Sunday, April 21, 2013

Where will God's kingdom come?



Luke 17:26  And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
Luke 17:27  They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
Luke 17:28  Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
Luke 17:29  But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
Luke 17:30  Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.
Luke 17:31  In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back.
Luke 17:32  Remember Lot's wife.
Luke 17:33  Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.
Luke 17:34  I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.
Luke 17:35  Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
Luke 17:36  Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
Luke 17:37  And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.


The time of Jesus coming again may refer to the rapture of the church and also his coming to earth to establish his kingdom. It is a time of separation, those in Christ will be gathered together and his enemies will be killed. Now is the time of grace, a time for all to accept the Lord Jesus Christ who shed his blood on the cross and is risen to eternal life, the first fruit, the firstborn of a new people of God. 

Luke 17:37 asks a question? Where Lord, where what? Where will the kingdom be revealed (vs. 30) Let's look at verse 37 in other translations. The first translation is the KJV.

Luke 17:37  And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.

The word for eagles also refers to vultures, birds that feast on dead flesh. There will be tribulation from the antichrist and tribulation from God on the unsaved. The antichrist will kill many of God's people and the angels will kill the ungodly at the return of Jesus to Israel. The place appears to be Israel.

Now the New Living Bible

37 "Lord, where will this happen?" the disciples asked. Jesus replied, "Just as the gathering of vultures shows there is a carcass nearby, so these signs indicate that the end is near."


The New Living Translation assumes that the gathering of vultures is only a sign, not a particular sign of the end times, but just that we recognize death is near when we see vultures circling. Others signs were given; as in the days of Noah and Lot. Evil people and evil ways, a people ripe for God's judgement. That time is now so his coming could be near.

Another translation that is interesting but not as reliable is the Message Bible. It tries to explain things in an easily understood way, but still to explain something you must assume that you are telling the true meaning. Their assumption is different than the other translations.

37 Trying to take all this in, the disciples said, "Master, where?" He told them, "Watch for the circling of the vultures. They'll spot the corpse first. The action will begin around my dead body."

His dead body and resurrection was still future, but the coming of his visible kingdom to earth refers to his second coming. Perilous times are coming. The focus is on Jerusalem. There will be a one world government, the mark of the beast, the man of peace making peace in Jerusalem and then making himself as the Christ in the temple, the antichrist. There will be much evil, the destruction of those who love God and a final tribulation from God before Jesus returns and the angels will destroy the enemy and gather the saints. This will be when Jesus returns, many dead but a new start for those still on earth. The devil will be bound for a thousand years and Jesus shall bring his  kingdom to a restored earth. The saints will return with Jesus to be kings and priests. Jesus is the King of Kings. Look up, the rapture of the church is near. Hopefully we will not have to go through the very end times. Whichever, Jesus is coming to establish His kingdom in Jerusalem and all the nations will come to him.


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