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Scripture Reading: Mark 13:1-37
In 13:1-37 the Lord prepares His disciples for His death by telling them of things to come. Here He speaks concerning five matters: the destruction of the temple (Mark 13:1-2), the plagues at the beginning of birth pangs (Mark 13:3-8), the preaching of the gospel and persecutions (Mark 13:9-13), the great tribulation and the coming of the Slave-Savior (Mark 13:14-27), and watching, praying, and awaiting the Slave-Savior (Mark 13:28-37). We covered the destruction of the temple and the beginning of birth pangs in the previous message. In this message we shall go on to consider the other matters concerning which the Lord spoke to His disciples on the Mount of Olives.
In 13:9-13 the Lord speaks concerning the preaching of the gospel and persecutions. In verse 9 the Lord says, “But you yourselves beware; they will deliver you to sanhedrins, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them.” In particular, the “you” here refers to Jewish disciples. The first martyrs were Jews.
Verse 9 indicates that the persecutions will come from both Jews and Gentiles. The sanhedrins and synagogues are related to the Jews, but the governors and the kings refer to the rulers of the Gentiles. Therefore, the persecutions described in verse 9 will come from two sources, from both Jews and Gentiles.
In verse 10 the Lord goes on to say, “And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations.” According to Matt. 24:14, the gospel preached to all the nations will be the gospel of the kingdom. The gospel of the kingdom includes the gospel of grace (Acts 20:24). However, the gospel of the kingdom brings people not only into God’s salvation but also into God’s kingdom (Rev. 1:9). The emphasis of the gospel of grace is on forgiveness of sin, God’s redemption, and eternal life; the emphasis of the gospel of the kingdom is on the ruling of God and the authority of the Lord. The gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole earth for a testimony to all nations before the end of the age comes. This testimony must spread throughout the earth before the end of this age, before the time of the great tribulation.
In verse 11 the Lord tells His disciples not to be anxious about what they will speak when they are delivered up, for the Holy Spirit will speak in them. Then the Lord continues, “And brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children shall rise up against their parents and put them to death; and you will be hated by all on account of My name; but he who has endured to the end, he shall be saved” (vv. 12-13). This word is brief, yet all-inclusive. The persecution will come from Jews, from Gentiles, and even from the members of one’s own family. This kind of persecution has been carried out and still is happening today.
It is important to understand the meaning of the word “saved” in verse 13. Here “saved” may mean to be saved from those who hate and persecute. But eventually this word means to be saved into the manifestation of the kingdom in the coming age, a manifestation that will be a reward to the overcoming believers. This differs from eternal salvation as revealed in Ephesians 2:8.
In 13:14-27 the Lord speaks concerning the great tribulation and the coming of the Slave-Savior. Verse 14 says, “But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where it should not (let the reader understand), then let those in Judea flee to the mountains.” How long the period of time will be for verses 1 through 13 we do not know. But the prophecy in verses 14 through 27 will definitely be fulfilled in the last three and a half years of this age, the time of the great tribulation, the second half of the last week prophesied in Daniel 9:27. This period of time will begin with the setting up of Antichrist’s image (an idol) in the temple (Mark 13:14) and will end with Christ’s open coming (v. 26).
In verse 14 the Lord speaks of the abomination of desolation standing where it should not be. “Abomination” means an idol (Deut. 29:17). Here it refers to the image of Antichrist set up in the temple of God as an idol (Rev. 13:14-15; 2 Thes. 2:4) at the beginning of the great tribulation (Matt. 24:21).
The Greek word translated “desolation” means causing desolation, desolating. The abomination, the idol of Antichrist, will cause desolation. Antichrist is called the destroyer (Apollyon, Rev. 9:11); he will do much destroying (Dan. 8:13, 23-25; 9:27).
The abomination of desolation will stand where it should not be. According to Matthew 24:15, it will stand in the holy place, that is, within God’s temple (Psa. 68:35; Ezek. 7:24; 21:2).
