Straining Toward
Philippians 3:13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Straining Toward traces Jesus’ deliberate journey in Luke’s Gospel toward the cross and resurrection, and then outward to His promised return, when “the powers of the heavens will be shaken” and “the Son of Man [will be] coming in a cloud” (Luke 21:26–27). It culminates with His declaration that when these things begin to take place, “your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:28).
Luke 2: 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
Luke 4Now Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led around by the Spirit in the wilderness 2 for forty days, being tempted by the devil.
4:28 And all the people in the synagogue were filled with rage as they heard these things; 29 and they got up and drove Him out of the city, and brought Him to the crest of the hill on which their city had been built, so that they could throw Him down from the cliff. 30 But He passed through their midst and went on His way.
9: 30 And behold, two men were talking with Jesus; and they were Moses and Elijah, 31 who, appearing in glory, were speaking of His departure, which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.
51 When the days were approaching for His ascension, He was determined to go to Jerusalem.
Follow me
9:57 As they were going on the road, someone said to Him, “I will follow You wherever You go.” 58 And Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” 59 And He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.” 60 But He said to him, “Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.” 61 Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say goodbye to those at my home.” 62 But Jesus said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
10: Now after this the Lord appointed seventy-two others, and sent them in pairs ahead of Him to every city and place where He Himself was going to come.
10: 38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.
13: 22 Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. 23 Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?” He said to them, 24 “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.
17: 11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee.
17: 21 Jesus said “For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst.”
17: 24 For just like the lightning, when it flashes out of one part of the sky, shines to the other part of the sky, so will the Son of Man be in His day. 25 But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. 26 And just as it happened in the days of Noah (Genesis 6:5-6), so will it also be in the days of the Son of Man: 27 people were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, and they were being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 It was the same as happened in the days of Lot, (Genesis 19:5-8) they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, and they were building; 29 but on the day that Lot left Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. 30 It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed.
18: 29 And He said to them, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house, or wife, or brothers, or parents, or children for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who will not receive many times as much at this time, and in the age to come, eternal life.”
18: 31 Now He took the twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all the things that have been written through the prophets about the Son of Man will be accomplished. 32 For He will be handed over to the Gentiles, and will be ridiculed, and abused, and spit upon, 33 and after they have flogged Him, they will kill Him; and on the third day He will rise.” 34 The disciples understood none of these things, and the meaning of this statement was hidden from them, and they did not comprehend the things that were said.
35 Now as Jesus was approaching Jericho, a man who was blind was sitting by the road, begging.
19: 1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through.
19: 11 Now while they were listening to these things, Jesus went on to tell a parable, because He was near Jerusalem and they thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately.
28 After Jesus said these things, He was going on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29 When He approached Bethphage and Bethany, near the mountain that is called Olivet, He sent two of the disciples, 30 saying, “Go into the village ahead of you; there, as you enter, you will find a colt tied, on which no one yet has ever sat; untie it and bring it here.
19: 37 And as soon as He was approaching, near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles which they had seen, 38 shouting:
“Blessed is the King, the One who comes in the name of the Lord; Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
39 And yet some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples!” 40 Jesus replied, “I tell you, if these stop speaking, the stones will cry out!”
41 When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it, 42 saying, “If you had known on this day, even you, the conditions for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes. 43 For the days will come upon you when your enemies will put up a barricade against you, and surround you and hem you in on every side, 44 and they will level you to the ground, and throw down your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.” (See Matthew 24:2, Luke 21:6) (See 70AD Josephus at bottom)
45 And Jesus entered the temple grounds and began to drive out those who were selling, 46 saying to them, “It is written: ‘And My house will be a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of robbers.”
19:47 And He was teaching daily in the temple; but the chief priests and the scribes and the leading men among the people were trying to put Him to death, 48 and yet they could not find anything that they might do, for all the people were hanging on to every word He said.
21: 5 And while some of the disciples were talking about the temple, that it was decorated with beautiful stones and vowed gifts, He said, 6 “As for these things which you are observing, the days will come when there will not be left one stone upon another, which will not be torn down.”
////////////////// Jesus describes his 2nd coming //////////////////////////////////
7 They asked Him questions, saying, “Teacher, when therefore will these things happen? And what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?” 8 And He said, “Watch out that you are not deceived; for many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not go after them. 9 And when you hear of wars and revolts, do not be alarmed; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately.”
17 and you will be hated by all people because of My name. 18 And yet not a hair of your head will perish. 19 By your endurance you will gain your lives.
24b Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
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Revelation 11:2 But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months.
Hebrews 12:25 See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? 26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” 27 The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.
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Luke 21: 25“There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, 26 people fainting from fear and the expectation of the things that are coming upon the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
Hebrews 9: 28so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
29 And He told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees: 30 as soon as they put forth leaves, you see for yourselves and know that summer is now near. 31 So you too, when you see these things happening, recognize that the kingdom of God is near. 32 Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all things take place. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.
21:34b ”That day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap”.
///////////////// Passover //////////////////////////////////////////////
22: 1 Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, was approaching.
22: 7 Now the first day of Unleavened Bread came, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed.
22:14 When the hour came, He reclined at the table, and the apostles with Him. 15 And He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.
22:39 And He came out and went, as was His habit, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples also followed Him.
22:42 saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.”
22:52 And Jesus said to the chief priests and officers of the temple and elders who had come against Him, “this hour and the power of darkness are yours.”
23: 26 And when they led Him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, as he was coming in from the country, and placed on him the cross to carry behind Jesus.
23: 33 And when they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him.
23: 52 this man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53 And he took it down and wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid Him in a tomb cut into the rock, where no one had ever lain.
24: 6 He is not here, but He has risen.
24: 25 And then Jesus said to them, “You foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to come into His glory?”
24: 46 and Jesus said to them, “So it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And behold, I am sending the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”
//////////////////////////////////// 40 years after Jesus crucified //////////////////////////////////////////////
Jesus’ prophecy in Luke 19:41-44 fulfilled.
Josephus quote from 70AD destruction of Jerusalem.
“The Romans now having gotten possession of the temple, poured into it in great numbers, and slew all that came in their way; and being inflamed with anger and hatred, they spared none, but were regardless of age, or of any reverence for the place. Children and old men, and profane persons and priests, were all slain in the same manner; so that this holy house was polluted with blood. The Jews were crowded together about the altar, and many of them were slain there; while others were trampled underfoot by the crowd that pressed upon them. Nor did any supplication restrain the violence of the Romans, nor any pity for the condition of the sufferers.”
“Thus was the holy house defiled with blood.”
“The ground did no more drink the blood shed upon it, but the blood ran down the steps in great quantities.”
“The Romans, indeed, when they were weary of killing, and saw no end of the dead bodies, but still such vast numbers coming to them, were forced to restrain those that were left. Yet did the fire proceed on, and the slaughter continued. And because this hill was high, and the works at the temple were very great, one would have thought the whole city had been on fire. Nor can one imagine anything either greater or more terrible than this noise; for there was at once a shout of the Roman legions, who were marching on, and a sad clamor of the seditious.”
“Nor was there ever a greater slaughter of men, nor any greater wickedness committed.”
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