Judgment (Luke 21:20-24)

Jerusalem has had a rough history since Jesus’s time. Beginning with the First Jewish Revolt (66-73) including the siege of the city and subsequent destruction of the temple, Judaism changed completely. Jerusalem itself came under the control of Rome, Byzantium, the Arab Caliphates, the Crusaders, the Ottoman Empire, and the British Empire over the course of two millennia. Since the establishment of the modern Israel state, it has been a divided city. Luke’s reporting of the Olivet Discourse is the clearest version when it comes to this reality. In all the synoptics Jerusalem’s destruction is clear, but Luke has the best indications of two destructions to come. The first was within a generation of Jesus, the second one will be the ultimate destruction, at the time of Christ’s return.

This “times of the Gentiles” seems to be the current age in which we live. The church and Christianity have been the people of God. Jews are amongst their number, but by-in-large the Jewish people have not embraced Jesus. Jesus seems to imply that a day is coming when they will. However, the destruction of Jerusalem and the past 2,000 years can’t help but feel like a judgment on their rejection of the Messiah.