Mark 13:24-37
The Coming of the Son of Man
24 "But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; 25 the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. 27 And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven.
The Parable of the Fig Tree
28 "Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender, and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. 29 So you also, when you see these things happening, know that it is near—at the doors! 30 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.
No One Knows the Day or Hour
32 "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. 34 It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. 35 Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning— 36 lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. 37 And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!"
Jesus made it clear that the hour of His return, the second coming, was hidden in God’s sovereign will and providence. After great pressing suffering on earth He will return from heaven amidst the dissolution of the physical universe around us (Isaiah 34:4, 2 Peter 3:11-12). The sun will go dim enough that the moon fails to reflect any of its light on earth and the very stars will fall from heaven as it is shaken and God’s vengeance on sin is executed upon all who defy and reject Him in unrepentant disbelief. The heavens of the universe will be rolled up and put away by their Creator against all our cries of disbelief in what we imagine is impossible; we forget that nothing is impossible to the One who spoke the universe into existence out of nothing. The Big Bang of God’s creative word will in the same manner and power turn to the Big Dissolution shutdown of all the universe in the sight of rebellious mankind. This announcement is for His arrival to hold everyone accountable in judgment acc to the word of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ who alone is the solution to the eternal suffering we all deserve for our cosmic rebellion against our Maker by refusing to believe His word and live accordingly. The only safe place in that time is found by accepting His Son according to His Word as John 6:29 tells us is the only work of our deliverance, our salvation, from the wrath to come (Revelation 6:17, 1 Thessalonians 1:10). Repentance from our dead and ineffective works and trust (faith) in His revealed will is our only hope to meet and sur this end of all creation. It is not man’s destruction of the world but God’s we need to be ultimately concerned with. When this time of the end appears suddenly and unexpectedly we who have been called and chosen (2 Timothy 1:9, 1 Peter 2:9, Romans 8:30) in Christ will be gathered together by His infinite power and glory. God left hints to know the general season of these times but not the exact timing of His return to test our hearts to see whose are His and demonstrate His righteousness and mercy in the grace of Christ to all who believe and receive Him (John 1:12) according to His word. His word is absolute and absolutely insoluble which will endure even as heaven and the earth pass away. They will be remade by that same word anyway. God the Father has set the time and it is hidden from us until it is revealed as it happens at the return of Jesus Christ our Lord. This is absolute. What are we to do? Watch and patiently await that day as we are about our Father’s business of bearing witness to the gospel of hope no matter the opposition of disbelief that those He calls will join us with Him in the new earth in the new universe of God’s promise. His word to us then is, “watch!” and be ready. We are to watch and pray until that day, not fret or scramble to determine the hidden hour of His return as we live for Him as long as this world endures. Amen!
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