of Jerusalem would come. The inhabitants needed to be ready to escape that disaster. Many of the Christians of Jerusalem followed Jesus' word and did escape to safety when the time came. So they needed not fear, only look forward to that day with hope and confidence. But for us, there will also come a time when he will come again and return in glory with salvation. We, too, need to look forward to that day with confidence and hope, knowing that even in our worst moments, the Lord is near and his return is never far away.
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 Jesus' name. Amen.
Today's Verses in Context
"You will see armies all around Jerusalem. Then you will know that the time for the destruction of Jerusalem has come. At that time, the people in Judea should run away to the mountains. The people in Jerusalem must leave quickly. If you are near the city, don't go in! The prophets wrote many things about the time when God will punish his people. The time I am telling you about is the time when all these things must happen. At that time, it will be bad for women that are pregnant or have small babies. Why? Because very bad times will come to this land. God will be angry with these people (the Jews). Some of the people will be killed by soldiers. Other people will be made prisoners and taken to every country. The holy city of Jerusalem will be walked on by non-Jewish people until their time is finished. "Amazing things will happen with the sun, moon, and stars. The people on earth will feel trapped. The oceans will be upset, and the people will not know why. People will become afraid. They will be very worried about what will happen to the world. Everything in the sky will be changed. Then people will see the Son of Man coming on a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to happen, don't fear. Look up and be happy! Don't worry. Be happy, because you know that the time when God will free you is near!" Then Jesus told this story: "Look at all the trees. The fig tree is a good example. When it becomes green (grows buds), you know that summer is near. It is the same with these things I told you would happen. When you see all these things happening, then you will know that God's kingdom is coming very soon. "I tell you the truth. All these things will happen while people of this time are still living! The whole world, earth and sky, will be destroyed; but the words I have said will never be destroyed! "Be careful! Don't spend your time drinking and getting drunk. Or don't be too busy with worldly things. If you do that, you will not be able to thinkright. And then the end might come when you are not ready. It will come like a surprise to all people on earth. So be ready all the time. Pray that you will be strong enough to continue safely through all these things that will happen. And pray that you will be able to stand before the Son of Man. " During the day, Jesus taught the people in the temple area. At night he went out of the city and stayed all night on the Mount of Olives. Every morning all the people got up early to go listen to Jesus at the temple.
— Luke 21:20-38 (ERV)
Comments on "Escape Jerusalem, Expect His Coming":
Easy-to-Read Version copyright © 2001 by World Bible Translation Center. All rights reserved.
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My life is being given as an offering for God. The time has come for me to leave this life here. I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. Now, a crown (reward) is waiting for me. I will get that crown for being right with God. The Lord is the judge who judges rightly. He will give me the crown on that Day. Yes! He will give that crown to me. He will give that crown to all people who have wanted him to come again and have waited for him. —2 Timothy 4:6-8 (ERV)
But our homeland is in heaven. We are waiting for our Savior to come from heaven. Our Savior is the Lord Jesus Christ. He will change our humble bodies and make them like his own glorious body. Christ can do this by his power. With that power Christ is able to rule all things. —Philippians 3:20-21 (ERV)
We have sufferings now. But the sufferings we have now are nothing compared to the great glory that will be given to us. Everything that God made is waiting with excitement for the time when God will show the world who his children are. The whole world wants very much for that to happen. Everything God made was changed to be like it was worth nothing. It did not want to change, but God decided to change it. But there was this hope: That everything God made would be made free from ruin (decay). There was hope that everything God made would have the freedom and glory that belong to God's children. We know that everything God made has been waiting until now in pain like a woman ready to give birth to a child. Not only the world, but we also have been waiting with pain inside us. We have the Spirit as the first part of God's promise. So we are waiting for God to finish making us his own children. I mean we are waiting for our bodies to be made free. —Romans 8:18-23 (ERV)
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