Luke 17:33-37 Bible Teaching

The End of the Age in the Teachings of Jesus

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Biblical Context: Luke 17.22-end

March 22nd 2020
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So, we left off with Jesus introducing the wrapping up of that age which would enable the Kingdom of GodGod’s spiritual reign—fulfilled and present, not political or future. to fully take hold (which he said plainly was in them). At this point he begins to articulate some items relative to the wrapping up of that age. This is covered more explicitly in Matthew chapter 24 so we have to look to that to get the full gist of his message because here in Luke we find more of a smattering of topics touched on.

So let’s read what he has to say and work through it together. And we left off with Jesus saying to the Pharisees last week: Jesus has already told that the Kingdom of God would not come with observation and in verse 21 writes:

21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

And that opens us up to some more detailed information about the coming Kingdom of God in that age which would be prefaced by the end of that age – which would end with destruction. Many of the things he says are found in Matthew and Mark and will be the focus of chapter 21 here in Luke, but again, Jesus probably taught many things several times over the course of His ministry and the contents of this subject are not excluded.

Jesus' Teachings on the Days of Vengeance

So, verse 22:

22 And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.

What I think Jesus is alluding to are the days coming when the Prince of Peace will be absent from them, and in that day they will most desperately wish that He and His power to quell and calm were with them. Why? Because in that day – which scripture repeatedly speaks about – in THAT day, some really horrible stuff was coming down the pike for them.

I spoke with my Mom the other day and her community was under lockdown. She is active LDS and knows my views on end-times. She couldn’t help but ask me the minute she got on the phone: “Well Shawn, what do you think now? I think we are really under the end of the world.” I explained that what we are under presently is NOTHING compared to what the end of the real age was back in the day and that what we were experiencing, as annoying as it was and inconvenient, was actually an advance and good thing in the face of a disease, not a detrimental thing, and that the only difference between the deadly flu’s we have had in the past is that we didn’t prepare for them and that we are now counting each and every case – which leads to hysteria.

We of late have been restricted in our activities because of a virus. This will certainly cause some economic fallout and there will be some deaths, but comparatively speaking to what was head to them then (in that day) we are taking a walk in the park.

So here Jesus takes occasion to direct the minds of his disciples to the days of vengeance which were about to fall on the Jewish nation. The summary of this fallout is defined by the phrase, that day. Heavy calamities will befall the Jewish people, and he tells them that they will desire a deliverer – him – and will long to even see one day of his presence with them.

And he tells them at verse 23:

23 And they shall say to you, “See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them.

In other words many people would claim to know the location of the Messiah (or to be the Messiah) and try and get others to follow them and Jesus tells them here, “don’t believe them.” Do not go after them.

Now, as we are very aware, in Matthew chapter 24 Peter, James, John, and Andrew come to Jesus on the mount of Olives and they asked him when the end of the ageThe close of the old covenant era, fulfilled in 70 A.D.—not the end of the world. would be. The whole of that chapter is his response. Again, here we are just getting parts of that advice. (verse 24) as Jesus continues:

Warnings of False Prophets

24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

False Messiahs and Prophets

Continuation of his advice to them about not following or listening to those who claim to know the location of the Messiah that they would (in those days) long to see just one day of his presence. They were false Christs – false persons claiming to be the Messiah. Jesus also calls them false prophets and the reason for this is all the way back in Deuteronomy 18:15 Moses prophesied of a prophet who would come to the Nation.

Here Jesus says that the false Christs and or false prophets would shew great signs and wonders to convince the people that they were sent from God. In his secular history Josephus describes the fact that false Christs and prophets appeared, more as magicians and sorcerers. He reports that they led the people out into the deserts, and promised to work miracles to deliver them. This is recorded in his book Antiquities, book xx., chap. 8, 6. But not only these, but Nero himself is said to have performed great miracles in an attempt to get the world to worship him, even raising the dead.

The Elect's Protection

Jesus here says, “if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” This ties us back in briefly to the story Jesus told about the Rich man and Lazarus where in hell, the rich man said, Send Lazarus to my father's house to warn my brothers but Abraham said if they didn’t listen to Moses they wouldn’t listen to someone from the dead. Flipping this around, those who WOULD listen to Moses would never be tricked by signs and wonders of a magician. Proving this, Jesus says here that if it were possible even the very elect could have been tricked by the signs of these false prophets and Messiahs. However, the line if it were possible means it was not possible because the faith of the very elect would not allow it.

