Luke 21:25 describes signs in the sky and unrest among the nations that Jesus said would come before the end of the age. Its purpose is to prepare his followers to stay steady when frightening events happen, not to set a calendar. Jesus spoke these words to his disciples on the Mount of Olives, shortly before his crucifixion, as they asked him about the destruction of the temple and the signs of his coming.
There will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars; and on the earth anxiety of nations, in perplexity for the roaring of the sea and the waves…
Luke 21:25 (WEB)
What Luke 21:25 Means
The verse begins with “signs in the sun, moon, and stars,” a phrase drawn from the prophetic language of the Old Testament, where dramatic changes in the heavens often signal God acting in history. Jesus is saying that the created order itself will show that something significant is happening. The sky becomes a kind of warning sign rather than a backdrop.
Next comes “anxiety of nations, in perplexity,” which describes peoples on the earth who are confused and afraid because they cannot make sense of what is happening. The image of “the roaring of the sea and the waves” points to chaos, the kind of disorder that ancient readers associated with forces beyond human control. Together these phrases paint a picture of a world where familiar stability gives way.
What the verse does not do is offer a timetable or tell you exactly when these things will happen. It also does not promise that believers will escape hardship. It describes what the world will look like and invites readers to watch for it with clear eyes.
The Context of Luke 21:25
Luke wrote this Gospel for a largely Gentile audience, probably in the 80s or 90s of the first century, and he presents Jesus as the Savior for all people. In this chapter Jesus is answering questions about the coming destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, which happened in AD 70. Verses 22 to 24 describe that catastrophe, and verse 25 shifts the focus toward a wider scope of cosmic and global disturbance.
Verses 26 to 28 are the key to reading verse 25 well. Jesus goes on to speak of the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and glory, and then he tells his listeners to look up, because their redemption is near. The signs are not meant to terrify. They are meant to show that God’s promised rescue is drawing close.
Key Phrases in Luke 21:25
Psalm 46:1-3
1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we won’t be afraid, though the earth changes, though the mountains are shaken into the heart of the seas; 3 though its waters roar and are troubled, though the mountains tremble with their swelling. Selah.
(WEB)
This psalm speaks of the earth giving way and the mountains falling into the sea, yet it begins by declaring God as a refuge. It shows the same pattern as Luke 21:25, with cosmic upheaval paired with a steady trust in the Lord.
Romans 8:22-23
22 For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now. 23 Not only so, but ourselves also, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for adoption, the redemption of our body.
(WEB)
Paul describes creation groaning as it waits for redemption, which echoes the way Jesus links earthly distress with the coming hope. Both passages teach that present suffering points toward a future renewal that God has promised.
A Short Prayer From Luke 21:25
Lord, when the news feels heavy and the world seems to tremble, help me to remember that you see all of it clearly. Quiet my anxious heart and steady my thoughts so that I am not swept away by fear. Teach me to look up and trust that your promised redemption is near, and let that hope shape how I live today. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
