NOT ONE STONE
According to Matthew, when the Messiah left the Temple He said "every stone shall be cast down." The disciples asked Him, "When shall these things be?" They also asked Him about the "signs of His coming" and "The End of this world." Matthew recorded His answers to questions about The End and His return, but gave no answer to the question about the destruction of the Temple.

Did Luke record the same conversation as Matthew? Both men wrote at the direction of the Holy Spirit, so we can be sure their account is accurate. If there is some difference between them it must be significant, and we will want to understand it.

Luke 21:5. "And as some spake of the Temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts..."

Verse 6: "As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in which there shall not be left one stone upon another..." This is the same prophecy of destruction as recorded by Matthew. Mat. 24:2.

THE QUESTION IS, WHEN?
Verse 7: "And they asked Him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? What sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?" By referring to Matthew 24:3, and comparing the questions carefully, it will be clear there is a difference in the questions as recorded by Matthew and Luke. Luke records two questions: both about the destruction of the City and Temple. Is this difference important?

Consider the question, "What sign will there be when these things come to pass?" The term "sign" means recognizable event. In other words, the disciples have asked, "What will be the recognizable events preceding the destruction of the city and Temple by which we can know this event will soon occur?"

GOD GIVES HIS PEOPLE SIGNS
The building of the Ark was a recognizable event which preceded the flood of Noah. The ten Plagues were recognizable events which preceded the fulfillment of the promise to Abraham's descendants. John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness was a recognizable event which preceded the coming of the Messiah. God has always given His people signs by which they can see the time of the fulfillment of His promise has come. They knew He Would give them a warning sign, if the City and Temple were to be destroyed, so they could be prepared. Indeed, God has always done so, and we can be sure He will continue to do so. Amos 3:4-8, Rev.10:6, 11:3.

FALSE CHRISTS
Verse 8: "And He said, take heed that ye are not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am the Christ, and the time draweth near; go ye therefore not after them." The Lord was, of course, right; many have come claiming to be the Christ, or "the gate." As this is being written there is one Benjamin Creme who claims "the Christ is now here." Jehovah's Witnesses claim the Lord came in October of 1874. (STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES, series iv, p. 621, 1897.) But we know they are wrong, because "every eye" did not see Him when they said He came. Mat. 24:11, 27. Rev. 1:7, 2 Thes. 1:6-10. See pp. 75, 135.

Still, more false prophets and false Christs will come; and as The End comes closer, they will become more Demonic. Their coming is a recognizable sign in itself.

IDENTIFY THE SIGNS
Verse 9: "But when ye... hear of wars, commotions, be not terrified: For these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by." That is, "the end is not soon." Human history has been full of wars and commotions. He said that will not change. And it has not and will not. Things which have always plagued mankind will continue, and they are not (by themselves) a sign the end has come (yet).

Verse 10-11: "Then He said to them, nation will rise against nation... earthquakes, famine..." This list is the same as given in Matthew 24:4-7. "...Fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven." These are the same calamities which have fallen on man from the beginning. However, with the addition of "great signs from heaven," Y'Shua seems to draw out the list into the future, to The End. (Luke is reporting Y'Shua's words, not composing them.)

IDENTIFY THE SEQUENCE
Verse 12: "But before all these..." He had just directed their attention into the future, and now He calls their attention back to their own time. "But before all these..." (fearful sights from heaven), first. All the events which Y'Shua just listed in verse 10 and 11 cannot occur "until." By the phrase "but, before all these things" He is telling them (and us) the events He now lists must be occur before the previous list.

"But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before Kings and rulers for my Name's sake." All the events listed in verse 12 to 19 are things which must come to pass before the list in verses 10 and 11. Thus, this affliction was to come upon the First Century Saints before Jerusalem fell to Titus.

A RECOGNIZABLE SIGN
Verse 20: "And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies..." Here Y'Shua names Jerusalem. This is still part of the list of things which must happen "before all these" (the list in 10-11). "Then know... the desolation thereof is nigh." Y'Shua has named Jerusalem, and said it would be destroyed.

The list of events (signs) in verses 10 and 11 are the same as those recorded by Matthew. (24:4-7, 29.) Yet the list given in Luke 21:12-22 must be fulfilled first. Matthew did not name Jerusalem specifically, Luke did.

"Desolation thereof is nigh..." is a reference to Daniel 9:26, 11:14; Jer. 5:11-18 and Eze. 9:1-5.

