The Final Sign

The Final Sign

Mark 13:14-23

            Our world operates everyday under a false hope. There is a goal, a narrative that we learn from politics, movies, and our education system. A false hope that one day we are going to get our act together. That mankind will figure it out, and we will be able to create for ourselves the perfect world.

And really this is a secular humanist point of view that believes we are evolving into a more sophisticated civilization and with each passing generation we become more intelligent, and advanced than the last, and one day we are going to get it right and we will solve all our problems, and there will be no more wars, or disease, or natural disasters because we will be able to control it all. The core of that belief is rooted in the sinful nature of man and our rebellion against God.

Jesus paints a very different picture for us in scripture. Jesus teaches us that it is not going to get better, but it is going to get worse. There is a time coming to this world of unparalleled affliction, where there will be intense suffering and persecution. I cannot even describe them to you, no one can because He tells us it will be something the world has never seen before. It is called the great tribulation and that is where we are at in our study this morning.

Last week Jesus gave us a list of signs to look for so we would know we were living in the last days. He called them birth pangs. Just like a woman’s contractions are increasing as she is getting closer to giving birth so it will be in the world before Christ returns. This week Jesus gives us a final sign, something so terrible He warns us, when you see it run! What we learn from this passage is Jesus is the Savior of the world and our only hope in the last days.

  14      “But 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.

  15      “The one who is on the housetop must not go down, or go in to get anything out of his house;

  16      and the one who is in the field must not turn back to get his coat.

  17      “But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!

  18      “But pray that it may not happen in the winter.

  19      “For those days will be a time of tribulation such as has not occurred since the beginning of the creation which God created until now, and never will.

  20      “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.

  21      “And then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ’; or, ‘Behold, He is there’; do not believe him;

  22      for false Christs and false prophets will arise, and will show signs and wonders, in order to lead astray, if possible, the elect.

  23      “But take heed; behold, I have told you everything in advance.

In our passage this morning we are continuing what is known as the Olivet discourse and it is called that because Jesus is on top of the Mount of Olives when He gives us this prophecy. This is Jesus’ farewell Prophecy. We are in the final days of His life. The cross lies ahead of Him. He is responding to a question from His disciples, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him privately, “Tell us, when will these things be and what will be the sign when all these things are going to be fulfilled.” And Jesus begins to unpack for them what the future looks like. And what we learn here is the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 AD, is a foreshadowing of what will take place at the end of the world before Christ returns.

The first thing I want you to see in this passage is the Final Sign, Vs. 14. This is a sign so terrible it is given a name; it’s called the Abomination of Desolation.

There are a couple of things I notice about this sign, first it is going to be observable. We are going to see it. We are not given a time frame, but we are told “when you see it.” So, it is going to be recognizable. It is not something we are going to miss.

Mark adds for us “let the reader understand.” This is a strong clue that this prophecy would not be fulfilled until the future. Because when Mark writes this there is no New Testament. There was no Gospel of Mark. This was written on a scroll and read to an audience. Therefore, this prophecy was intended for readers in the future. It was intended for the Holy Spirit to speak to us today.

Also, it will be detestable because that’s what an abomination is. An abomination is something so grossly offensive that it is repulsive. An object of disgust. The Greek word describes something that causes revulsion, something so blasphemous and detestable to God, it causes us to recoil in horror.

In this passage it is described as something to be loathed, because it is defiling a sacred place and it causes it to be left desolate. The name of this sign is the abomination of desolation but, a better way of saying this is an abomination that causes desolation. Because desolation is the result of the abomination.

And it is something that will be so recognizable because it is so clearly out of place. In Matthew 24:15 we are told, it is “standing in the holy place.” In other words, in the temple of God. What is interesting to me, the English Standard Version calls it a man, “when you see the abomination of desolation standing where “he” should not be, rather than “it,” and that is a better translation because the word “standing” here is in the masculine. That means that Mark is referring to a person.

So, the abomination that causes desolation will be a person standing in the temple of God where he should not be, claiming what he should not claim. Namely, that he is God Himself or the Son of God, when in reality, this will be the antichrist. And that is what the apostle Paul teaches us in 2nd Thessalonians 2:3-4,

“Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 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.”

