Jesus speaks about the End of Days
There are 38 verses in this chapter, and it is jam-packed with many important and interesting things, including:
- The widow’s two mites
- Jesus predicts the destruction of the temple
- The signs of the times and the end of the age
- The destruction of Jerusalem
- The coming of the Son of Man
- The parable of the fig tree
- The importance of watching
Encouraging Verse: Luke 21:18-19
NASB: “Yet not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance, you will gain your lives.”
AMPC: “But not a hair of your head shall perish. By your steadfastness and patient endurance, you shall win the true life of your souls.”
The Context
Chapter 21 begins with the powerful recollection of the poor widow who put all she had into the collection plate. This simple act served as a teaching moment for Jesus to contrast the heart of giving. It’s not about the show (the amount), but about the motive and heart behind the offering. A conversation about the magnificence of the temple followed, leading Jesus into a very heavy discourse about the end of times.
Jesus revealed that the very building His disciples admired would be demolished. They then questioned the timing of these events and what the signs would be. Jesus replied that there would be many signs, including:
- False persons pretending to be Him
- Nation rising against nation, and kingdom against kingdom
- Great earthquakes, famines, and pestilences
- Fearful events and great signs from heaven
- Jerusalem being surrounded
- Signs in the sun, moon, and stars
He also warned of impending persecution of His followers, even some being imprisoned. Some will be brought before leaders on account of His name. It is here that followers of Christ are promised they will be given the words to say in those moments. He also warns that even those closest to His disciples will face betrayal, and some may face death—YET He makes the powerful promise in Luke 21:18.
My Thoughts
Luke 21 is some heavy scripture for mature Christians. There’s the milk of the Word—those feel-good, inspirational verses—and then there’s the meat, which requires us to put on our “adult underwear,” as they say, to handle. Jesus is serving us some SOLID FOOD in this chapter. This is like what Paul described in 1 Corinthians 3:1-2, where he told the Corinthian church: “Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready.”
In Hebrews 5:12-14, the writer mentions that they needed someone to teach them the elementary truths of God’s word again because they still needed milk, not solid food. These verses in Luke 21, as well as the Book of Revelation, require a certain level of spiritual maturity to absorb and receive fearlessly.
This chapter is akin to Matthew 24 and Mark 13, where we are told about the signs of the end of the age. It’s sobering when we realize that many of these signs are already prevalent and seem to be increasing, especially since 2020. We’ve seen the pandemic, wars, earthquakes—it’s all happening. But even though we see these things unfolding all around us, we still do not know the exact time or the hour, not even Jesus! In Mark 13:32, He says, “But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”
So, what do we do? We pray, we trust God, and we try to be salt and light wherever and however we can. We do what we were placed here to do: get to know Jesus, make Him known, and give glory to God in how we live and in all we do! We take comfort in our verse for today—Jesus said not even a hair will perish! We are to stand firm, and we will win!
It is interesting to note that He promised not a hair would perish, right after saying some of His followers would be put to death. Hmm. We can be put to death, yet we will not perish. This is a stark reminder of some very important aspects of humanity:
- We are triune: Body, Soul, and Spirit.
- We are eternal beings.
- Only God can destroy a soul.
Therefore, in Luke 21:19, when Jesus promises that not a hair will be harmed, He is not referring to our earthly bodies per se, because some will perish. He is referring to who we truly are at the core—spirits with souls. Man can only harm our bodies; we are assured of this in Matthew 10:28: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”
Only God can destroy our souls, and that is why we are promised a new glorified body at the coming of Christ. We read about these new bodies in 1 Corinthians 15:42-44 and Philippians 3:20-21. We are getting transformed, glorified bodies!
So, the great news of the Gospel is this: Once we stay grounded and committed to Christ, no matter what comes, no matter what we must endure, no matter the level of persecution, we will live forever in a glorified state. Philippians 3:20-21 says: “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body.”
Glory be to God!
But there’s a part we must play: we must ENDURE! There’s that word again. I’m sure I’ve mentioned it in a previous blog. Some translations of Luke 21:19 say we must be patient! We must stand firm. We have to stick it out! There is no giving up or giving in to be truly victorious in this Kingdom walk. Jesus makes us a promise: through patience and steadfastness, His believers will ultimately secure our lives—our eternal lives!
Practical Application
- Continue on your path of spiritual maturity, aiming for the highest level of spiritual growth.
- Keep reading and meditating on ALL the Bible, not just the milk (the tasty, easy-to-digest parts), but also on the meat (those that require chewing for digestion).
- Keep your eyes on Jesus and focus on eternity, not on the waves.
- Watch for the signs and pray accordingly.
- Rejoice that our souls can never be destroyed by man.
- Rejoice that if we endure with Christ, we will have life—Eternal Life!
Your Turn 😊
What are your thoughts on Luke 21:17?
How can you apply this passage to your life?
Do you have a favorite verse or takeaway from this chapter?
Please share your insights—I’d love to hear from you!
Until tomorrow – Peace & Love,
Coach D
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