“And they asked him, ‘Teacher, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?’ And he said, ‘See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, “I am he!” and, “The time is at hand!” Do not go after them. And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified, for these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once.'” (Luke 21:7-9)
As Jesus spent time in the Temple in the days before He was to be crucified, He took the opportunity to teach the disciples and those gathered around Him some lessons about the priorities of the Kingdom of God. The people of ancient Israel and Judah had always neglected the poorest people, the widows and orphans. This they did despite the fact that they claimed to be godly and righteous. Because the Jews showed disrespect for the poor and were religious hypocrites, and because as a whole they would reject Him the Lord was going to punish them as He had done centuries earlier. Jesus warned His disciples of the signs that would precede the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans so that they would be prepared and so avoid the punishment that would fall on the Jews.
The signs Jesus described will also occur at the end of the age, when the Lord returns. But when that will happen we do not know, nor do we need to speculate about them. Rather, because we know Christ can return at any time, we should be concerned about all those who will face God’s wrath. We should continue to preach the gospel of the salvation found in Jesus alone and be prepared to endure persecution. In addition we should preach the gospel with works of charity and compassion. We must always attend to the needs of the poor and the downtrodden, whether or not they are believers. The purpose as always is to glorify God by serving as His instruments of love and reconciliation