All Sister Frances, palm reader on Hwy 29, has to do is stick a sign in her front yard. People flock to have their future told. Do you think anyone ever checks her credentials, asks how she gets her information, inquires about her track record?
In Mark 13, Jesus and his disciples were coming out of the temple and the disciples were commenting on the incredible stones and wonderful buildings, amazed at the grandeur. Instead of a hearty amen, Jesus says, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone shall be left upon another which will not be torn down.” I’m sure they stared at him and then the building in disbelief. This was a magnificent, huge edifice.
Josephus was a first century historian. He records some of the stones to have been as large as 37’ x 12’ x 18’. Massive. Hard to believe a building of this size could just be torn down without B 52 bombers. But in A.D. 70, the Romans ransacked Jerusalem, killed one million Jews and demolished the temple. The only stones left undisturbed were the foundation stones.
Jesus has spent three years building a case that he is God’s son. He claims to know the future because he is God. I wonder if he ever thought something like, “Even if it doesn’t make sense, you don’t know how it could happen, it sounds so unbelievable, I’m God. I know exactly what’s going to happen. You can take it to the bank, it’s going to happen.”
Now if you don’t really believe he is God, you stick with what you can see and what you think to be true because that and Sister Frances on Hwy 29 is all you have to go on. You hold your breath that you’re right.
This chapter leaves no doubt however that the ramifications if you’re wrong are catastrophic. Pick. Some things Jesus had to say pertained to his disciples but many predictions are for believers in the future. Some pertained to things that would happen in the first century AD, some to the end of time. But all would come to pass.
The one constant throughout history to the present time, was and is poor treatment of his followers. Verse 9 says, “You’ll be hated by all on account of My name…” They’ll persecute you, imprison you, flog you (and at that time it meant 12 strikes to the chest and 26 to the back) and you’ll stand trial for “his sake as a testimony to them.” Hebrews 11 gives a list of all that had been done to followers of Christ. It’s continued through the centuries. That would make you think twice before you signed up.
He knows one day they’ll be standing in front of a judge, in front of a soldier fixing to beat them half to death, in front of an angry mob…but he doesn’t say don’t worry about standing firm in your faith, he treats that as a given. He says don’t worry about what you’ll say! He knew they’d stand firm in their faith and if they had one shot at the authorities, they’d want it to be good. So he assures them that the Holy Spirit (who would come to live within them when he left) would tell them what to say.
Then he elaborates on the end of time and his return.“But in those days,” (vs24) “after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light, the stars of heaven will fall and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.”
1 Thessalonians and Revelation fills in between the lines. At a time that only God knows, Jesus himself will “descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and we shall always be with him.”
Believers will be taken from the earth. A seven year period of time will ensue. The antichrist will come to power and make a covenant for peace with Israel at the beginning of the first 3 ½ years which will be relatively quiet, the false peace of the antichrist. At the end of the 3 ½ years, he will break the covenant and set up an image of himself in the temple which will stand for 3 ½ years in the Holy Place. Interesting because now a Muslim mosque stands on the site that where this temple and image will be.
The second 3 ½ years are filled with horrors, each one unleashing a new demonstration of God’s judgment on the earth in intensifying waves. The first five seals or horrors will result from human activity God uses to accomplish His purposes. Then he begins direct intervention. Hail and fire mingled with blood are thrown to the earth. A third of the seas become blood, a torch falls on a third of the rivers and springs of water and they are bitter and many die. Locusts are commanded to torment those who do not have the seal of God.
Faults in the earth begin to fracture simultaneously, resulting in a cataclysmic global earthquake. There will be numerous volcanic eruptions blackening the sun with tons of ash and debris. Earth’s inhabitants will recognize for the first time the source of their trouble.
Then at the end of the seven years, Jesus comes with great power and glory with his angels to gather those who become Christians during this time of great tribulation. Just like a fig tree sprouts leaves in the spring and then blossoms, you know the fruit is next. So with the signs that Jesus is coming again. When you see these things happening, you’ll know what’s next because you read it right here.
Jesus has spent three years walking and talking with his disciples, speaking and relating to people, meeting their needs, telling them about his Father. God longed to have a relationship with those he created. He loved them, us, me so much that He sent his son, this son Jesus, to explain his love and faithfulness and die a terrible death to pay my sin debt against God. He promised to bless beyond anything we could ask or think if we would only trust him and obey him in absolute surrender.
But there is coming a time…. when time will run out. The sale ends. The doors close. The offer is retracted.
For all eternity.
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