I am seeing more and more of the faithful becoming mindful of their difference with others in our culture. Some of us are recognizing the signs that Jesus warned would signal the approaching end of this Age. We are not only seeing the physical signs He warned about [in Luke 21] coming into view (conflicts among nations; earthquakes, chaos in nature, famines, pestilence, events in the heavens), but He also warns about what will happen before all these things. He tells us we can expect to be "seized and persecuted", which I interpret to mean that our faith will become a point of contention for those in authority, whether it be civil government, religious/church leaders, or the mobs of lawlessness that will arise.
He plainly tells us, Watch out that you are not deceived ... and especially by those who claim they are speaking in His Name. We must sharpen our discernment and rely on the Holy Spirit for wisdom and guidance. We're going to need it! During this time, chaos and betrayal will reign. We will be hated and persecuted because of our love for Him. And then He gives us a word of encouragement: Stand firm, and you will win life. He then talks about the armies that will come against Jerusalem; the great distress in the land and wrath against the people; the anguish of nations; the roaring of the seas; and we will see the heavenly bodies being shaken. It almost overloads my soul to imagine experiencing all these things right before His return! But if I am to trust Him, I must trust His words: When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.
And then at the end of this chapter, Jesus kind of dials it down and focuses in on a more personal warning. Instead of watching all the external signs the earth is showing us, indicating that His return is within view, He says this ... In verse 34, He says, But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap.
I really enjoy breaking down passages like this to their deeper meaning. I will research what the connotations are in different versions of the Bible, and in different translations other than English. In this passage I wanted to understand what was meant by dissipation. And was it different than the word surfeiting, which is used in the King James version. "Dissipation" points to carousing, which is interchanged with the word "Surfeiting", in the King James version. Both words are closely associated with "drunkenness" which is one of the other things that Jesus warns us about. I especially like the Amplified version of verse 34, which reads, "But be on guard, so that your hearts are not weighed down and depressed with the giddiness of debauchery and the nausea of self-indulgence and the worldly worries of life, and then that day [when the Messiah returns] will not come on you suddenly like a trap". A little more expressive, isn't it? 😊
Obviously, Jesus is interested in the state of our hearts. When these things begin to happen -- and indeed, are happening -- we need to recognize that we are in serious and dangerous times. That day [of His return] could be upon us at any moment, and we need to stay prepared to enter Eternity. We can't dividing our allegiance [nor our heart] between this world and Eternity. Even our jobs, our families, and the distractions of this world (including carousing, intoxication, and personal pleasures) must not leave us living half in and half out of an Awake and Prepared state for Jesus's return. We can't be caught napping, so to speak. That will certainly be a trap or a snare. The world will try to deceive us into thinking we're not there yet; that we still live in a time of peace and safety. In effect, He's saying that letting our guard down combined with our failure to Watch will prevent us from being ready.
Then there's verse 35, in which He says, For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Stop and read that again. To me, the fact that Jesus makes it clear that all these troubling signs will come upon "all" who dwell on the face "of the whole earth" implies that this speaks of much more than what happened to Jerusalem in 70 A.D. There are those who believe this refers to events in the past that happened to the Israelites under Roman rule. But I think "all who dwell on the face of the whole earth" makes it clear that this is a world-wide event that will happen to everyone in the future.
Jesus then concludes His warning with verse 36: But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand in the presence of the Son of Man [at His coming]. We are to stay awake, watch, and be prepared at all times so we are ready when these things come to pass so that we can "escape" them. What are we escaping? The Bible says so much about the judgment that Christ will bring when He returns. Revelation 19:11 tells us, "And I saw Heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war". In reference to Luke 21:34-36, we will be escaping the wrath of God and the judgment by Jesus, "For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son (John 5:22).
In conclusion, this is a very important passage for us to understand at this time in our lives, and in the history of the world. Jesus doesn't want our hearts to become dulled by intoxicating distractions or the cares and worries of this world -- because let's face it, there are plenty of things to distract us, and just as many to worry about. But if we have committed our hearts to Him and His Kingdom here on earth, then we must keep the fire of faith burning bright and strong. He asks us to pray for our escape from, yes, sin in our lives, but to also pray for strength to endure and stand up to the evil that is coming, and to have the strength to hold on to Him when everything in this realm [and the supernatural realms] are trying to pry you loose from your hold on the hem of His garment. And I would add that we must pray for the strength to continue to lead others to the Good News of His Love and Saving Grace ... even when we are met with hatred, persecution, and death. I can only imagine the strength I will need to stand in His Presence; the strength to keep from falling to my knees in repentance. Until that day, I will continue to pray -- pray for His mercy, His strength, and His glory to the end of Days and on into Eternity. Amen!
1 John 2:28. Now, little children [believers, dear ones], remain in Him [with unwavering faith], so that when He appears at His return, we may have perfect confidence and not be ashamed and shrink away from Him at His coming.
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