Jerusalem has already been destroyed more than once, and it will be destroyed again. Jerusalem was destroyed the first time under Nebuchadnezzar with the Babylonian army. Later, in the second century B.C., after the rebuilding of the temple, the temple was polluted by Antiochus Epiphanes. Many Bible students realize that he was a type of Titus, who came to destroy Jerusalem in A.D. 70. Titus was a prefigure of the coming Antichrist, who with his army will destroy Jerusalem once more.
There were prophecies concerning both Titus and Antichrist in Daniel. Antiochus Epiphanes was a type of Titus, and Titus was a type of Antichrist. The “little horn” in Daniel 8 was a prefigure of Titus, and Titus is a prefigure of the coming Antichrist. With Titus there was the third destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, and with the coming Antichrist Jerusalem will be destroyed again.
The Lord’s word in Mark 13 refers to Antichrist and also implies the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 under Titus. In order to understand this portion of the Word, it is helpful to realize that Titus prefigures Antichrist, and the destruction of Jerusalem under Titus prefigures the destruction of Jerusalem that will be carried out by Antichrist.
In 13:19 and 20 the Lord says, “For those will be days of affliction, such as has not happened from the beginning of the creation which God created until now, and by no means shall be. And unless the Lord had shortened the days, no flesh would be saved; but on account of the chosen, whom He chose, He shortened the days.” Here the “chosen” refer to the Jews, God’s chosen people (Rom. 11:28). The tribulation under Antichrist will be so severe that no one will be able to bear it. If God had not cut it short, no flesh at all would be saved. But for the sake of the chosen, the elect, those days will be shortened.
In 13:21-23 the Lord goes on to warn the disciples concerning false Christs and false prophets: “And then if anyone says to you, Behold, here is the Christ! Behold, there! do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will be raised up, and they will show signs and wonders to lead astray, if possible, the chosen. But you, beware; I have told you all things beforehand.” The Jews rejected Jesus as their Messiah and are expecting a Messiah to come. They need to be warned that Messiah, the Christ, will not arise “here” or “there” on earth, but will descend on the cloud from heaven.
The Lord says that false Christs and false prophets will arise. Antichrist will be the last of the false Christs and will work signs and lying wonders with the power of Satan to deceive the perishing (2 Thes. 2:3-10). “Another beast” in Revelation 13:11 will be the last of the false prophets (Rev. 19:20) and will do great signs to deceive the earth’s dwellers (Rev. 13:13-14).
In 13:24-27 the Lord Jesus speaks concerning His coming. Verses 24 and 25 say, “But in those days, after that affliction, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling out of heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.” These supernatural calamities in heaven will follow the great tribulation at the end of this age. This differs from the fourth trumpet in Revelation 8:12, which will occur very close to the great tribulation.
In verse 26 the Lord continues, “And then they shall see the Son of Man coming in clouds with much power and glory.” In Christ’s first coming His authority was manifested in casting out demons and healing diseases. In His second coming His power will be exercised to execute God’s judgment, to destroy Antichrist and his armies, and to bind Satan for the establishment of God’s kingdom on earth.
In Mark 13:27 the Lord says that the Son of Man “will send the angels, and He will gather together His chosen from the four winds, from the extremity of earth to the extremity of heaven.” After the great tribulation, at His coming back to earth, the Lord will gather the scattered Jews from all parts of the earth to the holy land. This will be the fulfillment not only of the Lord’s word in Matthew 23:37, but also of God’s promise in the Old Testament (Deut. 30:3-5; Isa. 43:5-7; 49:9-13, 22-26; 51:11; 56:8; 60:4; 62:10-12; 27:13; Ezek. 34:13; 37:21; 28:25).
In 13:28-37 we have a word concerning watching, praying, and awaiting the Slave-Savior. Verse 28 says, “Now from the fig tree learn the parable: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that the summer is near.” This fig tree signifies the nation of Israel, which the Lord cursed in 11:14. It passed through a long “winter,” from the first century to 1948, when the nation of Israel was restored. That was its branch becoming tender and the putting forth of its leaves. This fig tree is a sign to the believers of the end of this age.
