“so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed.” Luke 17:30 ESV
Reflection: how do you envision the return of Jesus to be?
Interestingly, Luke split Jesus talking about future events, particularly what we might consider “end times”, into two sections found in Luke chapter 17:20-37, and then in chapter 21:5-38. And if you read these two sections of scripture, it is hard to apply our linear, chronological time-line. And then if you try to apply prophesies such as the books of Daniel and Revelation on top of that, it is very difficult to make sense of it. But we must remember that God exists outside of our linear time-line. And what is described here in Chapter 17, and in 24, are a set of events that will happen based on fulfillment of certain conditions. I do not think it is meant to be read as a timeline, as some try to do. Jesus addressed the timing and said specifically ““But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.” Matthew 24:36 ESV. However, he told us recognize the “season” we are in, “Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”” Luke 21:28 ESV
So let’s try to understand some of the key messages Jesus was sharing in chapter 17:20-37.
The first event we already looked at, the coming of the kingdom of God. We saw that the kingdom of God is already here, in and among the believers. That work of building and preparing the kingdom for the King is ongoing now, in the heart of every believer whom the Spirit of God dwells within, and in “the church” as a whole, being built stone upon stone of all believers as a building for God, with Christ as the cornerstone. This building phase will go on until one day, referred to as
“The day of the Son of Man”
happens. In our focus verse, Jesus talks about this event, this day when He, the Son of Man, will be revealed. Interesting word choice, right? This word “revealed”, in the original Greek is “apokalyptō”, which also means “to uncover, lay open what has been veiled or covered up” in biblical context. That seems to make Him closer to us in a way, just veiled for the time being. Notice that Jesus gives a clear warning of imposters that will come, “And they will say to you, ‘Look, there!’ or ‘Look, here!’ Do not go out or follow them.” Luke 17:23 ESV. But, that his coming will be absolutely clear, unmistakable, sudden and unexpected “For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day.” Luke 17:24 ESV. Jesus gives more detail about this day in Luke 21:25-27 if you want to read ahead.
To explain the season, what it will be leading up to this event, Jesus gives the disciples a couple of examples that were very familiar to them, about Noah and Lot. “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man. They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot—they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all—” Luke 17:26-29 ESV.
A common theme between the two examples is that most people were completely unaware of how far society had been perverted and degraded. People just lived their lives; eating, drinking, marrying, buying and selling, etc, living completely apart from God. They did not understand the severity of the season they were in, and they were all destroyed. Not so for Noah and Lot. Noah had been preparing, building the ark according to God’s will, which might be a parallel with how we are preparing for the King, building the kingdom of God. And we remember how Lot was tormented over the evil in Sodom; we are tormented over the evil taking place all around us. God spared Noah and Lot, and Jesus used these specific stories to explain what will unfold “on the day when the Son of Man is revealed”.
As His followers, we are longing for this day, for His apokalyptō, the revealing of our King. Think about how the disciples were in hiding out of fear after His crucifixion. Suddenly and unexpectedly they experienced the risen Christ, “On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”” John 20:19 ESV. His message to His disciples was “Shalom”. Peace. They had nothing to fear, as sin and death had been conquered by Jesus.
For each of us today, the fact that the revealing of the King will happen in an instance, unexpectedly, makes it clear that the time to prepare His temple, His dwelling place, is now; not after He has been revealed. Can you imagine if Noah waited for the rain, before he started building the ark? When the rain came, it was too late. Similarly, we must be diligent in building each day like Noah. And we must weep over evil and sin like Lot. And be ready for His apokalyptō.
So what will be our response when the King of kings is revealed? He gives a very important message to us about that next.