November 1, 2024 Bible Study — Do Not Be Frightened, Instead Watch and Pray

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Luke 21-22.

After Jesus told His disciples that the Temple would be completely torn down, they asked Him when that would happen and what would be the sign that it was about to take place.  First, He told them to be careful not to be deceived because many would come claiming to be Him, or proclaiming that the time was near.  They will use the wars and uprisings which will take place to give urgency to their preaching, but we should not be frightened.  Jesus told His disciples that they would be seized and persecuted before the end came, that everyone would hate them.  He told them that they would be betrayed by their parents, relatives, and friends.  Some of them would even be put to death.  In all of this, they would have the opportunity to testify to God’s greatness, and God would give them words to defend themselves that no one would be able to refute.  I am firmly convinced that while this prophecy pertained to the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple, parts of it also apply to us.  If we stand firm when we face similar persecution, we will win life.  Jesus says one more thing I want us to remember.  He tells His disciples, and us, not to let our hearts get weighed down with carousing and the anxieties of life.  Let us watch and pray so that we may stand before Christ when He returns.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.