Day #310

Sermon - Audio
Mark 13 - Reading
Mark 13 - Audio

Daily Insights - Please Comment

Mark 13

Jesus warned of terrible tragedies which will be part of human experience while He is away. As the end nears there will be “days of distress unequaled from the beginning when God created the world, until now” (v. 19). That day will close with “the Son of man coming in clouds with great power and glory” (v. 26).

Jesus concluded His predictions about the future with the statement, “This generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened” (v. 30). Since that generation is long dead, what could Jesus have meant?

The term translated “generation” here can mean those currently living. But it also can mean a family or national line. The family line of those faithful to following Christ has surely not passed away.

Jesus warned His disciples against misinterpreting contemporary events such as wars and natural disasters as indications that the end is at hand -- They were not to be alarmed or get diverted from their work whenever they would hear of wars and rumors of wars far away.

v. 13 - The metaphor of birth pains describes the increase in frequency and duration of these events.

v. 22 - The tribulation is accompanied by false christs and false prophets who lead astray by performing signs and wonders . Unlike Scripture, signs and wonders are not clear indicators of God's presence and will. Jesus' remark that even the elect could be led astray emphasizes the stunning character of the false prophets' miracles. But God will protect his own, so that they will not believe in a false messiah or prophet.

v. 24-26 - After that tribulation clearly sets the further statements of Jesus apart from the preceding verses. sun . . . moon . . . stars. Jesus now describes cosmic events in anticipation of the coming of the enthroned Son of Man.

Human history is heading toward the birth of the new Messianic Age.

Jesus gives His followers this warning: “Be on guard! Be alert!” No one knows when the Lord will come, so each of us must be alert and about his assigned task. We must be alert that the very things which crept into the religion of Israel and sapped it of its vitality do not slip into the practice of our faith! How good it is to know that, until Jesus does return, we can worship Him together, in Spirit and in truth.