Luke 19:28—22:46 is a section concerned with the Man-Savior’s presentation of Himself to death for redemption. In 21:5—22:46 the Lord prepares the disciples for His death. In 21:5-36 He does this by telling them of things to come. These things include the destruction of the temple (vv. 5-6), the plagues between His ascension and the great tribulation (vv. 7-11), the persecution of His disciples in the church age (vv. 12-19), the great tribulation and His coming (vv. 20-27), and the disciples’ redemption and the overcomers’ rapture (vv. 28-36).
The Man-Savior came to Jerusalem for the purpose of presenting Himself to death for redemption. After passing through an examination conducted by the opposers, He took some time to prepare His disciples for His death. He did this because they were ignorant and unprepared. Therefore, during those last days in Jerusalem, the Lord prepared His disciples to receive His death and even to participate in it. This preparation was accomplished in two main steps: first, by telling the disciples of things to come; second, by instituting His supper so that the disciples might participate in His death (22:7-23).
In 21:5-36 the Lord gave a prophecy to His disciples in which He unveiled to them the things to come during the time from His ascension until His return. The first thing He unveiled was the destruction of the temple.
Luke 21:5 and 6 say, “And as some were speaking about the temple, that it was adorned with beautiful stones and devoted gifts, He said, As for these things which you are gazing at, the days will come in which there will not be left a stone upon a stone which will not be thrown down.” Because the disciples were boasting about the temple, the Lord told them that what they were gazing at would be destroyed. He revealed that there would be a complete destruction, a leveling, of the temple. This destruction took place approximately thirty years after the Lord’s ascension. In fulfillment of the Lord’s prophecy, Titus, the Roman prince, destroyed Jerusalem with the Roman army in A.D. 70.
In 21:7-11 the Lord speaks regarding the plagues between His ascension and the great tribulation. Many readers of the Bible are not clear about this section of the Gospel of Luke. After years of study and after consulting a number of reference books, we have seen that these verses refer to the plagues, sufferings, and disasters that will take place during the long period of time between the Lord’s ascension and the coming great tribulation. Today we are still living in this period of time.
In verse 7 the disciples questioned the Lord, saying, “Teacher, when therefore will these things be? And what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?” In His answer the Lord said, “Beware that you be not led astray; for many will come in My name, saying, I am He, and, The time has drawn near. Do not go after them. And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be alarmed, for these things must take place first, but the end is not immediately” (vv. 8-9). The wars in verse 9 refer to all the wars from the first century to the present. They are signified by the red horse of the second seal in Revelation 6:3 and 4. “The end” is the consummation of this age (Matt. 24:3; Dan. 12:4, 9, 6-7), which will be the three and a half years of the great tribulation.
If we study history, we shall see that before the Lord’s ascension there were not that many wars. But since His ascension wars have been increasing. There has been one war after another. The long history of wars from the time of the ascension until now is a fulfillment of the Lord’s word in Luke 21:9.
In verse 10 the Lord goes on to say, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.” The word “nation” here refers to people, to the Gentiles, and the word “kingdom” refers to an empire. The rising up of nation against nation refers to civil war, and the rising up of kingdom against kingdom refers to international war.
In verse 11 the Lord says, “There will be both great earthquakes in various places and pestilences and famines; there will be both terrors and great signs from heaven.” Since the time of Christ’s ascension, earthquakes have been increasing. Throughout the centuries there have been more and more earthquakes, and earthquakes will be intensified at the end of this age (Rev. 6:12; 8:5; 11:13, 19; 16:18). Famines are mostly the issue of war. According to history, war has always brought famine, signified by the black horse of the third seal in Revelation 6:5 and 6. Earthquakes, pestilences, famines, terrors, and great signs from heaven will continue to take place.