Paul describes for us perfectly what Jesus is talking about in Mark 13. The man of lawlessness is the antichrist. There is no greater crime in all of humanity, than to assume the authority of God in someone’s life. That is what a person does when they murder, and rape, and manipulate. Men who reject God replace him all the time with someone or something else in life, but the picture here is an attempt to replace God to the world. To unseat His authority and to do it from His temple.

From what Jesus is teaching us here we have to believe that at some point in the future the temple in Jerusalem will be rebuilt. The Jews will begin to practice biblical Judaism again. And in the last days the antichrist will show up, set himself up in the temple, claim to be God, and put an end to their worship.

This is the abomination of desolation that Daniel is describing in his prophecy. In Daniel 9:24-27 he points to the end of time, when the temple is rebuilt, and someone comes and destroys it.

John MacArthur explains it like this, and I quote, “The book of Daniel mentions the abomination of desolation three times. In Daniel 11:31 the term is used to describe the historical perversion of Antiochus IV the Seleucid king who controlled Israel from 175 BC- 165 BC. He called himself Epiphanies which means “manifest god.” Antiochus desecrated the temple in Jerusalem by sacrificing a pig on the altar, forcing the priests to eat its meat, and erecting an idol of Zeus with in it’s walls. With ruthless abandon Antiochus oppressed the Jewish people slaughtering thousands and selling more into slavery.

 But the desecration of the temple by Antiochus was only a foreshadowing of the antichrist’s future perversion. Daniel 9:27 and 12:11 describe that end time event situated in the mid-point of Daniel’s 70thweek when the antichrist will set up his throne at a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem and declare himself to be God.”

This is the final sign. This is what we see in Mark 13. It is the sign of the antichrist, and it is something so terrible we are told to flee from it. Notice Vs. 14-18, “Then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. The one who is on the housetop must not go down or go in to get anything out of his house, and the one who is in the field must not turn back to get his coat. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! But pray that it might not happen in the winter.”

There must be a sense of urgency from God’s people. Throughout the tribulation there will be severe persecution but when the antichrist shows up, it will mark a turning point into something even worse. Those who refuse to recognize him as their god are going to suffer and be forced to run. There will be many people saved during that time but there will also be many people killed. In fact, we are told in Revelation 6:9 there are souls crying out from under the alter of God who were slain for their testimony in the last days.

During that time people are going to need to move quickly and not worry about what they leave behind. Forget the comforts of home, forget your personal possessions because anything that will slow you down will be devastating. In other words, just go!! It is going to be that bad. We are told all we can do is grieve for those who can’t run, (those who are pregnant and nursing babies). And we are commanded to pray. Pray that it happens at a time when it is easy to travel, because we are going to have to move quickly.

The final sign is something so terrible it causes unparalleled affliction. Notice Vs. 19 “For those days will be a time of tribulation such as has not occurred since the beginning of the creation which God created until now, and never will.”

Imagine that for a moment. Imagine something so devastating that we have never seen anything like it before, that would mean that it’s worse than the flood of Noah. It’s worse than the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. It is worse than WWII, when bombs destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It is worse than the holocaust that killed six million Jews. It is something so terrible that in Matthew it’s called the great tribulation. And there is no better term for it because it describes a time of unparalleled affliction.

A survey of Revelation chapter 6 through chapter 16 describes the great tribulation for us. It describes natural disasters like earthquakes and famines and plagues. It describes demonic armies of locusts attacking men and stinging them like scorpions. It describes evil political rulers, and false religious leaders. A time so terrible that we will see the suffering and destruction of both the earth and mankind. And we have never seen before and that is exactly what Jesus says here.

The final sign is something so terrible God must intervene, Vs 20. “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 those days.” It will be so terrible God is going to intervene on behalf of His people.

The tribulation is the result of our rebellion against God. When you reject God’s grace all that is left is God’s wrath and His judgment. And no one can say that God is unjust for destroying a world He created because it has rejected Him. In fact, none of us deserve God. None of us deserve His grace.

