MPC, 1st April 2001.Mark 13 - A King for the Tough Times?
Phil Campbell MPC, 1st April 2001.
You've just got to look at the newspaper or the TV almost any day to see these are TERRIBLE TIMES in the land of Israel. I mean, it's nothing really new, but when you see the picture of a dad whose 10 month old daughter is shot dead in his arms; when you hear about the SUICIDE BOMBER who blows himself up and injures seven people in a suburban bus, when you hear about the car bomb near a shopping mall, you can hardly blame the Israeli's for LOOKING FOR STRONG LEADERSHIP.
And they thought they'd FOUND THAT when they elected ARIEL SHARON as Prime Minister a couple of months back. Sharon TALKED TOUGH. And people listened. And they liked what they heard. And did you notice on TV when he won the election there was a STREET PARADE. And the Israeli's started to HAIL HIM AS THEIR KING. Not just PRIME MINISTER. But SAVIOUR KING.
Except now with the terrorism still going on just like it was before, they're asking questions. SHARON PROMISED SECURITY. If he doesn't react to the shooting of a baby girl, if he DOESN'T GET TOUGH, then why did we elect him in the first place? We wanted a king who was TOUGH. Who'd WIN AT ALL COSTS. Not someone who's going to talk PEACE.
I reckon Israeli's haven't changed a bit. Because you've got EXACTLY THE SAME ISSUES GOING ON when Jesus came. Two thousand years ago. People are looking for a KING who'll give them what they WANT. A Messiah for the GOOD TIMES. A Messiah back then in the first century who'd most particularly save Israel from the oppression of Rome. And lead them to freedom.
James and John are looking for a leader like that back in Mark chapter 10. When they say, Rabbi, when you come in your GLORY, give us the seats right beside you. So WE CAN RULE WITH YOU. And the kingdom they've got in mind is going to be BASED IN JERUSALEM. Where they're heading. Head office will be THE TEMPLE. Where God will protect them. And the power of Rome will be NOTHING. Compared to the power of Israel with GOD ON THEIR SIDE.
Nice Dream. And Jesus is their man. JESUS FOR KING.
The question is, what are they going to do if things don't quite go according to THEIR PLAN. If Jesus has DIFFERENT IDEAS about the Kingdom? What are they going to do if instead of GOOD TIMES, they find TOUGH TIMES. Tougher than they could ever imagine? What then? Because the temptation will be, FIND A NEW MESSIAH, won't it. The temptation will be, TRADE IN YOUR KING... for another one. Who'll give you what you want.
So far, we've seen Jesus telling the disciples OVER AND OVER AGAIN that God's plan was for a Messiah who'd SUFFER and DIE. That he was going to give up his life as a ransom for many. AND YET... somehow in the midst of all that, the building block that's REJECTED will become the cornerstone of something NEW. Through HIS DEATH... a NEW BEGINNING.
And to the disciples, it still makes NO SENSE AT ALL. To the disciples, when they come to the Temple all they can see is THE COMING GLORY. And all Jesus can see is THE COMING JUDGMENT. And the difference is highlighted in the first verse of chapter 13.
I remember going on holidays in Canberra just after they'd opened new parliament house. It was a bit the same. Awesome buildings. And the disciples are saying, COME ON TEACHER, lighten up. Have a look. One of them says, "Look teacher." This is great. "What massive stones! What MAGNIFICENT BUILDINGS." And they ARE. They're built on a half acre marble slab, supported off the side of the mountain. Incredible. And yet Jesus says something you'd never expect. Something that chills the blood. "Do you see all these great buildings? Not ONE STONE will be left on another. EVERY ONE... will be THROWN DOWN."
And as they wander out the gate and down the pathway and up the slope of the Mount of Olives where you can look back and see the temple, Peter and James and John take him aside, and they say, TELL US.... verse 4... tell us WHEN WILL THESE THINGS HAPPEN? And how will we know? What will the SIGN BE that they're all about to be fulfilled? Two questions. When? And how will we know? What will the SIGN BE so we can be ready?
And here in Mark chapter 13, Jesus goes on to give an answer. An answer that for generations of Christians has been seen as something perplexing and confusing and mysterious. And yet maybe isn't so mysterious at all.
