Mark | Chapter 13

Mark 13:1-4

“The expectant life”

1. Introduction
2. Vs. 1-4 When will these things be?

Introduction

We know in chapter 13 very quickly in the text that the scene has changed, as Mark tells us that Jesus went out of the Temple, (prior to this they had been in the temple as Jesus was being interrogated). According to Mark one of His disciples took the opportunity to point out the grandeur of the buildings with their massive stones, (both Matthew and Luke tell us that there were more than one that approached Jesus but apparently one did the speaking.) Some of those stones are 40 feet in length and 18 feet high. Verse three gives the location of this chapter as the Mount of Olives, opposite the Temple. The thirteenth chapter of Mark along with Matthew chapter 24-25 and Luke 21:5-36 is often referred too as the “Olivet Discourse” do to the location in which Jesus spoke these words. Remember that Jesus was in the middle of the “Passion Week” only a day or two away from His trial, crucifixion and resurrection. We will be spending some weeks in this chapter for two very important reasons:

1. First it will require a great deal of research and study to unlock its truths.
2. Second, any section that deals with the “end of the world” and the return of Jesus always carries a great deal of interest.

We are going to begin our study into the 13^th chapter of Mark with “general observations” both of this chapter in Mark as well as comparisons with the other two accounts in Matthew chapters 24-25 and Luke 21:5-36. Along the way it will be necessary to outline this chapter which will aid in our investigation. I want all of you to be aware of this up front as this mornings study will serve as an overview of the passage, with only a direct examination of a very few verses as time won’t permit us going further this week.

Vs. 1-4 When will these things be?

Vs. 1 Our first order of business is to establish the “clear context” of the passage. The comment issued by one of the disciples of “Teacher see what manner of stones and what buildings are here” causes us to ask and answer some important questions that will in the end clarify Jesus’ words in this chapter.

1. First, we know that this comment by one of the disciples followed directly upon Jesus words with regards to the Scribes and the danger of not being devoted to Christ. It seems as though Jesus words left an impression that wasn’t missed upon the disciples as Jesus had been particularly hard on the Jewish religion and religious elite.
2. Second, Matthew’s gospel tells us that Jesus disciples initiated this by coming up to Jesus to “show Him the buildings of the temple.” I find that very interesting as Jesus was no tourist. He wasn’t someone who had just arrived to the city who needed to have the details brought out to Him. Jesus was as aware of the buildings if not more so than they were. So what was the purpose of making that statement? 

These two facts of:

• A delegation of disciples coming to Jesus to point out the architectural details of the temple buildings
• Following an extended teaching of Jesus against Jewish religion, sets the context as an “intervention” of sorts.

This makes this statement of the disciples directly related to Jesus words about the scribe and about religion. It is a statement that seeks to put a positive spin on 1^st century Judaism; contrasting on all the negative statements that Jesus had been saying. A way of saying, “Look Jesus, religion ain’t all bad, it sure can make impressive buildings!” To these patriotic disciples they must have viewed Jesus words more of an insult and better aimed at the Roman oppressors than their captors. That is further brought out in the fact that they must have been even more surprised by Jesus’ comments in verse 2 as they send two sets of brothers, who were all a part of the inner circle to find out further what He had meant by the statement.

Vs. 2 Jesus’ reply acknowledged the impressive nature of the temple but at the same time spoke of its complete demolition. What’s interesting is the accuracy of Jesus prophetic words of “Not one stone shall be left upon another, that shall not be thrown down.” These words speak of a gradual destruction that didn’t occur completely in 70 A.D. Instead they wouldn’t be completed for 65 years later in 135 A.D. after one last rebellion that the Romans leveled the temple leaving only the bald platform behind.

Vs. 3-4 The disciples were understandably troubled by Jesus prophecy as they sent a delegation of the two sets of brothers to where He was seated on the Mount of Olives. Their inquiry was to ask Him further just what He meant with regards to the “timing of this prophecy”. They didn’t come to debate the truth of His words their curiosity was about “WHEN” it would occur and “WHAT” would be the sign. Well over 2000 years have come and gone and these are still the same questions that people have always wanted to know. With every succeeding generation and increasingly greater “signs” people have been expecting to see this fulfilled in their life time. What’s interesting is that starting with the disciples every generation has thought that the events they were presently experiencing indicated that Jesus was coming back in their life time. I can’t help but think that this fact is by design as we shall discover in Jesus’ final warnings in verses 35-37where Jesus says, “Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming–in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning– lest, coming suddenly, He find you sleeping. And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!” I believe that Jesus would have all of His followers live with expectant hearts, living in the moment of His soon return, with a light hold on the world.

            Though Jesus will answer the “WHEN and WHAT” questions He does so by first bracketing this passage with warnings as we note that His statements start with the warning “take heed” in verse 5 and end with another “take heed” warning in verse 33, followed by two “watches” in verse 35, 37. There are in fact four sections in this passage that tell us “WHEN and WHAT” the signs are that this prophecy is about to happen. Before we look at this if we want to get the clearest picture of the meaning behind Jesus’ words we would need to to examine each of the accounts of the “parallel passages” found in Matthew chapter 24-25 and Luke chapter 21 verse 5-36. Each of the gospel writers select different aspects of Jesus teaching to emphasize specific things to their readers.

• Matthew’s spends the most amount of time recording the “Olivet Discourse”. He is the only writer to record the two parables of the “Ten Virgins” and “The Talents” as well as the judgment of the gentile nations all found in the 25^th chapter. As such his focus is on what’s going to happen to Israel.
• Luke is the only gospel writer who writes of the fall of Jerusalem and the future captivity and dispersion of the Jews and the domination of the nation by gentiles, for thousands of years; which coincidentally ended in 1948. 
• Mark’s focus is the danger to believer’s faith that will arise in the age that follows the resurrection of Jesus.

