Let us turn at this time to Luke 21:36 and examine its context. In particular, let us see if there is any indication whatever that the Lord is speaking of carrying Gentile believers to Heaven so they will escape the problems of the last days.

From the very start we can see there is no support here for a pre-tribulation "rapture" as it is taught commonly.

The doctrine of the pre-tribulation rapture emphasizes that a Gentile church (the Scriptures make no mention of a "Gentile church") will be caught up to Heaven while a Jewish church, or kingdom, remains behind to suffer at the hands of Antichrist.

Yet the discourse of the Lord in Luke, Chapter Twenty-one, is directed toward Jewish people. Jesus was teaching some of His disciples, all Jews, at the Temple of Herod. This is the context of Luke 21:36. How then could we conclude reasonably that the Lord had suddenly switched over and referred to a Gentile Church being caught up to Heaven?

How could any devout Bible scholar possibly agree that Jesus had done this, that Luke 21:36 could reasonably be removed from its context and applied to a Gentile Church? This is not sound scholarship, as I see it.

Luke 21:8-36 is speaking of trouble coming upon the Jewish race, and the disciples are exhorted to pray that they will be able to escape from being harmed spiritually by the problems such that they can stand in victory before the Lord. It has nothing to do with Gentiles being carried up to Heaven to avoid suffering.

Because we have received the Lord Jesus we have become one with the Jewish elect who are being addressed in this chapter.

But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. (Luke 21:12—NIV)

Now notice the emphasis:

By standing firm you will gain life. (Luke 21:19—NIV)

How do we gain life? By standing firm. The emphasis is on standing firm. The same is true of the verse under discussion, Luke 21:36.

Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man. (Luke 21:36—NIV)

"By standing firm." "May be able to stand before the Son of Man." We gain eternal life by standing firmly in the midst of problems and pressures. We become more than conquerors through our Lord Jesus.

I think verse 34 is the key to our understanding of what the Lord meant by being able to escape all that is about to happen.

Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. (Luke 21:34—NIV)

The danger is not that we shall be physically harmed by the events of the last days, but spiritually harmed.

This is borne out in the following:

You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. All men will hate you because of me. But not a hair of your head will perish. (Luke 21:16-18—NIV)

To be continued.