IN THE LAST WEEK OF HIS LIFE, JESUS WARNED HIS DISCIPLES CONCERNING TRIALS THAT WERE TO COME UPON THEM AND UPON THE WORLD. HE EXHORTS THE LISTENER. DO NOT BE ALARMED.
AS JESUS WAS LEAVING THE TEMPLE ONE OF HIS DISCIPLES SAID TO HIM," LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THOSE STONES, MASTER! LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THOSE BUILDINGS!" AND JESUS SAID TO HIM, "YOU SEE THESE GREAT BUILDINGS? NOT A SINGLE STONE WILL BE LEFT ON ANOTHER; EVERYTHING WILL BE DESTROYED." AND WHILE JESUS WAS SITTING FACING THE TEMPLE, ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES, PETER , JAMES AND JOHN AND ANDREW QUESTIONED HIM PRIVATELY, " TELL US WHEN THIS IS GOING TO HAPPPEN, WHAT SIGN WILL THERE BE, THAT ALL THIS IS ABOUT TO BE FULFILLED. THE DISCIPLES WERE FILLED WITH "ANXIETY" ABOUT WHEN ALL THIS WAS TO HAPPEN.
ANXIETY. THE ROOT OF THIS WORD MEANS " TO CAUSE PAIN BY SQUEEZING, TO "CONSTRICT." WHEN WE ARE ANXIOUS ESPECIALLY IN TIMES OF CHANGE AND TRANSITION, WE TIGHTEN UP PHYSICALLY IN OUR SHOULDERS AND CHEST. WE CAN'T BREATH AS EASILY. ANXIETY CHOKES OFF OUR CAPACITY TO IMAGINE THE FUTURE., AND INSTEAD WE MAY TRY TO SEEK EASY ANSWERS FOR EVENTS WE CANNOT CONTROL
IN ANXIOUS TIMES, THIS NARRATIVE IN MARK CAN BE TWISTED INTO PROOF TEXT FOR CURRENT EVENTS, EVEN THOUGH IT WOULD BEGIN IN A.D.70 WITH THE DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE AND EVENTUALLY JERUSALEM, IN WHAT THE BIBLE CALLS THE GREAT TRIBULATION. SOME RELIGIOUS LEADERS TRY TO READ INTO NEWPAPERS HEADLINES A DOOMSDAY PICTURE OF THE FUTURE, MAKING PREDICTIONS IN ORDER TO SWAY FRIGHTENED PEOPLE. ANXIOUS TIMES BREED A SEARCH FOR EASY ANSWERS.
PETER, JAMES, JOHN, ANDREW ARE ANXIOUS DISCIPLES. THEY HAVE JUST HEARD JESUS ANNOUNCE THAT THE TEMPLE, THE CENTER OF RELIGIOUS LIFE, WILL BE DESTROYED. WHAT'S MORE, THEIR TEACHER HAS TALKED ABOUT HIS OWN DEATH
SEVERAL TIMES ON THE WAY TO JERUSALEM. SO THE DISCIPLES, FEELING THEIR BODIES CONSTRICT, ASKS, " WHEN WILL THIS BE?" WHAT WILL BE THE SIGN OF THE END?
JESUS HOWEVER ANSWERS THEM IN A DIFFERENT WAY. HE NON ANXIOUSLY TELLS THEM OF THE END TIMES, BUT THEN HE OFFERS A TWIST OF HIS OWN." DON'T BE ALARMED... THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING OF THE BIRTH PANGS" IN SPEAKING ABOUT, JESUS DOES NOT BECOME ANXIOUS; HE DOES NOT PROCLAIM A MESSAGE OF UTTER DESTRUCTION. RATHER HE SPEAKS ABOUT BIRTH. THE END IS REALLY ABOUT SOMETHING NEW BREAKING FORTH. THE NEW CREATION, THE REIGN OF GOD IN ITS FULLNESS.