And if you're looking for the answer, can I cut to the chase and take you straight down to verse 30. Here's the answer that has to put the rest of the chapter into perspective. He says, there'll be plenty of signs. It'll be as obvious as summer following spring. Verse 30. "I TELL YOU THE TRUTH"... and this is maybe the one clear, obvious statement in the whole chapter, so don't miss it - verse 30 - I tell you the truth, THIS GENERATION WILL CERTAINLY NOT PASS AWAY... until all these things have happened. And Jesus gives his solemn word on that. He says everything else will pass away - BUT MY WORD IS ROCK SOLID. Mark my words, says Jesus, it's just around the corner. This generation will see it.
Remember the question? Jesus says, the TEMPLE WILL BE TORN DOWN. They say, WHEN'S IT GOING TO HAPPEN? And Jesus says, YOUR GENERATION... is going to see it.
And let me tell you, if you know anything about HISTORY, IT DID. In a terrible way. When the Romans came crashing down on Israel in the year 70AD. The historian Josephus says the temple hill flowed with fire and blood. If you've seen the movie MASADA, it tells the story of one of the other fortress cities of Israel that falls around the same time. The seige. The starvation. The massacre. In Jerusalem, a prophet says, YOU'LL BE SAFE IN THE TEMPLE. And 6000 women and children crowd in there. And the Roman soldiers put it to the torch. Josephus is terrible reading. As he spells it out in detail... exactly as Jesus said. The destruction of the temple. Within a generation of the words of Jesus.
People want to read Mark 13 as if it's talking about something else. The end of the world. But what Jesus is talking about is something much more immediate. There'll be wars and rumours of wars, there'll be earthquake and famine; all of it IN THAT GENERATION.
Now there's another part to the disciples' question as well; because if Jesus is right, they want plenty of WARNING. If Jesus is right, they want a SIGN. If Jesus is right, they want TIME TO GET CLEAR.
And in a very subtle sort of way, a way you've got to read carefully to notice, he's going to GIVE THEM THE SIGN THEY'RE ASKING FOR. And it's going to be in the next TWO OR THREE DAYS.
And I want to ask you to think carefully about this. Here's what Mark 13 boils down to. Because in the midst of all the turmoil, there's going to be an OUTSTANDING SIGN. Jesus calls it the ABOMINATION THAT CAUSES DESOLATION. Which is a phrase that the prophet DANIEL used to talk about the worst thing you could ever imagine happening to GOD'S HOLY PLACE.
Daniel 12; in a vision. Daniel says, I can't understand it. God says seal it up; until the time comes. And now when you look at verse 14, Jesus says, THE TIME HAS COME TO UNDERSTAND IT. And you disciples will SEE... the great abomination. That most terrible thing.
"When you see the abomination that causes desolation standing where it does not belong - LET THE READER UNDERSTAND - then let those who are in Judea FLEE TO THE MOUNTAINS. If you're on the roof of your house, says Jesus, don't go down and pack your back. If you're in the field, verse 16, DON'T GO BACK FOR YOUR CLOAK.
The disciples are looking for a sign. A sign that the temple is over and done with. And Jesus says, there's a sign JUST AROUND THE CORNER. And when you see it, RUN FOR YOUR LIFE. Don't even go back for your cloak.
If you're wondering what he's talking about, I want to say to you that the first place to look for answers isn't in a BIBLE DICTIONARY. Or in those VIDEOS being advertised by the seventh day adventists on TV that will tell you all about the SIGNS OF THE TIMES. If you want to see the Abomination, you just have to turn the page. Which we'll do in a moment.
But before we do that, I want to take you down to verse 24. There's more. "But in those days, following that distress, THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED... and the moon will not give its light. The stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken."
He's quoting from Isaiah 13; the picture Isaiah paints of the day God's JUDGEMENT falls on Israel. Isaiah says, it's going to be EARTHSHATTERING. He says it'll make the universe stand on its head.
And Jesus picks up the same language here. All part of the abomination. The sign they'll see. That's going to show it's all over for Israel and the temple.
Now can I ask you, if you do that page turning thing again, if you KEEP READING in Mark's gospel, can you find a time when that's what happens. When the SKY GOES DARK. The sun hidden from view. Darkness over the whole land? It's worth reading on from here to see when it is that it happens. And in the end it's obvious.
