But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, you will know that her desolation is near.
Having given them an idea of the times for about thirty-eight years next ensuing, he here comes to show them what all those things would issue in at last, namely, the destruction of Jerusalem, and the utter dispersion of the Jewish nation, which would be a little day of judgment, a type and figure of Christ's second coming, which was not so fully spoken of...
Commenting on Luke 21:20-28
And they shall fall by the edge of the sword,.... Or "mouth of the sword", an Hebraism; see the Septuagint in Jdg 1:8. The number of those that perished by the famine and sword, were eleven hundred thousand (f): and shall be led away captive unto all nations; when the city was taken, the most beautiful of the young men were kept for the triumph...
by armies--encamped armies, that is, besieged: "the abomination of desolation" (meaning the Roman ensigns, as the symbols of an idolatrous, pagan, unclean power) "spoken of by Daniel the prophet" (Dan 9:27) "standing where it ought not" (Mar 13:14). "Whoso readeth [that prophecy] let him understand" (Mat 24:15). Then . . .