No Time to Waste

Introduction

There is no time to waste. Time is running out and we have been forewarned. Jesus’ disciples wanted to know the signs of His return and the destruction to come. We began last week with this question posed to Jesus by Peter, James, and John...

Mark 13:4 NASB 2020

“Tell us, when will these things come about, and what will be the sign when all these things are going to be fulfilled?”

Jesus’ answer was a three fold answer. He gave them three signs about the times to come before His return. He stated that there would be a sacrilege of the temple, an urgency for flight, and finally the ultimacy of destruction. As come to our text, we see all three addressed by Jesus within this text and let us take this text and apply to our lives realizing time is short, time is running out, and there is no escape outside of the mercies of God provided through the sacrifice of Christ.

Focus Passage: Mark 13:14-23

Mark 13:14–23 NASB 2020

“Now when you see the abomination of desolation standing where it should not be—let the reader understand—then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. Whoever is on the housetop must not go down, nor go in to get anything out of his house. And whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his cloak. But woe to those women who are pregnant, and to those who are nursing babies in those days! Moreover, pray that it will not happen in winter. For those days will be such a time of tribulation as has not occurred since the beginning of the creation which God created until now, and never will again. And if the Lord had not shortened those days, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect, whom He chose, He shortened the days. And then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ’; or, ‘Look, there He is’; do not believe it; for false christs and false prophets will arise, and will provide signs and wonders, in order to mislead, if possible, the elect. But beware; I have told you everything in advance.

Outline

Sacrilege of the Temple (v. 14a)

Jesus continues his Olivet Discourse and this discussion about the End Times by stating, “But when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION standing where it should not be,” pointing toward the temple becoming desolate due to an act of sacrilege that leads to destitution, an abandonment of the worship of God by His people.

What is meant by Jesus’ statement? Does it speak of a past event, a present event, or a future event? Could it mean that there is a parallel between a past event(s) and a future event? Could it be a picture of all three that point to one climatic event? As we will see it is not just either or, but truly is a both/and answer that ultimately will be fulfilled through the anti-Christ at the beginning of the Great Tribulation.

1. The “Abomination of Desolation” will a sign of the beginning

What is the sign of the Abomination of Desolation? Has it taken place already? Is still to come? As one looks throughout the history of the Jewish people and the Church, they can find at different times where the temple has been desecrated.

Times that the Temple has been Desecrated

Antiochus IV Epiphanes, a Syrian ruler, in 168 B.C. erected an altar to Zeus over the burnt offerings, sacrificing a big, setting up brothels in the outer courts, and banning Judaism. Most scholars believe this is the fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy of the Abomination of Desolation written in Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11.

Daniel 9:27 NASB 2020

And he will confirm a covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come the one who makes desolate, until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, gushes forth on the one who makes desolate.”

Daniel 11:31 NASB 2020

Forces from him will arise, desecrate the sanctuary fortress, and do away with the regular sacrifice. And they will set up the abomination of desolation.

Daniel 12:11 NASB 2020

And from the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days.

Emperor Caligula ordered a statue of his image be built on the altar of burnt offerings for worship by the Jews in 40 A.D.

Jewish Zealots are reported by Josephus, a 1st Century Jewish Historian, occupied the temple during 67-68 A.D., murdering Jewish brothers and piling up the dead in the Most Holy Place. Their actions climaxed with a false ceremony to appoint a chief priest named Phanni.

Then some saw this prophecy being fulfilled in Titus’s destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in 70 A.D.

While all these may have been signs, they were not the sign of the end. They were not signs that the Messiah would be returning as Jesus refers to within His Olivet Discourse.

2. The “Abomination of Desolation” will come at the hands of the Anti-Christ at the beginning of the Great Tribulation

Jesus has given us all that we need to know and be aware of to be alert and watchful of the times to come.

Mark 13:23 NASB 2020

But beware; I have told you everything in advance.

There is coming a day when a man who is identified not by name but by his character, comes to power and declares war on the saints of God.

This man is called the...

the man of lawlessness, the son of destruction (2 Thess. 2:3)

he is a man of opposition to the truth’s of God (2 Thess. 2:3)

he is the man of the abomination of desolation (2 Thess. 2:4)

2 Thessalonians 2:4 NASB 2020

who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.

Just as the Jews, who read and headed Daniel’s warning of the Abomination of Desolation, remembered and ran for safety right before Titus invaded Jerusalem in 70 A.D....

Daniel 11:31 NASB 2020

Forces from him will arise, desecrate the sanctuary fortress, and do away with the regular sacrifice. And they will set up the abomination of desolation.

…so should we watch for the signs and be ready to run.

As the Abomination of Desolation begins, there will be an...

Urgency of Flight (vv. 15-18)

Jesus care for his disciples. He cares for His followers. He tells them that when they see anti-Christ, the man of lawlessness, the man of destruction standing in the temple, to run. We read, standing where it should not be…then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. Jesus is telling them, RUN, FLEE. This command, this urgent call to flee is not just a warning. It is also a test of faith and obedience. Jesus gives three areas that will bring hindrances to their obedience and faith in his warnings.

