Home thoughts from abroad.wordpress.com

Mark 13:28-31: Enduring words.

^“28 ‘Now learn this lesson from the fig-tree: as soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. ²⁹ Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, right at the door. ³⁰ Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.³¹ Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. ” NIV UK

Jesus gave the disciples signs to look out for before the destruction of Jerusalem. They were like the new leaves on a fig tree that indicate the arrival of Summer. Jesus knew that His ‘’generation’’ of Jews would not die out before these things happened. The words of Jesus are utterly true and trustworthy. The very universe will disappear (certainly in its present form) but the words of the Lord will abide. They are powerful words; indestructible words. In fact, the entire universe is upheld by Christ’s ‘’powerful word’’ (Hebrews 1:4).

This surely means, then, that disciples of Jesus should immerse themselves in the gospels.

‘The content of the Gospels should be explained and brought to life in such a way that the Gospels become a permanent presence and possession of the mind of the disciple.’ Dallas Willard: ‘The Divine Conspiracy’, p.366.

PRAYER: Help me, dear Lord, to live deeply in your Word, and may it continually change my life.

Mark 13: 24-27: ‘You can’t miss it.’

“‘But in those days, following that distress,                                                                                 ‘“the sun will be darkened,                                                                                                              and the moon will not give its light;

²⁶ ‘At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. ²⁷ And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.” NIV UK

It’s a phrase often used by people giving directions: ‘You can’t miss it.’ What you often find is that you can! But when Jesus returns to the world (26; see Daniel 7:13) it will be unmissable. We need to remind ourselves that life will not go on forever as it is today. Jesus will come back.

At the moment, so much seems to be unravelling in our nation and across the world. It’s not surprising really. In our own culture, we have drifted far from God and His standards. It’s understandable if people ask, ‘What is the world coming to?’ But here’s a better question from a Christian perspective: ‘Who is coming to the world?’ The answer is Jesus. Are you ready to meet Him?

‘People get ready, there’s a train a comin’; you don’t need a ticket, you just get on board.’ This old spiritual song emphasises the freeness of salvation in Christ. It’s a gift to be received.

Now the way today’s section is placed, it looks like the second coming of Christ will occur right after the fall of Jerusalem. That manifestly did not happen. So did Jesus get it wrong? Over 1900 years have gone by since the Roman invasion of Jerusalem, and Jesus has not yet appeared. But let me urge you to consider the bigger picture. In God’s eyes a span of 1900 years is just like like on the way to a couple of days (2 Peter 3:8). Remember too that Jesus clearly stated that He did not know when the end of the world would happen (32).

(By the way, the references in verses 24,25 are drawn from Isaiah 13:10 and 34:4. See also Luke 21: 25, 26)

Mark 13:14-23: Emergency Exit.

“‘When you see “the abomination that causes desolation”^[a] standing where it^[b]does not belong – let the reader understand – then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. ¹⁵ Let no one on the housetop go down or enter the house to take anything out. ¹⁶ Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. ¹⁷ How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! ¹⁸ Pray that this will not take place in winter, ¹⁹ because those will be days of distress unequalled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now – and never to be equalled again. ²⁰ ‘If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them. ²¹ At that time if anyone says to you, “Look, here is the Messiah!” or, “Look, there he is!” do not believe it. ²² For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. ²³ So be on your guard; I have told you everything in advance.” NIV UK

Jesus spoke in advance about what was to happen in AD 70 (23). In a way He was pointing out the emergency exits.

Sometimes God calls us to stand and face danger. But at other times He tells us to flee. In each circumstance Christians must seek God’s will. It is all right to flee from danger, but not from duty.’ Tom Hale. ‘Applied New Testament Commentary’, p.268.

Most of the Christians in Jerusalem did make for the emergency doors. They fled in AD68, two years before the Roman invasion. But others ran just before the Romans arrived. Some of these almost starved in the countryside, because the Roman soldiers destroyed crops and fields and took all available food for themselves.

The slaughter which took place in the city was fully described by the historian, Josephus. The Romans committed the most terrible atrocities. Those Jews who escaped the sword died from famine and pestilence, or were made slaves (Luke 21:24). Over a million Jews were killed. Not a single Jew remained alive in the city. This was God’s judgment on an unbelieving Jewish nation that had rejected the Messiah.

But, remember: God ‘’…is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance’’ (2 Peter 3:9b). He doesn’t want to judge; He wants to save. So, in the gospel, He keeps clearly pointing to the Emergency Exit that is the Lord Jesus Christ, who bore our punishment on the Cross, that we might be saved through faith in Him. But it’s not enough to know where the Emergency Exit is located. You have to take it!

