:9-10).

It's difficult (at least for me) to discern what it is that Jesus is really prophesying about here. I grew up reading the Left Behind books and so I have a lot of that ingrained in me. I'm also aware of the preterist argument that (as I understand it) these prophecies (and those in Revelation?) were fulfilled in 70 CE with the destruction of Jerusalem. There's so many differing viewpoints and all of them use scripture to back up their views... it's very difficult for me to lock onto key ideas and sort of develop my own "interpretation" of what this all means or looks like.

I suppose one thing is clear, though. Jesus warns us about all of these things and a coming persecution, but says "make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom... not a hair of your head will perish. By standing firm you will gain life" (21:14-15, 18-19). So much argument is devoted to interpreting these things... but there's that basic promise... that we can gain life by standing firm in the faith. You don't have to be a theologian to know that God is always faithful!