1. There is the hindrance of possessions

Jesus states, The one who is on the housetop must not go down or go into get anything out of his house. Often we let comforts in life hold us back from following God’s direction on our life. Jesus tells his disciples that the urgency to flee would not allow for comforts to hold us back. If we wait for a time of comfort or try to bring that which we take comfort in, we will be slaughtered. He goes further in his emphasis of not worrying about comforts in using the picture of the labors in the field and having to leave their night clothes behind. This outer garment would be warn at night for extra warmth or during the winter months for warmth. However, during the day, it would be removed to allow for ease of movement. Jesus says that this day, there will be not time to go back to get that which you want for comfort and warmth. You need to run. Do not turn back. When it comes obedience to the Lord and his callings and warnings alike, our flirtation with the comfort and possessions cause us to flirt with destruction.

Jesus then adds another hindrance that we face to responding as urgency calls...

2. There is the hindrance of family obligations

Jesus says, “woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days.” Those nursing and tending to children will be unable to respond with the urgency that is needed. Maternal instincts would not allow a mother to leave her children behind to flee. They would rather die themselves than leave behind their children. So, all Jesus can say about this is, “woe.” Family obligations often keep us from being obedient to the Lord and move as urgently as He calls us to move.

A glaring picture of this and the result of destruction to the Jewish people was found in the Holocaust.

The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 25: Mark Escaping Judgment

Jewish families who were being hunted down like animals by the Gestapo during Hitler’s regime faced similar decisions. Escape frequently depended upon lightning speed in which every member of the family had to fend for himself or herself. More often than not, love overruled the natural instincts of survival so that families refused to leave behind the elderly, pregnant, young, or sick. Consequently, the Holocaust is a horror story of families being herded from their homes into boxcars, and then being forcefully divided into separate concentration camps to suit the Nazi purpose. The small room where Anne Frank and her family were hidden from the Nazis for years is a memorial to filial love.

Jesus was not oblivious to this and was sensitive to this truth and reality. Therefore, He only can say, “Woe.” In the Greek this is describing a great time of hardship and distress.

3. There is the hindrance of nature

Jesus once again speaks of a hindrance, the hindrance of nature, But pray that it may not happen in winter. Timing of everything is crucial. In the winter time in Jerusalem, those creek beds that surround the city become rivers during the winter. It’s desperately cold and many roads become impassable. In 68 A.D., when the Zealots took over the temple and desecrated it, and delayed leaving the city, found the roads of Jericho washed away with the swelling Jordan which increased their changes of being one of the brothers murdered and place over the burnt offering in the Holy of Holies.

There is one final hindrance that keeps us moving according to God’s warnings and in time...

4. There is the hindrance of public pressure

Society loves to give false hopes. During this time of Great Tribulation false hopes will abound. Jesus says to be warned and not believe the false hopes that are. He states, And then if anyone says to you, Behold, here is the Christ; or Behold, He is there, do not believe him. Society is going to do whatever it can do deceive you. That what the prince of the power of the air does best, deceives. If verbal lies do not derail you from seeing the urgency and running for the time is short, physical distractions come. Jesus further states, false prophets will arise, and will show signs and wonders, in order to lead astray. This warning to not be distracted or deceived is not a warning for the lost. It is a warning for the redeemed saints of God, if possible, the elect. Let us realize, we have already been forewarned. We have been shown and told the truth. Let us not be hindered from heeding and obeying the call of our Lord when that day comes.

Ultimacy of Destruction (vv. 19-20)

In between the urgency to flight and the warnings of a false prophet and anti-Christ come a brief look into the days we call the Great Tribulation. This time, this seven years of literal “hell” the place, the spirit of, the fire of, being on earth, that begin with the Abomination of Desolation Jesus describes it in brief. The description that Jesus gives should warn us all.

1. This time of tribulation is described as a time of pure torture

The word “tribulation” derives from the winepress in the Gk and in the Latin, draws its meaning from the threshing floor. The Preachers Commentary gives a vivid description of what Jesus is stating within our text when He says, “For those days will a time of tribulation.”

The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 25: Mark Escaping Judgment

Relating the analogy to people who go through tribulation, there is a fine line between “pressing” and “threshing.” The thought of a bloody crushing or an unmerciful flailing just begins to encompass and fill in the meaning of total and unbearable devastation

2. This time will be unmatched by any time before its coming

Jesus says of this day of destruction, tribulation, “such as has no occurred since the beginning of the creation which God created until now, never will.” It will be a time of unprecedented destruction, devastation, and persecution of God’s people and humanity in general.

3. For the Elect’s sake God has shortened these days

“Unless the Lord had shortened those days, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect, whom He chose, He shortened the days.” God, in the final days, even in the midst of judgment, will show mercy to a remnant. This remnant will those whom have chosen to put t heir faith in Him and He in turn has chosen them.

Conclusion

Remember, we have all been forewarned, But take heed; behold, I have told you everything in advance. I’m afraid that many, if not most, will ignore the Words of our Lord today as they did then. We will let the hindrances of possessions, family, public pressure, and nature itself get in the way of us running from the coming judgment and to the foot of the cross to find salvation in Christ before its eternally too late. What is your decision today?