Verse 25

25 Behold, I have told you before.

In Marks account Jesus adds to these words, "Take ye heed," meaning, “listen carefully. I have told you before.”

Avoiding Deception

Be on guard. Prepare for what is coming. This was a major part of his communications with them then, because it was coming to them then, and he wanted he bride aware. At verse 26 he sort of speaks to the same warning about not listening to those who say, look here or look there for the Messiah and adds:

26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.

As mentioned, this was literally fulfilled in their history as before the destruction a false prophet was able to convince a number of people to go to the desert and there they lost their lives. The reason for the vagaries is I covered this in our verse by verseTGNN’s Bible teaching series—book-by-book, through the lens of fulfillment and spiritual liberty. of Revelation and could not locate the citation – but I know it was taken from secular histories. Its kind of proverbial though isn’t it? Even in our day. That the worst imposters and false prophets always try and get people to follow them out into deserted places – like Jim Jones and Guyana.

Jesus says: Don’t listen! Don’t go to their “secret chambers,” don’t join their hidden groups and cults. Be part of things out in the open, in the light of day, and the light of the Son of God. Watch out for clandestine operations and teachings, special gatherings of those who claim to be enlightened. The Spirit and the Lord are apparent and open and have no need for man-made secrecy. He adds (verse 24)

24 For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.

Matthews account has Jesus say for as “lightening comes out of the east.” The connection of this teaching, according to some, was not that Jesus would come from the east but is more in harmony with Lukes account and refers to the rapid open visible nature of His coming to those who would be looking for him.

Open Revelation of the Son of Man

This view counters the secret nature of clandestine groups meeting in the deserts and secret chambers of others. Instead: For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day. There is that term, in His day, again.

In any case this is direct.

Anticipating the Coming

Counter advice to those who would be saying look here and go there – join our club – instead my coming will be quick and like lightning that lights up the part of the sky it came from and the part of the sky opposite.

This was prophesied in places like

Zechariah 9:14 And the LORD shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning: and the Lord GOD shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south.

“so shall also the Son of man be in his day.”

Some do not believe that Jesus was speaking of His Second ComingChrist’s return, fulfilled in 70 A.D., ending the old covenant—not the world. (as we call it) but only to the destruction of Jerusalem here. But I see his day, his coming, his second coming all being synonymous in the teachings of Christ and the apostles.

Sufferings and Sacrifices

As a means to help the people not jump the gun on these teachings, Jesus now adds:

25 But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation.

In other words, I have to finish what I was made to do here in my ministry, I have to be betrayed, falsely accused, I have to be taken illegally, tried in an illegal trial, I have to be wrongly beaten, and wrongly put to deathSeparation from God—now overcome. Physical death remains, but it no longer separates us from life with God.. Because when these things are done to me, by my own people, judgment will be the result – which I will come with in MY DAY . . . and I will save my faithful pure bride who placed her faith in me and kept herself unspotted from the world.

26 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.

Matthew's account says this a little differently, saying:

37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

The Parallel of Noah and Lot

Of course, the Greek way of writing Noah is Noe. And here Jesus likens his coming back to them/then to the days of Noah. We might see the parallels as:

In the days of Noah, the warnings were long in place before the flood. That when the flood actually hit the people were surprised – there was nothing really leading up to it – Or as Jesus says in verse 27:

27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.

So it would be with the wrapping up of that age. People would still be doing regular things then all of a sudden – the siege would begin.

Judgment from Above

Jesus adds at verse 28:

28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; 29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. 30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.

We know that this speaks to Jesus (the Son of Man) being “revealed.” It is by no mistake that the book of RevelationA symbolic prophecy fulfilled in 70 A.D.—not a prediction of future global events. (the book of being revealed) is all about Jesus being revealed to His own as the true Messiah; about the wrapping up of that age, and Him coming in the clouds with judgment and reward.

In the story of Noah, we learn that the Lord rained down on the earth – that is what it says, “he rained.” In the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, also appealed to here by the Lord, God rained fire and brimstone down upon that place. These were all pictures and types of what God was going to do when Jesus – God with us – rained down or was sent down to his own – they would be destroyed on account of their great wickedness.