VERSE 3 OF CHAPTER 13 TELLS OF THE FIRST SIGNS PRECEDING THE END, AS JESUS SET ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES OVER AGAINST THE TEMPLE, PETER, JAMES AND JOHN AND ANDREW ASKED HIM PRIVATELY, WHEN SHALL THESE THINGS BE? AND WHAT SHALL BE THE SIGN WHEN ALL THESE THINGS SHALL BE FULFILLED. AND JESUS ANSWERING THEM BEGAN TO SAY, TAKE HEED LEST ANY MAN DECEIVE YOU,
OR"THAT NASTY OLD 'SATAN" BEING ON THE PROWL.
FOR MANY SHALL COME IN MY NAME, SAYING: "I AM CHRIST;" AND SHALL DECEIVE MANY, AND YE SHALL HEAR OF WARS AND RUMORS OF WARS, BE YE NOT TROUBLED; FOR SUCH THINGS MUST NEEDS; BUT THE END SHALL NOT BE YET! FOR NATION SHALL RISE AGAINST NATION AND KINGDOM AGAINST KINGDOM; AND THERE SHALL BE EARTHQUAKES IN DIVERS (VARIOUS PLACES), AND THEIR SHALL BE FAMINES AND TROUBLES. THESE ARE THE BEGINNINGS OF SORROWS.
MARKS DESCRIPTION IS GRAPHIC, VIVID; JESUS WITH HIS DISCIPLES GOES OVER TO THE MOUNTAIN AND THEN SITS DOWN OPPPOSITE THE TEMPLE, WITH THE GREAT BUILDINGS IN FULL VIEW; AN IMPRESSIVE SETTING FOR AN EARNEST DISCUSSION.
BEFORE THE EYE OF THE OMNISCIENT SON OF GOD, WHEN HE SPEAKS IN A PROPHETIC VEIN, THE FACTOR OF TIME DOES NOT EXIST; UNLESS HE HIMSELF MAKES THE DISTINCION, ALL THE HAPPENINGS ARE IN HIS MINES EYE AT THIS INSTANT; HE SEES THEM ALL TOGETHER, WHETHER THEY ARE ALL CONNECTED WITH THE DESTRUCTION OF THE CITY OF JERUSALEM OR WITH THE END OF THE WORLD; THEN ALSO, THE JUDGEMENT OF GOD UPON JERUSALEM WAS THE TYPE AND THE BEGINNING OF THE LAST GREAT JUDMENT, THE FINAL DESTRUCTION OF THE WORLD STEEPED IN SINS WAS BEGUN IN JUDEA, AND ITS END, WITH THE EXTENTION OF GOD'S AVENGING FURY OVER THE WHOLE WORLD, MAY BE EXPECTED AT ANY MOMENT, WE KNOW NOT WHEN, THESE THINGS WILL COME;
IT IS INEVITABLE, SO LONG AS HUMAN NATURE REMAINS SINFUL, THAT THEY DO COME, AND THEY COME ALSO AS JUST POUNISHMENT OF GOD.
DESPITE ALL THE MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY USED TO PREDICT A BABY'S ARRIVAL, THE BABY COMES WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS, TO BE READY FOR THE BIRTH OF GOD'S PRESENCE.
AT THE END OF REVELATION, JESUS WARNS THAT THIS IS ALL TRUE OF THE END TIMES, AND STATES SO WITH A WARNING: I JESUS, HAVE SENT MY ANGEL TO MAKE THESE REVELATIONS TO YOU FOR THE SAKE OF THE CHURCHES, I AM OF DAVID'S LINE, THE ROOT OF DAVID AND THE BRIGHT STAR OF THE MORNING. THE SPIRIT AND THE BRIDE SAY 'COME" THEN LET ALL WHO ARE THIRSTY COME. ALL WHO WANT IT MAY HAVE THE WATER OF LIFE, AND HAVE IT FREE, JESUS ADDING; THIS IS MY SOLEMN WARNING TO ALL WHO HEAR THE PROPHECIES IN THIS BOOK: IF ANYONE ADDS ANY THING TO THEM, GOD WILL ADD TO HIM EVERY PLAGUE MENTIONED IN THIS BOOK; AND GOOD WILL CUT OFF THEIR SHARE OF THE TREE OF LIFE AND OF THE HOLY CITY, WHICH ARE DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK (BIBLE).
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