As noted the four sections of “WHEN” it would occur and “WHAT” would be the sign, are sandwiched in between the “take heed” warnings of verse 5 and verse 33 and both are the same word in the Greek translated “take heed” (though some versions have verse 5 as SEE). The word for “take heed” means to “look out, beware” where as the the final warnings of verse 35 and verse 37 rendered “watch” is a different Greek word that means “wake up, don’t fall asleep”. There the warning is that a calamity is coming. As such before Jesus answers their two questions with regards to “WHEN” the end of the world would occur and “WHAT” the sign would be; Jesus wants to make sure His church understands that the end of the world will be bring two specific dangers to the church:

1. That there would be those who attempt to use these “signs” to deceive His church to follow false messiahs.
2. And the danger that being to focused upon the end and His soon return can cause the Church to fall asleep in apathy when the signs they see don’t end up ushering in His soon return. 

There are four sections to Jesus message in verse 5-37 about “WHEN” the end would occur and “WHAT” the sign would be.

 Vs. 6-13 False Signs

These are real events but are NOT indications of when the world will come to an end or that Jesus would return. The context of this is in Jesus’ words of verse 5 and the warning to be on the “look out” against those who would use what He is about to say to deceive believers. In verse 6 Jesus says that the “signs” will be used “by many” to claim “I am He”; for the purpose of “deceiving many”. Further more in verse 7 Jesus says, “for such things must happen, BUT THE END IS NOT YET.” And in verse 8 He says, “These are the BEGINNINGS of sorrows.” That being said Jesus goes on in verse 6-13 to mention four events that these “FALSE MESSIAHS” will use to deceive many.

1. Vs. 6 Many will come in my name: Jesus says that the 1^st non sign is the proliferation of “would-be-messiahs”. Ironically, the first non sign is false messiahs on the scene claiming that they are the messiah. 
2. Vs. 7-8a Wars and rumors wars…nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: The 2^nd non sign will be the inability of nations and kingdoms to get along with each other.
3. Vs. 8b There will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles: The 3^rd non sign will be environmental calamities that will befall the world.
4. Vs. 9-13 They will deliver you up to councils…synagogues…rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them. Brother will betray brother to death, father his child, and children will rise up against parents: The fourth non sign is rising persecution of believers. At Jesus words the church hadn’t even officially began and He is warning of its prolonged persecution at the hand of differing groups from the secular communities, to the religious and even the immediate family.       
5. Vs. 14-23 True Sign: Here in this section is the answer to the question asked by the disciples as to “WHEN” the end of the world would occur and “WHAT” the sign would be. Notice in verse 14 Jesus uses the word “WHEN” which was what they originally asked and answers that the “WHEN” is an event “spoken of by Daniel the prophet” known as the “abomination of desolation” which is further clarified by Jesus as “standing where it ought not.” This true sign has three elements to it:
6. Vs. 14b The abomination of desolation: we will look at this more in detail when we get to this section but it speaks of the antichrist standing in the Jewish temple attempting to receive worship. Obviously that means that there has to be a temple of the temple mount of which currently there isn’t one.
7. Vs. 14b-20 Worldwide tribulation: There will be upon the above event an instantaneous and immediate peril to believers first in Jerusalem but then globally like nothing the world has ever experienced. It’s so bad according to verse 20 that “unless the Lord shortened those days, no flesh would be saved.” 
8. Vs. 21-23 Worldwide deception: The difference between these false messiahs is that they seem to be a direct agent of satan as they will have “signs and wonders to deceive, if possible even the elect.”
9. Vs. 24-27 Climax of history: In these four verse Jesus describes that at the end of the tribulation two things will happen:
10. Vs. 24-25 The end of the world as we now know it, that will extend into the heavens.
11. Vs. 26-27 The second coming of Jesus to the earth coming in great power and glory. What is not mentioned here is the rapture of the church which will precede His 2^nd coming that is dealt with in other passages.
12. Vs. 28-37 Guarantees and warnings: This final section is divided into two sections:
13. Vs. 28-31 In these verse Jesus uses a parable as an exhortation to stay watchful and finishes it off with the assurance that what He has just told them is more certain than the heaven and earth.
14. Vs. 32-37 The last warning Jesus issues has to do with not getting caught up in predicting the actual time but again be living an expectant life.

Now have finished our outline next week we shall start our detailed look at each of these four sections.       

Mark 13:5-13

“Take heed no one deceives you”

1. Introduction
2. Vs. 6 Proliferation of pretenders
3. Vs. 7-8a Permanent political problems
4. Vs. 8b Cataclysmic catastrophes
5. Vs. 9-13 Prolonged persecution

Introduction

Last week we began our study of the “Olivet Discourse”; we discussed the timing and occasion of this message as being in the final few days of Jesus’ earthly life. It came from a statement offered by His disciples after His continual rejection of first century Judaism. Jesus informed them that though the buildings were impressive there would be not one stone left upon another, that caused them to ask Him “WHEN” it would occur and “WHAT” would be the sign. The bulk of last Sundays message was outlining the entire passage so that we could take a look at the “Olivet Discourse” in greater detail while still viewing it in its entirety. We noted that Jesus bracketed His words on WHEN” the end of the world would occur and “WHAT” the sign would be with two “Take heed” warnings. Those warnings form the context of the information as to “when” and “what”. Mark’s emphasis is the twofold warning that Jesus issued to the church with regards to end times:

• That “signs” would be utilized by false messiahs to deceive the church.
• That a church too focused on “when” and “what” could fall into apathy when their assumptive guesses didn’t pan out.

The “Olivet Discourse” breaks apart into four sections:

1. Vs. 6-13 False Signs
2. Vs. 14-23 True Sign
3. Vs. 24-27 Climax of history
4. Vs. 28-37 Guarantees and warnings

This morning our focus in detail will be upon those four non-signs.      

