Today, we return to our study of Mark 13 where the main subject is the End Times. The Lord Jesus and His Jewish disciples had just departed from the Temple in Jerusalem and now they are on the Mount of Olives where He is teaching them.
In v.6-8 of today's passage we read, "6 Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many. 7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 8 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains."
The first sign that the Lord Jesus gave to His disciples that end is near is that of false Christs. Since the time of the Lord Jesus, at least 64 different individuals have come claiming to be the Messiah. His word of warning to His disciples: "... do not be alarmed." We must be careful that it is the Jesus Christ of the Bible that we are following, or, we will end up following the wrong leader.
There's always been deception. As believers in Christ we should never be astonished or taken off guard that there is such a thing as spiritual warfare. And, as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are engaged in a battle that is not for the kingdoms of this world. We are engaged in His battle which is for the eternal souls of people.
The second threat leading up to the end is given in v.7-8, disasters like wars, famines, earthquakes, natural disasters, will occur. There have been wars and rumors of wars right from the very beginning. There are going to be famines and earthquakes in various places in the future, but, at the end of time, the escalation of these things will be a tip that we are near the end.
The second threat leading up to the end is given in v.7-8, disasters like wars, famines, earthquakes, natural disasters, will occur. There have been wars and rumors of wars right from the very beginning. There are going to be famines and earthquakes in various places in the future, but, at the end of time, the escalation of these things will be a tip that we are near the end.
At the end of v.8, we are given a key phrase: "These are the beginning of birth pains." Five times in the Old Testament this very sentence is employed to speak of God's judgement upon sin. It speaks of it as the birth pangs of a woman, as God intervening in history in a very judicial and direct manner. It is a key phrase, because although we have always had wars, earthquakes, famines, that phrase "birth pangs" is a pull back the curtain type of statement. There are normal birth pains that happen, like wars and rumors of wars and famines and earthquakes. But, as when a woman is having a baby, when the contractions become more frequent and more intense, then we know the birth of the judgment of God in unbelieving man is close.
In v.9-10 of today's passage we read, "9 You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. 10 And the gospel must first be preached to all nations."
Right from the very first century these words were fulfilled. The book of Acts tells us how the Apostle Paul, and the other apostles, and the early Christians, were often beaten in the synagogues, dragged before governors and kings, and gave testimony before them, as was predicted by Jesus here in this passage.
In the middle of this statement about being brought before governors and kings, He says the gospel is to be preached, indicating that there is some tie between the two. This suggests when the gospel has penetrated a culture, those in positions of authority will be threatened. But this is not a sign of the end, because it has been going on through the whole course of the age, and will characterize the age until its end.
Right from the very first century these words were fulfilled. The book of Acts tells us how the Apostle Paul, and the other apostles, and the early Christians, were often beaten in the synagogues, dragged before governors and kings, and gave testimony before them, as was predicted by Jesus here in this passage.
In the middle of this statement about being brought before governors and kings, He says the gospel is to be preached, indicating that there is some tie between the two. This suggests when the gospel has penetrated a culture, those in positions of authority will be threatened. But this is not a sign of the end, because it has been going on through the whole course of the age, and will characterize the age until its end.
After the church is raptured off the earth, during the Tribulation there will be two witnesses in Jerusalem who will do miraculous signs and will show great powers and when they die and when they're resurrected, the whole world in one instant will be able to see it. Then, there will be 144,000 Jewish Christian evangelists who will come on the scene. Then, at the end of the tribulation period God will send a special angelic messenger who will finish the job. At that time, "the gospel will be preached to all nations, then the end will come."
In v.11 of today's passage we read, "Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit."
This is a promise to persecuted believers. In Luke 21:15 we read, "None of your opponents will be able to refute your testimony." That’s what happened. Virtually all of the apostles were martyred; the last of them, John, ended up as an exile, a kind of permanent martyrdom. They were killed in a myriad of ways, but, that didn’t stop the spread of the Gospel. In the moment of their deaths, the Spirit of God was there to lift them above human strength, to say things that were basically generated out of their hearts by the work of the Holy Spirit.
In v.12-13 of today's passage we read, "12 Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 13 Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved."
Superficial faith collapses under persecution. Authentic, God-given faith will endure, because the Holy Spirit will provide strength and grace to endure in the faith. "The end" here is talking about the end of a person's life. As followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are called to be faithful to death.
"The one who stands firm to the end will be saved" means genuine faith in the God of the Bible will survive the test of the age. This does not mean we earn our salvation. Think of the slap in the face of the Lord Jesus this would be. If it meant that we earn our salvation, it would be saying that the work of Christ to earn our salvation was not enough. It is like saying, "Christ plus our good works equals salvation." If anyone believes that, well, you are not following the Jesus Christ of the Bible. The genuineness of our faith is not a product of none other than the presence of God in our lives. Anything is holy because God is there. God makes us holy, righteous and acceptable before Him.
Superficial faith collapses under persecution. Authentic, God-given faith will endure, because the Holy Spirit will provide strength and grace to endure in the faith. "The end" here is talking about the end of a person's life. As followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are called to be faithful to death.
"The one who stands firm to the end will be saved" means genuine faith in the God of the Bible will survive the test of the age. This does not mean we earn our salvation. Think of the slap in the face of the Lord Jesus this would be. If it meant that we earn our salvation, it would be saying that the work of Christ to earn our salvation was not enough. It is like saying, "Christ plus our good works equals salvation." If anyone believes that, well, you are not following the Jesus Christ of the Bible. The genuineness of our faith is not a product of none other than the presence of God in our lives. Anything is holy because God is there. God makes us holy, righteous and acceptable before Him.