Come down to verse 32. Because for the disciples who want to know exactly when everything's going to happen, When's this abomination sign going to be, when the sun's going to be darkened, Jesus says it's just around the corner. And they've got to stay on RED ALERT. He says, only GOD KNOWS the exact day or hour it's all going to happen. But be ready. Verse 32. No one knows about that day or hour... not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. SO BE ON GUARD. You don't know when that time will come. And he says, it's like someone goes away and leaves you watching the house... whatever you do, DON'T BE CAUGHT NAPPING. Verse 36; don't let him find you sleeping. What I say to you I say to everyone. WATCH.
When's the HOUR going to come? At this point, there's no answer.
But if you turn the page to Mark 14, you've got Jesus and his disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane. And he says exactly the same thing to them there. WATCH with me. Don't go to sleep. And he prays, can you see in Mark 14:35, he prays the HOUR MIGHT PASS FROM HIM.
Keep watch. Don't go to sleep. And they go to sleep on watch. THREE TIMES. Until the unthinkable thing happens.
Remember what Jesus said? When you see the great abomination, run for your lives. Don't even go back for your cloak. Look what happens.
Chapter 14 verse 41 of chapter 14. They're asleep again. Don't even see Judas and the crowd coming. And Jesus says, too late! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Which is the beginning of the end.
Verse 45, Going at once to Jesus, Judas says, "Rabbi!" and kisses him. Then they seize Jesus and arrest him.
And verse 50; have you got the words of Jesus RINGING IN YOUR EARS? When you see the GREAT ABOMINATION, FLEE. Don't even go back for your cloak. Chapter 14 verse 50, Mark says,
50 Then everyone deserted him and fled. 51 A young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment, was following Jesus. When they seized him, 52 he fled naked, leaving his garment behind.
Doesn't even go back for his coat. Because the hour of the great sign HAS COME. And as the body of JESUS is destroyed, so the TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM is going to be destroyed.
Now I want to ask you for a moment to put yourself in the place of the disciples. We've just seen a spectacular failure, haven't we. That in spite of all the urgings of Jesus to KEEP WATCH FOR THE HOUR, to not go to sleep, they just don't get it. Or don't want to.
And I wonder if you can start to see why they might be wondering if Jesus is really not quite the sort of King they're looking for? Whether HIS IDEA of glory isn't quite as appealing as the idea of glory they're looking for?
Because it's a dark picture, isn't it. Leaders are meant to be upbeat sort of guys who talk about the way Israel's going to WIN. But Jesus is saying it's all going to be destroyed. Back in verse 7, wars and rumours of wars; Verse 8; nation will rise against nation, kingdom against kingdom. Earthquakes, famines; verse 9, you'll be handed over to local councils and FLOGGED IN THE SYNAGOGUES; he says ON ACCOUNT OF ME, you'll stand before governors and kings as WITNESSES TO THEM.
You know, I'm not sure I'd like the sound of that. Would you? But he says to Peter and James and John and Andrew, when that happens, DON'T WORRY. You'll be okay. Just say whatever the Holy Spirit gives you to say at the time.
And yet, again, by the end of chapter 14, they've all gone. And they've failed. And when it comes to standing before governors and kings as witnesses, when it comes to being FLOGGED... Jesus is the only one left standing. When it comes to GIVING TESTIMONY ABOUT JESUS... with the guarantee that the SPIRIT WILL GIVE THEM EXACTLY WHAT TO SAY... Peter is tongue tied in a courtyard. And hasn't even got the courage to tell a SERVANT GIRL... that he's a follower of Jesus.
And worse than that, verse 12 he says, the Prophet Micah was right. And he's quoting him here. Israel's the sort of place where you CAN'T EVEN TRUST YOUR FAMILY. Brother will betray brother to death, and a Father his child. And it's exactly what happens. As brother Judas BETRAYS HIM TO DEATH. With a kiss.
A kiss that leads straight to the cross. Faced with times like that, it's HARD to stick with Jesus. When you're looking for a King that's going to lead you into victory, the last thing you expect is to see him arrested. And whipped. And nailed to a cross.
