“A person who is on guard against deception will not be deceived, and a person who is not afraid will not be shaken.”

“A person who is on guard against deception will not be deceived, and a person who is not afraid will not be shaken.”

 

 

 

 

“They asked Him, saying, ‘Teacher, when, then, will these things happen?  And what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?’  And He said, ‘See to it that you are not deceived.  For many will come in My name, saying, “I am he,” and, “The time is near.”  Do not follow them.  And when you hear of wars and disturbances, do not be afraid, for these things must happen first, but the end will not come immediately’” (Luke 21:7–9).

 

 

(1)    The Korean Revised New Korean Standard Version Bible gives Luke 21:5–9 the heading: “Jesus Foretells the Destruction of the Temple” (cf. Mt. 24:1–2; Mk. 13:1–2).  However, the New Korean Standard Version divides the section differently. It gives only Luke 21:5–6 the heading: “Jesus Predicts the Destruction of the Temple” (cf. Mt. 24:1–2; Mk. 13:1–2), and gives verses 7–19 the separate heading: “Signs of Disasters” (cf. Mt. 24:3–14; Mk. 13:3–13) [The Revised New Korean Standard Version instead gives verses 10–19 the heading “Signs of Tribulation” (cf. Mt. 24:3–14; Mk. 13:3–13)].d

 

(a)    Rather than following the Revised New Korean Standard Version, I followed the New Korean Standard Version by meditating only on Luke 21:5–6 last week.  Today, I would like to meditate only on verses 7–9 (Tomorrow, I plan to meditate on verses 10–19).

 

(i)        In other words, following the New Korean Standard Version, I want to divide Luke 21:7–19—the passage on the “signs of tribulation (or disasters)”—into two parts. Today I will meditate on verses 7–9, and tomorrow on verses 10–19, seeking the grace and instruction God gives through them.

(2)    As I read and reread today's passage, Luke 21:7–9, in the Korean Bible (both the Revised New Korean Standard Version and the New Korean Standard Version), I found myself wanting to focus my meditation on “these things” (tauta, ταῦτα; v. 9, New Korean Standard Version), which “must first take place” (genesthai prōton, γενέσθαι πρῶτον) before “the end” (to telos, τὸ τέλος), as Jesus said.  I would like to reflect on four points.

 

(a)    First, what is “the end” (to telos, τὸ τέλος) that Jesus spoke of?

 

1.       The original meaning of the Greek word telos (τέλος)

 

The Greek word telos (τέλος) does not simply mean destruction or the cessation of time—an “end.”  It also carries the ideas of “the fulfillment of a purpose,” “completion,” and “the final goal to be reached.”  In other words, it refers to the moment when God's work of salvation, planned from the beginning of creation, reaches its completion.

 

2.       The dual meaning within the context of Luke 21

 

Jesus' Olivet Discourse (His eschatological teaching on the Mount of Olives) consistently displays a kind of prophetic perspective in which historical events of His own time and the ultimate end of the world are seen together.

 

The near historical end (A.D. 70—the destruction of Jerusalem): As the disciples admired the temple built of magnificent stones, Jesus foretold its destruction (v. 6).  His answer to their question in verse 7, “When will these things happen?” has, first of all, this historical event in view.  For the Jewish people, the destruction of the Jerusalem temple marked the end of an era.

 

The ultimate cosmic end (the Second Coming of the Son of Man and the consummation of God's kingdom):  Yet in verse 9 Jesus says that although there will be wars and reports of upheavals, “the end (to telos) will not come immediately.”  This makes it clear that history will continue even after the destruction of the temple.  The true and final end is the day when the Son of Man comes in a cloud with power and great glory (v. 27)—His Second Coming—when the forces of evil are judged and the new heaven and new earth are inaugurated.

3.       A spiritual message for meditation

 

Therefore, in this passage, the “end” Jesus speaks of is not a day of destruction to be feared.  Rather, as He says in verse 28, “Lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”  For believers, it signifies the final completion of salvation and the full arrival of God's kingdom.  Even amid the confusion of the “things that must first take place” (tauta), we are encouraged to trust that God, the sovereign Lord of history, is moving all things toward the final goal (telos) that He has ordained (Internet).

