THE COMING OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD

Passage: Luke 17:20-37

Key verse: 22

NIV

The Coming of the Kingdom of God(A)

20 Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come,(B) Jesus replied, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, 21 nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’(C) because the kingdom of God is in your midst.”[a]

22 Then he said to his disciples, “The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man,(D) but you will not see it.(E) 23 People will tell you, ‘There he is!’ or ‘Here he is!’ Do not go running off after them.(F) 24 For the Son of Man in his day[b] will be like the lightning,(G) which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other. 25 But first he must suffer many things(H) and be rejected(I) by this generation.(J)

26 “Just as it was in the days of Noah,(K) so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. 27 People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.

28 “It was the same in the days of Lot.(L) People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. 29 But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.

30 “It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed.(M) 31 On that day no one who is on the housetop, with possessions inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything.(N) 32 Remember Lot’s wife!(O) 33 Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it.(P) 34 I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. 35 Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left.”(Q) [36] [c]

37 “Where, Lord?” they asked.

He replied, “Where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather.”(R)

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Footnotes
  1. Luke 17:21 Or is within you
  2. Luke 17:24 Some manuscripts do not have in his day.
  3. Luke 17:36 Some manuscripts include here words similar to Matt. 24:40.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

The Coming of the Kingdom

20 Being asked by the Pharisees (A)when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God (B)is not coming in ways that can be observed, 21 nor (C)will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”[a]

22 And he said to the disciples, (D)“The days are coming when you will desire (E)to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. 23 (F)And they will say to you, ‘Look, there!’ or ‘Look, here!’ Do not go out or follow them. 24 (G)For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be (H)in his day.[b] 25 But first (I)he must suffer many things and (J)be rejected by this generation. 26 (K)Just as it was in the days of (L)Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man. 27 (M)They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 Likewise, just as it was in the days of (N)Lot—they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, 29 (O)but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all— 30 so will it be (P)on the day when the Son of Man is revealed. 31 On that day, (Q)let the one who is on (R)the housetop, with his goods in the house, not come down to take them away, and likewise let the one who is in the field not turn back. 32 (S)Remember Lot's wife. 33 (T)Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will (U)keep it. 34 I tell you, in that night there will be two in one bed. One will be taken and the other left. 35 (V)There will be two women (W)grinding together. One will be taken and the other left.”[c] 37 And they said to him, “Where, Lord?” He said to them, (X)“Where the corpse[d] is, there the vultures[e] will gather.”

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Footnotes
  1. Luke 17:21 Or within you, or within your grasp
  2. Luke 17:24 Some manuscripts omit in his day
  3. Luke 17:35 Some manuscripts add verse 36: Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left
  4. Luke 17:37 Greek body
  5. Luke 17:37 Or eagles
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

The Pharisees believed that the kingdom of God would begin with the return of a powerful Messiah and King. But Jesus helped them recognize that the kingdom of God has a present and future dimension. Jesus’ words, “the kingdom of God is in your midst,” meant that its King was present before them. But they had not recognized Him. To be in God’s present kingdom, they needed to know King Jesus personally. If we don’t know Jesus personally and if we aren’t living under his kingship, we are not in the kingdom of God. The final form of God’s kingdom will be seen in the future by everyone when Jesus returns in power and in glory. But for believers who long to see Jesus, there is a danger that they will lose heart while waiting for his coming. God’s future kingdom will be given to those who wait patiently with spiritual discernment in the present.

To emphasize the suddenness of his next coming and to warn his people, Jesus illustrated the days of Noah and of Lot. In both times, the people of Noah and of Sodom lived godlessly everyday—till the day of God’s judgment. Likewise, Jesus will suddenly appear to everyone, ready or not ready, and face God’s judgment. Our living principle must be: “Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it” (33).

Prayer: Lord, help me to be ready for your coming by living a life of faith today.

One Word: Jesus will come suddenly