What is the meaning of Luke 21:10? Then He told them • Jesus is still answering the disciples’ request for signs (Luke 21:7). • The speaker is the Lord Himself, so the words carry full divine authority (Hebrews 1:1-2). • Timing is future-oriented; He is describing what will happen “before all this” persecution and “before the end” (Luke 21:9-12, Matthew 24:3-8). • Similar wording appears in the parallel passages of Matthew 24:7 and Mark 13:8, confirming that the statement belongs to the broader Olivet Discourse. Nation will rise • “Nation” translates the idea of a distinct people group or ethnicity. • Jesus foretells a literal surge of hostility among peoples, coming in waves that grow more intense as the end draws nearer (Revelation 6:4). • This rising is not merely political maneuvering; it is an aggressive, upward surge of violence, echoing Isaiah 19:2 where God allows Egyptians to “fight against brother, each against his neighbor.” • For believers, these future conflicts remind us that the earth will never reach utopian peace by human effort alone (Jeremiah 17:9). Against nation • The phrase highlights direct confrontation—peoples pitted against other peoples. • History already previews the fulfillment: tribal wars, ethnic cleansings, and racial hatred. Scripture portrays such strife as a recurring pre-Tribulation pattern (2 Chronicles 15:6; James 4:1). • Yet the ultimate fulfillment intensifies during the “birth pains” period that precedes Christ’s visible return (Matthew 24:8). • God’s sovereignty remains intact; He “makes wars to cease” in His timing (Psalm 46:6-10). And kingdom • “Kingdom” speaks to organized political entities—states, empires, alliances. • Jesus moves from local ethnic feuds to larger geopolitical conflicts, showing escalation. • Prophets foresaw shaking among kingdoms: “In the days of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed” (Daniel 2:44). • Earthly kingdoms collide because they stand in opposition to God’s coming rule (Psalm 2:1-2; Revelation 11:15). Against kingdom • The repetition underscores worldwide turmoil: wars will not be isolated but overlapping and simultaneous. • Revelation 13:7 pictures the Antichrist warring against saints and nations, a climactic expression of this verse. • Zechariah 14:2 shows nations gathering in hostility, yet ultimately leading to Messiah’s intervention. • Followers of Christ are told, “Do not be terrified, for these things must happen first” (Luke 21:9), encouraging steadfast confidence rather than panic. summary Luke 21:10 is Jesus’ concise, literal forecast of escalating ethnic and geopolitical wars preceding His return. The verse assures believers that conflicts are neither random nor out of divine control; they are “birth pains” that herald the coming Kingdom. While nations and kingdoms clash, God’s plan moves forward, calling His people to discern the times, stay calm, and keep proclaiming the gospel until the Prince of Peace appears to end all wars. |
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