and the return
of our Lord, the study of this chapter should be undertaken with humility,
and our conclusions should be stated with caution and with reserve. The
result need not be bewilderment or despair; it should be encouragement and
more confident expectation of the coming of Christ and the ultimate
triumph of his cause.

1. The Present Age. Ch. 21:5-19

5 And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly
stones and offerings, he said, 6 As for these things which ye
behold, the days will come, in which there shall not be left here
one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. 7 And they
asked him, saying, Teacher, when therefore shall these things be?
and what _shall_ be the sign when these things are about to come
to pass? 8 And he said, Take heed that ye be not led astray: for
many shall come in my name, saying, I am _he_; and, The time is at
hand: go ye not after them. 9 And when ye shall hear of wars and
tumults, be not terrified: for these things must needs come to
pass first; but the end is not immediately.

10 Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and
kingdom against kingdom; 11 and there shall be great earthquakes,
and in divers places famines and pestilences; and there shall be
terrors and great signs from heaven. 12 But before all these
things, they shall lay their hands on you, and shall persecute
you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, bringing you
before kings and governors for my name's sake. 13 It shall turn
out unto you for a testimony. Settle it therefore in your hearts,
not to meditate beforehand how to answer: 15 for I will give you a
mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to
withstand or to gainsay. 16 But ye shall be delivered up even by
parents, and brethren, and kinsfolk, and friends; and _some_ of
you shall they cause to be put to death. 17 And ye shall be hated
of all men for my name's sake. 18 And not a hair of your head
shall perish. 19 In your patience ye shall win your souls.

The occasion of this prophetic message was the question asked by the
disciples, as they gazed on the splendor of the Temple, concerning the
destruction of which Jesus had spoken as he declared that the days would
come "in which there shall not be left here one stone upon another, that
shall not be thrown down. And they