The End and a New Beginning

Mark 13:1-23 

Jesus Predicts the Destruction of the Temple

1 Then as He went out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, "Teacher, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!"

2 And Jesus answered and said to him, "Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone shall be left upon another, that shall not be thrown down."

The Signs of the Times and the End of the Age

3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him privately, 4 "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled?"

5 And Jesus, answering them, began to say: "Take heed that no one deceives you. 6 For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and will deceive many. 7 But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet. 8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows.

9 "But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them. 10 And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations. 11 But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. 12 Now brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. 13 And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.

The Great Tribulation

14 "So when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not" (let the reader understand), "then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 15 Let him who is on the housetop not go down into the house, nor enter to take anything out of his house. 16 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 17 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 18 And pray that your flight may not be in winter. 19 For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be. 20 And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days.

21 "Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'Look, He is there!' do not believe it. 22 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 23 But take heed; see, I have told you all things beforehand.

The end times we speak about with fear should really make us stop in awe of the new beginning which God is working as He does away with this corrupted old world ruled by the presence and power of sin.  He will wipe away every single tear and sorrow will leave us (Isaiah 35:10, Revelation 21:4) together with them.  Sin will no longer be present to ravage God’s creation (Romans 8:22) and the temporary ruler of this world will no longer hold anyone in his sway (1 John 4:19) to lead into eternal dismay.  It began with the destruction of the temple that was no longer able to offer sacrifices to cover sin as only the Son of God and Man could do as foreshadowed by the body of Christ as His temple being destroyed by death but resurrected in eternal life and so able to cover our sins in an act once for all (Romans 6:10, Hebrews 7:27, 9:12, 10:10) whom He calls to Himself (John 6:44).  This destruction made the disciples ask about the end of all things, for they still thought that the temple meant everything until they later understood the temple of His body was the crucial point Jesus was making to them.  Jesus answered by warning of those who would tell you they knew the end times and could tell you all the details.  Many would present themselves as the Savior instead of Him and mislead multitudes.  They were to listen to Jesus instead as He warned of global upheavals of war and natural disasters, things which signaled the beginning of the end and not the precise timings of events which many have concocted together as if to reveal what God has chosen not to detail to us that we might always be ready for His return (Luke 12:40, 1 Peter 1:5) as He tests our hearts (Proverbs 17:3, 1 Thessalonians 2:4).  The reality of the approaching end is not a better world which we enact by moral living or political persuasion and influence but is one of increasing persecution for the message of judgment and life we offer as witnesses to God’s forgiveness and grace.  We speak therefore of the end as a way to a new beginning which starts here in a conversion of the regenerate souls of men and women and ends a new heaven and earth begin where righteousness lives (2 Peter 3:13) forevermore.  That is the hope of the end times, the new times rising out of that judgment on sin to set us free from it ever coming on us again.  Because the world is under the influence of the enemy of God and His Christ we will suffer as we speak the truth of the gospel and even be betrayed by close family members who do not know the Lord and are opposed to His message of hope and deliverance.  God promises to give us the words to say in those times of persecution (2 Thessalonians 1:5, 1 Timothy 4:10, 1 Peter 3:17) to encourage our faith and resolve to honor and glorify Him.  We persevere and endure to the end because He has saved us as promised.  There was one main event Jesus did mention to mark the end time, that of the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of in Daniel 12:10-11 (Matthew 24:21-22, 29, 31) as the consummation of all things draws to a close and suddenly Jesus comes form his own without warning.  Such a time of pressing troubles will be unmatched by any preceding times ever seen, a great time of tribulation as judgment falls and the redeemed are released afterwards.  As He forewarned us, we are not to be deceived by anyone who tells us when Jesus is coming back, especially when they display great miracles of signs  and wonders to mislead and cause us to stumble.  We have been forewarned and hold to the course of proclaiming the gospel instead.  The end times are coming but the gospel must be proclaimed.