In the days of Noah, and of Sodom, and of Jerusalem, at the end of that age, things came from the sky and took vengeance on a wicked people. So it would be in His day.

One other thing to point out. In the destruction of the land in the days of Noah and in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, YHWH used natural things to take them out. Water and fire.

In other words, I do not think that YHWH created water or fire to destroy them but used what was already present and there for the job.

Destruction of Cities and Divine Judgment

According to Deuteronomy 29:23 Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboim were four great cities, on a plain that is now the Dead Sea, at the south-east of Palestine, and into which the river Jordan flows. They were built on ground which abounded, doubtless, as all that region now does, in what is called bitumen or naphtha, which catches fire really easily and burns with great heat. The phrase "fire and brimstone" is a Hebrew form of expression, denoting sulphurous fire, or fire having the smell of Sulphur, and I am convinced that it was either a volcanic eruption or perhaps the land of bitumen caught fire perhaps by lightening.

And so it was with the destruction of Jerusalem – but this time, God used the natural means of the Roman army who, in response to the Nation of Israel thinking they could challenge it, came in, and interestingly enough, used fire, arrows, and catapulted fire bombs to ruin a city that was supposed to be impenetrable. (verse 29-30)

The Wrath of God Revealed

29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. 30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. If there was any ultimate destruction directly from God, it seems like it would have been the result of the wicked being exposed to Him and His brilliance at his coming to them.

This is sort of alluded to by Paul in 2nd Thessalonian 1 when he writes to the Church at Thessalonica and says that the tribulations that they were under (the very tribulations that Jesus touches on here in his description) was . . .

“evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be made worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering– 6 since indeed God deems it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to grant rest with us to you who are afflicted, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, 8 inflicting vengeance upon those who do not know God and upon those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They shall suffer the punishment of age-abiding destruction and exclusion from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10 when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at in all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed. 11 To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his call, and may fulfil every good resolve and work of faith by his power,

Jesus continues at verse 31 and adds

31 In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back.

Jesus' Instructions for the End Times

Automatically, those who suggest that these things speak to a world-wide destruction must ask themselves, what is Jesus describing when it comes to our being on the housetop? To not come down and “get the stuff in the house?” To them/then it made sense because they constructed their houses in a way where the roofs were purposeful for sitting and eating and entertaining. Additionally, in Jerusalem, these roofs formed a sort of highway above the streets where people could travel without ever going down to the ground.

Knowing this background helps us see that this advice was to them. Jesus has made it clear that the beginning of the end would be abrupt – like lightning, and as in the days of Noah. And he tells them to not go down to the house to retrieve their goods.

Additionally he adds:

32 Remember Lot's wife.

This is in accordance with his telling them not to go back and get their goods and his mention of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. The story of Lot’s wife is well known and the whole point of it is she looked back to what was happening to Sodom and Gomorrah and in so doing was turned into a pillar of salt – when in fact she was warned with the others to not turn around and look. This is the same instruction Jesus is giving his disciples in His day – in fact they were more detailed as he told them to flee to the…

The Concept of Losing and Saving Life

Mountains.

So, let’s read another chunk of the chapter.

33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it. 34 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. 35 Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 36 Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 37 And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.

The Teaching of Jesus

So lets go back to verse 33 where Luke has Jesus say:

33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.

The word life here seems to be speaking of living in two ways. Firstly, those who are anxious, Jesus tells them, to save their temporal lives would lose their heavenly and those who were willing to lose their physical lives would preserve the latter. It does not seem to me that the verses that follow are connected to this passage but it does seem that this passage is in reference to the whole housetop/Lot’s wife business.

Why? To save ones life, temporally, is to care about the elements of it – which was what caused Lot’s wife to disobey the orders and turn back and look. She wanted to look at her former life going up in smoke, it seems. So it would be with anyone who was on a rooftop when the onslaught came down and they decided to go down to the ground level and rescue something out of their home – photo-albums, Gameboys, whatever, right? This appears to be the connection to what Jesus is saying here.

