“There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. 26 People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. 27 At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” 29 He told them this parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees. 30 When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. 31 Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 “Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” Luke 21.25-33
For ages people have been trying to predict the end of the world. As I mentioned in a previous post, not even Jesus knows. So how can we? It’s not so much about knowing when but rather knowing Who. Our focus is not on doing the right thing to avoid judgment; it is living for the One who will return.
Jesus says, however, there will be signs of the return of the Son of Man (Him!). We will see these signs in the heavens—the sun, moon, and stars. And at this time, He will come in a cloud with power and great glory. When we see these signs we are to “stand up, lift up our heads, because our redemption is drawing near.”
Jesus promises to return. To the Jews He was speaking of a destruction which they could not imagine. They would reject God’s Son, the Messiah; they would reject His message, love, and salvation. And destruction would come upon the nation. But even through this, many would be saved. And the Kingdom of God will be here.
Jesus said this generation will not pass away until all these things have happened, which needs to be interpreted. Surely this did not all happen to those hearing God’s words. Certainly some of it came: the Temple was sacked, Jerusalem fell, and consequently they were destroyed and dispersed. “This generation,” I believe, refers to all of humankind. The end began with the beginning of God’s redemption through Jesus Christ and will conclude when Christ comes a final time.
When will that be? Those of us looking for the signs will know, but we live not as people who wait for the end but for the fulfillment of God’s return in Christ Jesus. There is a good chance this will not happen in my lifetime. I’ve seen the 1960s as an infant, the 70s as a child, the 80s as a teen, the 90s as a young adult, and now as an adult. In just thirty years I will be 87! Will I see Christ’s return in that small amount of time? It’s been over 2,000 years since Jesus made these words of promise. My hope is that each day, as I pray and anticipate God to redeem humanity, I might walk faithfully, expecting His return and enjoying His Presence each and every day.
Today I sit and read in South Africa on a day of rest before several days of ministry in missions and service begin. It’s been a sacrifice just to get here—48 hours of travel, many sleepless hours! But God has me and this team here for a purpose: to proclaim the message of the Cross, to know Him and to let Him be known. These next two weeks will be filled with adventure as we encourage and are encouraged by the Body of Christ, sharing Christ’s light with the world.
The signs point to the Savior—a God who came to earth to die for the sins of humanity. Jesus is our one hope, the only hope of glory, and the One I live for this day.
“O Lord God, thank You for loving me. Thank You for allowing me to walk in the goodness of Your grace. I glorify Your name. I exalt You and magnify You. Come now, Holy Spirit, fill me once again. Protect me with Your Spirit and guide me as I walk according to Your ways. For You are good and Your love endures forever.” Amen