 

Vs. 6 Proliferation of pretenders

Vs. 5 I find it interesting that the delegation of four disciples wanted to know “when” and “what” but Jesus prefaces His answer with a warning and ends it with a warning. This suggests to me that the greater issue to address from Jesus’ perspective is not to satisfy the churches curiosity but warning His church of the dangers to that curiosity in the hand of our enemy. “When” and “what” were the wrong questions instead the church should be asking what we are to “Watch out” for! And since they didn’t ask Jesus goes on to list four events or “signs” that the enemy will use to deceive them.

Vs. 6 First there will be a proliferation of pretenders for the sole purpose to lead the church astray. The deception is not limited to those who claim to be the messiah but to those who would wrongly fallow them. Jesus explains how they are successful at perpetuating this lie as they attract a following by basing their claims by the using Jesus’ name. They claim authority and power by saying that they are the same in person and work as Jesus. There were dozens of false messiahs prior to and after Jesus. In Acts chapter 5:36-39 we learn of two of them when the Jewish teacher of the law Gamaliel was advising the religious leaders who had arrested the apostles not to take action when he said, “For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody. A number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was slain, and all who obeyed him were scattered and came to nothing. After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census, and drew away many people after him. He also perished, and all who obeyed him were dispersed. And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it–lest you even be found to fight against God.”

• Theudas claimed that he would part the Jordan river but instead led 400 of his followers to their deaths.
• Judas the Galilean, was an anti-Roman radical who founded the Zealot movement that Simon, one of Jesus disciples had been a part of.
• A 100 years after Jesus had risen from the dead Simon Bar-Kochba began a rebellion that lasted for over three years and cost 100’s of lives. He was proclaimed the messiah by Rabbi Akiva in Jerusalem and gained control of the Jewish population. He was convinced of his messianic calling and ruled the people with an iron fist. He demanded that all Christians deny Jesus as the Messiah and tortured or killed any men, women or children that didn’t. In the end the Romans put an end to him and his followers by killing 1,000’s and sending the rest into captivity or slavery.
• There was Moses of Crete who promised to part the Mediterranean Sea and lead his followers across to Jerusalem on dry ground. He gathered them on a high cliff and at his command they jumped only to be swallowed up by the Sea and drown.
• There was Moses Al-Dar’I, a Jewish Moroccan who predicted that the messiah was coming back at Passover in 1127 A.D. so all the people sold everything and met together watching the date come and go being left destitute. 
• In the 1200’s Sicilian mystic Abraham ben Samuel proclaimed himself the messiah and led a failed attempt to resettle Jews in Israel.
• Shabbetai Tsevi of Smyrna came in 1666 and said he heard a voice from God claiming he was the messiah. He led his followers to Constantinople where he was arrested and the sultan told him to prove it or he would die and he responded by converting to Islam.  

This is just a small list of would-be messiahs who have come and gone through out history. We have had many in our time like Jim Jones and others who have deceived 100’s and thousands of their followers like Joseph Smith. Many of them were very convincing and charismatic people who made amazing claims. But just like Jesus predicted their claims are all false and what they taught is not what Jesus taught. They have been successful in leading many astray, all because their followers preferred to listen to their lies instead of following the warnings of Jesus when He said “Take heed that no deceives you.” But remember dear ones that the proliferation of pretenders is not a sign that the end is near as I have shown you this has been going on sense before Jesus.

Vs. 7-8a Permanent political problems

The second non-sign Jesus mentions is, Wars and rumors wars…nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. The warning is to not to allow such things to “trouble” them. The word “trouble” is a word that means to be “disturbed or terrified”. There is little doubt that the disciples were “troubled” by their present condition of political unrest in their nation. History is ever in a state some where of permanent political unrest but these things must never unseat the believer if their task of speaking of the goodness and greatness of Jesus. There are two kingdoms at work in this world: The kingdom of darkness and the kingdom of the Son of His love. These two are moving along side by side and for the most part the world is unaware of the kingdom of God. Jesus’ warning is that we Christians should not be unaware of the kingdom of God no matter what the kingdom of this world is doing! No matter how dark the kingdom of this world gets it will never invade the Kingdom of God, it our privilege by works and words to invade the kingdom of this world. The depravity of the human race is the root of all wars, and it is this that makes nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, inevitable. With in a 100 years there were threats of wars or wars against the Jew’s from three Roman emperors, Caligula, Claudius and Nero. In A.D. 38 in Alexandria the Jew’s were special objects of persecution. In 115-117 AD at the second Judean-Roman war in modern day Iraq over 50,000 Jews were killed in the Kitos War or the war of the dispersion. There have been somewhere between 250,000 wars in human history, some have gotten to the category of “world war”. If you go back to the time during these horrible events, you will find well meaning Christian authors saying that right after World War 1 that this was the sign of our Lord’s return. Then again they said the same thing right after world war 2. They would write things like “No other war in history fulfilled prophecy like this war.” What they fail to recognize is that Jesus clearly states in verse 7 that, “the end is not yet.”

Vs. 8b Cataclysmic catastrophes

Vs. 8b The third non-sign Jesus say’s is There will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles: Josephus the ancient Jewish / Roman historian records the fact that between Jesus’ prophecy which was around A.D. 30 to the destruction of Jerusalem 40 years later in A.D. 70 there was four major earthquakes: in Crete in A.D. 46, at Rome in A.D. 51, at Apamia in Phrygia (modern day Turkey) in A.D. 60, and at Campania which is in Italy near Pompeii in A.D. 63, (16 years later the eruption of Mount Vesuvius happened). In a ten-year span between 2004 and 2014 there were 18 earthquakes with a magnitude of 8.0 or more which is an increase 265% over the average rate over the last 100 years which saw 71 great earthquakes. Josephus also recorded in that same 40-year span after Jesus wrote these words that there were four famines one of which according to Acts chapter 11:28 was in Judaea in A.D. 44. In China from 108 B.C. to 1911 A.D. there were 1,828 major famines or about 1 every other year. There were 95 famines in Britain during the Middle ages. In 1996 in North Korea over 600,000 died of starvation. And Jesus says that such things are not the sign they are instead just intolerable pains and anguish. All such “troubles” are so horrible as to cause a person to think that the world is about to end and for believers to get caught up into that hoping so as we know that Jesus is coming back at the end. Yet Jesus says that these events are not the “SIGN”.