Interpretations of Not Being Left Behind

But now Luke has his move on to some further descriptions of that day, and what he says at verse 34-36 are VERY popular descriptions pretribulation believers today use to describe what they call the RaptureA misinterpreted concept—biblical “rapture” language was fulfilled in 70 A.D., not a future escape event. More. So let’s read were Jesus first describes two men and says:

34 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.

Left behind as it were. Mt 24:40-41; 1Th 4:17

Then he hits on women and says: 35 Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

Then back to men in verse 36:

36 Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

Manuscript Variations

So let’s hit on the last passage first because many ancient Manuscripts do not include it. The ones that do are related to the Authorized Version. Because it has the same message as verses 34-35 we won’t worry about it. So verse 34:

34 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.

Left behind as it were. Matthews account skips the two men in one bed but instead reads:

40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

This is another description of the calamity hitting suddenly but it also gives us some choices on how to interpret it. The two in the field are obviously working and one is taken (but we don’t know where he is taken) and the other is left (which seems to mean he is left or survives).

We can read this as the rapture, and the one left is left to suffer with the one taken taken into heaven.

OR

We can read it as the calamity will come so quickly one will instantly be killed (taken) and the other will survive. Because Jesus is giving them instructions on how to not die (so don’t go down to the ground level) I think there is support for wondering which way we ought to interpret this. Of course there are those who read this as a clear description of the Rapture – and they may be right. But the context does lend to another interpretation. The same is true of the second example Jesus gives, saying:

41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

Of course grinding in the East was a regular activity as was farming so these stories are right out of their culture.

The Bible flows from Creation (Genesis 1-2) to Renewed Creation (Revelation 21-22).

Understanding the Rapture Passage

Nothing in the text (if read in its proper context) alludes to the actual complete destruction of the planet. Only the end of ages. This world’s worth to the Creator runs deep and because of this, the world as a whole ought to very valuable to us Christians.

The famous “rapture” passage is found in 1 Thessalonians 4.15-17 and reads:

“According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.”

This passage, when placed in the larger context of the chapter, is answering questions that Christians in Thessalonica had concerning death. “What has happened to our loved ones who have died before the return of Christ to earth? What is their ultimate destiny and then ours?” Paul’s answer: Resurrection! Commencing at the return of Christ to earth!

Resurrection of the Saints

This is not describing an escape into the sky but is merely describing the resurrection of the saints who had died and the resurrection of the Saints present at his return! In this passage, Paul borrows two specific images from the Old Testament that would have been familiar to Jewish converts and Gentiles who were familiarizing themselves with the Hebrew tradition. The first of these that Paul employs in the text has to do with Moses who comes down from Mount Sinai with the Law with the great blast of the trumpet. The second image is taken from Daniel chapter 7 where the “one like the son of man” (meaning a “human being” or “The Human One”) and the community he represents is vindicated over the enemies of the people of God. Clouds here symbolize the power and authoritative judgement of God about the rescue of his people.

Finally, there is a third image in the text that comes from outside of the canonical context. This is the image of an emperor who visits a city. The people of that region would have gone out to meet him to usher him into their home in a royal procession out in the open air. This, Paul appears to borrow and apply to the church who will usher in their King into the new creation.

Misinterpretation of the Rapture

Rapture, as it is popularly understood, is nowhere to be found in this “rapture” passage. Paul promises them/then that Christ would return to resurrect, to purge, to heal, and to establish the eternal kingdom of God on this earth.

Heaven and earth will unite like a bride and husband – for all eternity. That’s it. Note also that the Bible teaches that when Christ was to come back, it will be Good News! Why? Because he would “wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away’” (Revelation 21.4).

Surely we cannot erase judgment from the picture, but their hope was that those in Christ who had died would be raised to eternal life and those who were still living would be changed (resurrected) in the twinkling of an eye. Rapture then? Not really. Rapture for us. Not at all.

Interpretations of Biblical Imagery

37 And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? (as in, Where will these situations you just described take place?) And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.

Matthew’s version says: 28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.

We could read this in a couple of ways. The first way is the literally – that these things will happen where dead bodies are, meaning the bird of the air will gather. Or we could read into it a bit and believe that Jesus is describing the Roman armies who wore eagles on their uniforms and that wherever there was opportunity to slaughter, there they would be found.

I tend to see the later. Okay, let’s stop there.

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