Luke 22: 35-37
Then Jesus asked them, “When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?” “Nothing,” they answered. He said to them, “But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one. It is written: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors’[b]; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment.”
After the Lord ascended to Heaven, the apostles would require moneybag, knapsack and even sword (probably to defend against wild animals in their travel through dangerous terrain through which they would pass to share the gospel). The believers faced a terrible famine in the first century (Acts 11:27-30) and persecution for 3 centuries under the Romans. If the apostles were exhorted by the Lord to prepare for whatever they would need to continue their new phase of service or ministry, surely we should do the same especially when warnings are given in Scripture.
In Acts 11:27-30, Agabus predicted a global famine and the Antioch church started preparing. The famine lasted for 21 years. The Antioch church was able to help the Jerusalem church as a result. They sent Paul and Barnabas to bring the relief to them. Paul continued to call for weekly offering to mitigate this hardship.
In the subsequent 3 centuries, the believers faced tremendous persecution and famine. They were resilient and even built an underground economy to survive. You can see such underground tunnels in Eastern Turkey today. (The tunnels near the entrance would have holes for the defending Christians to spear any invader. Could this be another instance why our Lord Jesus said they would need a sword and to buy one if they did not have ?) The Lord ensured that they survived yet they had to go through the tremendous suffering not for a few years but for 3 centuries.
In another instance when our Lord warned about the impending massacre by the Roman armies. He warned the Jews not to enter the city if they were not inside and to leave the city if they were inside when they saw the advancing Roman armies. Yet many did not heed the warning and 2 million went into Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. All were slaughtered in the AD 70 massacre. Luke 21:20-24.
We must not be complacent now that Scripture has warned of the birth pains and the impending Rev 18:17-19 judgment. We must be prudent and prepare. The Lord exhorted us to pray to escape the times. We must pray for wisdom which the Lord will grant us generously.