Vs. 9-13 Prolonged persecution

Vs. 9-13 Fourth and finally Jesus says that, They will deliver you up to councils…synagogues…rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them. Brother will betray brother to death, father his child, and children will rise up against parents. Verse 9 is a historical transition from the early believers being all Jewish who have trusted in Jesus as messiah. They Jesus says, “Will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues.” The first form of persecution against the church was Jewish but as the church expanded beyond Jewish believers Jesus says that, “You will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them.”  The book of Acts records this rapid spread of the gospel as it was preached to all the nations. Verse 10 as long been used to motivate evangelism and missions by suggesting that Jesus can not come back until “the gospel must FIRST be preached to all the nations.” The 14^th verse introduces us to the beginning of the great tribulation and it will be just as Jesus said that the gospel will be preached by the 144,000 Jewish followers of Jesus and the two witnesses as well to all the nations just proceeding Jesus 2^nd coming. Human history from the time that Jesus spoke these words to now has been riddled with martyrs but the exhortation by Jesus is verse 11 and verse 13. Jesus isn’t saying that we earn our salvation as the word mentioned is not spiritual as no one is ever saved by enduring but rather it is a physical salvation as those during the tribulation period who have received the Lord and suffered persecution will enter the millennial period. No believer “earns” their salvation by enduring to the end; no, we prove that our salvation is genuine by the fact that we endure persecution as every genuine Christian will survive the test. In every era we have seen professing Christians like the ones that the apostle John describes in 1 John 2:19 as those that, “went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.” Christian history has seen this phenomenon countless times with people who have made a profession of faith and even seen to be growing in maturity only to have their commitment dissipate under the pressure of unpopularity and trials of the times. They didn’t endure and showed that in reality they were only intellectually committed not spiritually joined as they didn’t endure to the end.

            Yet these four “signs” are not signs they have been happening since Jesus said these words. Next time I get with you will be looking specifically at what the “SIGN” of when the end of the world and the 2^nd coming of Jesus.

Mark 13:14-23

“When You See This”

1. Introduction
2. Vs. 14a The sign
3. Vs. 14b-18 Watch and run
4. Vs. 19-23 World wide tribulation and deception

Introduction

The second section of the Olivet Discourse was directed at the twofold question of the disciples as too “when the destruction of Jerusalem would take place and what would be the sign of its occurrence.” The challenge of this section as it relates to us is not as much centered upon the “when or the what” but HOW FAR and to WHOM Jesus meant to convey that this sign would extend. There are those that believe that Jesus words only extend to the Jews alive during the destruction of the temple in 70 A.D. or the complete dispersion some 60 years later. In their view this passage of scripture is fulfilled as it was localized and directed only at Israel. The difficulty in maintaining this interpretation is that Mark inserts his commentary “let the reader understand”. Again is Mark’s insertion only a reference to the Roman reader or did he by way of the Holy Spirit look beyond to all readers? These are but some of the questions we will need to answer. As already mentioned Jesus doesn’t address the rapture of the church, His focus is centered upon warning the church of the deception that will be employed by satan as the end nears. Jesus is speaking to His disciple’s about what they believed was going to be the time He and they would rule over Israel and set all her enemies at her feet. Simply put these verse deal with the second coming.

Vs. 14a The sign

Vs. 14a First notice that this verse IS Jesus’ answer to the two sets of brothers question of “Tell us when these things will be?” We know this because Jesus starts off His answer with, “When you see…”. Now with that said we can get the answer to “HOW FAR” this sign extended as only one of those four present, John, lived long enough to see the destruction (he died of natural causes in 100A.D.). I’m of the opinion that the “YOU” here in Jesus’ statement was not only directed at John, or even the present disciples. I further submit to you that the context of “when you see” is directly related to WHAT they would see namely the “abomination of desolation” which as Jesus elaborates was prophesied by Daniel. Further more as we shall see as we go along in this passage that this event has not yet taken place and was not fulfilled in 70 A.D. or 60 years later. The “abomination of desolation spoken by the prophet Daniel” is found in Daniel 9:24-27 there we notice several things about this event.

1.) Vs. 24 First the words “..for your people and your holy city.” Tells us that this prophecy was for the Nation of Israel. To apply this to the church or anyone else is to take it out of context. The church prior to the millennial reign of Christ doesn’t have a “Holy city”, but Israel does and it is Jerusalem!

2.) Vs. 25-26 Next you will note this prophecy involves 70 weeks. In Hebrew the word week means a week of years or 7 years. So 70 – 7’s would equal 490 years. And this is broken down for us by Daniel.

A.) “Seven sets of seven’s”: During the first 49 years the city of Jerusalem would be rebuilt and worship reestablished. As Daniel wrote this he was still in Babylon and the walls were torn down yet they would be rebuilt. We know that the time when the commandment to restore and rebuild Jerusalem went forth Artaxerxes was 445 BC and it took 49 years to rebuild the city.

B.) “..plus sixty-two sets of seven will pass from the time the command is given to rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One comes.” Daniel goes on to tell us that another 434 years would pass until “the Anointed One comes”. We know that according to 2 Chron. 36:22-23 and Ezra 1 that to the day 483 years or 173,880 days passed until Jesus came riding upon that colt into Jerusalem.

C.) Vs. 26 “After this period of sixty-two sets of seven, the Anointed One will be killed, appearing to have accomplished nothing, and a ruler will arise whose armies will destroy the city and the Temple. The end will come with a flood, and war and its miseries are decreed from that time to the very end.” Daniel goes on in his prophecy and says that Jesus will “appear to have accomplished nothing” and a ruler will arise whose armies will destroy the city and the temple, then there will be a great dispersion and miseries to the very end. It was 40 years from the time that Jesus said these words the temple with the city was destroyed.

