What Did Jesus Say About The End Times?

We are continuing our study of the gospel of Mark leading up to Easter in a short 2 weeks.

Let me encourage you to invite one person or family to join us on Easter.

We are able to have the proper social distancing here in our building with everyone wearing a mask. We also disinfect everything beforehand as well.

If you are not comfortable coming still, then have a watch party at your home or on Facebook with your “one.”

Mark gives a glimpse of who Jesus was and what He did as He walked on the Earth.

We’ve seen miracles, healings, and exorcisms,

We’ve heard His authoritative teaching.

We’ve watched as the opposition tried to trap Him to get rid of Him, and they couldn’t.

Today, in Chapter 13 a passage known as the Olivet Discourse, a teaching on the Mount of Olives, we’ll see what Jesus has to say about the end times.

I haven’t gone a week it seems like for the most of the past year without having at least one conversation on the end times.

It appears that all the world has been through in 2020 with the pandemic, natural disasters, and political upheaval that many have begun to think about the future.

I think as Christians, we are aching for Jesus to return, to end all the misery we’ve been experiencing.

Yet, what are the signs for His coming?

A lot of people over the years have tried to set dates based on what was happening in the world.

And they were wrong!

We do not find Jesus encouraging us to set dates or identify the Antichrist, the False Prophet, or the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

Rather, He admonishes us to be on guard (Mark 13: 9,23,33) and stay awake (vv. 33,35,37).

No one but God knows when the end will come (vv. 32-37).

However, since the end will come— and suddenly (v. 36)— we must remain constantly faithful in our service to our Master (v. 35). It will not be easy, but “it will be worth it all when we see Jesus.”

Mark 13 is a hard passage to interpret with many faithful teachers differing on the details.

Some see Jesus addressing the destruction of Jerusalem that took place in 70 AD.

Others see Him referring to the end of the age when He returns.

Still others, see a third view where Jesus is addressing the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem as a foreshadowing event previewing the second coming and the end of the age.

One commentator discussing this view said, “In this way Jesus followed the precedent of Old Testament prophets by predicting a far future event in terms of a near future event whose fulfillment at least some of His hearers would see.”

Mark 13:1–8 CSB

1 As he was going out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Teacher, look! What massive stones! What impressive buildings!” 2 Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left upon another—all will be thrown down.” 3 While he was sitting on the Mount of Olives across from the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, 4 “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?” 5 Jesus told them, “Watch out that no one deceives you. 6 Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and they will deceive many. 7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, don’t be alarmed; these things must take place, but it is not yet the end. 8 For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.

Deception Is Coming, So Do Not Be Led Astray Mark 13: 1-8

Jesus leaves the temple for the last time.

Much like in Ezekiel where it says, “the glory of the Lord has departed” (cf. Ezek 11: 23).

One of the disciples draws attention to the magnificent splendor of the temple, one of the great architectural wonders of the world.

Built with large white stones and decorated with gold edges, it was blinding when struck by the sunlight.

The Jewish people believed it to be the very sanctuary of God and therefore virtually indestructible until the end of time.

Thus, Jesus’ response could not have been more shocking: “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here on another that will not be thrown down!”

This question came as they were crossing the Kidron valley to go up on the Mount of Olives.

It was 2,700 feet above sea level and 200 feet above the temple.

As they sat and looked back at the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew come to Him in private.

They want to know when these things will happen and what signs will appear to show these things are about to take place.

They were thinking about the final consummation of history.

They did not expect a long interval between the destruction of the temple and the end of the age.

But Jesus does not address the issue of timing, though He does use the soon coming destruction of the temple and city as a type or foreshadowing of end time events.

The imminent destruction of the temple lens through which we should view the distant future.

The time of destruction of this present age and the return of the Son of Man.

Jesus begins with a warning that is applicable to any believer at any time: “Watch out that no one deceives you.”

Why?

“Many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ . . .” This is literally “ego eimi” (I AM), and a claim to deity. They will say, “I am from God, and I am God.”

“They will deceive many.” Simon the magician typifies what Jesus is talking about (Acts 8: 9-11). First John 2: 18 describes the parade of false christs who will come prior to the climactic false Christ: “Children, it is the last hour. And as you have heard, ‘Antichrist is coming,’ even now many antichrists have come.”

You will hear of “wars and rumors of wars,” but “do not be alarmed.” Why? The evidences that we live in a broken world will continue until the end.

