Luke 17:25-30 25But first it is necessary for him to suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. 26And just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it also be in the days of the Son of Man. 27They were eating, drinking, and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. 28Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot; they were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, building; 29but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all. 30In the same way  it will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed.

Another key indicator that must happen before Jesus comes again that he must first suffer and be rejected. This suffering would soon take place as Jesus entered Jerusalem and faced the religious and political authorities. Jesus already predicted his suffering in 9:22. His suffering was part of God’s eternal plans indicated by the Greek dei showing that this must take place. Jesus’ suffering would be experienced in part by how his own people would reject him as the Messiah. Suffering would come before glorification. The time frame for the events at this point will be this generation.

Jesus then gives two illustrations from the Old Testament of how people will be oblivious to the deeper significance of what was happening. The two illustrations have similar grammar and structure. During both Noah’s day and Lot’s time, people were carrying on with their lives without care or connection to God and his righteous will for them. They were unprepared for God’s judgment. In the case of Noah, judgment came in the form of a flood; for Lot, judgment was the destruction by fire and sulfur. God’s judgment will come with decisive destruction for those who do not accept Jesus. In the first century, this destruction came in AD70 when the Romans destroyed the temple and Jerusalem.

Some of what Jesus mentions in these verses could fit the first century but not exactly, which leaves us wondering about the exact application. The Jewish people did not suffer destruction when Jesus suffered and died on the cross. Actually, things were going fairly well with a thriving religious industry focused around the temple. But destruction did come to those who were alive in AD 30-33. When was the Son revealed? There are multiple answers to this question. Jesus was revealed as he came into Jerusalem and preached in the temple precincts. He was revealed through the testimony of his followers for the next 30-40 years until destruction came. But Jesus will also be revealed at the end of this age when he comes again. People will be busy living their lives and not consider the truth claims about Jesus. They will be like the generations of Noah and Lot. Trying to determine a specific application is not necessary to understand the intended message. The key point is that disciples must be ready whenever Jesus is revealed. Many people will not be ready but caught up in their daily activities, living in rebellion against God. But like previous generations, they will face God’s judgment for their wickedness and sin.

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