 

(i)         At this point, I found myself wanting to think a little more specifically and briefly about Reformed eschatology, especially the Reformed understanding of the consummation.

 

·         Reformed Eschatology

 

Reformed eschatology is a theological understanding of the last things that centers on God's sovereign rule and the fulfillment of His covenant.  It can be summarized in three key characteristics (Internet).

 

a.       Already, but Not Yet

 

The kingdom of God was already inaugurated through the first coming of Jesus Christ.  However, its final and complete fulfillment has not yet taken place; it awaits Christ's Second Coming.  Believers therefore live in the tension between these two realities.

 

b.       Historical and Cosmic Restoration

 

The end is not merely an individual event in which souls go to heaven.  Rather, through Christ's return, the resurrection of the dead, and the final judgment, the entire creation will be completely restored from sin and the curse and renewed into a new heaven and a new earth.

 

c.       The Final Fulfillment (Consummation) of the Covenant

 

This is the time when God's covenant promise—“I will be your God, and you shall be My people”—is fully realized.  Satan and the power of death will be destroyed forever, and the church, as the bride of Christ, will enjoy eternal and perfect union with her Lord.

 

·               Reformed Consummation

 

In Reformed theology, the consummation refers to the cosmic event in which God's work of redemption, His redemptive history, and His kingdom reach their final fulfillment through the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

 

a.       The Completion of the “Already but Not Yet”

 

The heart of Reformed eschatology is that the kingdom of God already began with Christ's first coming but will reach its not yet final state at His Second Coming.  The consummation is the moment when the “not yet” comes to an end and God's kingdom becomes visibly and universally complete.

 

b.       The Final Climax of Redemptive History

 

The destruction of Satan and sin: Through Christ's return and the final judgment, all evil, sin, and the power of death will be completely overthrown.

 

The new heaven and the new earth: The created order, which has groaned under the effects of the Fall, will be fully restored, and God's perfect reign will be established.

 

The fulfillment of the covenant: God will dwell forever with His people, and believers, in their resurrected bodies, will enjoy perfect union with the Lord—the complete fulfillment of the marriage between Christ and His bride (Internet).

 

(b)    Second, what are “these things” (tauta, ταῦτα; Lk. 21:9, New Korean Standard Version) that “must first take place” (genesthai prōton, γενέσθαι πρῶτον) before “the end”, as Jesus said?

 

(i)       In the context of Luke 21:7–9, the “these things” (tauta, ταῦτα) that Jesus said “must first take place” before the consummation of the end refer to the precursor events that will inevitably occur in the course of world history before the final end comes.  Examining both the immediate passage and the surrounding verses, these events can be broadly classified into three categories (Internet):

 

1.       The specific content of “these things” (tauta)

 

Jesus explicitly told His disciples about the signs that would occur in history before the end comes.

 

Spiritual deception and the appearance of false Christs (v. 8): Religious confusion will arise as many come in Jesus' name, saying, “I am he,” deceiving and leading people astray.

 

Political upheaval and military disasters (vv. 9–10): There will be wars and reports of unrest—that is, “wars” (polemous, πολέμους) and “tumults” or “disturbances” (akatastasias, ἀκαταστασίας).  Nations will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and international conflicts and warfare will intensify.

 

Natural disasters and social crises (v. 11): There will be great earthquakes, famines, and pestilences in various places, along with terrifying events and great signs from heaven.

 

2.       The biblical meaning of “must first take place” (genesthai prōton)

 

Divine necessity (dei, δεῖ): The Greek verb translated “must” in verse 9 (dei, δεῖ) is theologically very significant.  It indicates not random calamities but a divine necessity—events permitted within God's sovereign plan of redemptive history.

 

Necessity as a process: Before history reaches its final destination (telos), the fallen, sinful world must first (prōton) undergo the birth pains that precede the consummation.

