Is Jerusalem's destruction in Luke 21:20-24 that of Babylon the Great?

Could Jerusalem's destruction in Luke 21.20-24 be that of the destruction of Babylon the Great [BTG] in Rev 17.16?  Would Jesus have had in mind BTG in Luke 21, instead of the coming destruction of Jerusalem that he prophesied in Luke 19.41-44? 

Those who believe Jerusalem is BTG might see Luke 21.20-24 as referring to the destruction of BTG in Rev 17, 18, and 16.19.  Some would see 2 stages of that destruction, being by the 10 horns in which it is burned, and then by God in the 7th bowl, according to Rev 16.19.   I could see how one might identify Luke 21.20-24 as BTG, since the prophesy is followed by the cosmic disturbance event and second coming (see Luke 21.25-27) that comes at the end of the Great Tribulation [GT] (see Matthew 24:29-30).  If Jesus speaks of the destruction of AD70, then there is a big gap of time between the desolation of Jerusalem and the cosmic disturbances.

But would Jesus have had that far future destruction of BTG in view since he prophesied of Jerusalem's near destruction in Luke 19:41-44?  That destruction is foretold in the words of the parable in Matthew 22 about the king's army who destroys and burns the city.  There's also the reference to the destruction of the city in Daniel 9.24-26 that fits in the near future time after Christ's first coming.    I don't think Jesus had Jerusalem as BTG in view, though if Jerusalem is BTG, I could see how it might seem to be in view.  But if Jerusalem is not BTG, it obviously can't be BTG in Luke 21.  

It is curious that a near future prophecy of AD70 is immediately followed by a prophecy of the cosmic events that follow the GT.   Rev 18.4 does exhort God's people to come out of BTG, and Luke 21.21 does warn to flee Jerusalem, but it also speaks of it as days of vengeance, but wasn't that vengeance back in AD70?   But there is a vengeance on BTG as the city that shed the blood of the prophets and apostles and saints, Rev 18.20, 24.  Luke 21 also speaks of Jerusalem being trampled by gentiles; this could be AD70 and onward, but it could be referring to the great tribulation period (see Revelation 11:1-3) , and maybe this destruction is at that time, being burned by fire.  

The prophecy of Jerusalem in Luke 21 would seem to fit with the destruction of BTG, and the close connection of the cosmic disturbances would support that, though it could be that the connection is that Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles from AD70 onward until the time of the cosmic disturbances at the end of the Great Tribulation.  Luke 21 says Jerusalem will be trampled until the "times of the gentiles are fulfilled."  That "times of the gentiles" has been identified as the whole time Jerusalem is under the overlordship of gentiles.  Yet Ezekiel speaks of the "Day of the Lord" as the "time of the gentiles," 30:3.  It could be understood that from AD70 onward, Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by gentiles until the Day of the Lord is fulfilled, which comes in connection with the cosmic disturbances.  This makes the connection with such a long gap between the AD70 destruction of Jerusalem and the cosmic events.  The Day of the Lord will be the time of the gentiles' distress.

So, would Jesus have had in mind the destruction of BTG in light of his prophecy about Jerusalem being destroyed in Luke 19?   Near and far prophecies being together is not all that unusual.   Jerusalem being BTG in Luke 21 would probably work if there are 2 stages of BTG's destruction, as some believe; the first stage near the beginning of GT--though it seems the armies of the world are gathered against Jerusalem near the end of the 70th Week (Zechariah 12.3)--yet Zechariah indicates God will protect the city, 12.9.   

There are similarities between Luke 21 and the fate of BTG, but there are uncertainties too.   Maybe the similarities are intended, making the ability to sort it out difficult until we are very near that time.

To inherit and to enter the kingdom of God

Jesus said one must be born again to enter the kingdom of God, John 3.3-5.  Jesus said to the sheep, "Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world," Matthew 25:34  

The words "enter" and "inherit" do not mean the same thing, but they seem to speak to the same thing in these two references: those who inherit the kingdom will enter the kingdom.  