If you add up the 62 sets of 7’s with that of the 7 sets of 7’s you end up with 69 sets of 7’s which takes us through the destruction of Israel. But Daniel’s prophecy says that there would be 70 sets of seven, where the missing 7 years?

D.) Vs. 27  “He will make a treaty with the people for a period of one set of seven, but after half this time, he will put an end to the sacrifices and offerings. Then as a climax to all his terrible deeds, he will set up a sacrilegious object that causes desecration, until the end that has been decreed is poured out on this defiler.” Daniel is speaking of the Great tribulation period and he says that the Anti-christ will make a “treaty” with Israel for 7 years but at 31/2 years he will break it by setting up sacrilegious object and demanding people to worship it. this presupposes that the temple will be built by this time and that sacrifices will have been made upon the alter, which has not happened in Israel since the destruction of the temple in 70 AD. There are two more verses that will she light on this abomination:

1.) 2 Thess. 2:3-4 Here Paul was dealing with the false teaching that Jesus had already came back and he says, “Don’t be fooled by what they say. For that day will not come until there is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness is revealed–the one who brings destruction. He will exalt himself and defy every god there is and tear down every object of adoration and worship. He will position himself in the temple of God, claiming that he himself is God.”

2.) Rev. 13 Tells us that Antichrist will cause a living statue of himself to be put into the temple and the false prophet will cause the whole world to worship it. This is what is recorded in Mark 13:14 that Jesus calls the “Abomination of desolation”.

Notice that Mark says, “Let the reader understand.” It will be important for those living in the tribulation period to, understand this section. So if someone is reading this for the first time during the tribulation period and then they turn on the news they should respond as Jesus says next.

Vs. 14b-18 Watch and run

Vs. 14b If you’re in Judea, get out of their quickly! When you read Zechariah 13:8-9 of what follows the abomination of desolation we see that the Jews will flee from Judah but “Two-thirds of the people in the land will be cut off and die, and a third will be left in the land. Yet He will bring that group through the fire and make them pure, just as gold and silver are refined and purified by fire. They will call on my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘These are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The LORD is our God.”

            Many Bible scholars believe that the mountains that they will be fleeing to is none other then the rock city of Petra in Jordan. It was founded by Jacob’s twin brother Esau in a volcanic crater 1 mile in length. To get to this crater you have to pass through a canyon that is only 12 feet wide at places with a rock face of 200 feet. The whole city can house over a million people and can be secured by 15 soldiers. One believer is so convinced that this is the city where the Jews will flee too that he has provided 1000 of copies of the N.T. in Hebrew with this passage underlined, putting them in earthen jars throughout Petra so that when they get there the Bibles will be waiting for them.

Vs. 15 The Jewish house tops in Jerusalem are still mostly flat top and you can walk across the city from roof top to roof top with out going down stairs. The point is that this will all happen very quickly, so they better not waste time.

Vs. 16-18 If the worker in the field has left his coat at the end of a row just leave the thing and get out. It is hard for us to imagine the swiftness of the massacre, but Jesus is warning them to get out quickly. Jesus clearly loves that generation and is expressing His heart towards their destruction. Matthew mentions in verse 20 that they ought to pray this not happen on the Sabbath where Mark doesn’t an obvious difference in the readers of these two gospels.

Vs. 19-23 World wide tribulation and deception

Jesus tells us why they will need to get out of Judea. A great tribulation greater then any the world has ever seen will start.  By the time it ends 2/3 of the worlds population will be gone. 

 There are some who try and say that the tribulation has already taken place and right now we are in the 1000-year reign of Jesus will if that is the case some one forgot to tell the devil. Folks, make no mistake about it this time will be obvious to all. By the way the word “elect” reveres to Israel not the church by the context!

Jesus tells them that it will be a time of great deception. Jesus is saying that His second coming will not be a secret one in fact if someone is saying that Jesus comes back the 2nd time secretly it marks them as a false prophet no matter how many signs and wonders they do. In 1917 Jehovah Witness said that Jesus came back into a secret chamber where He now rules the world. In the 1800 Joseph Smith said that He revealed Himself to him and gave him some magic glasses. Folks, Jesus is saying that His second coming is not a secret or invisible one. His coming will be visible to all!

Mark 13:24-27

“In those days”

1. Introduction
2. Vs. 24-25 The end of the world
3. Vs. 26-27 The beginning of the reign of Christ

Introduction

We come to the 3^rd part of the the Olivet Discourse and the part of Jesus’ answer as to “when will these things be” and “what will be the sign” that most likely left the disciples the most confused. What Jesus describes in these four verses is the Climax of human history as we now know it. It will come at the end of the 7^th week of Daniel’s prophecy known as the “Great Tribulation” or the “Say of the Lord” which Jesus described as a time “such as has not been since the beginning of creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be.” These four verses describe two completely contrasting situations that will no doubt caused two reactions; one that is absolutely terrifying the and the other that is absolutely glorious:

B. Vs. 24-25 The end of the world as we now know it, that will extend into the heavens.

C. Vs. 26-27 The second coming of Jesus to the earth coming in great power and glory. What is not mentioned here is the rapture of the church which will precede His 2^nd coming that is dealt with in other passages but for sake of interest in the subject we will take a greater look at this in light of this passage.