SEE, THEN RUN
Verse 21: "Then let them which are in Judea flee to the mountains..." Verses 20 and 21 are part of the list beginning in verse 12 which must be fulfilled before the list given in verses 10 and 11. Y'Shua is speaking specifically of the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple which occurred in A.D. 70. Dan. 9:26.

BEFORE, OR AFTER
Again, emphatically, the events listed in verses 12 to 22 were to occur before those listed in verses 10, 11. Therefore, those events must have occurred before A.D. 70; while the events listed in verses 10 and 11 can not have begun to be fulfilled until after A.D. 70. Thus saith the Lord: "But before all these..."

PROPHECY FULFILLED
Verse 22: "For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled." Y'Shua declared that Jerusalem would be destroyed so "all things that are written" could be fulfilled. Yet the words He just spoke were not yet written. Also, "All things..." is an indication of more than one writing or of more than one event. This indicates the destruction of the City and Temple was the subject of prophecy before His coming. Dan. 9:26, 11:14-16, Zec. 11:9-10, Eze. 9:1-5. Verses 23-24: "But woe unto them... wrath upon this people ...they shall fall by the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations..." ("Let His blood be on us and our children.") These events are part of the list begun in verse 12. The phrase, "This people" is designating a specific people -- Judah. "Jerusalem shall be trodden down by the Gentiles, until the times of the gentiles be fulfilled."

TIMES OF THE GENTILES
Jerusalem was first trodden down by the Romans, then by the Moslem hordes, then by the Turks. Since Jerusalem is no longer trodden down by the gentiles, the "Times of the Gentiles" must be ended. The "times of the gentiles" ended (by His word) when His people Israel returned to take control of the Holy City. Prophecy fulfilled in our lifetime. Hosea 1:11, 3:4-5. Rom. 11:25.

ATTENTION TO THE SUBJECT
Verses 25-26: "And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars..." These signs will be IN the sun, moon and stars. That is, not apparent to the eye only, but internal. The Sun will turn red because it ran out of fuel, the moon will be red because it reflects the sun's light. The stars will fall because Momentum and Gravity will no longer hold them in their assigned places. "And upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity..." It will become clear (due to the signs in the heavens) this universe has come to its end. Ps. 102:26, Isa. 34:4, Rev. 6:13.

SEE, AND COMPREHEND
"The sea roaring; men's hearts failing them for fear... looking after those things which are coming on the earth." This passage reveals the Truth. Men will see (and understand) the end has come. By this statement, ("looking after those things which are coming..."), the lie "the end of the world will completely surprise mankind" is exposed.

"For the powers of the heavens shall be shaken." The consequences of this prophecy may be beyond comprehension. But, the powers of the heavens are Gravity and Momentum. If these are shaken then stars and planets will fall like dust shaken from a carpet. Isa. 13:13, 24:20, Amos 8:9, Hab. 3:11, Hag. 2:6.

IDENTIFY THE SEQUENCE
In reading these descriptions of coming events it will be obvious they have not yet become visible -- to the naked eye. They are part of the list of things in verses 10 and 11. These events are the same as listed by Matthew. Mat 24:29. These are events which will occur just shortly before the Lord returns. They have, in fact, already begun: But Astronomers call falling stars "Quasars," and claim they are at the edge of the universe.

IDENTIFY THE EVENTS
Verse 27: "And then..." In this context the term "then" refers to the events (signs) listed in verses 25 and 26. "And then shall they see the son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory." Mat. 24:30-31. Every eye shall see Him come, every knee shall bend.

Verse 28: "And when these things..." These things are the events described in verses 25 and 26. Here again we are told the generation of Saints who live at the time of The End will see and recognize they are witnessing events which lead to and climax in the coming of the Lord. Heb. 10:25, 1 Thes. 5:4.

AN UNDERSTANDABLE PARABLE
Verses 29 and 30: "And He spake to them a parable, Behold the fig tree, and all the trees..." Some say the fig tree is Israel. But do all the trees ("...and all the trees...") represent Israel? This is the same parable recorded by Matthew. Luke, by the authority of the Holy Spirit, tells us this is a parable. This is a story with a point, a lesson. When we see the plant buds begin to swell and turn green, we know it is spring, and summer is near. The "buds" are the events which He has described. "Summer" is His coming. It is true Israel is one of the "signs of the times." And if it is the only sign of the times we will witness, the time of His coming is near -- because The Tree is again planted in the land of Promise. Isa. 61:3, Rom. 11:24-29.

