IN THESE verses Jesus brings together the destruction of Jerusalem and His second coming as warnings to His people to be watchful and alert. To be ready to flee to the mountains when they see the destruction of Jerusalem coming and to always be ready for Jesus' return. We flee from temptation.
Nero gave an order to Vespasian, an imperial officer of Rome, to lay siege to Jerusalem. The city was destroyed in A. D. 70. God's people had utterly rejected the Christ and so lost the relationship to God. The city and the temple were destroyed and Jesus said: "Look, your house is left unto you desolate" (Matthew 23:38). Jesus spoke of this as a "time of punishment" (Luke 21).
When Jesus comes back there will be a time of punishment and time of rejoicing. Concerning this return Jesus said: "Keep watch. " "Be ready." We need to live every day with joyous anticipation
of His coming "for the day of our redemption draws near" (2 Corinthians 9:15).
This is made possible by the life, teaching, death on the cross, burial and resurrection of our Lord! "Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!"