”By standing firm, you will win your souls. “And when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then you will know that the time of its destruction has arrived. Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. Those in Jerusalem must get out, and those out in the country should not return to the city. For those will be days of God’s vengeance, and the prophetic words of the Scriptures will be fulfilled. How terrible it will be for pregnant women and for nursing mothers in those days. For there will be disaster in the land and great anger against this people. They will be killed by the sword or sent away as captives to all the nations of the world. And Jerusalem will be trampled down by the Gentiles until the period of the Gentiles comes to an end. “And there will be strange signs in the sun, moon, and stars. And here on earth the nations will be in turmoil, perplexed by the roaring seas and strange tides. People will be terrified at what they see coming upon the earth, for the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then everyone will see the Son of Man coming on a cloud with power and great glory. So when all these things begin to happen, stand and look up, for your salvation is near!” Then he gave them this illustration: “Notice the fig tree, or any other tree. When the leaves come out, you know without being told that summer is near. In the same way, when you see all these things taking place, you can know that the Kingdom of God is near. I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass from the scene until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear. “Watch out! Don’t let your hearts be dulled by carousing and drunkenness, and by the worries of this life. Don’t let that day catch you unaware, like a trap. For that day will come upon everyone living on the earth. Keep alert at all times. And pray that you might be strong enough to escape these coming horrors and stand before the Son of Man.” Every day Jesus went to the Temple to teach, and each evening he returned to spend the night on the Mount of Olives. The crowds gathered at the Temple early each morning to hear him.“
Luke 21:19-38 NLT
God is love, and true love includes justice. This is hard for people today to understand—until someone has hurt their loved ones. Jesus said that God’s children would be tortured, killed, and unjustly imprisoned. Although injustice can temporarily reign, there will come a time of perfect justice. Jesus predicted the destruction of Jerusalem, which happened in AD 70, because the leaders refused to follow God’s way. Christians followed the words of Christ and fled the city, saving their lives. God is the righteous Judge, and the destruction of Jerusalem shows that Christ will follow through on His Word and bring justice.
People today don’t like talking about judgment, but there is no justice without judgment. We don’t respect people who have bad judgment in dating, finances, or driving. Judgment isn’t bad; bad judgment is bad. Our justice system requires good judgement from lawmakers, law enforcement, and judges. When Jesus taught us not to judge others, He meant not to condemn or exclude them. Christ wants us to have good judgment, and God is our ultimate Judge. Embrace the importance of judgment, and do all you can to further the cause of justice in the world. There will not be complete justice until Jesus returns (which is why we long for it), but we should pray and live for His Kingdom to come every day.
If God is loving, how can He punish people? How does God’s judgment change the way you live? Do you understand judgment to be a good thing or bad thing? Explain.