Vs. 24-25 The end of the world

Vs. 24-25 Matthew 24:29 uses the word “immediately” to describe the timing of these final two events with regards to the tribulation. The Day of the Lord is to be preceded by the darkening of the sun and the moon all of which is spoken of in the Old Testament in passages like Amos 8:9, Joel 2:10, 3:15. A time when the creator will shake His creation and the brightness of the sun fails at midday from the glory of heaven. The celestial disturbances in the sun being darkened and the moon giving no light occur at the close of the Great Tribulation. Jesus is speaking not of figurative illustrations but literal events as we see in Revelation 6:12-14 as the 6^th seal judgment is broken. What is not mentioned any where in Jesus’ Olivet Discourse is the “snatching away” “catching away” or “rapture” of the Church. That is the topic of discussion in Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians in chapter 4:13-17. The Greek word rendered “rapture” in verse 17 is har-PAD-zo and was translated into Latin as “raptus” which is where we get our English word “rapture”. The church for the most apart all agree that there will be a “rapture” but disagree as too it’s time of occurrence. Some have it coming prior too the tribulation (Pre-tribulation), some have it at the mid point of 3 ½ years of the Daniel’s seven-year Great Tribulation (mid-tribulation) and the last group have it just prior or at the same time as the events mentioned here in verse 24 (post-tribulation). While I want to stay on topic with the passage I also realize that there is a great deal of interest in this one detail which Jesus doesn’t cover so let’s take a brief look at it:

            We will need to do a quick little bible study of this passage:

First the context of this section of Paul’s letter has to do with a concern that the church in Thessalonica had with regards to what happened to believers when they die. Based upon the epitaphs on tombs the average age of death was 29 and that fact clearly troubled believers in light of Christ’s 2^nd coming. So the first thing Paul did in his letter to them was give them a word picture of what happens to a follower of Jesus when they die as he describes their death as “falling asleep”. Paul puts a different spin on this then the ancient world saw it as they believed that when a person died that they went to sleep and would never wake up. But Paul uses the same word to describe people who have died but are now in the presence of the Lord. There are three other verses that shed light on this in the N.T.:

1. James 2:26 “For as the body without the spirit is dead…”: The bible teaches that the body is just a tent in which our spirit resides. So when our body dies our spirit or soul departs.
2. 2 Corinth. 5:8 “…rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.”: When we die our spirit departs our body to be present with the Lord. The Greek word “present” means to be at home with, to make its permanent residence with. For the believer it is death that is dead, as leaving this body is like taking a nap and awaking in the glory of the Lord. It for this reason that Christians first started calling burial places “cemeteries” or “resting places”.
3. Phil. 1:21 “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”: Paul clearly saw death of the body and his presence with the Lord as a far better place than remaining alive on earth.

So Paul corrected the misunderstanding of what happens to the believer when they die.

Second, Paul addresses a two hypothetical question he anticipates that they would want answered:

A. “How do I know if I die as a believer I will be in Jesus presence?”: Paul’s answer is that the hope is based upon nothing less than Jesus death and resurrection. Our glorification is as certain as our salvation! Jesus resurrection serves as a promise of our own reunion with Him!

B. “So the believer goes to be with Jesus when they die, what happens to them next?”: The answer is that God will bring those who have died back with Him at His 2^nd coming.

            Before Paul sets the timing of the rapture he first wanted the Church to know that what he was sharing with them was not just his opinion, that’s why he writes “For we say to you by THE WORD OF THE LORD…” The Thessalonian believers were afraid that those that died in Christ would miss the millennial reign of Christ. Notice that Paul uses the word “we” which tells us that this is in the “first person” and that Paul believed that Jesus could come back at any moment, he wasn’t looking for signs of Jesus return he was looking for Jesus! The only difference between the believer who dies before the rapture and the believer who is raptured is their position as the dead in Christ are first!

            Finally, the 16^th and 17^th verses Paul sets the events that will reunite all believers in Christ:

1. “The Lord Himself”: Thus we are not waiting for someone else, we are waiting only for the Lord.
2. “Will descend from heaven with a shout”: The word for shout is a Greek word that is used for a ship’s captain to the oarsmen, as it has a tone of authority and urgency. Paul writes of three specific sounds that will signal the return of Jesus with those who have died in Christ:
3.  Jesus’ voice of authority
4. The voice of an archangel: We are not told which archangel, but after Jesus voice there will be the voice of archangel.
5. The trumpet of God: It is believed by some that this is the reason for the archangel’s voice telling them to blow the trumpet of God, or shofar. The shofar was used for four things according to scripture:
6. To gather the army for battle: Clearly the Lord is calling all of His followers to get ready for the battle at the end of the tribulation.
7. To announce special times and seasons: It also is announcing a special time as we will be forever with Jesus.
8. To gather people for a journey: Jesus is gathering us for a journey, as He said when He left that “where He is was going we would also be with Him”
9. In Rome they were used to announce the arrival of a great person: This trumpet also announces the greatest person there has ever been, Jesus.     

It is interesting to note that both here in 1 Thessalonians 4 and Paul’s 1^st letter to the Corinthians 15:50-54 Paul mentions that a shofar being blown at the rapture of the church. I think that it gives a clue as to the timing of the rapture of the church. According to Leviticus 23 there are seven Holy convocations that God gave to Israel. The word “convocation” in Hebrew means “rehearsal” and as such these feasts were to be “rehearsals” for the real thing. Each of them fall upon certain months of Jewish calendar:

• Passover: Is on the 14^th of Nisan which is in our March – April Roman calendar. This is the rehearsal for when Jesus was killed as the Lamb of God
• Unleavened Bread: Is on the 15^th of Nisan. This is the rehearsal for when the sinless body of Jesus was buried. 
• First Fruits: Is on the 16^th of Nisan. This is the rehearsal when Jesus rose from the dead and became the “first fruits” of those who would be risen from the dead.
• Feast of Weeks or Pentecost: Is on the 6^th of Sivan which would be I May – June in the Roman calendar. This is the rehearsal of the birth of His church the marriage of the word of God by the Spirit of God. What’s interesting is that there is a large gap in the calendar year until the next feast. The picture is that of the birth of the church here on earth being the instruments of His word and grace.
• Feast of Trumpets: Is on the 1^st of 2^nd of Tishri or September – October in the Roman calendar. The feast of trumpets happens right after the seven weeks of mourning, Sefira (July-August) which was to remember the temple that was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 B.C. The 2^nd temple was also destroyed in the same months in 70 A.D. The feast of Trumpets is also called “Rosh Hashanah” and is the Jewish New Year where they remember the binding of Isaac upon the altar and God granting Abraham a lamb Himself for the sacrifice. It is a festival of celebration and days of joy and holiness. Looking at all the Jewish feast the “rehearsals” this is the only feast that hasn’t had a fulfilment and best represents the rapture of the church which will be followed by the return of Jesus and His millennial reign.   
• Day of Atonement: Is on the 10^th of Tishri (September-October) known as the day of atonement or Yom Kippur. This is a day when the Jews are given rest for the afflictions, which will take place at the end of the Great Tribulation, when Jesus returns to give rest to His people.
• Feast of Tabernacles: Is on the 22^nd of Tishri. This feast is to remind Israel that God tabernacled among them during their time in the wilderness and will do so again during His millennial reign.

