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When Heaven Sends a Distress Signal

Luke 21:26 — Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

Introduction

  • How God works, and how the devil or even human inventions work are completely different things.

  • "The Mount Olivet Discourse" details the destruction of the temple and signs of the end times. (Matthew 24–25; Mark 13; Luke 21)

  • fear is a powerful motivator. but faith is better!

  • Luke 21:5 ¶ And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said, 6 As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. 7 And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass? [signals these things are about to happen?] 8 And he said, Take heed [WATCH OUT] that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them. 9 But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by [will not come at once, immediately]. 10 Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: 11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven. 12 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. 13 And it shall turn to you for a testimony. 14 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: 15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist. 16 And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. 17 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake. 18 But there shall not an hair of your head perish. 19 In your patience possess ye your souls. 20 ¶ And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. 21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. 22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. 23 But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. 24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. 25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;

26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. [spiritual distress; extreme anxiety, sorrow or pain]

27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

29 ¶ And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree [Isaiah 34], and all the trees; 30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. 31 So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. 32 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled. 33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

  • Fig Tree
  • Travel Light

34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged [burdened] with surfeiting [hangover, headache], and drunkenness, and cares of this life [distraction], and so that day come upon you unawares. 35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. 37 And in the day time he was teaching in the temple; and at night he went out, and abode in the mount that is called the mount of Olives. 38 And all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, for to hear him.

A. Troubled Hearts

  • troubled: to stir or agitate

Luke 21:26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. [spiritual distress; extreme anxiety, sorrow or pain]

1 Samuel 21:10 — And David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.

B. Heads in the Sand? (Asleep)

  • "Just Don't think about it." "It will all pan out in the end." There is a certain amount of wisdom here.

  • --- SOS RECORDING ---- dot dot dot, dash dash dash dot dot dot --- C.Q. (S.O.S) ... Before radio, telegraph had a mature system developed of "command" codes that usually included the letter "Q" because of how infrequently it appears in english words -- C.Q. --- I am on the line and I want everyone to listen to what I am about to say.

  • but, the voice of the Lord goes out over and over to HEAR & HEARKEN (to KNOW and to OBEY; To have ears to hear what the Spirit is saying)

Isaiah 34:1-4 — Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye people: let the earth hear, and all that is therein; the world, and all things that come forth of it. 2 For the indignation of the LORD is upon all nations, and his fury upon all their armies: he hath utterly destroyed them, he hath delivered them to the slaughter. 3 Their slain also shall be cast out, and their stink shall come up out of their carcases, and the mountains shall be melted with their blood. 4 And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree.

C. The Perspectives - The Tension

  • Bible Answers "The Bible Outward" ... Answers in the Bible ("Questions brought to the Bible")
  • Bible Answers ... is very straightforward generally speaking when it comes to "What does it say" and the overlapping gray area is "What does it mean?" (because for the most part when we ask "What does it mean, we are asking "What does it mean FOR ME? HOw is this going to impact me and my concerns?"
  • To know, to understand, to navigate informed
  • Answers in the Bible ... <-- THE ANSWERS CAN GET LOST IN THE SOUP and especially so if we do not know where a premise originates.

I. The End Times in General

A. Events foretold in the Bible (particulary Daniel & Revelation)...

  • PRETERISM [The clocked stopped ticking in the 1st Centry]: Events alredy have been fulfilled either literally or figuratively and for the most apart surrounding events of 70 A.D. (the system of the past)

CRITIQUE: All prophecy being fulfilled by AD 70, contradicts doctrines of a future, physical second coming, final judgment, and bodily resurrection.

  • IDEALISM [There is no clock (TIMELESS), it is a heartbeat heard/felt/realized at all time]: Mostly in the current church age, similtaneously as spiritual truths. All applicaable throughout entire church age. Each age gets just as much out of it. Spiritual Realities, not literal descriptions.

CRITIQUE: Yes, But what about the concrete events described? It feels like you are avoiding the question. (Maybe that question is not even being answered?)

  • HISTORICISM [Grandfather clock that has been ticking since 1st centry]: refer to literal historical events. Mostly past.

CRIITQUE: What about the extreme natural phenomena described? It feeels like circles pushed into octagon shaped holes.

  • FUTURISM [Stopwatch waiting for the start button, Countdown]: refer to mostly future events as both literal and symbolic descriptions of literal events. Looks at the Horizon.

CRITIQUE: Why am **I"" (this time) central to or not very related to (not buch in-between) the calendar laid out in the Bible? Wrongly detaches the Bible from historical events. Did not the 4th century Christians who lived the "The Greatest Persecution" of all time under Dioocletion have a relevant guide?

  • HYBRIDS ABOUND: Preterism precludes Historic and Future (the reverse is true as well.) Frameworks abound. Frameworks are not inspired, they are instructional guidance in persuit of the universal concerns of truth from God's perspective and consistent interpretation.

  • "Oooh, I like that one!" How to choose a framework?

  • What Kinds of passages?

II. The Central Eschaton/Final Event: The Second Coming of Christ as the Eschaton

  • Pre-Millenialism: Jesus Comes Before "On Earth as it is in Heaven"
  • Post-Millenialism: Jesus Comes After "Once accomplished, earth as it is in Heaven"
  • AMillenialism: "We are in it, Christ is rulling now, bringing on earth as it is in Heaven"

III. Peace, Hope in the Midst of Distress

John 14:1-7 — Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 4 ¶ And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. 5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

  • Authority, Who is in charge? The Cursed Fig Tree (Isaiah 34:4; Matthew 21:19,23; Luke 21:29 "you know"/"false signs")

Matthew 21:19 — And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.

  • A FIG TREE with LEAVES and NO FRUIT. It can also be due to environmental stress, such as water inconsistency, or in a biblical context, it symbolizes unproductiveness.

Matthew 21:23 — And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?

  • John 15:1-8 - Abiding in Christ: Fruitfulness
  • 1 John 4:14-21 - Abiding in Love: Assurance

Hebrews 13:6 — So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

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