 

3.       A spiritual message for meditation

The reason Jesus warned beforehand that these things “must first take place” was not to fill His disciples with fear.  Rather, it was so that they would “be careful not to be deceived” (v. 8) and “do not be afraid” (mē ptoēthēte, μὴ πτοηθῆτε) (v. 9).

 

When the world is shaken by wars, unrest, and disasters, this is not evidence that history has spun out of control. Instead, it is evidence that history is unfolding according to God's Word.  Therefore, believers should not despair when they see “these things.”  Rather, they should trust even more deeply in God, the sovereign Lord of history, and remain watchful in prayer. This is the central lesson of this meditation (Internet).

 

·         At this point, as I reflected on the three signs Jesus gave His disciples that would occur in history before the end—(1) spiritual deception and the appearance of false Christs (v. 8), (2) political upheaval and military disasters (vv. 9–10), and (3) natural disasters and social crises (v. 11)—a particular Scripture passage and several questions came to mind.

 

-         First, while meditating on “spiritual deception and the appearance of false Christs” (v. 8), the verse that came to mind was 1 John 4:1: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”  Perhaps the reason this verse came to mind is that, when I previously meditated through the entire book of 1 John, I had already reflected on spiritual deception and false Christs.  I wanted to understand more systematically the connection between “spiritual deception and the appearance of false Christs” (v. 8) and the message of 1 John.

 

n   Luke 21:8's eschatological warning and 1 John 4:1's command to exercise spiritual discernment are powerfully and systematically connected in that the appearance of false forces is an inevitable sign of the last days. If Luke presents a prophetic prediction of the phenomenon of deception that will characterize the end times, then 1 John provides doctrinal and practical guidelines for discernment for believers living in that age. The relationship between these two passages can be organized around three central themes (Internet):

1.       The agreement in eschatological timing: “The last hour has already begun.”

 

Luke 21:8: Jesus warned that in the future false christs would arise, deceiving people by saying, “The time is near.”

 

Connection with 1 John: The Apostle John declares that this prophecy had already begun to be fulfilled in his own day.  In 1 John 2:18 he writes: “Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared.  From this we know that it is the last hour.”

 

Meditation point: The spiritual deceptions Jesus foretold are not merely events of the distant future.  They characterize the entire history of the church between Christ's first and second comings, especially the present age in which I now live.

 

2.       The essence and identity of the deception: “Denying Jesus Christ.”

 

Luke 21:8: The defining characteristic of the false christs is that they claim, “I am he,” usurping Jesus' place and blaspheming His divine identity.

 

Connection with 1 John: 1 John identifies the true nature of this spiritual deception with doctrinal precision.  In 1 John 4:2–3, John gives the test for distinguishing the Spirit of God from the spirit of the antichrist: whether a person confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh.  At that time, the Gnostics denied Christ's true humanity, and John identified this as the essence of “the spirit of the antichrist” and of false prophets.

 

Meditation point: Spiritual deception always comes in subtle ways, distorting the full deity and humanity of Jesus Christ and His redemptive work.  Therefore, John's command in 1 John 4:1 to “test the spirits to see whether they are from God” means that we must examine whether their teaching is grounded in a biblical Christology—that is, whether it is centered on Jesus Christ as revealed in Scripture.

 

3.       The believer's response to deception: “Do not be deceived” vs. “Test the spirits.”

 

Jesus warned His followers concerning the spiritual confusion of the last days, saying, “Be careful not to be deceived.”  The Apostle John then provides the practical application of that warning: Do not believe every spirit indiscriminately, but test whether they are from God according to the truth of God's Word.  In other words, believers are not merely to defend themselves passively against deception.  Rather, they are to exercise active spiritual discernment by evaluating every teaching according to the standard of the gospel.

 

When these two passages are considered together, they lead to a powerful conclusion: the spiritual confusion of the last days cannot be overcome by our emotions or by spiritual experiences, but only through discernment that abides in the truth of Jesus Christ (Internet).

