Luke 21:11 - Printer Friendly

ESV: There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven.

NIV: There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.

NASB: and there will be massive earthquakes, and in various places plagues and famines; and there will be terrible sights and great signs from heaven.

CSB: There will be violent earthquakes, and famines and plagues in various places, and there will be terrifying sights and great signs from heaven.

NLT: There will be great earthquakes, and there will be famines and plagues in many lands, and there will be terrifying things and great miraculous signs from heaven.

KJV: And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.

NKJV: And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.

This continues Jesus' general overview of hardships the world should expect before His second coming. First is false messiahs, claiming to be Him. Next is rumors of war and insurrection. Then, war: "nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom" (Luke 21:8–10). Now He prophesies natural and supernatural disasters.

It's crucial to note that Jesus is indicating that such things are not automatic markers of the end of days: "Do not be terrified, for these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once" (Luke 21:9). Just as wars currently going on are not sure signs that the end times have begun, neither are earthquakes, famines, or even God's direct judgment on the earth.

False teachers have made millions of dollars by scaring people into believing otherwise. They claim that hurricanes are God's judgment, that pandemics are orchestrated by the Antichrist, that earthquakes are proof the end is near. They lie to their listeners, ignoring the fact that these things have always happened. Wealthy and stable nations are largely protected from the horrible repercussions of these events. Comfortable people tend to overreact when suddenly inconvenienced. But people suffer every day; it's important not to assume that the serenity of one culture is shared everywhere.

Jesus is replying to the disciples' question about when the temple will be destroyed (Luke 21:7), first giving a general overview of world events during the church age. Then Jesus lays out three prophecies that largely refer to Jews. The first is that His followers will be persecuted (Luke 21:12–19). Only after persecution is established will Jerusalem and the temple be destroyed (Luke 21:20–24). From that point, the "times of the Gentiles" begin (Luke 21:24). When that time is finished and the Jews are reconciled to God, Jesus will return, judge the world, and establish His kingdom (Luke 21:25–28).

Instead of "various," the King James Version uses "divers," an old spelling of "diverse."

Luke 21:7–11 continues Jesus' prophecies. First, He gives an overall snapshot about hardships the world will face during the church age. Second, He warns about the persecutions the disciples will face at the beginning of the church age (Luke 21:12–19). Third, Jesus predicts the destruction of Jerusalem which would occur in AD 70 (Luke 21:20–24). Finally, He talks about His second coming (Luke 21:25–28). As is the custom in the Bible, prophecies about the church age—in between the fall of Jerusalem and the rapture—are vague. Matthew 24:3–8 and Mark 13:3–8 have much of the same information.

Luke 21 records the last of Jesus' teachings before the Last Supper, His arrest, and His crucifixion. Luke 21:1–4 fits well with the themes of Luke 19:28—20:47. Luke 21:5–11 describes how false messiahs, war, and natural disasters will become normal. Luke 21:12–24 prophesies challenges prior to the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. Luke 21:25–28 moves to the tribulation. Luke 21:29–36 is Jesus' instructions about the disciples' lives and ministries with respect to the delayed kingdom. Luke 21:37–38 is a note about Jesus' schedule in the days between the triumphal entry and His arrest.

Luke 21 finishes the presentation of Jesus in Jerusalem as the Messiah of the Jews. This lays a foundation for the Passion Narrative: the final days before Jesus is crucified. Luke 19:28—20:47 covered most of the discussions about His authority which are completed with His words about the widow's sacrificial offering (Luke 21:1–4). The rest of the chapter records His warnings to the disciples about the violence they, the temple, Jerusalem, and the world will face between His ascension and His return. Matthew 24 and Mark 12:41—13:37 cover the same material.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.