Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He [Jesus] answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed…And He said to the disciples, “The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it…
Luke 17:20-37
Of all the sayings of Jesus, this is one of the most cryptic and difficult to understand. To be candid with you readers, this devotional may leave you with some ambiguity regarding Jesus’ words here. The first question asked of Jesus, by the Pharisees, was “When?” was the Kingdom of God going to come. Jesus’ reply to them was “The Kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed.” Wherever the Holy Spirit of God indwells a human heart, there is the Kingdom of God. Though men may say, “Look here” or “Look there,” Jesus says that the Kingdom of God is in our midst. The Greek word translated “midst” can be interpreted as “within” or “among,” making this phrase difficult to understand. Possibly, Jesus meant that His presence among them was the Kingdom of God. Jesus, then turns to His Disciples and tells them, “do not follow anyone who says, about the Kingdom of God, ‘Look here’ or ‘Look there.’” Jesus speaks to His disciples of His soon departure and their yearning for Jesus’ presence but unable to see Him. Of His return, Jesus says it will be like the lightning that streaks across the sky in an instant and He will be back. Jesus teaches that no one is to know the date, or day, of His return except the Father. This is clear teaching that no one is to even try to set a time of His return. Jesus continued to describe the days leading up to His return by telling His Disciples that events will appear normal as they did then and as they are for us today. There will be no unusual happenings to signal Jesus’ return. All will seem normal, then, He will be on earth! Jesus goes on to describe the sorting of humans, saved and unsaved, on that day/night of His return. Jesus prophesies of near time fulfillment as well as end-time fulfillment. The near time fulfillment was fulfilled in 70 AD when the Roman armies destroyed Jerusalem, dismantling the Temple stone by stone, killing over 1 million Jews and, ransacking the city of anything of value. The end-time fulfillment is yet to occur. But, Jesus is clear that there will be carnage throughout the earth and birds, which eat carrion, will have a feast to themselves. Christians, the point that Jesus is making is that we are to be ready for this to occur at any time for no one knows the day or the hour and, if one is not a Christian upon Jesus’ return, it will be too late! Dear reader, do you know Jesus as your Savior and Lord today? If not, tomorrow may be too late!
Source: S C Ball March 29, 2023
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