Nations and kingdoms will fight one another, and earthquakes and famines will take place. These types of events set the stage for the finale. What we experience now, almost daily, will intensify as history draws to a close (Rev 6– 18).

He is telling us that as the kingdom of God is coming, we can expect times of worldwide trouble and tribulation.

It’s like the labor pains of a woman that grow in intensity as the birth happens.

The mother goes through the pain and tribulation to experience the blessed birth of the baby.

This was true leading up to the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem in 70 AD.

And it’ll be true for the end of times as history of this world comes to an end.

Persecution Can Be Expected, But Don’t Be Anxious Mark 13:9-13

Mark 13:9–13 CSB

9 “But you, be on your guard! They will hand you over to local courts, and you will be flogged in the synagogues. You will stand before governors and kings because of me, as a witness to them. 10 And it is necessary that the gospel be preached to all nations. 11 So when they arrest you and hand you over, don’t worry beforehand what you will say, but say whatever is given to you at that time, for it isn’t you speaking, but the Holy Spirit. 12 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. 13 You will be hated by everyone because of my name, but the one who endures to the end will be saved.

In addition to the trouble in the world, there will also be trial and persecutions on a personal level.

Jesus challenges His disciples to be on guard.

This is a command, not a suggestion.

Why does He do this? because times will get difficult for believers.

He told them to be expected to be handed over the local courts, a smaller version fo the Sanhedrin.

They will be flogged and viewed as false teachers and traitors to Israel

This was part of God’s plan for the gospel proclamation.

Persecution was the driving force of the spread of the gospel, just read the book of Acts.

Verse 10 says, “it is necessary that the gospel be preached to all nations.”

All the ethne or all the people groups of the world, must hear this gospel before the end comes.

So don’t get discouraged, this is God’s plan.

Just be faithful to share the gospel of Jesus when you can.

Because it isn’t you talking, but the Holy Spirit empowering you and giving you the words.

Opposition will come not from the government only, but from you family and friends as well.

Verse 12 tells us that siblings will betray each other, children will rise up against parents.

The word death occurs twice emphasizing the extent of the betrayal and persecution some will face.

While this may sound surreal and unfathomable in America, it is the experience of millions of brothers and sisters around the world today and throughout church history.

One can consult the famous Fox’s Book of Martyrs to read the stories of faithful believers who sealed their witness with their blood.

Church tradition informs us that all the apostles, with the possible exception of John, died as martyrs.

Some have estimated that more than 70 million Christians have given their lives for their witness to Jesus, 45 million in the twentieth century alone (ZENIT.org, “20th Century”).

In the last decade “there were on average, 270 new Christian martyrs every 24 hours,” or approximately one million in the last 10 years.

Yet for those that endure will be saved.

Perseverance is the proof that our profession is real.

It may be tough, but our Lord will be faithful to keep us by His power.

Tribulation Will Be Intense, So Be On Guard Mark 13:14-23

Mark 13:14–23 CSB

14 “When you see the abomination of desolation standing where it should not be” (let the reader understand), “then those in Judea must flee to the mountains. 15 A man on the housetop must not come down or go in to get anything out of his house, 16 and a man in the field must not go back to get his coat. 17 Woe to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days! 18 “Pray it won’t happen in winter. 19 For those will be days of tribulation, the kind that hasn’t been from the beginning of creation until now and never will be again. 20 If the Lord had not cut those days short, no one would be saved. But he cut those days short for the sake of the elect, whom he chose. 21 “Then if anyone tells you, ‘See, here is the Messiah! See, there!’ do not believe it. 22 For false messiahs and false prophets will arise and will perform signs and wonders to lead astray, if possible, the elect. 23 And you must watch! I have told you everything in advance.

Now it gets real interesting for all you prophetic or apocalyptic prophesy fans.

Verse 14 begins one of the most cryptic and difficult phrases in the Bible: “The abomination of desolation.”

This phrase is straight out of Daniel.

“He will make a firm covenant with many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and offering. And the abomination of desolation will be on a wing of the temple until the decreed destruction is poured out on the desolator.” (Dan 9: 27)

Jesus connects the phrase with meaning of indescribable suffering and tribulation.

The kind that has never been seen before since the beginning of the creation.

So, I’ll try to simplify this the best I can.

First, the initial fulfillment of Daniel’s prophesy was the desecration of the temple in 167 BC by the Syrian Antiochus Epiphanes when he sacrificed a pig on the altar of burnt offerings and set up an altar to Zeus.

This act upset the Jews so much they began to revolt.

