Jan 8 - Luke 21:26-28

The powers of the heavens will be shaken.

Then they will see the Son of Man coming

in a cloud with power and great glory.

Now when these things begin to take place,

stand up and raise your heads,

because your redemption is drawing near.

Luke 21:26-28

This is, obviously, an end-times passage. Much could be discussed about this, but for today, I want to focus on one truth and one phrase.

The one truth is this: Christ will come again. Jesus declared it. The scriptures proclaim it. The creeds affirm it.

People “can faithfully” and “will continually” debate the timing and the details of the second coming.  On this issue, there are often more questions than consensus! Nevertheless, we can’t debate the truth, the promise, and the expectation of a second coming without twisting or gutting the words of Savior and Apostles, Old and New Testaments, prophets and creeds.

That’s the truth.

The phrase we’ll focus on is this … What does “the powers of the heavens will be shaken” mean? (That’s enough to chew on for one devotion!)

This phrase, as Luke reports it, is apparently short-hand for a more expansive description that Jesus gave. According to Matthew 24:29, Jesus gave a four-fold explanation of what would occur on that great and terrible day …

•      “the sun will be darkened,
•      the moon will not give its light,
•      the stars will fall from the sky, and
•        & the heavenly bodies will be shaken.”

Obviously, this implies a rattling within the universe when Jesus returns. And this should not surprise us. If we say that God is indeed God … and if we say that God created heaven and earth with the drama of redemption through Jesus Christ in mind ... then we should not be surprised that the whole creation might indeed shudder when God’s plans are fulfilled!

And yet …  I think Luke might be conveying the double meaning in Jesus’ speech.

Jesus often talked on two levels – the human and the spiritual. Those listening with human ears, heard worldly truths. Those listening spiritually, heard wise human truths and eternal spiritual decrees.

•      To human ears, Jesus appears to have stated factually that “heavenly bodies [like planets and constellations] will be shaken” at his return. That’s Matthew’s translation.
•  
•      But Luke uncovers, additionally, a deeper spiritual truth. “The heavens” that will be shaken include all the creatures that dwell in “the heavens.” Heaven-singular includes just the good side. The-heavens-plural include the dark side too – including Satan and his henchmen. Thus, when Christ comes again, who will receive the greatest rattling of all? Satan and evil. This is their final, ultimate, and permanent defeat.

In Christ’s Love,

a guy who shakes

in joyful expectation

at the final defeat of evil!