Does "inherit" always simply refer to those who will enter the kingdom, or does it speak of reward in some usages?     All believers are heirs, if entrance is understood as inheritance.  But could there be heirs of a more restricted kind based on performance in this life?

When Paul gives a vice list, he speaks of those who will not inherit the kingdom, being those who commit immorality.  I believe he is speaking of unsaved people who are identified by what is often characteristic of them, and he is telling believers not to do such things: "9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God." 1 Corinthians 6:9-10  Since believers can do these things, I think some will say that this inheritance is about rewards, but I think that here, Paul is speaking of the unsaved by what characterizes them, and we who are saved should not do these things.  The unsaved, the unrighteous, will not inherit the kingdom, and we who are saved, the righteous, should not do these things, because these things belong to our old man/ self-identity and are unbecoming of a child of God.  

But Scripture does seem to make a distinction about inheritance that seems to go beyond entrance into the kingdom to co-ruling with Christ: "... if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together."  Romans 8:17   This may be the case where not all inheritance will be equal, unless all believers in some sense suffer with Christ.  All believers are children and therefore heirs, which means they will inherit the kingdom.  But it may be that the inheritance is not equal as far as status or recognition in the kingdom, based on faithfulness in this life.  There are Scriptures that indicate reward or recognition in the life to come.  Inheritance among children is not always equal, and performance can be a basis for different distributions of inheritance.  His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.' Matthew 25:23   This is a parable, however, and it is at least making the point that one is accountable for what God has dispensed, and there is divine recognition and some sort of reward for being faithful with what God has dispensed.

Quickened?

Some believe that God “quickens” a person so that they can believe and be saved.  

This word “quicken” is an old English translation of the Greek “Zoopoieo” more commonly translated “make alive” as in Ephesians 2:5.  The idea of a quickening for faith is according to the theology of “total depravity” in which one is too depraved to believe and be saved, and it is a substitution for the Reformed view that that regeneration comes before faith--a view that some Calvinists find problematic.  

I believe the Greek words zoopoieo and syzoopoieo, translated “make alive” or “give life to” either speak of the resurrection or regeneration. 

It seems to be just a theological requirement to make the Greek words refer to some act of God before faith, but the usages are actually about the resurrection or regeneration.   God does make alive again the believer through regeneration and in the resurrection.  There is no requirement to come up with something like regeneration before saving faith and call it a quickening.  The quickening is regeneration or resurrection, and both happen after saving faith--the latter after physical death at the second coming.

God quickens by regeneration those who believe.  “Total depravity” is a Calvinist theology that requires a pre-faith enablement. 

Depravity is a sufficient term to speak of mankind’s condition, and why the new birth is necessary, but a pre-faith enablement is not necessary.  The work of Holy Spirit through Scripture is sufficient.

References where the Greek words appear are Rom 8.11; 1 Cor 15.22, 36; Eph 2.5; Col 2.13; 1 Pet 3.18.  Also found in the LXX.

The Successive-Final View of the Seals, Trumpets, and Bowls of Revelation.

I tend towards a Post-Tribulation Rapture view that sees the seals, trumpets, and bowls of Revelation as successive, and yet with overlap at the end of each group, the "successive-final view" as seen in the picture below.  

This means the three groups of events are mostly successive, that is, sequential in that each group transpires before the next according to the order given, except for the final event of each group, each of which parallel one-another.  For the seals, both number 6 and 7 line up with the final event--number 7--of the trumpets and bowls.   In this view, the great tribulation continues to the end of the 70th Week that concludes with the 6th and 7th seal, the 7th trumpet and bowl, followed by the Coming (parousia) of Christ and the Day of the Lord.  The Day of the Lord is the direct wrath of Christ at his coming upon the nations beginning with the battle of Armageddon...

¹² Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared. ¹³ And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. ¹⁴ For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

¹⁵ “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.”
¹⁶ And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon. Revelation 16:12-16

This is a brief post, but I've written more elsewhere on why I'm Post-Trib and how I understand the "Day of the Lord."  This is just a statement of how I understand the progression of the seals, trumpets, and bowls in relationship to one-another.