Escape the Beginning
Luke 21: 34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.
35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.
36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
What we see from the context here in Luke 21 is that there is a day coming upon the entire earth which will be like a snare. A snare is set without any sign or indication of its presence; thus unawares as the text states. (Prv.1:17, 7:23, Ecc.7:12, Psa.142:3) This is the “hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” (Rev.3:10) The entire world will be overtaken by this sudden snare and sudden destruction, which is marked by the sudden appearing of the Son of Man and a conditional escaping all those things listed by those that are worthy to stand before him. (Mk.13:36-7) “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation... Behold, I come quickly”. (Rev.3:10-11)
The admonition to watch is to watch for Christ himself to appear. (Mt.24:42-3, 50, 25:13, Mk.13:33-7, Lk.12:37-48, 21:36, Phil.3:20, 1 Thes.5:6, Tit.2:13, 1 Pt.4:7, 2 Pt.3:12, 1 Jn.2:28, Rv.3:3, 16:15)
“That day” will include “all these things that shall come to pass”, which means the beginning of sorrows or the things that “must first come to pass”. (Lk.21:9, Mt.24:6-8, Mk.13:7-9) “That day” also includes the rest of “all these things” listed in the sermon. (Mt.24:33-4, Mk.13:30,32-3, Lk.21:36) And 2 Peter 3:7-14 reveals that this day of the Lord which will so come as a thief in the night will include not just the last week of Daniel’s prophecy (that day- Zech 12:3-4,8,9,11,13:1-2,14:3-4,8-9), but that day is as a thousand years including heaven and earth passing away a thousand years later. Likewise the resurrection of the just and the unjust are separated by 1000 years but are spoken of as occurring "in the last day". (Rev.20:4,5:11-12, Jn.6:39-40, 44, 54, 11:24, 12:48, 5:28-9) Paul shows according to the wisdom given unto him that the day of the Lord coming as a thief is without “the times and the seasons” even knowable, which is generally how thieves show up in the night; without signs or indications. (1 Thes.5:1-3) (See also notes on #1 here.)
When we compare Mark and Matthew’s accounts (Mk.13, Mt.24) about watching for the Son of Man, Jesus gave warning to watch for his sudden coming, and that he himself in the days of his flesh did not know when he would return. It could be as in any watch of the night, but that no man could know. (Mk.13:32-7) Matthew recalls that the sudden appearing will be like a thief, without any warnings or indications, as our afore mentioned snare. (Mt.24:42-51) “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.” “Watch ye therefore... Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.” He spake this to all. (Mk.13:37) Paul said that they would think they are in peace and safety before the sudden destruction comes. (1 Thes.5:1-3)
This time is contrasted in that the temptation of the ‘hearts being overcharged with the cares of this life’ (Lk.21:34), is different than the “hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth”. (Lk.21:26) These two contrasting types of temptations mark different times & seasons mentioned in the Olivet discourse. As Belshazzar before and after the handwriting on the wall. (Dan.5:1-6) Also represented in the parable of the sower:
“And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.” Mk.4:19
“Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.” Mt.13:21
The whole earth will be relatively characterized by the cares of this world as it was before the flood, “eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage” (Mt.24:37-9), “they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded”. (Lk. 17:26-30) Which would not be the conditions describing the end of the 70th week with tribulation and persecution. Those days are described here:
Dan.12:1 “...there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time:”
Matthew 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. v29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
Mark 13:19 For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be. v24 But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,
Luke 21:25-26 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
Acts 2:19-20 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come:
But Daniels 70th week and the restoration of the kingdom to Israel to finish their transgression was to begin without any knowable signs of the times of seasons. (Act.1:6-7) And it is at hand. (1 Pt.4:7, Rev.1:1,3,22:10) The signs of the times and seasons listed in the Olivet discourse will obviously follow a period before any discernible times or seasons. Therefore, it will come a thief in the night (a snare) exactly as Paul stated. (1 Thes.5:1-3) The time of Jacob’s trouble would begin suddenly after a period of relative normalcy. (Jer.30:6-9) If you can discern the face of the sky, then you can discern the signs of those times. (Mt.16:3)
Before the tribulation of those days, and the beginning of sorrows “there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” (2 Pt.3:1) “For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.” (1 Thes.5:3) This sudden destruction is as the flood of Noah or the fire and brimstone of Lot. (Lk.17:26-8, Matt. 24:37-38) There will be a sudden trigger of the beginning of sorrows which is a woman with travail having sorrow. (1 Thes.5:3, Jer.30:5-7, 13:21, Isa.13:8, Jn.16:21) Peace is suddenly taken from the earth (Rev.6:3-4) when the man of sin is revealed the son of perdition who by peace shall destroy many. (Rev.6:1-2, Dan.8:23-5) For that which witholdeth is taken out of the way.