Mark 13: 9-13: The price of progress

^“9 ‘You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. ¹⁰ And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. ¹¹ Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit. ¹² ‘Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. ¹³ Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” NIV UK

In the Bible there is an interplay between persecution and progress. This short section is, in essence, the story of Acts written in advance. The church grew significantly over a period of time, but what a price was paid in suffering. We should not be surprised when Christians are tried and arrested, or when family members ostracise us because of the faith. Of course we are saddened by it. But if we are listening carefully to Jesus we will not be taken by surprise.

In today’s reading note especially the words: ‘’On account of me’’ and ‘’because of me’’ (9,13): ‘You can belong to all sorts of religious groups today and not suffer much opposition from family and friends, but the minute you bring the name of Jesus into the picture, and share the gospel, somebody will start to oppose you. His name is still hated.’ Warren Wiersbe.’ ‘The Wiersbe Bible Commentary’, p.126.

That observation is surely true. It is regularly the case that to mention Jesus is to drop a bomb in the middle of a conversation – unless you are blaspheming, of course. Then it will be okay with many people. Not all, of course, but, as I say, with many. That is interesting, don’t you think?

PRAYER: If anyone stops to think about it, Lord, this hatred of your Name has to come from somewhere. I pray that the devil’s loathing of your beloved Name will not cow me into silence. Help me to feel in my very bones that this gospel ‘must’ be preached in all the world.

Mark 13:5-8: Creation groaning.

^“5 Jesus said to them: ‘Watch out that no one deceives you. ⁶ Many will come in my name, claiming, “I am he,” and will deceive many. ⁷ When you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. ⁸ Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth-pains. ” NIV UK

‘’We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time’’ (Romans 8:22).

Jesus knows what is going to happen before it happens. Here he gave His disciples signs – things to expect to happen before the fall of Jerusalem. History says they did happen:

• False Christ’s did appear (see also 21-23). Before and during the Roman invasion certain Jews rose up and claimed to be the Messiah. They urged their fellow-Jews to fight the Romans;
• Between 62 and 66 AD, just a few years before Jerusalem was destroyed, there were many wars throughout the Roman Empire. There were also many rumours of revolts against the emperor. The Empire had enjoyed a measure of peace (the ‘Pax Romana”) for multiple years; but as it decayed and nationalism developed, it was inevitable that nations would start to fight one another;
• There were famines in various parts of the empire before Jerusalem’s destruction (see, e.g. Acts 11:28). According to Roman historians, there were also several earthquakes in different parts of the empire during that time;
• In Luke 21:11, Jesus also said there would be ‘’great signs from heaven’’ before the destruction of Jerusalem. According to both Roman and Jewish historians , these signs did occur. The Jewish historian, Flavius Josephus, said a comet appeared over Jerusalem for many nights with a tail shaped like a sword.

But it is important to note Jesus said, ‘’These are the beginning of birth-pains’’ (8b). When a mother is in labour, the contractions intensify as the time draws near for the baby to be born. Something you see as you study Mark 13 is that the signs of Jerusalem’s destruction in AD 70, and those of the end of the age, are similar. There is an overlapping of these two things. So, Tom Hale observes: ‘These events that occurred before the destruction of Jerusalem were only the beginning of the events that will ultimately lead to the end of the world. We know that in the past 1900 years, even greater wars have occurred, and even greater earthquakes and famines. False Christ’s even today are rising up in different parts of the world. Jesus’ prophecy not only was fulfilled before the fall of Jerusalem, but it is also continuing to be fulfilled right up to this present time, as we await His coming again at the end of the world.’ ‘The applied New Testament Commentary’, p.267.

Mark 13:5-8: Truth and boots

^“5 Jesus said to them: ‘Watch out that no one deceives you. ⁶ Many will come in my name, claiming, “I am he,” and will deceive many. ⁷ When you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. ⁸ Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth-pains. ” NIV UK

The truth will set you free. But first, it will make you mad! Perhaps that’s why people can find lies so appealing.

We have seen over the last couple of days that if we are to live safely in these last days:

1. We must not rely on anything – however substantial it may seem;
2. We must walk with Jesus (3,4). It’s now time to add a third thing:
3. We must know the ‘signs of the times’ (5-8). We can be so immersed in the Bible as a whole that we have an alertness towards history as it unfolds. We understand the times. This is something the Lord wants for us. He doesn’t want us to get into wild, hysterical speculation. That’s not healthy. Some people waste a lot of time trying to work out details of prophetic fulfillment before it happens. We so often get it wrong. But people who live deeply in God’s Word will have an insightful perspective on current affairs. Another important point to emphasise about them is that they will not be easily deceived (5). The best way to spot a counterfeit bank note, I’m told, is not to study the fraud but to know the genuine article well. People with deep roots in Scripture are less likely to be led astray. Jesus did not answer the chronology question put to Him in (4). Instead, He gave a stern warning about deception. Because Jesus said this first in the list here, I believe it is more important than we may think. As the end approaches, I think deception will intensify, culminating in the appearance of antichrist. There is some thing in human nature that loves – maybe even prefers? – a lie. As Mark Twain observed: ‘A lie will travel half way round the world while the truth is still getting its boots on!’ So we could be in great danger. Let’s give full attention to Jesus.

