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32 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. 34 It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. 35 “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. 36 If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. 37 What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’” ~ Mark 13:32-37
Today, we conclude our study of Mark 13 which is a short study given by the Lord Jesus on the Mount of Olives to His disciples on the end times.
In v.32-33 of today's passage we read, "32 But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come."
When the Lord Jesus spoke these words, He did not know when His second coming would take place. Now, that He has ascended to the Father in heaven, I believe, He now knows that day and hour. For those who will find themselves in the Tribulation, and they have seen the abomination of desolation, as spelled out in the the books of Daniel and Revelation, they will be able to count three and a half years and know when the second coming will happen. They will be able to do this because in the middle of the 70th seven in Daniel 9:27 the abomination of desolation will occur in the newly built temple in Jerusalem.
Before His ascension, the Lord Jesus said "no one knows" when these events will happen, but for those who will be living on earth during the tribulation period, they will be able to count 1260 days beyond the abomination of desolation, and know for certain when the end will happen.
When the Tribulation begins, the first half of that seven year period of time will be more peaceful than the second half. The Seventieth Seven of Daniel 9 will begin right after the rapture of the church. Nobody knows when the rapture will happen, it could be today.
In v.33, the Lord Jesus tells us to "Be on guard!" and "Be alert!" which means to be about the Father's business and engaging in the battle for souls that we are waging right now. From our vantage point right now no one knows when the second coming will happen or even the Rapture. But, for those who live during the tribulation, they will be able to calculate the second coming of the Lord Jesus to the day.
In v.34-36 of today's passage we read, "34 It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. 35 “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. 36 If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping."
There are few topics that elicit as much interest, discussion and debate in Christians circles as the study of the end times. Trying to understand all the ins and outs of end time theology is quite a task. Today's passage is set during the time after the rapture of the church. The emphasis here is for those left on the earth after the Rapture. The clarion call of the Lord to them is to "watch."
The Lord Jesus used an illustration taken from the Romans who in those days split twelve hours of the day into what they referred to as "watches." Four three-hour watches were appointed during which a soldier would watch for intrusion or attacks by the enemy while the others slept. The purpose for the doorkeeper was to keep watch for thieves and other criminals to protect their master’s property. The twelve-hour watch began with the first watch which was from six to nine in the evening; then, from nine to midnight was the second; then, from midnight until three in the morning was the third, and then, three until six am was the fourth watch.
Since no one knew when the Master was to return whether during the evening or at midnight or in the morning, the servants were to remain vigilant throughout that time period. I find it interesting that these "watches" are also mentioned in Mark 14-15, in the account that is given of the crucifixion and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.
In v.37 of today's passage we read, "What I say to you, I say to everyone: Watch!"
Obviously, the key word in this passage is "watch." Four times in today's text, the Lord Jesus instructs believers to stay alert. The final generation who will see all of these things come to fruition will need to be alert. And, for us who will not be on the earth during the Tribulation, we must engage, now, in the "snatching of the unsaved from the fires of Hell" as we are told in the letter written by the half-brother of the Lord Jesus, Jude.
The word "snatching" means "to take by force." Not the force of this world, the force of another world that responds to prayer given on the behalf of the unsaved. This is the same word the Apostle Paul uses to describe the Rapture in 1 Thessalonians 4. When we meet somebody who is not believing in the Lord Jesus, we must go after them as if we were engaged in a very serious rescue operation because they are damned by their sin if they have not trusted in the finished work of the Lord Jesus on the cross for the forgiveness of their sin. And, the best way to reach them is by being committed to praying for them, first. And then, by patiently bringing the truth to them. We bring the truth to them best by being defined by God's truth, by allowing our choices to be hemmed in by His truth.
Having said all of this, we must remember that in order to recognize the false, we, must be well-trained in the truth which sensitizes our souls to the needs of the struggling and the unsaved.
