In our study of Mark chapter thirteen, we look at Jesus' words concerning end times prophecy. This teaching is commonly called the Olivet Discourse and it will show us that many of the things that He said would happen have already taken place. We will also see what is yet to come.
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As Yeshua came out of the Temple, one of the talmidim said to him, "Look, Rabbi! What huge stones! What magnificent buildings!" "You see all these great buildings?" Yeshua said to him, "They will be totally destroyed -- not a single stone will be left standing!"
Jesus had already pronounced the desolation of the temple and, now as they left, a disciple pointed out how big and wonderful it was. Jesus answered the question with a question of His own. He basically asked them if they truly saw the buildings and the fact that they were temporary. It would have been hard for them to imagine the big stones being tossed down but it happened in the year 70 A.D. Even for us today, it can be difficult to remember that all of the things that we see around us are temporary.
As he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the Temple, Kefa, Ya`akov, Yochanan and Andrew asked him privately, "Tell us, when will these things happen? And what sign will show when all these things are about to be accomplished?"
Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives where you can look across the valley and see the temple mount. The disciples asked Him when the place would be destroyed.They thought that the destruction of the temple would usher in the last days and the kingdom of God.
Yeshua began speaking to them: "Watch out! Don't let anyone fool you! Many will come in my name, saying, `I am he!' and they will fool many people.
Jesus begins to answer their question by warning them about false prophets and false messiahs. This has happened many times since the days that Jesus walked this earth and is what Paul was talking about in his second letter to the Thessalonians. There have been many cults and crazies who claimed to be Jesus and they even got many people to follow them into death.
When you hear the noise of wars nearby and the news of wars far off, don't become frightened. Such things must happen, but the end is yet to come. For peoples will fight each other, and nations will fight each other, there will be earthquakes in various places, there will be famines; this is but the beginning of the `birth pains.'
Jesus compared the last days with childbirth and that is because the last days will birth the new heaven and the new earth. As in natural childbirth, pains can start but the actual delivery can last for many hours after it starts. In the same manner, Jesus said that the rumblings of nations and nature are just the beginning. These things have been happening since the days that Jesus walked the earth and are continuing today.
"But you, watch yourselves! They will hand you over to the local Sanhedrins, you will be beaten up in synagogues, and on my account you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. Indeed, the Good News has to be proclaimed first to all the Goyim.
This may be happening in places today but was primarily speaking of the persecution of the early church. Paul is a good example of this happening exactly as Jesus said it would. Many have been confused by the requirement that the gospel be "preached to all nations". Throughout the Bible, the nations refers to the Gentiles and Jesus was speaking of the fact that the gospel would be preached to the Gentiles. This was necessary to provoke the Jews to jealousy.
Now when they arrest you and bring you to trial, don't worry beforehand about what to say. Rather, say whatever is given you when the time comes; for it will not be just you speaking, but the Ruach HaKodesh.
This is good for us but was also a direct prediction of what would happen to Peter and John after Jesus was taken up to heaven (see Acts 4).
Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will turn against their parents and have them put to death; and everyone will hate you because of me. But whoever holds out till the end will be delivered.
Now, Jesus begins to describe a period of time that is commonly called the "Great Tribulation". This is still to come and is described in the book of Revelation.
"Now when you see the abomination that causes devastationx standing where it ought not to be" (let the reader understand the allusion), "that will be the time for those in Y'hudah to escape to the hills
This period of time that is referred to as the "great tribulation" begins with "the abomination that causes desolation" which is a picture of the anti-christ. Jesus was talking about the fact that an idol will be set up in Jerusalem just as it was in the time of Antiochus Epiphanes. Daniel referred to this in his visions of the end times (see Daniel 9). It is also what John was talking about with the people worshiping the beast in Revelation 13. "Flee to the mountains" refers to the Transjordan Mountains. During the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes, many of the faithful Jews fled to the city of Pella which is located in the modern country of Jordan. In the last days, God's people will once again flee from the anti-christ.
If someone is on the roof, he must not go down and enter his house to take any of his belongings; if someone is in the field, he must not turn back to get his coat. What a terrible time it will be for pregnant women and nursing mothers! Pray that it may not happen in winter. For there will be worse trouble at that time than there has ever been from the very beginning, when God created the universe, until now; and there will be nothing like it again.
This will happen so fast that people will not have any time to gather their things. The times will be so terrible for those who are not prepared to move quickly such as mothers with small children. Times are rough now but, even the worst of days that we have seen are not as bad as these times.
Indeed, if God had not limited the duration of the trouble, no one would survive; but for the sake of the elect, those whom he has chosen, he has limited it.
These days are numbered as God allows Satan to exercise some control over the events on the earth. God limited the number of these days for the good of His people. There will be a remnant of His people that are left as a witness on the earth and, if He had not shortened the days, even they would perish.
"At that time, if anyone says to you, `Look! Here's the Messiah!' or, `See, there he is!' -- don't believe him! There will appear false Messiahs and false prophets performing signs and wonders for the purpose, if possible, of misleading the chosen. But you, watch out! I have told you everything in advance!
During that period of great tribulation, people will be looking for anyone to save them and there will be many that claim that they can. They are all sent by Satan to deceive the people of the earth but Jesus has warned all of us about what is to come.
In those days, after that trouble, the sun will grow dark, the moon will stop shining, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers in heaven will be shaken.
Now, we see the signs that will occur before the final judgment. These signs will appear and the devil will make his final attempt to overthrow the kingdom. The battle is short and the final judgment begins.
Then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with tremendous power and glory. He will send out his angels and gather together his chosen people from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.
Jesus then tells us of the final gathering of the saints for the judgment of rewards. Those that are left on the earth will join with those who are in heaven and the rewards will be given to the faithful.
"Now let the fig tree teach you its lesson: when its branches begin to sprout and leaves appear, you know that summer is approaching. In the same way, when you see all these things happening, you are to know that the time is near, right at the door.
Jesus uses the example of a fig tree and we are reminded that, throughout the Bible, the fig tree speaks of the nation of Israel. So what did Jesus mean by "it is near"? He was talking about the kingdom of God which is what the disciples had asked about. When all the elect of Israel have accepted Jesus Christ, the harvest will begin.
Yes! I tell you that this people will certainly not pass away before all these things happen. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will certainly not pass away.
All of those last days events have not happened but all of the apostles have died; so, what's up? The Hebrew understanding of generation is not a straight line like we think but is a circle of events and time. There was a circle from the days of Adam until the destruction of Noah's day. There was a circle from the days after the flood to the destruction of the temple. The generation that Jesus was talking about was the time from the giving of the Holy Spirit to the final judgment.
However, when that day and hour will come, no one knows -- not the angels in heaven, not the Son, just the Father.
When this latest generation (circle) will end is only known to the Father. As we have seen, the only remaining clue that we have is the sign that Jesus said to look for which is the "abomination that causes desolation". That will be the start of the Great Tribulation.
Stay alert! Be on your guard! For you do not know when the time will come. "It's like a man who travels away from home, puts his servants in charge, each with his own task, and tells the doorkeeper to stay alert. So stay alert! for you don't know when the owner of the house will come, whether it will be evening, midnight, cockcrow or morning -- you don't want him to come suddenly and find you sleeping! And what I say to you, I say to everyone: stay alert!"
Jesus reminded His disciples that we are like servants that have been given a job while the master is gone. We are to be about that task until He returns. We will know of His imminent arrival when we see the sign that was given. We all (those in Christ) have a task to do before we meet Jesus. If that task is done before He returns, then, we will go to meet Him. If it is not, then, we should be working at it when He arrives.
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