"What's Going to Happen?"

Text: Luke 21:5-24

It seems our age is not unique in its fascination with apocalyptic scenarios. It has happened throughout history, and now there is significant interest in ancient Mayan lore, centering on predictions of the year 2012 as the end of the world.

Christians have always been especially prone to speculation, not least because of what Jesus himself had to say about the time when judgment would come and God's rule would be established forever. The disciples themselves had such interest, in great measure because Jesus had been making predictions of the destruction of the Temple, which for them was certainly a signal that the eschaton would be arriving in short order.

When Jesus responded to their questions concerning the timing of events, he answered in a way that is difficult to separate from the events at the end of the seventh decade. History looks back on those events, noting that most of what Jesus predicted was recorded 35-40 years later. Jerusalem was indeed trampled by the Gentiles (Romans); the Temple itself had been destroyed. The picture Jesus paints of life in those days is not a pretty one.

What is in this passage for us? We're far removed from that time and place. But not from the fact that God does bring judgment to bear, does call peoples to account, does allow great suffering to occur in the process. As a culture we have allowed ourselves to believe that God's role, if He even exists, is to protect and bless, not to judge and leave people to the consequences of their choices. In the process, there are repeated warnings to stand firm, to pray, to be careful of how we act in moments of crisis because there is a very real danger of being dissuaded from the kingdom under threat.

We can make no mistake in this: God is to be feared. Yes, he loves those who are His own; but some may walk through the fire on their way to His rest, even while others find griefs of all kinds. Remain close enough to Him to be ablse to reach out should the day of trouble and affliction land upon us.