Luke 21:5-19
5 When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, he said, 6 “As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down.”
7 They asked him, “Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?” 8 And he said, “Beware that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is near!’ Do not go after them. 9 “When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately.”
10 Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; 11there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven. 12 “But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. 13 This will give you an opportunity to testify.
14 So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance; 15 for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. 17 You will be hated by all because of my name. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish. 19 By your endurance you will gain your souls.
Endurance in Tribulation
We have already seen Jesus visiting, praying and teaching in the Temple area, as we have witnessed His utmost consideration for that Temple and its symbolism for Israel. “My house is a house of prayer. You made it a den of thieves” Matthew 21:13.
The Temple was considered God's dwelling house. All the faithful looked forward to or longed to visit and be granted blessings over blessings. Many Psalms refer to the Temple, such as Psalm 27, 84, 122, 134 and 135.
The faithful were proud of its immense size, its construction (which took over forty years) and much more of the altars where sacrifices were offered, the Holy of Holies, treasures of gold, silver, wood, and the devotional items kept inside.
Jesus heard them boasting about it and its contents. He said to them, “The days will come when not one stone will be left upon another” (V. 6). Jesus' response was surprising and even shocking. How could it be to see the Temple destroyed? That should be the end of the world!
Were the disciples seized by fear, sadness, panic, shock, curiosity or a mixture of all these feelings, to pose the hasty question, “Teacher, WHEN will this be, and WHAT will be the sign that this is about to take place?" (V. 7).
Jesus is aware of natural human reactions, but here He is teaching them HOW to react in case of troubles, wars, natural disasters, persecutions because of His name, famine, plagues, betrayals of love, and false teachings.
The optimal reaction is to stay grounded and deeply rooted in faith and trust in the wise guidance of the Holy Spirit. Endurance and confidence with faith and trust will triumph over all expected and unexpected evil or troubles.
Dispel fear and superficial faith. Remain confident in God's presence and providence, keeping in mind Jesus' promise, “I am with you till the end of time!" Matthew 28:20.
Let us pray to the Lord to grant us the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, to teach us how to live through hard experiences with full trust in Jesus' promise for the glory of God the Father. May we persevere, endure and remain trusting even if we don't understand.