49: I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I if it be already kindled? 50: But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished! 51: Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: 52: For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. 53: The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 54: And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is. 55: And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass. 56: Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time? 57: Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right? 58: When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison. 59: I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the very last mite.

49: I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I if it be already kindled?

Jesus describes here one of the events that will be connected with His 2^nd Coming. When He comes He will bring fire. In Isaiah 66:15 the Bible says For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. When Jesus comes with flames of fire it will be too late for those who were not ready for His Coming. Also in Luke 12:49 the Lord implies that there is no fire burning or kindled until He comes. This seems to be a strong text that supports the wicked being burned with fire when Jesus comes, rather than being burnt in hellfire now.

50: But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished! 51: Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:

Here is a second event the Lord describes that will be associated with His 2^nd Coming. This cannot be only his first coming because of the content of the Bible verses before and after this verse, as we shall soon see. This second event is described as bringing division instead of peace and unity. In Isaiah 66:16 the Bible says: For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many. Since the Lord is seen in this verse as pleading with all flesh, it must be the spiritual fire and a spiritual sword that he is using. Jeremiah 23:29: Is not my word like as a fire? Eph 6:17 and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. These Bible verses tell us that the Lord will plead with all flesh by using His Word, the Bible and that this will cause division and not peace.

52: For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. 53: The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

The Word of God (the Bible) will cause everyone to make a decision for or against the Lord. Hebrews 4:12: For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. The Bible said in Luke 12:52 there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. Not only is the Bible talking about physical families being divided but also spiritual families. The house is a symbol of the Church. Hebrews 3:6: But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we. So Jesus is telling us that just before He comes the 2^nd time, the churches will be divided, and the division will be caused by the Bible or the Word of God.

54: And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is. 55: And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass. 56: Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?

Webster’s Dictionary describes a hypocrite as one who feigns to be other and better than he is; a false pretender to virtue or piety. Strong’s Concordance describes a hypocrite (#5273) as an actor under an assumed character. Thus Jesus says there will be people who are hypocrites in the Church. They will pretend to be Christians but they are not. These pretending Christians will not discern the time or the signs of Jesus’ 2^nd Coming. So this is a 3^rd event or sign of Jesus’ 2^nd Coming.

57: Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right? 58: When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison. 59: I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the very last mite.

Jesus concludes his warning with an example of a person who has an adversary and needs to be delivered from him. In 1 Peter 5:8 the Bible says: Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. So Jesus is plainly telling anyone who is pretending to be a Christian, that they need to be delivered from the devil and if they are not diligent they will be judged as guilty by Him. 2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. By concluding with his warning about the judgment, Jesus has given a 4^th event to take place before His 2^nd coming. The judgment must take place before He comes and we must be ready.