Mark13b (vs14-27) Notes
14 But, when you see the abomination of desolation standing where it ought not to be |
fulfillment of Dan11.31 & 12.11 / nauseating stench / here: shrine to Caesar in temple |
(let the reader understand), |
writer's narration: pay attention to these words and ponder them, to comprehend their meaning |
then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. |
Local event allows local escape. Who will escape the final judgment? Temporal doom is avoidable -- if we heed warning & flee. |
15 Let the one who is on the housetop not go down, not enter his house, to take anything out. |
Priorities for rescue: life 1st, property later. urgency of departing quickly. siege in AD66... |
16 and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. |
if you've left provision at home or at far end of the field, no time to go back, RUN! |
17 and alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! |
babes require a sheltered environment, difficult to provide for them on the run |
18 Pray that it may not happen in winter. |
Timing not certain. Jesus encourages subjects to effect history. Anticipate & Ask for help. |
19 For in those days there will be such tribulation as has not been |
Tribulation = to crowd, press -- like squeezing grapes / scarce food > women eat their babies |
from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, and never will be. |
figure of speech: 'worst ever' / no slight but tremendous trouble: 1.1million slain |
20 And if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. |
by faith accept that God limits the trouble (see 1Cor10.13) to save a remnant of His people |
But for the sake of the elect, who He chose, He shortened the days. |
particularly interested in His own -- the chosen ones. Note: spoken as already done |
21 And then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' |
Longing for deliverance motivates pretenders to arise, announcing another gospel. |
or 'Look, there He is!' do not believe it. |
Warning: Don't trust false messiahs. Guard your faith. responsible for what you believe. |
22 False christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, |
These pretenders & imposters can even work wonders. The devil has spiritual power. |
to lead astray, if possible, the elect. |
Strong delusion! Its effect will reach right up to the edge of the camp of the chosen. |
23 But be on guard; I have told you all things beforehand. |
Reason for 'signs:" forewarned is forearmed. To protect believers -- esp. their faith. |
24 But in those days, after that tribulation, |
Then, in the days right after this... very soon, right on the heels of that pressing time. The END will come (the fall of Jerusalem) |
the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, |
Apocalyptic language for a catastrophic event. (Ezek7 / 32.7 / Joel2.10 / Amos8.9). L8R Peter applies Joel to Pentecost. Great world event. |
25 and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. |
symbolically, the guiding lights of their world (esp. religious) will be removed / leaders fall |
26 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. |
the Jewish leaders repeatedly ask for a sign (Mt16.1). Now He would give it to them: heaven's judgment on their unbelief. |
27 And then He will send out the angels and gather His elect from the four winds, |
messengers of God work to harvest all His people / gospel spread further thru world |
from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. |
extensive, world-wide effect of this judgment: the Temple system forever removed from earth |
notes by David Teel Sunday, October 05, 2014