Which I think is why Jesus says, WATCH OUT. Watch out that you're not deceived. And chase after other MESSIAHS. Who seem to promise more. He says it in verse 5 and 6. He says it again in verse 21. He says, WATCH OUT that no one deceives you. Because in the times up ahead, it's going to be HARD... to keep seeing me as a King. Others will come with what sound like much better offers. Verse 6. Many will come in my name claiming I AM HE, I'm the one. And will deceive many.
And Verse 21. If anyone says to you, look, here's the Christ, or look, there he is... don't believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and miracles to deceive the elect. If that were possible. DON'T GO CHASING AFTER ANY OTHER CHRISTS.
There were no end of other leaders putting forward their plans for Israel. Josephus again. The historian. Messiah figures who'd say, COME OUT TO THE DESERT and you'll be safe. The prophet who said when the armies came, HIDE HERE IN THE TEMPLE and you'll be safe. And they weren't. People who'll say, I'LL LEAD YOU AND WE'LL WIN; and it sounds much more appealing than the picture Jesus is painting. Which looks so very, very hard.
But there's one thing they need to see that makes it all worth it. And it's in verse 26. Because for Jesus, his DEATH ON THE CROSS is not going to be the end. And again, Jesus is saying to the disciples, you'll see this in your lifetime. After the distress of the cross.
And he's quoting from Daniel chapter 7. Where Daniel in his vision stands in heaven and sees what he says is ONE LIKE A SON OF MAN... COMING ON THE CLOUDS... coming towards the THRONE OF THE ANCIENT OF DAYS. Where he's CROWNED TO RULE WITH HIM. Over every nation on earth.
And Jesus says, PICTURE THAT. He says think about what Daniel saw. Because that's just around the corner too. The time when Jesus is raised. And ascends on the clouds. To rule with the Father as the King of all the nations. Which his messengers are sent out to PROCLAIM TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH. GATHERING UP HIS PEOPLE from all over the world.
I reckon Mark chapter 13 is one of the toughest chapters in the whole bible. And we've only just scratched the surface. But can we finish by remembering again the parts of the passage that are VERY VERY SIMPLE.
Because in the light of the terrible times up ahead, no wonder the disciples would be looking for ANOTHER CHRIST. And I've said already, there were plenty to choose from. And when they see their KING ON A CROSS, what a temptation... to throw in the towel. And say WHAT A FAILURE. To say, there's NO WAY I want to follow a king like that. And as Mark's gospel unfolds, they DO FAIL. Judas betrays him. Peter denies him.
And I reckon we face exactly that same temptation. When we realise that following Jesus doesn't insulate us from the tough times. And might actually make the tough times tougher. When you get to the point in life where you realise we Christians face real hardships too. That God isn't promising health and wealth and prosperity and easy times. So in the DARK DAYS, it's easy to be deceived, isn't it. You hear bad news from the doctor. What's your temptation. Maybe to say, WHAT GOOD IS JESUS at a time like this. What's been the POINT of TRUSTING HIM when THIS HAPPENS? And you put your faith somewhere else. Or nowhere.
Maybe in your marriage things aren't going so well. And you long for easy options. And all Jesus offers are the HARD OPTIONS of sticking with it and working at it and being godly. Which is TOUGH. Much easier at that point to trade your KING in for another, isn't it?
Maybe just the fact that being a Christian makes you DIFFERENT. And you're TIRED OF THAT. And just want to pack it in and say you never knew him.
There are all sorts of dark times when other Kings look better. And Jesus warns us. Don't do it. Stand firm to the end. Because it's going to be worth it.
So do you notice he says, DON'T BE ALARMED. No matter what happens. Verse 7; even if you're surrounded by armies. Don't worry. Verse 11, even if you're hauled up in court and flogged in the synagogues. Don't worry. It's all going to end in GLORY. Which as the story unfolds, is advice that Peter and James and Andrew and John find hard to stick to. As we do.
But as we keep reading Mark's gospel and see how the story ends, we're going to see Jesus CAN BE TRUSTED. The same now as back then. And so whatever SIGNS OF THE TIMES you want to be watching; Don't worry. Don't TRADE IN YOUR MESSIAH for another; stay faithful no matter what.
The Writings of Flavius Josephus are at:
http://bible.crosswalk.com/History/BC/FlaviusJosephus/
In particular, the description of the destruction of the temple commences here:
http://bible.crosswalk.com/History/BC/FlaviusJosephus/?book=War_6&chapter=4