Jesus is still either in Samaria or in Galilee. Pharisees now ask him about the arrival of the Kingdom, which they expect to be with pomp and ceremony. However, he says: “The Kingdom of God is not coming with striking observableness; nor will people say, ‘See here!’ or, ‘There!’ For look! the Kingdom of God is in your midst.”​—Luke 17:20, 21.

Some may conclude that Jesus is saying that the Kingdom reigns in the hearts of God’s servants. However, that cannot be the case, for the Kingdom is not in the hearts of the Pharisees to whom Jesus is speaking. Yet, it is in their midst because the chosen King of God’s Kingdom, Jesus, is right there among them.​—Matthew 21:5.

Likely after the Pharisees leave, Jesus provides additional details for his disciples about the coming of the Kingdom. As to his presence in Kingdom power, he first warns: “Days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, but you will not see it.” (Luke 17:22) Jesus is indicating that the reign of the Son of man in the Kingdom is to be in the future. Before that time arrives, some disciples might anxiously look for it, but they will have to continue waiting until it is God’s appointed time for the Son of man to come.

Jesus continues: “People will say to you, ‘See there!’ or, ‘See here!’ Do not go out or chase after them. For just as lightning flashes from one part of heaven to another part of heaven, so the Son of man will be in his day.” (Luke 17:23, 24) How will Jesus’ disciples be protected against chasing after false messiahs? Jesus says that the coming of the true Messiah will be as lightning seen over a wide area. The evidence of his presence in Kingdom power will be clearly visible to all observant onlookers.

Then Jesus makes comparisons with ancient events to show what the attitudes of people will be during that future period: “Just as it occurred in the days of Noah, so it will be in the days of the Son of man . . . Likewise, just as it occurred in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building. But on the day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and sulfur from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be the same on that day when the Son of man is revealed.”​—Luke 17:26-30.

Jesus is not saying that people in Noah’s day and in Lot’s day were destroyed because they pursued the normal activities of eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, and building. Noah and Lot and their families did at least some of those things. But the other people were doing so without paying any attention to God’s will and were ignoring the time in which they lived. Hence, Jesus is admonishing his disciples to pay attention to God’s will and to be actively involved in doing it. He is thus showing them the way to be preserved​—that is, the way to keep living—​when God brings destruction in the future.

The disciples will need to avoid becoming distracted by the things of the world around them, “the things behind.” Jesus says: “On that day let the person who is on the housetop but whose belongings are in the house not come down to pick these up, and likewise, the person out in the field must not return to the things behind. Remember the wife of Lot.” (Luke 17:31, 32) She became a pillar of salt.

Continuing his description of the situation existing when the Son of man will reign as King, Jesus tells his disciples: “In that night two people will be in one bed; the one will be taken along, but the other will be abandoned.” (Luke 17:34) So some will gain salvation, but others will be abandoned, losing their life.

The disciples ask: “Where, Lord?” Jesus responds: “Where the body is, there also the eagles will be gathered together.” (Luke 17:37) Yes, some will be like farsighted eagles. These disciples will gather to the true Christ, the Son of man. At that future time, Jesus will provide his disciples with lifesaving truth for those having faith.

Jesus has already told his disciples an illustration about being persistent in prayer. (Luke 11:5-13) He may now be in Samaria or in Galilee, and he again emphasizes the need not to give up in praying. He does so with this further illustration:

“In a certain city there was a judge who had no fear of God and no respect for man. There was also a widow in that city who kept going to him and saying, ‘See that I get justice from my legal opponent.’ Well, for a while he was unwilling, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Although I do not fear God or respect any man, because this widow keeps making me trouble, I will see that she gets justice so that she will not keep coming and wearing me out with her demand.’”​—Luke 18:2-5.

As to the application, Jesus says: “Hear what the judge, although unrighteous, said! Certainly, then, will not God cause justice to be done for his chosen ones who cry out to him day and night, while he is patient toward them?” (Luke 18:6, 7) What is Jesus thus indicating about his Father?

Jesus certainly does not mean that Jehovah God is in any way like the unrighteous judge. His point involves a contrast: If even an unrighteous human judge will respond to persistent entreaties, God unquestionably will do so. He is righteous and good and will answer if his people do not give up in praying. We can see that from what Jesus adds: “I tell you, [God] will cause justice to be done to them speedily.”​—Luke 18:8.

The lowly and the poor often do not receive justice, whereas the powerful and the rich often are favored. But that is not God’s way. When the time is ripe, he will justly see to it that the wicked are punished and that his servants receive everlasting life.

Who have faith like that of the widow? How many truly believe that God will “cause justice to be done to them speedily”? Jesus has just illustrated the need to persist in prayer. Now, as to faith in the power of prayer, he asks: “When the Son of man arrives, will he really find this faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8) The implication is that such faith may not be common when Christ arrives.

Some who are listening to Jesus feel self-assured in their faith. They trust in themselves that they are righteous, whereas they look down on others. To such ones, Jesus directs this illustration:

“Two men went up into the temple to pray, the one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and began to pray these things to himself, ‘O God, I thank you that I am not like everyone else​—extortioners, unrighteous, adulterers—​or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give the tenth of all things I acquire.’”​—Luke 18:10-12.

The Pharisees are known to make public displays of their seeming righteousness. They do so to impress others. The usual occasions for their self-imposed fasts are on Mondays and Thursdays, the days large markets are busy, when many will see them. And they scrupulously pay a tithe of even small plants. (Luke 11:42) A few months earlier, they expressed their contempt for the common people, saying: “This crowd who do not know the Law [according to the Pharisees’ view] are accursed people.”​—John 7:49.

Jesus continues his illustration: “But the tax collector, standing at a distance, was not willing even to raise his eyes heavenward but kept beating his chest, saying, ‘O God, be gracious to me, a sinner.’” Yes, the tax collector humbly acknowledges his shortcomings. Jesus concludes: “I tell you, this man went down to his home and was proved more righteous than that Pharisee. Because everyone who exalts himself will be humiliated, but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”​—Luke 18:13, 14.

Thus Jesus makes clear the need to be humble. That is beneficial counsel for his disciples, who have been reared in a society in which the self-righteous Pharisees stress position and rank. And it is valuable counsel for all of Jesus’ followers.