Giving Up All. Luke 21:1-24

Notes

1. Instead of "abundance," in verse 4, the Revised Version has "superfluity." The same thought is expressed, but in a more striking manner. The rich gave what they could spare without inconvenience; the poor widow gave all she had. She, therefore, gave more than all of the rich men; for God does not measure gifts as men do. Men estimate the gifts to the treasury by the number of figures it takes to express them; God estimates them by the love which prompts them.

2. "Take heed that ye be not deceived." Christ does not rebuke His people for wanting to know all that is possible in regard to His coming; but He cautions them against being deceived. Many will come in His name, professing to be Christ. How shall we be able to detect the false prophets?—Not by written credentials that they may hold, nor by indorsements from other people, but by their words and works. Of the Good Shepherd it is said: "The sheep hear His voice; and He calleth His own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. . . . And the sheep follow Him; for they know His voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him; for they know not the voice of strangers." John 10:3-5. They who know the voice of the Lord cannot be deceived by a voice that is not His. See also Matt. 7:15-23.

3. There have always been earthquakes and famines and wars and pestilences. Therefore those of which the Lord speaks in verses 10-12, before which His people are to be delivered up and persecuted, must be the great ones immediately connected with His coming.

4. When the people of God are brought before rulers for Christ's sake, there is to be no argument in self-defense, but Christ is to be presented to the people. When, under such circumstances, men seek to defend themselves, they thereby deny Christ. Stephen and the apostles are examples. They preached Christ, and did not ask favors for themselves. The people of God are brought into such places in order that the rulers may hear the truth. Instead of settling in their hearts what they shall say, they are to settle it not to meditate any answer. Christ will give them utterance, and the Spirit will speak through them. But men must have learned to trust the Lord before that time, or they will not trust Him then. They must have become acquainted with the voice of the Lord by faithfully studying His word.

5. "Some of you they shall cause to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for My name's sake. But there shall not an hair of your head perish." What a striking combination this is! They who die for the name of Christ do not perish. "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever will lose his life for My sake, the same shall save it." Luke 9:24.

6. Just as in ancient times the people of God were to flee when Jerusalem was surrounded with armies, so in the very last days, when the decree goes forth that whosoever will not worship the beast or his image shall be slain, they are to flee. They are not to stay for anything. He that is in the field is not to return to his house to get anything out, and he that is on the housetop is not to come down. This means that they will previously have given up everything. He whose heart is then still set on any earthly possession, will hesitate to leave it, and will thus be destroyed. It is not by accident that this account of the time of the end immediately follows the example of the poor widow.