Mark 13 (More Signs)
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Mark 13 (More Signs)
Mark 13 (More Signs)
Coming off the election, a discussion about ‘signs’ is interesting.
Think of how many people were convinced they saw another outcome
And consider how many people were led astray by others, looking for and proving the sign.
As he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!” Then Jesus asked him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.” When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, “Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?” Then Jesus began to say to them, “Beware that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birth pangs. “As for yourselves, beware, for they will hand you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them. And the good news must first be proclaimed to all nations. When they bring you to trial and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say, but say whatever is given you at that time, for it is not you who speak but the Holy Spirit. Sibling will betray sibling to death and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. “But when you see the desolating sacrilege set up where it ought not to be (let the reader understand), then those in Judea must flee to the mountains; the one on the housetop must not go down or enter to take anything from the house; the one in the field must not turn back to get a coat. Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing infants in those days! Pray that it may not be in winter. For in those days there will be suffering, such as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now and never will be. And if the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would be saved, but for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he has cut short those days. And if anyone says to you at that time, ‘Look! Here is the Messiah!’ or ‘Look! There he is!’—do not believe it. False messiahs and false prophets will appear and produce signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. But be alert; I have already told you everything. “But in those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. “Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in clouds’ with great power and glory. Then he will send out the angels and gather the elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. “But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert, for you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. Therefore, keep awake, for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening or at midnight or at cockcrow or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.”
As he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!” Then Jesus asked him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.”
For my Torah students, I am sure this language hits you differently now.
You see, the kingdom of Israel has not existed for more than 700 years and the kingdom of Judah has not exists for more than 550 years.
Once Israel returns from exile, they don’t seek to build a palace
Solomon built a temple and an even larger palace.
They want to build a wall
They want to build a temple
What Jesus is battling are two desires of people:
They want a king like the other nations
They want a temple like the other nations
Meaning they want a God like the other nations
Which leads to something tragic:
We want to make God into the image of the nations instead of letting God make us into his image.
“Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?”
They ask
When will this be.
They ask
What is the sign.
The disciples betray themselves because they begin to sound like the religious leaders.
Explain the sign that will precede this?
What if there is no sign?
Jesus informs them of what is NOT the sign:
Then Jesus began to say to them, “Beware that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birth pangs.
This is not the sign
“As for yourselves, beware, for they will hand you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them.
And when you see followers of Jesus being handed over…NOPE.
Not that either
Even when you see children and families turning each other in…
It is not time.
It is not a sign.
And when you see…
“But when you see the desolating sacrilege set up where it ought not to be (let the reader understand), then those in Judea must flee to the mountains;
Is this Antiochus
Is this Nero
Are these the current priests and leadership
Is it Jesus, who when crucified becomes desecrated
Yes. It is all of these and it always repeats
We will dissect this a bit more towards the end…
He goes on to describe A Day of the LORD
Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing infants in those days! Pray that it may not be in winter. For in those days there will be suffering, such as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now and never will be.
Nope, that is not the time either.
And false Messiah’s will emerge trying to trick you
Don’t fall for it.
The whole section is describe A Day of the LORD, a pattern that repeats over and over in scripture.
There are many Day of the LORD events
There is only one final Day of the LORD
Sort of…
What Jesus describes here has already happened in Israel, several times.
And it has happened to others to.
Let’s read closely…
“But in those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
All that came before is the setup to this event.
But in those days…What days?
The days he just described
The days that are already happening to them…
Dark sun, moon is dark, stars falling from heaven, powers in heaven shaken
At the crucifixion the sun was darkened
The moon is dark because the sun is dark
I saw satan fall from heaven like a meteor
And Christ passed through the heavens
Purifying all with his blood
This is the day, the day of the crucifixion and resurrection that the…
EARTHLY temple is destroyed
God will no longer ever again live in a house built with human hands
He will live in a house made in the image of himself.
“Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in clouds’ with great power and glory. Then he will send out the angels and gather the elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.
Who is the they?
The powers in heaven
Jesus passes through the heavens and arrives NOT ON THE THRONE, but at the throne with the FATHER.
And now he can send his messengers to gather the dead
From the four winds, the ends of the earth
To the ends of heaven.
The generation of Jesus’ day will not pass away while this happens.
Who is the they?
When Jesus returns, those who dwell on earth are THEY.
We will be witness then…
But, regarding the second time I come…
“But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven nor the Son, but only the Father.
So stop falling for a lie that others tell you.
And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.”
When you function like a temple to the gods of the nations you invite destruction on yourself.
You are looking for a sign to explain the events around you.
What if God sent an email to everyone and gave the exact time.
What would you do?
What if that time was ten years from now
Would you life really change?
You are the temple of God.
Is the desecrating abomination in you?
All the chapters that preceded this one all dealt with Pharisees, Scribes, Sadducees, and others.
Why is Jesus judging them?
They have aligned their role as God’s representative
WITH the system of Babylon
TO ENRICH themselves
Why do you think Jesus destroys the tables in the temple?
The only time, and I mean the ONLY TIME we see Jesus lose it is over how the religious leaders treat money
And then he uses the example of a widow who is abused by the system
A system that is a desecrating abomination to every nation
Making people think that God gives a SH!T about money
You won’t move God with your money but money might move God from you!
Behold, Rabbi, what wonderful stones and buildings!
Mark 13 (More Signs)
Mark 13 (More Signs)