Mark 13: 1-4: Walk with Jesus.

“As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!’ ² ‘Do you see all these great buildings?’ replied Jesus. ‘Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.’ ³ As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, ⁴ ‘Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?’ ” NIV UK

If we are to live safely in these last days:

1. We must not rely on anything – however substantial it may seem. We saw this yesterday;
2. We must walk with Jesus (3,4).

Say Jesus was in London and you were His disciple. If, walking around Westminster He said to you, pointing to the Abbey, the Cathedral and the Houses of Parliament, that all these buildings would soon be destroyed, you might be tempted to think the end of the world was around the corner. ‘This is pretty catastrophic,’ you would say to yourself. After the Lord had spoken about the destruction of the temple buildings, the disciples asked: ‘’Tell us, when will these things happen?’’ According to Matthew 24:3 they also wanted to know: ‘’…and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?’’ They asked both questions because, it seems, they supposed the destruction of the temple would be concurrent with the end of the world.

‘…we can understand from this chapter that the signs that preceded the destruction of Jerusalem are similar to the signs that will precede the end of the world. In other words, the destruction of Jerusalem is a foretaste of the events that will occur at the end of the world. Therefore, even those parts of this chapter that refer to the destruction of Jerusalem can also serve as a warning to us about what will happen at the end of the world.’ Tom Hale: ‘The Applied New Testament Commentary’, p.266. It’s important to see this interweaving of the two things as you read through the chapter.

Discipleship is a real relationship with the living Jesus (3,4). He speaks to us and we speak with Him. We can ask Him questions. We may seek His wisdom (James 1:5-8). Our times in private, with Jesus, are so important for cultivation the discipleship relationship with Him. They should not be neglected.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank you for this gift of a personal relationship with you. Help me to cherish, nurture and value it above all things.Please enable me to consciously be with you through my moments and days, and learn from you how to be like you.

Mark 13:1-2: Man looks on the outward appearance…

“As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!’ ² ‘Do you see all these great buildings?’ replied Jesus. ‘Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.’ ” NIV

Don’t put your trust in anything other than God.

The Jews were proud of their temple, in spite of the fact that it was built by the Herod family to placate them. It was one of the largest and most magnificent buildings in the ancient world. Around it were many colonnades and courtyards and and smaller buildings. The temple area filled one sixth of the city. It’s frontage was covered with gold, and from a distance it shimmered in the bright middle eastern sunshine. It was quite a sight. Some of its stones were thirty feet long and twelve feet wide. It was impressive. There was no doubt about it. It seemed as if this temple could never be destroyed. Yet, forty years later, when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem in A.D.70, they destroyed the temple too. Since that time it has never been rebuilt.  But Jesus had already given His estimate of the temple (11:15-17), and it was different to that of His disciples. ‘’The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart’’ (1 Samuel 16:7). Jesus had already said what He had to say about the ‘heart’ of the temple. On the inside it was corrupt to the core and doomed to destruction. Its days were numbered. But the disciples were still taken with the ‘outward appearance’. It was like a terminally- diseased person, who somehow still manages to look good because of the clothes they wear and the make-up they apply.

The things in this world that seem so solid; these things we rely on, are actually transient, temporary and insubstantial. They can be destroyed in a moment. On 11^th September 2001, I was out on a pastoral visit when the news filtered through of the appalling situation unfolding in New York City. We watched the television with unbelief as the twin towers crumbled to dust, revealing devastating and deadly fragility. My colleague, who was sharing the visit with me, spoke about how he had stood on top of the World Trade Centre and watched planes flying in to a local airport below. In the wake of that day, words from Revelation 18:10 came to mind: ‘’Woe! Woe, O great city, O Babylon, city of power! In one hour your doom has come!’’ I’m not saying what happened was a literal fulfilment, but the twin symbols of western capitalism crumbled so quickly.

That’s how it is with things we value. They can be gone in a moment. That’s the truth.

PRAYER: Oh Lord, how important it is that you should be my only true treasure. Thank you for the lovely things you bless us with, but help us not to make an idol of them. We cannot rely on them, only on you.