--- title: "The Coming of the Kingdom" description: "A field report covering the latest movements of Jesus, including a miraculous healing, dire warnings about the future, and a lesson on the importance of persistence." image: "" book: "Luke" bookId: "LUK" testament: "new" startChapter: 17 startVerse: 11 endChapter: 18 endVerse: 8 coversChapters: [17,18] aiTitle: "Breaking News: Miracles, Warnings, and Persistent Prayers as the Son of Man Travels" aiDescription: "A field report covering the latest movements of Jesus, including a miraculous healing, dire warnings about the future, and a lesson on the importance of persistence." hasAiStory: true location: "Jerusalem" persons: ["Disciples","God","Jesus","Lot","Noah","Pharisees"] hashtags: ["faith","judgment","mercy","parable"] genre: "gospel" readingTime: 3 type: "adaptive" slug: "LUK/the-coming-of-the-kingdom" canonicalId: "LUK.17.11-18.8" chronologicalOrder: 1432 relatedSlugs: [] prevSlug: "LUK/lovers-of-money" nextSlug: "LUK/the-pharisee-and-the-tax-collector-jesus-blesses-the-children" --- In a stunning development today, ten people suffering from severe skin diseases approached [Jesus](/persons/jesus) while He was traveling. They kept their distance, crying out for mercy. In an unexpected turn, Jesus ordered them to present themselves to the local priests for inspection. As they complied and headed toward the priests, all ten were instantly healed. The incident took an unusual turn when only one individual—a man from Samaria—returned to express his gratitude. Falling at Jesus’ feet, the man praised [God](/persons/god) loudly. Jesus noted the absence of the other nine, highlighting that only this foreigner returned to give glory to God, before telling the man that his faith had made him well. Following this, Jesus addressed the persistent questions from religious leaders regarding the arrival of the kingdom of God. He flatly rejected the idea that the kingdom would be marked by visual spectacles or specific physical locations. Instead, He insisted that the kingdom is already present in their midst. Turning to His [disciples](/persons/disciples), Jesus delivered a somber warning about the days ahead. He compared the period leading up to his ultimate revelation to the times of [Noah](/persons/noah) and [Lot](/persons/lot). In those stories, life continued as normal—people eating, drinking, building, and marrying—until sudden destruction arrived. He urged his listeners not to be distracted by material possessions or temporary comforts when that day finally arrives. In a final, urgent message regarding prayer, Jesus shared a story about a persistent widow who refused to stop demanding justice from a corrupt judge. Because she would not stop asking, the judge finally granted her request. Jesus used this to reassure his followers that if a heartless judge eventually listens, God will certainly answer the cries of His people—provided they keep their faith until the end. ### The Ten Lepers While [Jesus](/persons/jesus) was on His way to Jerusalem, He was passing between Samaria and Galilee. As He entered one of the villages, He was met by ten lepers. They stood at a distance and raised their voices, shouting, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” When Jesus saw them, He said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they were on their way, they were cleansed. When one of them saw that he was healed, he came back, praising [God](/persons/god) in a loud voice. He fell facedown at Jesus’ feet in thanksgiving to Him—and he was a Samaritan. “Were not all ten cleansed?” Jesus asked. “Where then are the other nine? Was no one found except this foreigner to return and give glory to God?” Then Jesus said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well! ” ### The Coming of the Kingdom When asked by the [Pharisees](/persons/pharisees) when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God will not come with observable signs. Nor will people say, ‘Look, here it is,’ or ‘There it is.’ For you see, the kingdom of God is in your midst. ” Then He said to the [disciples](/persons/disciples), “The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. People will tell you, ‘Look, there He is!’ or ‘Look, here He is!’ Do not go out or chase after them. For just as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other, so will be the Son of Man in His day. But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. Just as it was in the days of [Noah](/persons/noah), so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man: People were eating and drinking, marrying and being given in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all. It was the same in the days of [Lot](/persons/lot): People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. But on the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just like that on the day the Son of Man is revealed. On that day, let no one on the housetop come down to retrieve his possessions. Likewise, let no one in the field return for anything he has left behind. Remember Lot’s wife! Whoever tries to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will preserve it. I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed: One will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding grain together: One will be taken and the other left.” “Where, Lord?” they asked.
Jesus answered, “Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.” ### The Parable of the Persistent Widow Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray at all times and not lose heart: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected men. And there was a widow in that town who kept appealing to him, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but later he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect men, yet because this widow keeps pestering me, I will give her justice. Then she will stop wearing me out with her perpetual requests.’” And the Lord said, “Listen to the words of the unjust judge. Will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry out to Him day and night? Will He continue to defer their help? I tell you, He will promptly carry out justice on their behalf. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?”

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