Daily Devotions
Luke
Luke 21 : 8-19 "UNMISTAKABLE SIGNS"
Day 263 – Luke 21
Text: Luke 21 : 8-19
UNMISTAKABLE SIGNS
As Jesus explained to His Disciples His eschatology, He spoke of “wars and commotions, earthquakes, famines and pestilences” (Luke 21:9,11). We may speak of these things as “signs”.
Would these events really come to pass? Jesus answered this unspoken question in these words,
“These things must come to pass first,
but the end will not come immediately.”
Luke 21:9
As if to confirm what was spoken, Jesus also spoke of cosmic signs.
“And there will be fearful sights
and great signs from heaven.”
Luke 21:11
Two sets of signs were given. Both sets function to give confirmation to what Jesus had spoken of concerning the future. We need to look at the Gospel of Matthew to understand further the cosmic signs Jesus spoke of.
“Immediately after the tribulation of those days
the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from heaven,
and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.”
Matthew 24:29
COSMIC SIGNS IN PROPHETIC LANGUAGE
Old Testament prophets spoke of cosmic or heavenly signs to indicate that the prophecies proclaimed were indeed from God. Only God could have such control of the heavenly bodies.
We read of such things in the writings of the following prophets.
“And it shall come to pass in that day,”
says the Lord God,
“That I will make the sun go down at noon,
And I will darken the earth in broad daylight�”
Amos 8:9
“And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth:
Blood and fire and pillars of smoke.
The sun shall be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
Before the coming of the great and awesome
Day of the Lord.”
Joel 2:30-31
“For the stars of heaven and their constellations
will not give their light;
The sun will be darkened in its going forth,
And the moon will not cause its light to shine.”
Isaiah 13:10
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF COSMIC SIGNS
God was the One who gave accompanying signs to confirm the fact that the messengers had indeed been sent. He knew how hard the human heart could be. Many would not believe till they had seen signs.
Moses was told to perform certain signs to the children of Israel that they might believe that he was indeed sent by God.
“Then it will be, if they do not believe you,
nor heed the message of the first sign,
that they may believe the message of the latter sign.
And it shall be, if they do not believe even these two signs,
Or listen to your voice, then you shall take water from the river,
And pour it on the dry land. The water which you take
From the river will become blood on the dry land.”
Exodus 4:8-9
God knew that the human heart would not believe easily! Signs, powerful signs were sometimes necessary to cause the heart to believe!
At times, the human heart would be so hardened that even if powerful signs were given, faith was not forthcoming! God did not have to do anything further, but He went the second mile. Cosmic signs were His way of confirming that what was spoken would surely come to pass!
“THE DAY OF THE LORD…”
The Old Testament prophets spoke often of “The Day of the Lord”. Isaiah’s prophecy helps us to understand the significance of the eschatological expression, “The Day of the Lord”. (Jesus’ teaching confirmed the prophecies of the Old Testament).
“I will punish the world for its evil,
and the wicked for their iniquity;
I will halt the arrogance of the proud,
And will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.
Therefore I will shake the heavens,
And the earth will move out of her place,
In the wrath of the Lord of Hosts,
And in the day of His fierce anger.”
Isaiah 13:11, 13