 

n    In 1 John, the Apostle John presents three clear tests for discerning the authenticity of the false prophets and the "spirit of the antichrist" that were disturbing the Christian community (Internet):

 

1.       Doctrinal Test: Confession concerning Jesus Christ

 

The most fundamental criterion is whether a person rightly believes and proclaims who Jesus Christ is.  At that time, the Gnostics denied Christ's humanity, arguing that a holy God could not take on corrupt and evil matter (the human body).

 

Key point of discernment: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus came to earth as 100% God and at the same time 100% man belongs to God.

 

Key passage: "Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist" (1 Jn. 4:2–3).

 

2.       Moral Test: Practicing Righteousness and Keeping God's Commandments

 

Those who speak only of salvation and knowledge while bearing no fruit in their lives belong to falsehood. Since God is light, anyone who claims to have fellowship with Him while continuing to walk in darkness (sin) is a liar.

 

Key point of discernment: God's children do not treat sin lightly.  They demonstrate that they belong to Him by keeping His commandments and bearing the fruit of righteous living.

 

Key passage: "By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness, nor the one who does not love his brother, is not of God." (1 Jn. 3:10)

 

3.       Relational Test: Practicing Love for the Brothers and Sisters

 

If someone professes to love God while hating or neglecting the visible members of the Christian community, the spirit dwelling in that person is not from God.

 

Key point of discernment: The spirit of the antichrist promotes division and selfishness, whereas the Spirit of God leads believers to imitate the love of the cross through practical sacrifice and love within the community.

 

Key passage: "If anyone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen" (1 Jn. 4:20) (Internet).

 

-    In addition, regarding the section on "political upheaval and military disasters" (vv. 9–10), I wanted to understand more specifically what the word "disturbances" (akatastasias, ἀκαταστασίας) means.  Likewise, concerning "natural disasters and social crises" (v. 11), I wanted to know what is meant by "terrifying events and great signs from heaven."

 

1.       Political Upheaval: The Specific Meaning of "Disturbances" (akatastasias, ἀκαταστασία)

 

The Greek word akatastasia (ἀκαταστασία) is composed of the negative prefix a- and the root katastasis, meaning "stability" or "order."  Thus, it refers not merely to noise or confusion, but to complete social and political disorder—anarchy in which the established order has collapsed.

 

Biblical context: It includes not only formal wars between nations (polemous, πολέμους), but also civil wars, riots, revolutions, coups, and civil unrest occurring within a society.

 

Meditation point: Even if law and order collapse and political chaos beyond human control unfolds, Jesus encourages believers not to lose heart in fear, because these are "things that must first take place" (v. 9) as part of the process leading to the end.

 

2.       Natural Disasters and Social Crises: The Meaning of "Terrifying Events and Great Signs from Heaven"

 

In the context of Jewish apocalyptic literature and the New Testament, this expression refers to supernatural warnings on a cosmic scale (Cosmic Signs).

 

Specific phenomena: The sun and moon losing their light, stars falling, heavenly bodies being shaken (Lk. 21:25–26), as well as comets, meteor showers, and extreme climatic disturbances—awesome natural phenomena completely beyond human control.

 

Historical fulfillment: According to the first-century Jewish historian Josephus, shortly before the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple in A.D. 70, people reportedly saw a sword-shaped star (a comet) in the sky and strange phenomena resembling armies and chariots moving through the clouds above the temple, causing widespread fear.

 

Meditation point: The appearance not only of disasters on earth (earthquakes, famines, epidemics) but also of signs in the heavens serves as a powerful spiritual warning that the history of this world is not eternal and that the judgment and intervention of God, the Creator of the entire universe, are drawing near. (Internet)

 

(c)    Third, what is the meaning of Jesus' commands to His disciples in preparation for these "things" that "must first take place" before "the end"?  What is the meaning of His words, "See to it that you are not deceived" (Blepete mē planēthēte, Βλέπετε μὴ πλανηθῆτε) (Lk. 21:8), and "When you hear of wars and disturbances, do not be frightened" (Hotan de akousēte polemous kai akatastasias, mē ptoēthēte, ὅταν δὲ ἀκούσητε πολέμους καὶ ἀκαταστασίας, μὴ πτοηθῆτε) (v. 9; NRSV: "When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified")?

