Beloved Ones, I have the joy of sharing with you today the above theme taken from Mark 13.1-2. Indeed, the disciples are in awe of the grandeur and outward beauty of the temple buildings. But the Lord does not look at “what a man looks at”(1 Sam 16.6-7; Isa 11.1-5). He entered this temple and saw the iniquity that filled it (Mark 11: 7-11). Also his view goes beyond it, on the events which a few years after his rejection, will bring the ruin of the guilty city. Indeed, history teaches us that in the year 70, Jerusalem was the object of a terrible siege and almost total destruction by the Roman armies of Titus. This terrible punishment did not fail to test the faith of believers so attached to the holy city.
But the Lord Jesus had encouraged them in advance with the words we have here. How many children of God, going through persecution, have had blessed experiences on this occasion! Because when it came time to bear witness, what they had to say was dictated to them by the Holy Spirit. So it was with Peter when he was translated before the rulers, elders and priests(Acts 4: 5-12) and Stephen(Acts 7.51-60). But, in our measure and according to our needs, we can also realize this power of the Holy Spirit by letting it work in us.
Now, concerned about the Lord’s response to the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him in particular: “Tell us when these things will take place, and what will be the sign when all these things must be fulfilled” . The Spirit of God, in our gospel, true to his purpose, of bringing out what has to do with service. This is why, in his response, the Lord Jesus gives the disciples teachings and warnings that would be useful to them from the time he left them until his return in glory. And all he says to them relates to the Jews and the establishment of the kingdom, but expressed so as to apply to the ministry which the apostles performed immediately after the ascension of the Lord, as well as to that which will be taken up among the Jews after the removal of the Church.
Then Jesus began to say to them: Take care that no one deceives you. For many will come under my name, saying; It’s me. And, they will seduce many people. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, don’t be troubled, for these things have to happen. But that will not be the end yet. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places, there will be famines. This will only be the beginning of the pains. Take heed to yourselves. You will be delivered up to the courts, and you will be beaten with rods in the synagogues; you will appear before rulers and kings, for my sake, to be a witness to them. First, the good news must be preached to all the nations.
When you are taken away to deliver yourself, do not worry about what you will have to say in advance, but say what will be given to you on time; for it is not you who will speak, but the Holy Spirit. The brother will deliver his brother to death, and the father his child; children will rise up against their parents, and kill them.You will be hated by all for my name’s sake, but he who endures to the end will be saved. When you see the abomination of desolation established where it should not be, he who reads be careful, -Then let those who are in Judea flee into the mountains; let him who is on the roof not come down and get something from his house; and let him that is in the field not turn back to take his cloak.
Woe to the women who will be pregnant and to those who breastfeed in those days! Pray that these things will not come to pass in the winter, for the distress in those days will be such that there has not been like it since the beginning of the world which God has created until now, and ‘there never will be. And if the Lord had not shortened those days, no one would be saved; but he shortened them for the sake of the elect whom he chose.
If someone then says to you: “Christ is here”, or: “He is here”, do not believe it. For there will arise false Christs and false prophets; they will do wonders and miracles to deceive the elect, if it were possible. Be on your guard: I told you everything in advance. But in those days, after this distress, the sun will darken, the moon will no longer give its light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and with glory; then he will send the angels, and he will gather the elect of the four winds, from the end of the earth to the end of the earth. sky. Learn from a comparison drawn from the fig tree. As soon as its branches become tender, and the leaves sprout, you know that summer is near.
Likewise, when you see these things happening, know that the Son of man is near at the door. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all this happens; heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. As for the day or the hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.
Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when that time will come. It will be like a man who, going on a journey, leaves his house, hands over authority to his servants, indicates to each his task, and orders the porter to watch. Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house will come, either in the evening, or in the middle of the night, or at the cockcrow, or in the morning; fear that he will find you asleep when he suddenly arrives. What I say to you, I say to all: Watch.
The following verses have been compiled for your edification and put together for your better understanding.
- Foreknowledge of Christ:
Jn 13.1, 11 It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end; 11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean; Jn 18.4 Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?”; Jn 19.28 Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.”
- Christ the prophet:
Dt 18.18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words in his mouth. He will tell them everything I command him; Mt 21.11, 46 The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.” 46 They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet.; Mark 6.15 Others said, “He is Elijah.” And still others claimed, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago.” Luke 7.16 They were all filled with awe and praised God. “A great prophet has appeared among us,” they said. “God has come to help his people.” Luke 13.33 In any case, I must press on today and tomorrow and the next day—for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem! Luke 24.49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” Jn 4.19 “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet; Jn 6.14 After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” Jn 7.40 On hearing his words, some of the people said, “Surely this man is the Prophet.” Jn 9.17 Then they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.” The man replied, “He is a prophet.”; Ac 3.22 For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you.
- Mutability of material things:
Ps 102.26, 27 26 They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing you will change them and they will be discarded. 27 But you remain the same, and your years will never end; Es 34.4 All the stars in the sky will be dissolved and the heavens rolled up like a scroll; all the starry host will fall like withered leaves from the vine, like shriveled figs from the fig tree; 1 Co 7.31 those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away; 2 Co 4.18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal; 2 P 3.10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare; Ap 21.1 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.
- Temple destroyed:
2 Kings 25.9 He set fire to the temple of the LORD, the royal palace and all the houses of Jerusalem. Every important building he burned down; Ps 74.7 They burned your sanctuary to the ground; they defiled the dwelling place of your Name; Isa 64.10 Your sacred cities have become a wasteland; even Zion is a wasteland, Jerusalem a desolation; Mi 3.12Therefore because of you, Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, the temple hill a mound overgrown with thickets; Mt 24.2“Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”
Ultimately, the Church and her history will occupy the centuries between these two events. That’s why we’re still there today. Let us note that the service of the apostles among the Jews since the ascension of the Lord continued in favor of the Church, since the Jews did not listen better to the apostles who presented their Messiah who had ascended to heaven, than they did hadn’t listened to him himself. And when God again takes care of his earthly people, the disciples who arise from among the Jews, who return to Palestine, will be happy to find the teachings that Jesus gave for them. For the Lord Jesus divides the time during which their testimony would be given into two parts: The first includes the period from his departure until the establishment of the idol in the temple in Jerusalem, and the second part of that time to go until the coming of Christ. Our prayers are with you all in your efforts to be ready in due course.
PRAYER OF ACCEPTANCE OF JESUS CHRIST AS LORD AND PERSONAL SAVIOR
I now invite anyone who wants to become a new creation by walking in the truth, to pray with me as follows:
Lord Jesus, I have long walked in the lusts of the world ignoring your love for humans. I acknowledge that I have sinned against you and ask forgiveness for all my sins, because today I have decided to give you my life by taking you as my Lord and personal Savior. I acknowledge that you died on the cross of Calvary and that you rose from the dead for me.
I am now saved and born again by the power of the Holy Spirit. Lead me each day to eternal life you give to all who obey your Word. Reveal to me and strengthen my heart and my faith so that your light may shine in my life right now.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for accepting me in your divine family so that I too can contemplate the wonders of your kingdom.
I will now choose a nearby waterpoint to baptize myself by immersion, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
To you all worship, power, and glory, now and forever and ever. Amen!
I would be glad to respond to your queries and comments if necessary, before sharing with you next week “A woman spreads perfume on the head of Jesus in Bethany.”
May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you profusely.
David Feze, Servant of the Almighty God.
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