History call it the Maccabean revolt where they gained independence for about a century.

The only time of self rule between 586 BC exile and 1948 and the establishment of the nation of Israel.

Second, given the context of the passage and Jesus’ instructions, it appears He has in mind another fulfillment in the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.

When the abomination of desolation is “standing where it should not”— perhaps a reference to the Roman General Titus entering the temple in September AD 70— then “those in Judea must flee to the mountains” (v. 14).

Further, everyone was to act with a sense of urgency.

James Edwards said, “People on their flat-roofed Palestinian house must flee by the outside staircase without going inside (v. 15) . . . and the field worker will have no time to fetch his outer cloak (v. 16).

Worst of all will be the fate of pregnant women and nursing mothers (v. 17; see Luke 23: 29-31), and anyone fleeing in winter when the wadis— the ravines and gorges— are swollen and impossible to cross (v. 18)” (Edwards, Mark, 397).

All of this took place in Judea in AD 70.

Third, the tragic events of 167 BC and AD 70 anticipate a climactic event of horrible destruction and desecration just prior to our Lord’s second coming.

Jesus is speaking of the eschatological end through the eyes of the imminent destruction of the temple.

James Edwards in his excellent commentary explains this better than I can, especially as he makes a connection with other crucial New Testament texts:

“The abomination that causes desolation” refers to “the man of lawlessness” as conceived in 2 Thess 2: 3-4, who will exalt himself in the temple as God. . . .

The agreements of 2 Thessalonians 2 with v. 14 are [close].

The “man of lawlessness” corresponds to the man standing (masculine participle) in v. 14; and the description of him parodying God in the temple correlates with “‘ the abomination that causes desolation standing where he does not belong.’”

Both texts depict a blasphemous Antichrist who will do a scandalous deed that will trigger the return of the Lord. Both texts also warn disciples against mistaken eschatological assumptions, especially against being deceived by signs and wonders. . . . [Verse] 14, like 2 Thessalonians 2, indicates that Jesus foresaw the rise of a terrible antagonist, an Antichrist, who at some future time will unleash a severe tribulation on the people of God, which in turn will usher in the return of the Lord.

Mark relates this abominable event only cryptically and suggestively to the destruction of the temple. In so doing he imputes both historical and eschatological value to the same event.

V. 14 is thus the hinge of Mark 13 that links “these things,” relating to the destruction of Jerusalem in a.d. 70, with “those days” of the End.

“The abomination that causes desolation” alludes to the destruction of the temple in 70 AD, but it is not exhausted by it.

The “abomination” is a mysterious (2 Thess 2: 7!) double referent, a historical medium that anticipates an ultimate fulfillment in the advent of the Antichrist and the final tribulation before the return of the Son of Man.

Titus’s destruction of Jerusalem is like a scouting film: it gives an authentic picture of one’s future opponent; but there is, of course, a great deal of difference between clashing with players in the stadium as opposed to simply watching them on film. (Edwards, Mark, 388– 89)

As we can see, as horrible the destruction of temple and Jerusalem in 70 AD was, the coming end time tribulation will be much, much worse.

No one would be delivered from death if those days were allowed to continue.

However, by the grace of God, He places a limitation on the time of the tribulation.

Even in His wrath, He remembers mercy.

Jesus concludes this section with a warning about “false messiahs and false prophets” (v. 22).

Count on it that they will come on the scene and “perform signs and wonders”.

If possible they would “lead astray the elect.”

Since we are safe, do we grow complacent? No! “Watch!”

This is the third time Jesus has warned them.

In fact He concludes, “I have told you everything in advance.”

Wow, Are We In The End Times?

I don’t know, we are closer that we were a year ago.

When will all this start?

What are the signs?

We are seeing them, but Jesus tells us not to worry about dates, but be faithful sharing the gospel.

In our world we can expect trial, tribulations, and troubles because we live in a fallen world.

While we wait, should we be working out a prophetic schedule of events?

No, not at all.

We should instead listen to Jesus and not others who wish to lead us astray.

Don’t be surprised by the catastrophes of nature, the wars throughout history, or the sufferings of God’s people.

Instead, realize that when Jesus talks about future events he wants to transforms us in the way we live in the present.

We must do as Paul encouraged Titus 2:13, look for “the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.”

Pray the prayer of John in Revelation 22:20, “Come, Lord Jesus.”

If Jesus came today would you be ready?

Accept Jesus as Savior today.

Commit afresh to follow Him with your whole life.

Pray.