20-22 “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it, for these are days of  vengeance, to fulfil all that is written.  23-24 Alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress upon the earth and wrath against this people. They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. Luke 21:20-24 (English Standard Version)

In the verses just before this section Jesus had told the disciples that Jerusalem's destruction was not going to be straight away, a number of things would happen first. His words proved to be true for it was almost 40 years later that the Romans sacked the city. Now, in vs 20-22, He speaks of the time when it's end would actually come. What was the practical lesson Christians could take from those words?

While some of Jerusalem's citizens may have hoped that God would miraculously save the city, Christians who remembered what Jesus had said would have escaped in time. Yes, there are times when fleeing from a life threatening situation is appropriate. What did Jesus say was the reason for Jerusalem's destruction?

He said it was a time of vengeance. In Chapter 11 Luke told how Jesus once gave a fearful message to the religious leaders in Jerusalem. He said: “Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets - and it was your ancestors who killed them. So you testify that you approve of what your ancestors did! They killed the prophets, and you build their tombs. Because of this, God in his wisdom said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.’ Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world,  from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible for it all.” (Luke 11:47-50)

Over many centuries people had persecuted those who were righteous, and Jerusalem had gained a particularly bad reputation for doing just that. Not only had they killed the Old Testament prophets, but after Jesus went to heaven they would kill some of His apostles too. And so the day of God's retribution would come upon the city. Verse 23-24 speak of that fate. A fearful truth is that a similar fate yet lies ahead for the world in general.

There are different interpretations to Jesus' words when He said: “Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” Some suggest the words were fulfilled when Israel became an independent state in 1948. This could imply then that the time of God's open door to the nations of the world is drawing to a close. Some hold the hope that it may lead to a time when many Jews will turn to Christ. They base that hope on Paul's words when he said to gentile Christians: “Lest you be wise in your own sight, I want you to understand this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, 'The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob.'” (Romans 11:25-26)

The difficulty is that some things Jesus said could apply to the end of the world as well as to Jerusalem’s destruction. It's not always clear. But what is clear is that Jerusalem was destroyed as He said it would be. And in other places He also taught about a day when He will return in glory, the dead will be raised, and God's judgement will take place. Do we live as those who are expecting and eagerly awaiting that day?