Counter claims response
But what if someone posed an alternative interpretation of escaping as to bear up under or endure? (1 Cor.10:13) And further that to be found worthy is to be filled with the knowledge of God’s will as you endure the tribulation. (Col.1:9-10) So, they interpret Lk.21:36 as ‘Watch and pray for God’s will so you will walk worthy of the Lord and bear up under and endure all the tribulation and stand before Christ at his return to the earth.’
The first problem with that interpretation is that the promise is conditional and includes standing before the Son of man. When the Son of man returns to the earth there will be an unconditional standing before him of all nations. (Mt.25:31-2) But this is a conditional promise of watching for him to appear suddenly to stand before him and escape all the things listed.
Secondly it creates confusion as to the nature of escaping all these things. If you die in the beginning of sorrows, did you escape all? Or if you die towards the end of all these things, do you escape all? Or if you live through the entirety, did you escape all? You escape if you liveor you escape if you die. Holding this interpretation, you would have to say it means all the above.
Another problem is that if you think this passage teaches that if you are found worthy you will survive and endure to the end of the tribulation, then this makes those who die as faithful martyrs unworthy of this promise. (Rev.2:10, 6:9-11, 7:9-17, 12:11, 13:7, 14:12-13) Some say escape means flee as in verse 21. But that would mean escaping one of the things that come to pass to people in Jerusalem, where the text says all these things that come to pass, to all that dwell upon the whole earth. (Zeph.2:3, Rev.3:10) Now immediately it will be insisted that escaping can mean enduring unto death. I have not found escaping used in terms of dying in scripture but rather living on through various troubling situations and snares. But it will be contended, that some overcame the beast unto death and thus escape means overcome (Rev.12:11- Although here they overcome by the blood and their word). And although I didn’t locate overcome and escape together on any lists of synonyms maybe you could make an overlap on the weaker side of the two meanings if you stretch it. Perhaps you could even apply an example from Dan.3:17 “God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not...”. Could this be what Jesus meant? ‘If you are found worthy you will escape from the fiery trials and from the beast, but if not... we’ll love not our lives unto the death and thus escape.’ Escape would mean whatever happens to those worthy. Or perhaps this tautology, if you are found worthy you will either live or die worthily. That seems to stretch it past what is stated. We won't know if found worthy you will endure (escape) to the end of your faith (die) or the end of the world (context).
Well, to arrive at that conclusion you would need to disconnect Jesus’ sudden appearing from the escaping of all those things. His appearance wouldn’t be sudden if you knew there were all those things yet to occur for you to endure. And Jesus wants his people to know that he is coming without signs (1 Thes.5:1-3) quickly, (Mk.13:36, Rev.1:1,3,2:5,16,3:3,11,16:15,22:6,7,10,12,20) so that we watch for him. (Mt.24:42-3, 50, 25:13, Mk.13:33-7, Lk.12:37-48, 21:36, Phil.3:20, 1 Thes.5:6, Tit.2:13, 1 Pt.4:7, 2 Pt.3:12, 1 Jn.2:28, Rv.3:3, 16:15) And he will take up to the Father’s house in heaven. (Jn.14:1-3, 1 Thes.4:16-7)
If they say it means those who are found worthy to endure to the end, do endure to the end, we note that there will be those who are not worthy and also endure to the end and stand before the Son of man when he gathers the sheep and the goats and removes the rebels which have not on a wedding garment and no oil in their lamps. (Ezek.20:34-8, Mt.22:11-13, 25:10-12,19,26,30,32,41, Lk.19:27)
Taking the accounts of the Olivet discourse found in the synoptic gospels together, we have to conclude Jesus will have an appearing that is like a thief and without indication. Since the revelation of the church was not fully unveiled yet until the apostle to the Gentiles is raised up we do not see the explicit expounding of the rapture of the church here. Rather we see what Jesus taught here can only be properly understood with the fuller revelation of this mystery later given by his Spirit.
Rev.22:20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
