Notes

Spiritual Leaders Must Understand Clearly What Jesus Christ Teaches Regarding Israel and Jerusalem
Luke Chapter 21 can be a difficult Chapter to read and study. What's Jesus actually talking about and what does He really mean when He speaks these words to His disciples? This Chapter also deals with the place of Israel, and the importance of Israel, in the plans and purposes and economy of God. Our understanding of Israel is crucially important. That is a longer study since there is no way this passage can be divided. Read it most carefully and know very well what Jesus is revealing.

After speaking about the danger of deception, wars and revolutions, natural disasters and increased suffering as consequence, and persecution and using such times as opportunities to witness and testify, Jesus speaks about armies surrounding and overthrowing Jerusalem.

All of this happened, some thirty years later and we realize that those that fled when Rome overrun Jerusalem were saved from onslaught.

It pays to give heed and attention to the prophetic words of Jesus. Their lives depended upon acting upon the words of Jesus.

Verse 24. We read of Jerusalem being trampled. That indicates that it is out of Divine order. God never means anything to be trampled upon. All this was fulfilled literally. Observe that word 'until'. We often see this in prophecy. Such and such a thing will happen 'until'. You will see a scattering of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, 'until'.

In verse 29, we read of the fig tree reappearing and growing in its soil; growing in its own land and coming into leaf. The fig tree. as a symbol of Israel, reappeared in 1948, having been absent for 2 2,000 years. We can not go into all the details here. There are numerous excellent books with this. Lance Lambert and Derek Prince and David Pawson explain all of this, most thoroughly and comprehensively. Then in 1967, Israel begun to re-govern Jerusalem for the very first time in 2,000 years and the trampling was over. We Gentiles had trampled over that city and 2,000 years is a long time.

We want things to happen inside a fortnight or two months, and certainly within 2 yrs. For Israel, she had to wait 2,000 years, but God brought her back.

Jerusalem always flourishes under Jewish control, and languishes under Gentile control. You only need to look at photographs of Jerusalem before 1967 and after 1967. You would not think it was the same city.

Now, from what Jesus says, the liberation of Jerusalem from Gentile control and domination points to the close return of Christ.

Once the fig tree, or any tree, sprouts leaves, it is springtime and you understand that summer is near. It isn't yet summer, but summer is just about the corner. When Israel reappears you know that the Coming Again of Jesus Christ is near. website won't happen just yet, but it will happen soon.

Verse 22. Enough time of punishment is over. Note that it is Jesus Who uses the term 'punishment' and 'wrath' in verse 23, and 'perplexity' in verse 25. Perplexity means 'no way out'.

Anguish, fainting and fear - are central themes as Jesus speaks to the disciples, and because He could be speaking about His Coming Again, He tells the disciples to operate and 'lift up your heads', and know. Don't doubt or wonder or question. God wants us to know. There are particular truths which God wants us to know and have a clear understanding.

There is a parallel here. In the same way very few believed Jesus concerning the destruction of Jerusalem, so a comparatively few people, even within church circles, believe what Jesus says here regarding His Coming Again. This is where Jesus issues another warning. Jesus issues warnings!

Be careful or your hearts will undoubtedly be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness, and the anxieties of life, and that day will close in on you unexpectedly such as a trap.

Don't overload. Watch your step. Don't surrender to indulgence. In other words, discipline yourself. How terrible it could be, if on that day when Jesus Christ comes again, we were not ready for His coming, and we were caught unawares, and taken by surprise.

Jesus says, watch and pray, to enable you to stand prior to the Son of Man. Be alert and prayerful. Be aware of everything that is being conducted around you.

Jesus is giving His disciples all this for a purpose; so that we will know very well what is going on in the world rather than be deceived or afraid, therefore that we will never be taken in by false prophets or follow false Christs, therefore that we will never be swayed and over- influenced by current trends fashions values and standards. This will keep us from giving in to certain pressures to compromise.

Jesus is quite clear, very precise, and very practical, and it always pays to cover attention to what of Jesus.

It is significant that this teaching is recorded in Matthew and Mark too.

The other day that question arose which is answered in Zechariah Chapter 12, and I ask you to read that Chapter too in this connection and understand the significance of what Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is saying.

All the nations of the earth will be gathered against Jerusalem. Three times he says this. Jerusalem will occupy a central place on the world's stage. It'll be a center point of controversy, conflict, and war. Its status and destiny can be a cup of wine into which has been poured a poison, and anyone who meddles with Jerusalem will find they poison themselves and paralyse themselves. It'll be just like a heavy stone, which if they attempt to lift it, the effect will be that they rupture themselves, and their lifting days are over.

God will pour out a spirit of grace and supplication, and they'll "look on me, the one they have pierced". Jesus Christ may be the key to all of this.

Yes, this is usually a more difficult Chapter nonetheless it is worth all the serious study. Do you recall my saying many months ago that people suggest that only if the Church would stick to and keep to the words and teaching of Jesus? Well, these are what of Jesus.

Sandy Shaw

Sandy Shaw is Pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship, Chaplain at Inverness Prison, and Nairn Academy, and serves on The Children's Panel in Scotland, and contains travelled extensively over these past years teaching, speaking, in America, Canada, South Africa, Australia, making 12 visits to Israel conducting Tours and Pilgrimages, & most recently in Uganda and Kenya, ministering at Pastors and Leaders Seminars, in the poor areas surrounding Kampala, Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu. He broadcasts regularly on WSHO radio out of New Orleans, and writes a weekly commentary at http://www.studylight.org entitled "Word from Scotland" on various biblical themes, as well as a weekly newspaper column.
His M.A. and B.D. degrees are from The University of Edinburgh, and he continues to perform and exercise regularly to maintain a level of physical fitness.
Here's my website: https://public.sitejot.com/mahlerwest7.html