But that is what is so amazing about what Jesus is teaching us here. Even in His wrath God shows mercy. God has set time limits for the tribulation. He has set boundaries that will not be crossed. Because if those days were not shortened, all flesh would perish from the earth.

So, God shows mercy for the sake of the elect. But who are the elect? Some people believe this is the nation of Israel. After all, they are God’s chosen people, and certainly in the last days God is going to turn His focus toward them. It will be a time of the outpouring of the Spirit on the Jewish people.  Roman’s chapters 9-11 teach us that Jews will be saved in record numbers in the last days.

Others believe the elect are those who receive the gospel and are saved during the tribulation. But I believe the elect are all, throughout time, who put their faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. That is God’s plan of salvation for the world. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son so that whosever believes will not perish but have eternal life.”

What we learn here is even in the midst of judgment and wrath, God pours out His love into the world because of His Son. No matter how dark this world becomes, we have a God who loves us and always wants what’s best for us. So, the question is do you know Him? Because Jesus is the Savior of the world and our only hope in the last days.

The final sign is something so terrible it will cause people to frantically search for the Messiah, Vs. 21-22, “And then if anyone says to you, behold here is the Christ or behold He is there, do not believe him; for false Christ’s and false prophets will arise, and will show signs and wonders, in order to lead astray, if possible, the elect.”

Imagine a time when people are so oppressed and afraid because they are surrounded by scenes of hunger, disease, murder, and war. They will cry out for a deliverer. There will never be a time when people are more open to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, when we face times like that in this world there are always people waiting to take advantage of us. The world is full of imposters, deceivers, and pretenders who prey on the desperate. Notice Jesus just simply says, “do not believe him.” Don’t believe the rumors and don’t believe the deceivers.

Apparently, that was what was taking place in Jerusalem in 70 AD. As the Romans were laying siege to the city, there was this constant rumor that the Messiah had come. That He was out in the desert or that He was in some room inside the city, and He was just waiting to save them, and deliver them. Of course, it was a lie and it never happened. Jesus the Messiah was warning them right here through Mark forty years before it happened, but they refused to listen to Him they rejected Him.

Don’t make that same mistake today. That same scene is going to play out in the future. There will be a time of need so desperate in our lives and the antichrist is already there waiting to rise up and use people to deceive us. It says that he is so convincing that even God’s people are at risk of being fooled. Don’t be fooled today, know the real thing. Jesus is the Savior of the world and our only hope in the last days.

The final sign is something so terrible Jesus warns us in advance, Notice Vs. 23 “But take heed, Behold, I have told you everything in advance.”  The time of tribulation is a time that Jesus wants to prepare us for. He doesn’t want us to be left in the dark or caught off guard by what is taking place in the world. So, He warns us. He says, “take heed” Behold.” In other word’s listen to what I am saying. Pay attention, this is important.

The Christians of Jerusalem were the only ones saved in 70 AD. Because they listened to the words of Jesus, and they got out of the city before the Romans came. In the same way, Jesus is warning us today of what is going to take place when the end comes. He wants us to know God is still on the throne no matter what is taking place in the world. But we need to listen to Him. We need to do what He says. Matthew 7:24 says, “A wise man is one who hears my words and puts them into practice” Are you a wise man today?

This is the final sign before Christ returns and brings an end to it all. And it is a terrible sign. It’s the sign of the antichrist and the great tribulation. But the point is we need Jesus. We need the real thing in our lives. We need to fall before the throne of God, repent of our sin, and plead for His mercy. We need to find our way to the foot of the cross and ask for forgiveness and grace.

The world as we know it is unredeemable and is not going to get better. Jesus tells us it is only going to get worse and that is what we see around us. The world has never been full of so much anger and hatred and violence as we see right now but it is just the beginning of sorrows. The contractions have only just begun, and we are told of a time that is coming of unparalleled affliction. We need Jesus now more than ever. He is the Savior of the world and our only hope in the last days.

The question is do you know Christ today? Have you surrendered your life to Him? Because if you have then you don’t have to worry about what the future holds because you know who holds the future. But if you don’t know Jesus personally, don’t wait, none of us are promised tomorrow.  But all of us are promised grace and peace and forgiveness, if we ask for it and commit our lives to Him.