To “become tender” signifies that life has come back, and to “put forth leaves” signifies outward activities. Winter signifies the time of being dried up, the time of tribulation; “summer” signifies the age of the restored kingdom (Luke 21:30-31), which will begin at the Lord’s second coming.
In verses 29 and 30 the Lord goes on to say, “So also you, when you see these things happening, you know that He is near, at the doors. Truly I tell you, that this generation shall by no means pass away until all these things happen.” The “generation” here is not that according to age or people, as the generations in Matthew 1:17. Instead, it is the generation according to the moral condition of the people, as the generation in Matthew 11:16; 12:39, 41, 42, 45; and Proverbs 30:11-14.
In verses 31 and 32 the Lord says, “The heaven and the earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away. But concerning that day or hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor even the Son, but the Father.” The Son, standing in the position of the Son of Man (v. 26), does not know the day or hour of His coming back.
In 13:33-37 the Lord speaks strongly concerning watching. In verse 33 He says, “Beware, be watchful; for you do not know when the time is.” In verse 35 He tells the disciples, “Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house comes, whether in the evening, or at midnight, or at cock-crowing, or in the morning.” Finally, in verse 37, the last verse of the chapter, He says, “And what I say to you, I say to all, Watch!” To be sure, the Lord’s word about watching is more than a prophecy; it is also a charge to all the believers of the Slave-Savior. On the one hand, we need to know the prophecies concerning the things to come. On the other hand, we need to watch.
Many aspects of the Lord’s prophecy in Mark 13 have been fulfilled. In particular, we have seen the re-formation of the nation of Israel and the return of Jerusalem to the Jews. This may be considered the reviving of the fig tree that was cursed. Although its branch has already become tender and it has begun to put forth its leaves, we do not yet see any fruit. Rather, we may say that the leaves are merely an outward display. The nation of Israel today has an outward display, but it does not yet have fruit.
If you study a map, you will see that the nation of Israel is the center of the inhabited earth geographically, politically, and even militarily. The situation in the Middle East is a serious problem. The surrounding Arab nations do not seem to have a way to deal with the small nation of Israel.
The re-formation of Israel is a fulfillment of a number of crucial prophecies in the Bible. Israel has been re-formed, Jerusalem has been returned, and the fig tree is now showing its leaves. This should cause us to realize that summer is near. However, we cannot say how long it will be until summer.
While the nation of Israel is flourishing, the birth, the delivery, of the new man continues to take place. The flourishing of Israel and the delivery of the new man are taking place in a parallel way. This indicates that the recovery of the church life should go on in parallel with the flourishing of the nation of Israel. This twofold development will reach its climax almost at the same time, the time of the great tribulation.
After studying the first thirteen chapters of the Gospel of Mark, we see that it is not a simple matter to be prepared to enter into the Lord’s death and resurrection. First we need to pass through the steps of the long process recorded in chapters one through ten. Then we need to follow the Slave-Savior to Jerusalem, where He prepared the environment, the opposers, and His disciples for His redemptive work. We also need to hear His word regarding the things to come concerning the Jews, the church, the world situation, the great tribulation, and the Antichrist.
We need to study the biblical prophecies not merely to have a knowledge of the prophecies, but especially to have a view of what the Lord is doing today and to understand the purpose of the world situation. From our study of the Scriptures we know what the Lord is doing, and we know the purpose of the world situation. It is for the completion of the nation of Israel and also for the completion of the birth of the new man. Although we are not part of the nation of Israel, as believers in Christ we certainly are part of the new man.
In order to have the new man, we need to experience Christ’s death and resurrection. Through His death and resurrection we may have the full enjoyment of the wonderful Person of Christ as our replacement. This is the clear view of God’s economy presented in chapters one through thirteen of the Gospel of Mark.