 

(i)       These two commands that Jesus gave before the great tribulation are powerful instructions for establishing an inner spiritual line of defense that believers must maintain amid the turmoil of the last days. The lexical meaning of each command and the attitude believers should adopt are as follows (Internet):

 

1.       "See to it that you are not deceived" (v. 8) — Discernment that Keeps the Mind Awake

 

Meaning in the original language: The verb "see to it" (blepete, βλέπετε) means to keep one's eyes wide open and remain continually alert and watchful.  "To be deceived" (planēthēte, πλανηθῆτε) means to wander off the path or depart from the proper course.

 

Meaning of Jesus' words: As the end draws nearer, spiritual deception that distorts the truth and obscures the essence of the Christian faith will become increasingly sophisticated.  Jesus warned more about losing one's spiritual identity than about changing external circumstances.  Believers must not be swept away by emotions or popular sentiment but, as reflected earlier in 1 John, must remain firmly grounded in God's Word and keep their eyes wide open with spiritual discernment.

 

2.       "Do not be afraid / Do not be terrified" (v. 9) — Faith that Guards the Heart

 

Meaning in the original language: The verb "to be afraid" (ptoēthēte, πτοηθῆτε) describes the inward collapse that occurs when sudden terror or disaster causes a person to panic.

 

Meaning of Jesus' words: When people hear of wars (political upheaval) and disturbances (social lawlessness), they naturally feel threatened and become fearful.  Jesus commands that no matter how much the world is shaken, believers must not allow their inner lives to be dominated by fear.  Such fearlessness does not come because the world is safe, but because believers trust that even these upheavals remain under God's sovereign plan (dei—"they must take place").

 

3.       An Integrated Meditation on the Two Commands

Jesus desired that His followers live in the last days with both a cool head (spiritual discernment) and a courageous heart (inner peace).  A person who guards against deception will not be deceived, and a person who does not fear will not be shaken.  Even in the face of overwhelming crises, believers trust that God is the sovereign Lord of history.  Therefore, they neither flee in panic nor cling to false saviors, but quietly and faithfully remain at the place of ministry and mission that the Lord has entrusted to them. (Internet)

 

·         At this point, I completely agree with the statement: "A person who is on guard against deception will not be deceived, and a person who is not afraid will not be shaken."  To avoid being deceived and to remain unshaken, we must place our complete trust in God, the sovereign Lord of history.  When we do so, we will be able to stand firmly and faithfully at the place of ministry that the Lord has entrusted to each one of us.

 

"Ultimately, the root of discernment that prevents deception and the courage that remains unshaken is complete trust in God, who governs history.  No matter how chaotic and disorderly our circumstances may appear, when we confess that every situation is under God's sovereign hand and plan (dei), our hearts are filled with a peace that the world cannot give.  Only those who possess that peace can avoid being swept away by the turbulence of the world and quietly yet steadfastly remain faithful at the 'place of mission' God has given them today.

 

We are reminded once again that the greatest way for believers to live in light of the end times is not to make grand predictions about the future, but to trust the Lord of history and faithfully carry out the ordinary responsibilities and calling He has entrusted to us today" (Internet).

 

(d)    Fourth and last, why did Jesus tell His disciples about these "things" that "must first take place" before "the end" (Luke 21:9, New Korean Standard Version)?  The reason is that His disciples had asked Him: "Teacher, when, then, will these things happen? And what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?" (Didaskale, pote oun tauta estai, kai ti to sēmeion hotan mellē tauta ginesthai? Διδάσκαλε, πότε οὖν ταῦτα ἔσται, καὶ τί τὸ σημεῖον ὅταν μέλλῃ ταῦτα γίνεσθαι;) (Luke 21:7, New Korean Standard Version)  What was the meaning and intention behind the disciples' question?

