What Jesus Did! 'Escape Jerusalem; Expect Jesus' Coming' — Luke 21:20-28

Monday, November 27, 2023

[Jesus continued his warnings,] "And when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then you will know that the time of its destruction has arrived. Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. Those in Jerusalem must get out, and those out in the country should not return to the city. For those will be days of God's vengeance, and the prophetic words of the Scriptures will be fulfilled. How terrible it will be for pregnant women and for nursing mothers in those days. For there will be disaster in the land and great anger against this people. They will be killed by the sword or sent away as captives to all the nations of the world. And Jerusalem will be trampled down by the Gentiles until the period of the Gentiles comes to an end.

"And there will be strange signs in the sun, moon, and stars. And here on earth the nations will be in turmoil, perplexed by the roaring seas and strange tides. People will be terrified at what they see coming upon the earth, for the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then everyone will see the Son of Man coming on a cloud with power and great glory. So when all these things begin to happen, stand and look up, for your salvation is near!"

— Luke 21:20-28 NLT

Key Thought

Jesus warned that the destruction of Jerusalem would come. The inhabitants needed to be ready to escape that disaster. Many of the Christians of Jerusalem heeded Jesus' words and did escape to safety when the time came. So they needed not to fear, only look forward to that day with hope and confidence. But for us, there will also come a time when Jesus will come again and return in glory with salvation. We, too, need to look forward to that day with hope and confidence, knowing that even in our worst moments, the Lord is near and his return can come at any time.

Today's Prayer

Gracious God and Almighty Lord, I look forward to the day of Jesus' return in glory. Use me to help others prepare for that day and to be ready to greet it with confidence. Until then, make my hope in your Son's return burn brightly in my heart until the sky shines brightly with his glory. In his name, I pray. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings

  • 2 Timothy 4:6-8
  • Philippians 3:20-21
  • Romans 8:18-23

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Illustration

Illustration of Luke 21:20-28 NLT — "And when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then you will know that the time of its destruction has arrived."

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About This Devotional

What Jesus Did! is a series of one-year devotional guides through each gospel, using one short scripture passage each day and following the Gospel in sequential order. Each devotional consists of a scripture passage and a reflection and a prayer which open up the day's scripture and show how it challenges you to live for Jesus.

What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware and is available in book form.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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