WHEN YOU SEE
Verse 31: "So likewise ye, when ye see..." Again He tells His disciples (us) it is possible for them (us) to know The End has come in their lifetime. "When ye see..." Anyone who tells His disciples it is not possible for them to recognize the signs of the times and thus know The End is coming is contradicting His word. "...See these things come to pass..." The generation of His disciples living at the time of The End can understand the events He has described are signs of the times. Signs that The End has come.

"Know ye..." Know: have indisputable proof. We do have undeniable evidence of this fact. "Know ye that the Kingdom of God is at hand." "But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief." 1 Thes. 5:4. "As ye see the day approaching." Heb. 10:25.

ATTENTION TO THE DETAILS
"When ye see these things..." These things are the events listed in verses 10, 11, 25 and 26. "The Kingdom of God is at hand." The Kingdom was established (His people chosen) when Y'Shua was "cut off," before that generation who saw Him all died. Acts 2:38-48, Luke 9:27. However, the Kingdom (the promised land, heaven) has not yet been given to the Chosen People. This event will occur on "that day," the "day of the Lord." Dan 7:27, Zec. 14, 2 Peter 3:7, 10-12. Rev. 19:11-21, 20:9-15.

OUR GENERATION
Verse 32: "Verily I say unto you, this generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled." When Y'Shua said "generation" He meant "generation." The word "all" is inclusive: none are excluded. "All" prophecy of the Second Advent of the Lord will be concluded in the lifetime of one generation. "This generation" is the generation who witnesses the events depicted in verses 10-11 and 25-26. We are the generation who witnessed the return of His Chosen People (Church, Ecclesia) to Jerusalem. We will soon witness the rebirth of Rome, and will watch as the whore Babylon murders the Saints. We are "this generation." The Lord will come in our lifetime.

THE LAST SOUND
Verse 33: "Heaven and earth will pass away..." Yes, literally, and with a big bang. 2 Peter 3:10.

FIRST THINGS FIRST
Verse 34: "Take heed to yourselves..." Do not let the concerns of this worldly life prevent you from recognizing the signs of the times. As Y'Shua said many times, "Let him who has eyes see."

IT WILL COME SUDDENLY
Verse 35: "For as a snare it (The End) shall come on all them..." Again, "them" are the unbelievers who do not pay attention to the previous verse. And, as a snare is quick, so will the coming of The End be quick.

WATCH, AND SEE
Verse 36: "Watch ye therefore, and pray..." If it were not possible to see, why would He tell us to watch? The term "escape" means not loose ones faith because of the tribulation, rather than not have to live through any tribulation. We have been told "all who live Godly lives will suffer..." 2 Tim. 3:12. Many weak Christians will fall from fear; seeing the things which are coming upon this earth, and because of the affliction by those who love not the Truth. See p. 159.

SUMMERY
In studying Luke's Twenty-first Chapter and comparing it with Matthew's Twenty-fourth Chapter, we find much agreement and one major difference. That is, Luke does warn the first century disciples about the fall of Jerusalem to Titus. Luke also warns the early disciples about the affliction which was to come upon them before the fall of the City. Matthew, on the other hand, omits the fall of the city, and almost 2,000 years of human history, and warns the last century disciples of the affliction which will come upon them just before His coming.

How do these sequences of end time events fit together?
After dumping all the pieces onto the table so we can see them clearly, we recognize the following sequence.

First Affliction

Luke 21:12-19                                            A.D. 30-



Fall of Jerusalem

Luke 21:20-24, Daniel 11:14-16                           A.D. 70 



The Gap                                                     .... 

Daniel 9:26-27



The Beginning of Sorrows

Luke 21:10-11, Mat. 24:8, Rev. 20:7                    1820-1880 



The return of Israel

Luke 21:25, Hosea 3:4-5                                  1947-67 



The Great Tribulation                             Last 3.5 years 

Matthew 24:15-21, Dan. 11:31-33                             .... 



Heaven Shaken                                          Last days 

Matthew 24:29, Luke 21:25-26, Isa. 34:1-4                   .... 



Last Trumpet                                           Last hour 

Matthew 24:31, Luke 21:27                                   .... 

Dan. 11:45, 12:1-3, 1 Thes. 4:14-17, 

Rev. 20:9-15.