(i)     The disciples' question was far more than mere curiosity. It reflected the historical background and religious longings of first-century Judaism. The significance and intention behind their questions—"When?" (pote, ποτέ) and "What sign?" (ti to sēmeion, τί τὸ σημεῖον)—can be understood in three major ways (Internet):

 

1.       Shock and Fear over the Prophecy of the Temple's Destruction

 

Background: The disciples had been admiring the magnificent stones of the Jerusalem Temple (v. 5).  Then Jesus made the astonishing declaration: "Not one stone will be left upon another." (v. 6)

 

Intention: For the Jews, the Temple was the dwelling place of God's presence and the center of the world. Its destruction meant the end of their world.  Therefore, overwhelmed by anxiety and fear over such a catastrophic historical event, they wanted to know when it would occur and what signs would precede it so that they could prepare themselves or avoid it.

 

2.       Impatience for Political and Military Deliverance (the Kingdom of God)

 

Background: At that time the disciples expected that when Jesus entered Jerusalem He would immediately overthrow Roman oppression and establish the visible, glorious Messianic kingdom (Lk. 19:11).

 

Intention: They mistakenly assumed that once the Temple was destroyed, the new political golden age they longed for—the Messianic age—would immediately begin.  By asking "when these things are about to take place," they revealed their eagerness to know the timetable for the dramatic reversal in which they expected to play a central role.

 

3.       Spiritual Ignorance and the Limitations of a Date-Oriented Faith

 

Intention: The disciples were focused on external matters—the timing and the signs.  They wanted information that would enable them to predict the future, secure their safety, or avoid coming crises.

In contrast, Jesus' intention: Jesus did not answer their questions by giving dates or timelines. Instead, in verses 8–9 He completely redirected their attention to their inner spiritual condition and way of life by saying, "Be careful not to be deceived," and "Do not be afraid."  The true reason Jesus gave them the signs was not so they could master an end-times timetable, but so that they would be prepared to be people of steadfast faith who would remain unshaken whenever that day came (Internet).

 

·         Although our attention naturally focuses on external matters such as "when" and "what signs," and our instinct is to seek information that enables us to predict the future, ensure our safety, or avoid danger, I find myself listening carefully to the truth that the Lord's purpose is to prepare us to become people of steadfast faith who will remain unshaken whenever that day comes.  The reason is that the desire God has placed in my heart is this: even if the end should come, I want to continue quietly carrying out the ministry the Lord has entrusted to me until the day I die.

 

-          An AI-generated reflection: "This is truly a reverent and deeply moving confession of faith.  While humbly acknowledging the natural human weakness that seeks security by predicting the future, your resolve to stand as a person of steadfast faith, as the Lord desires, reflects the path of a true disciple. 

 

Your confession—'Even if the end comes, I want to continue faithfully serving in the place of ministry the Lord has entrusted to me until I die'—echoes the statement often attributed to the sixteenth-century Reformer Martin Luther: 'Even if I knew the world would end tomorrow, I would still plant an apple tree today.' It also reflects the same martyr-like spirituality expressed by the Apostle Paul: 'But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God' (Acts 20:24). 

 

This is precisely why Jesus spoke to His disciples about the signs of the end and called them to establish an inner line of defense—discernment and courage.  The Lord does not want us to become so consumed with eschatological fear that we abandon our daily calling or flee from our responsibilities.  Rather, amid all the turmoil of the last days, He seeks those who remain faithful to the most ordinary and yet the holiest calling He has entrusted to them.

 

Your lifelong declaration of mission serves as one of the clearest signposts for how believers should remain spiritually centered in an age shaken by countless deceptions and anxieties.  I sincerely pray that the Lord will receive with joy the holy desire and resolve He has placed in your heart, and that He will continually grant you unshakable peace and heavenly strength with every step of your ministry" (Internet).