From: April 22, 2024
“for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written” (Luke 21:22 ESV).
Many of the prophecies of the Old Testament have been fulfilled, many of them in Christ’s first coming. Yet, there are still prophecies in the Old Testament that have not been fulfilled. This is an important consideration because some would suggest that the prophecies concerning Israel have either been already fulfilled or given over to the Church. But I believe Jesus was speaking of the turbulent end times that belonged to Israel and would precede His second coming.
Certainly, there was a partial fulfillment when Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 A.D. Yet, it was only a foreshadowing of the time of tribulation to come, which will follow after the “period of the Gentiles comes to an end” (Luke 21:24). This is Daniel’s 70th week and the apostle John’s seven years. After which, the prophecy concerning Christ’s second coming will also be fulfilled.
Jesus said that all prophetic Scripture would be fulfilled. Knowing this, let us always be prepared for His appearing.
PRAYER: Dear Father, we thank You for Your Word which is always faithful and true. No matter what tomorrow brings, we will not fear, knowing that our future is in Your hands. In Jesus’ name, amen.
From: April 22, 2023
“While Jesus was in the Temple, he watched the rich people dropping their gifts in the collection box. Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two small coins” (Luke 21:1-2 NLT).
As Jesus watched the people putting their gifts into the Temple offering, He offered several insights. One insight is that God sees our giving. He watches over our giving, looking to see who is generous and who is not. Another insight is that God sees the proportion of our giving. He knows whether we give sacrificially or not. He cares less about the amount of our giving and more about the motivation and proportion of our giving.
That Jesus sat near the place where he could watch those giving their offerings, and that he used it to teach his disciples about giving, should not surprise us. He wants us to understand that God cares more for the heart of the giver than the amount of the gift. Love and giving are connected. As Jesus said, “For God so loved the world that he gave.” (John 3:16).
PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for loving us so much that You gave us Jesus. Give us also Your Spirit of generosity that we might express our love for You by giving to others. We want to be generous like You. We put our trust in You as our Provider to always give us enough for ourselves and enough to be generous to share with others. In Jesus’ name, amen.
From: April 22, 2016
The disciples had been talking about the beauty and grandeur of Jerusalem, when Jesus interrupted them to say, “As for these things that you see, the days will come when there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down” (Luke 21:6).
This must have been a troubling prophecy for the disciples to hear, so they asked for more specifics. Jesus offered many details about signs and times, not only of Jerusalem’s destruction, but also of His future return and time of redemption. Within His prophetic response, there was the mention not only of Jerusalem’s destruction, but also the hope of its future return to the Jews. Jesus described this season as the “times of the Gentiles” that would some day be “fulfilled,” or finished. In fact, Christ’s prediction of the destruction of Jerusalem came true in 70 AD when the Romans destroyed the city. And it wasn’t until the Six Day War of 1967 that Jerusalem again came under Jewish rule again. Nineteen hundred years passed before Jerusalem again belonged to the Jews. Regardless of one’s eschatology, the reality of these historical facts gives one much to ponder. Can it be much longer before the rest of Christ’s predictions come true? Are we the generation that will see the return of Christ?
From: April 22, 2015
Jesus concluded His description of the signs of the age of the end times with the above verse. Jesus didn’t tell His disciples to be anxious or discouraged when the world seemed to be declining into chaos and becoming more wicked. Instead, He told them to “look up,” essentially to set their minds on heavenly things all the more, as earthly things must pass away. He told them to “lift up your heads,” in other words, don’t be afraid or discouraged, chin up! Because the “redemption” of your bodies “draws near.” The redemption of our souls has already come when we believed that Christ died for our sins, was buried and raised again on the third day. Yet, we await the redemption of our bodies (Rom. 8:23) on that Day when Christ returns.
From: April 22, 2014
Jesus speaks of His Second Coming in a manner consistent with the prophet Daniel’s words (Dan.7:13) concerning the “Son of Man,” a Messianic title. His return will not be like His first coming, in weakness and in obscurity, a baby born in a Bethlehem manger. No, it will be in “power and great glory” for all to see. Those who are ready for His return will be filled with joy for their salvation is near. But those who are not, will be terrified by His coming judgment. Our hope for Christ’s future return is as sure as our faith in His past resurrection from the dead. Christ has come. And He is coming again.