The next verse we will consider is not preached as often as the verse in Luke 12 we reviewed in our last post, however, you will hear it preached. In this case, we are dealing with a promise of the Lord given during his earthly ministry. In my experience, this promise has been offered from pulpits across the theological spectrum from the Reformed to the Pentecostal Dispensationalist, from the Cessationist to the Continuist.
Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist.
-Luke 21:14-15
Before we get the greater context of the promise in the passage, let us quickly "compare the things that differ" and look at Paul's admonition for the current age. This will not be our focus in this post, but it permeates this blog and permeates the current age regarding how we handle the Word of Truth.
Study to show yourself approved by God, a workman who need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
-2 Timothy 2:15
Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, wisely using the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you should answer everyone.
-Colossians 4:5-6
I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season [and] out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and doctrine.
-2 Timothy 4:1-3
The overall sense here is the responsibility to study and rightly divide the Word of Truth, pursue sound doctrine (the correct doctrine for the age in which we live), and be wise concerning the truths of the revelation of Paul towards those outside (unbelievers and those who do not walk in Paul's teachings).
Then He said to them, “Nation [éthnos] will rise against nation [éthnos], and kingdom against kingdom. Great earthquakes will occur in various places, and there will be famines and pestilence. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven.
-Luke 21:10-11
We will not delve deeply ins this study into the full context of this quotation of Isaiah by the Lord except to say, that this is a reference to the Burden of Egypt in Isaiah 19:1-2. What we will note is that the verses that follow are meant to point to a specific time in response to a very specific question from is disciples, “Teacher, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when this is about to happen?” (Luke 21:7). It is thus not a condition of all time since Christ spoke these words.
“But before all these things, they will seize you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for My name’s sake. It will turn out as a testimony for you. Therefore resolve in your hearts beforehand not to practice your defense. For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your opponents will be able to neither refute nor resist.
-Luke 21:12-15
The promise of words given that cannot be refuted in is context of Israel. We see this in part as Paul contested daily in the synagogues. Stephen as well. There was no refutation of the word of Moses and the Prophets (which is all they taught in the Acts Age, Acts 26:22), and there was great persecution and even death. These are not the conditions all Christians have faced in the intervening 2000 years. Yes, many believers have faced death, but not at the hands of Jews in the synagogues and not because of the preaching of Moses and the Prophets to them.
As always, we want to stress that God can provide the words and inspiration in any situation a believer may find himself or herself in, but this is not an expectation or a promise to us in the current age. So many today quote any verse from anywhere in scripture and yet fail to see that it is clearly not consistently evident is his own life and testimony. And it is certainly not evident in the history of Christendom since the revelation to Paul in AD 64. As noted, Paul tells us to "study."
You will be betrayed by parents and brothers and relatives and friends. And they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all men for My name’s sake, but not a hair of your head shall perish. In your endurance you will gain your souls [psychḗ, "life"].
-Luke 21:16-19
Whereas some believers have surely been betrayed by loved ones (betrayed to whom?), clearly this is not the testimony that can be claimed by every believer over the last 2000 years. We do not even see this in full fruition in the Acts age. This promise is fully connected to the last days. There are glimpses of it in the Acts and there is a hint of God's overruling love, but it's full fruition is in an age yet to come, for a believing Israel.
And as day was about to dawn, Paul implored them all to take food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day you have waited and continued without food, and eaten nothing. Therefore I urge you to take nourishment, for this is for your survival, since not a hair will fall from the head of any of you.”
-Acts 27:33-34
What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops. And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul [your life]: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul [destroy your life] and body in hell [Greek: Gehenna]. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
-Matthew 10:27-30
Matthew 10 is part of the teachings of the Lord as he sends out the twelve. And we note that the twelve were to take the teachings of the Kingdom to Israel alone. The words in that chapter draw our minds back to the words we looked at last time in Luke 12 and the promise of provision.
These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.
-Matthew 10:5-11
In the latter verses, 27-30. they are told they will be provided for as they are more valuable sparrows. As noted, this takes our minds back to Luke 12 and the passage in full.
And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations [gentiles] of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell that ye have, and give alms...
-Luke 21:22-33
When pastors today slice these promises up when preaching on tithes, offerings, and giving, they do not give the full picture. They cannot do that as the congregation will look around and realize that all things do not reflect their everyday conditions nor the everyday conditions of believers around them, throughout the world, or throughout the history of the church.
