Luke 21:25 Meaning of And There Shall be Signs in the Sun, Moon and Stars

Luke 21:25
“There will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea.”

Explanation and Commentary of Luke 21:25

Christ has been discoursing on the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple that would take place within a generation or two. Here he has turned his attention to the end of the age and his own second coming. The exact nature of the signs in the sun, moon, and stars is not completely known, but that there will be obvious signs is a fact.

Christians know that the end will come. Besides this teaching, Jesus told parables about being ready and how to wait properly for his return (Mt 25:1-13). Whether you believe in the pre-tribulation rapture or not, it seems that there will be much turmoil before anyone is taken up. Jesus teaches us that it will be obvious when it is imminent.

Nevertheless, there seem to be false prophets in every generation who claim to be able to read the current signs so well that they can do what not even Christ would do (Mk 13:32) and pinpoint the day of his return. Many a charlatan has come and gone, building a great following by their confident assertions and predictions about what God has not allowed us to predict. They have always proven false.

When the world faces troubled times, it can be easy to wonder if this is it. There have been many incidents in history that probably looked like the final tribulation, even including a candidate for antichrist (Hitler, Stalin, various Popes, various monarchs). But Jesus seems to be pointing to phenomena and world events like nothing that has ever happened all at once and will be unmistakable to even the most unlearned of Christians. The one thing we do know is that he will come like a thief in the night (1 Thes 5:2), and we should always be found ready and accomplishing his purposes on earth.

Breaking Down the Key Parts of Luke 21:25

#1 “There will be signs…”
Jesus promises signs in several places. And yet in some ways, we don’t really need them. Would you act differently if you saw a sign today that the end is near? If so, repent and begin following Jesus with your whole life.

#2 “…in the sun, moon, and stars.”
Take care not to see a sign in every eclipse or shooting star. What Christ predicts here will be unmistakable. There was no mistaking the signs in the heavens at the first Advent. The Magi followed the star in the east. The shepherds saw the light of the moon and stars eclipsed by the angel chorus.

#3 “On earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea.”
Thousands of times since the days of Christ’s earthly ministry there has been anguish at the roaring of the sea. Tsunamis, hurricanes, tidal destruction are all a part of life on a planet that is fallen and experiences tragic “natural” disasters. But no one is really in perplexity about these weather events. When the sign comes, it will be cataclysmic and make no natural sense. The nations, all over the world, will be not only in anguish but perplexity. The only explanation will be that God is doing it. When this happens, take heart, the end is near.

An Incredible Sermon on Luke 21:25

Dr. Boomershine Gives His Commentary on Luke 21:25

Bible Study on Luke 20 and 21

Biblical Translations of Luke 21:25

NIV
“There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea.”

NLT
“And there will be strange signs in the sun, moon, and stars. And here on earth the nations will be in turmoil, perplexed by the roaring seas and strange tides.”

ESV
“And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves.”

KJV
“And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring.”

NKJV
“And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring.”