“For the Son of Man in his day will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other” (Luke 17:24).
This account of Jesus’ teaching contains two strains.
He speaks about the kingdom of God answering a question about its timing, most likely as in, “When will God’s kingdom come?”
It was the popular belief, fuelled by the teaching prevalent at that time, that sometimes God will intervene, most likely through a great event, and restore the nation to a visible flourishing state.
Jesus’ answer points to the fact that God’s kingdom “does not come through careful observation” – it comes in God’s timing and in an unexpected way.
It is not something that can be pointed at “there it is or here it is” (v.21).
The kingdom of God is in your midst (NIV – within you).
With Jesus and in Jesus, God’s “kingdom” was already making “ways through the desert and streams in the wasteland” (Isaiah 43:19).
The second strain touches upon the “not yet” aspect of God’s kingdom and it refers to the coming of the King – the return of our Lord – the day of the Son of Man. God’s kingdom will find its full and final expression at the coming of the rightful King – Jesus.
The day of the Lord will be just like one of the days in the time of Noah (v.26) and just like one of the days of Sodom (v.28).
Business as usual. People will go about their lives just like any other day.
Nothing wrong with “business as usual”.
The problem is that the “usual” part of business disregards God and becomes corrupted by the evil forces…led by the prince of darkness.
On one of these days of business as usual – the business will get interrupted.
“For the Son of Man in his day will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other” (Luke17:24).
Be ready! Pastor Alois