As I look at the feasts and all the evidence it seems to me that the rapture of the church has to happen before the Great Tribulation. Paul says that the dead in Christ will will rise first, so those who have died in Christ and are in the presence of the Lord will rise first. That doesn’t mean that they will be reunited in their old earthly bodies as Paul told us in 1 Corinth. 15:35 that the Christian will receive a glorified body like that of Jesus.

Vs. 26-27 The beginning of the reign of Christ

Vs. 26 Of further interest to me is that we are told that “they will see the Son of Man coming in the CLOUDS with great power and glory.” But the Greek word for “clouds” has no definite article before the word. As such it isn’t speaking of literal clouds but the scene of Revelation 19:11-16 where Jesus clothed in a robe dipped in blood and returns in a “cloud” with the armies in heaven clothed in fine linen, white and clean following Him on white horses. This cloud is made up of glorified saints and angels. This word “cloud” is used of the multitude of believers in 1 Thess. 4:17 where the saints are caught up in the clouds at the rapture. It is also used of the “great crowd of witnesses” in Hebrews 12:1. The gathering of the elect refers to the re-gathering of all of Israel at the 2^nd coming of Jesus. Israel will be saved and restored to complete fellowship to serve with us gentile followers of their messiah to serve our Lord in the Millennial Kingdom.   

Vs. 27 The Jews will be gathered from the four corners of the earth and brought back to Israel, all of which was again spoken of by the prophets like Isaiah 27:13, 35. It is interesting here that Jesus says that angels will be sent out to gather Gods elect Israel, because at the rapture angels are not used for the Lord comes in person to gather us all up! The fact that Jesus words and language would have been familiar to the disciples reveals that He is not giving us a map of eternity nor a time table of the future; instead He is using words that all of the Jews knew and used for a 1000 years. The one and only thing Jesus did foretell in this passage is that He would return again!

Mark 13:28-37

“Watch”

1. Introduction
2. Vs. 28-31 The days of Noah
3. Vs. 32-37 The doorkeeper

Introduction

Jesus was answering the disciple’s question of “When” and tells them that prior to it there will be “false signs”. Then He gave them the what they had asked Him for “the sign of the end of the age”, “the abomination of desolation”. This will take place at the 3 1/2-year mark of the great tribulation when the anti-christ with the help of the false prophet will enter the rebuilt Jewish temple in Jerusalem and set up an image of himself and demand that all people worship him. When that happens, Jesus goes on to say, get out of Judah and flee to the mountains. One of the points Jesus wanted to make to His disciples is that His return would be a visible one, both in the heavens and the earth. I believe the reason for this has to do with His warning to the church about those who would come in His name attempting to deceive people into following them. Jesus 2^nd coming is not in secrecy that only certain special “witnesses” will view, it’s a global event that all the world no matter where you are or who you are will experience. I think that is why Jesus follows up His words on the events on the 2^nd coming with an analogy from nature (verses 28-31) and another warning against those who try to use His return as deception, (verses 32-37).

Vs. 28-31 The days of Noah

Vs. 28-31 This is an easy parable to follow when you see fig trees in the spring put forth leaves, you know two things:

1. Summer is near, it won’t be long until the days of warmer weather.
2. And nothing will be able to stop the certainty of it’s arrival.  

Vs. 28 Jesus of the timing of these events and gives a lesson from the fig tree. The fig tree is often used as a picture of Israel and Jesus is using this illustration for the nation to pay attention too. The point Jesus is making is that the budding of the trees indicates the beginning of summer; so to when the anti-christ sets up his image in the temple you will know that His return is near. It is interesting to read through this section while looking at commentaries that were written several hundred years ago. The thought of Israel ever budding and becoming a nation again was inconceivable. So because of this they changed their eschatological position to that of the 1000-year reign of Christ all ready happening. We know that in AD. 70 the Romans marched into Jerusalem and destroyed it. We know for over 2,000 years the name of the land was changed from Israel {governed by God} to Palestine {land of the Philistines}. Yet during that 2,000-year period God did a neat thing in the Jewish people, they maintained their: cultural identity, language, ethnicity and religion. No other nation in the history of the world has been able to do that without a home land. Every other nation that has been swallowed up by another nation has lost its identity within two generations. In Deut. 28:64-66 we read, “For the LORD will scatter you among all the nations from one end of the earth to the other. There you will worship foreign gods that neither you nor your ancestors have known, gods made of wood and stone! There among those nations you will find no place of security and rest. And the LORD will cause your heart to tremble, your eyesight to fail, and your soul to despair. Your lives will hang in doubt. You will live night and day in fear, with no reason to believe that you will see the morning light.” That is what happened on August 10^th 70 AD, (the exact same day and month on which it had been burnt by the King of Babylon). Yet God said in Jeremiah 23:8 “As surely as the LORD lives, who brought the people of Israel back to their own land from the land of the north and from all the countries to which he had exiled them.’ Then they will live in their own land.”  On May 14th 1948 the fig tree again budded.

Vs. 29-30 When Jesus said this the temple had not been destroyed, the nation had not been scattered. Israel was not without her home land; yet He says all of this will happen: “Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.” The question is: What does Jesus mean or what generation is He speaking of? The challenge is that the WORD MEANS: The generation of men living at the time of our Lord where as THE CONTEXT: Of the word is clearly the time of the great tribulation, the antichrist, Jesus 2^nd coming and the gathering of the Jewish people from the farthest parts of earth.    

1. It can not mean the generation of the disciple’s because none of them lived that long.
2. I don’t believe it is speaking of the generation that comes back into the land in 1948. Biblically a generation is thought of as 40 years, which would have put this all happening 1988. And if you want to use 70 as a generation even though the bible doesn’t it would put this at 2018.
3. The context of the word must rule the meaning of the word in this instance. The phrase “will by no means pass away” is NOT referring to the Jewish nation becoming extinct until after the events that Jesus spoke of happens. There is no question as to the extinction of the Jewish nation as we know that it is “indestructible.” All of God’s purposes and plans for the nation will have fulfillment. What Jesus is saying is that the Jewish nation will remain on earth as a nation through the time of the fulfillment of theses events. The word “generation” can mean race or linage a person’s descendants. Jesus is saying that the Jewish race will be preserved and that when these things happen there will be those around to witness it.

Vs. 31 Look carefully at this verse in light of what so many people say as Peter said they were saying in his day in 1 Peter 3:4 “Jesus promised to come back, did he? Then where is he? Why, as far back as anyone can remember, everything has remained exactly the same since the world was first created.”

            But Jesus say’s that His return is more “Fixed then heaven and earth are they have an end but His word will never change it will stand through out eternity.” In fact, we read in Rev. 21: 1 that John “Saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared.”

Vs. 32-37 The doorkeeper

Vs. 32 You may remember that in Acts chapter 1 verse 7 just prior to His ascension Jesus told His disciples, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His authority.” How can Jesus say that with absolute certainty then turn around and say that the day or hour know one knows not even the angels in heaven or the Son, but only the Father? What Jesus is referring to is the sign of His coming and He is saying that it will happen with certainty but to those that remain it will be unexpected. That is what Matthew records in 24 verses 37-39 explain how this can be true. It will be like the days of Noah where according to 2 Peter 2:5 Noah “..warned the world of God’s righteous judgment.” For 120 years Noah warned of Gods coming wrath every board he put on that ark everything he did was a witness. Yet we read in Luke 17:27 that “In those days before the flood, the people enjoyed banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat and the flood came to destroy them all.” They had more then Noah speaking to them according to Jude 1:14-15 Noah’s Grandfather Enoch was a prophet and said “Look, the Lord is coming with thousands of his holy ones. He will bring the people of the world to judgment. He will convict the ungodly of all the evil things they have done in rebellion and of all the insults that godless sinners have spoken against him.” As a matter of fact, Enoch had a son when he was 65 years old and named him Methuselah which means “his death shall bring”. Methuselah lived 969 years and died the week before the flood. These people could have known the day and the hour yet they were to going to parties to see it. It wasn’t that they didn’t know the day that judgment would strike it was that they were so caught up living for the moment. Jesus says that “..so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” He links His 2nd coming with the time of Noah, the first judgment of God upon the earth.  In Gen. 6:5-7 God said “That the thoughts of mans heart was only evil continually and He was grieved in His heart that He had created Him and would destroy man from the face of the earth.” God did so by sending the flood but in 2 Peter 3:6,10 Peter tells that that first world was destroyed by the flood, but the second “..will pass away with a terrible noise, and everything in them will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be exposed to judgment.” When we look at Jesus’ words recorded in Matthew 24:40-41 we read Jesus saying, “Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and another left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and another left.” You may have heard this interpreted as saying that Jesus is speaking of the rapture of the church. But remember the context? Being “taken” here in the context was not a good thing it was a sign of judgment and being left was the good thing for it meant that God preserved them miraculously in the ark. The context of this passage is clear: Jesus is NOT talking about the rapture of the church, He is speaking of the sudden judgment of those on the earth during the tribulation period and of how some will make it through. The word “taken” is used 49 times in Matthew and it always means to be taken away in judgment. It is the same word used when they took Jesus away to scourge Him in Matt. 27:27. What Jesus is saying that some people will perish in the judgment while others will remain.

Vs. 33 This is why Jesus tells them to “watch therefore”. The problem in the time of Noah was that they were not paying attention. This is Jesus’ warning to those who find themselves alive during the tribulation period. Paul says something very similar this in 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12 “..God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” Jesus tells His disciples and us that the important thing is NOT, WHEN but WHAT! We must always be watchful, aware, and awake.

Vs. 34-37 Finally Jesus gives them one last illustration as He gathers up all the interval time between His 1^st coming and His 2^nd coming and divides it into “four watches” of one long night. And He says that they don’t know whether the Master of the house will return in the early part on the night, at the middle part of the night, sometime before the break of day or just as the day breaks. What I find interesting is that Jesus uses this story NOT as an indicator of “WHEN” He will return but of the necessity of being watchful as the Master has assigned the servants “each with his work”. Jesus has an expectation of His servants to be busy carrying out the duties which He gave them to do. The question is: What is the doorkeeper keeping watch over? Most folks will say that the “doorkeeper” was keeping watch for Jesus’ return but as you look at the context you notice that the “doorkeeper” keeps watch at as soon as the Master leaves the house, that would be the right at the ascension. So what is he keeping watch over? Well Matthew tells us something that Mark doesn’t include in chapter 24 verse 43 when he records Jesus’ words saying, “But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed the house to be broken into. Therefor you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” The “doorkeeper” is keep watch NOT for the return of the Master but is standing guard against robbers from entering and wrecking the Master’s house. The Masters house is His church and we need to be on guard against those who would attempt to come into His Church and rip it off. There are two things the servants of the Master need to be doing until He returns:

• Watching
• Working

We are not to be looking up into the sky looking at signs of His return, that will happen at the hour the Father has determined.

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