Six warnings of the gospel, Mark 13

Six warnings of the gospel, Mark 13

The passage before us today is without a doubt the most difficult of all of Mark’s gospel.  There have been more books written and arguments presented on various possible interpretations than we could possibly address in a month of Sundays.  I wrestled with how to present this passage for study today.  I thought that I would try to introduce it and put off the bulk of exegesis until next week.  I also thought about skipping it altogether this week.  But somewhere along the way the Lord seemed to direct my thoughts to a particular theme that I am going to try to reveal today.  

And what I really see the Lord doing here is presenting a series of warnings.  He is warning of persecution, of tribulation and of coming judgment.  And His warnings are specifically to the disciples, but also to everyone who will read these warnings later.   Notice in vs37, “what I say to you I say to all, or as the RSV says, I say to everyone, be on the alert!”  So this is a warning for us as well. In fact, it may be even more apropos today than it was then.  

This passage is known as the Olivet Discourse in theological circles. And that title and the scholarly debates that has enveloped this passage for centuries lends itself to a certain detached intellectualism where people talk about hermeneutics and eschatology.  But the fact is that this is a vital warning that Jesus is giving to the disciples and thus to the church that is as urgent now as it was then.

There are 6 warnings that Christ gives.  And I want to read them to you so that you get a sense of the urgency that the Lord was seeking to convey.  Vs5, And Jesus began to say to them, "See to it that no one misleads, or better, deceives you. Vs.9, But be on your guard… Vs23, "But take heed; vs33, "Take heed, keep on the alert. Vs35, "Therefore, be on the alert, Vs 37, 'Be on the alert!’”

Now I read you those so you might get a sense of the theme of the discourse.  It is a series of warnings to the disciples and to the church who would follow, that there are going to be perilous times  ahead.  That’s why I read to you the whole passage initially.  Taken as a whole, it is a somber message; multiple warnings of trials and tribulations and judgment that lies in store for the world and for those that are Christ’s disciples. 1Peter 4:17  “For the time [has come] for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if [it begins] with us first, what will [be] the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?”

As we look at this more thoroughly, we note that his discourse is brought on by the disciples comments as they have left the temple and have started to ascend the Mt of Olives with Jesus, presumably to spend the night out in the open as they were wont to do each evening.  And perhaps as they stopped on the path to catch their breath, they look out across the ravine where the Kidron brook flowed they see the wall of the temple before them with the buildings of the temple reflecting the setting sun.  It was by all accounts one of the most beautiful buildings in the world at that time.  Herod had embellished the temple which was constructed of huge white marble stones, some as big as 45 feet long, and he had overlaid much of the buildings with plates of gold.  So as the sun was setting, it undoubtedly was reflecting off the white gleaming marble and the gold plating.  It was certainly a tremendous sight.  There used to be a saying among the rabbis, that if you had not seen Herod’s temple, as it was called, you had not seen a beautiful building.

And the disciples were obviously in great admiration of it.  These were poor fishermen from Galilee, for the most part, and so this was a tremendous sight.  Notice how they speak of the temple to Jesus; "Teacher, behold what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!”  The disciples are merely repeating what was a very typical perspective for most Jews.  They all thought of the temple as the house of the Lord. They believed God dwelled in the midst of it, in the Holy of Holies.  It was the center of religious life.  David wrote many songs extolling the virtues of worshipping God in the temple.  And so for the disciples, as for most Jews, worshipping God and worshipping in the temple were synonymous.  In fact, you could say that in their minds to love the Lord was to love the temple.  

But the Lord’s actions over the last few days should have revealed that He was not pleased with the temple, neither the priests who oversaw  it, nor the way in which commerce was being conducted in it, and neither the self righteous external religious exercises that were being conducted in it.  However, the disciples reflect what many people think concerning the church even today.  They associate a beautiful building with church.  They associate rituals and ceremonies with holiness.  They associate even great crowds and pageantry and music and festivals with worshipping the Lord.  They look at the external church and think that somehow God is in it.  

But God’s attitude towards the church is not focused on the externals, especially not upon the buildings or the beautiful adornments or rituals or ceremonies or pageantry.  Go is concerned with the heart.  As God told Samuel in regards to him choosing a king, “man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart.”  God looks through the externals and sees the heart of the people.

  

From God’s perspective, the love of the church is to be a love of Him.  The church as His body is to be a reflection of Him.  It is His house.  Remember the context here is still within the Passion week, when just a day earlier Jesus said the greatest commandment was to love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength.  It is the pure, unadulterated love of a bride for her husband.  It is the love of Jonathan for David which David said was better than the love of a woman.  

I hate to even repeat what perverse things liberals have said concerning the love between Jonathan and David.  Let me just say what it is.  It is a picture of the way a man should love the Lord Jesus Christ.  It is a noble love, a love that is willing to lay down one’s life for his friend.  It is greater than romantic love.  It is greater, more noble than romantic love.  It cannot even be compared to erotic love.  It is the love of a warrior for his king and country, that drives him to lay down his life in service.  It’s the kind of love that Uriah exhibited, when David called him from the battle field to come give him a report, in hope that Uriah would visit his wife and he could be thought of as the father of Bathsheba’s unborn child.  But Uriah, you will remember, refused to go to see his wife and rather slept on the porch of David’s palace.  His answer as to why he did not visit his wife was because his men were on the battlefront fighting, how could he go sleep in comfort with his wife.  That’s the kind of love that surpasses the love of a woman.  That’s the kind of love we are to have for the church and for the Lord of the church. Oh that the church might have some Jonathan’s today who would give up their kingdom in order to serve the Lord.  Oh that the church might have a few Uriah’s today, that would give up even the love of their family for the sake of God’s church.

 I want to say also that this title Lord is something we need to think of more seriously.  We say Lord Jesus without thinking of what that means.  If we are truly Christians, then Jesus must not be only our Savior, but also our Lord.  Lord means Sovereign.  Master, ruler, supreme ruler, owner, the one to whom all honor and homage is due.  He is the Governor of our lives.  He gave us life, and liberty, and an eternal inheritance.  He is the source of all life and all blessings.  How can we not give Him His due as our Lord?  And if He is our Lord, then we must serve Him with all our being; all our heart, all our soul, all our mind and all our strength.  Nothing less than all of me is acceptable service.  No holding back.

Phl 2:9 says,  “For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,  so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth,  and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”   So Jesus is Lord, and He is also Lord of the temple and Lord of the church.  And as Lord He has the authority and right to examine what is His and to do with it what He wills.  

Matthew records Jesus as saying just previously to the Olivet Discourse as He looked over the temple and all the religious proceedings, according to Matthew 23:38  "Behold, your house is being left to you desolate!”  And immediately afterwards the disciples then start speaking of how beautiful the temple and the buildings were. 

So the Lord responds with an even more dramatic statement; “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left upon another which will not be torn down.”  We know from history that this astounding prophecy was fulfilled less than 40 years later when Titus and His soldiers broke through the walls of Jerusalem and ransacked the city and the temple and set fire to the temple so that the gold melted and ran down into the cracks between the stones, so that the soldiers pried apart the stones in order to get the gold.  Historians tell us that 1.1 million Jews were massacred in that incident, and consequently the religious and political life of the Jews ceased to exist as they were scattered across the Middle East and into Europe.

Now the disciples are understandably concerned upon hearing this prophecy.  It must have sounded impossible, but yet they struggled to believe Jesus and understand Him.  So they come to Him privately and ask Him, ““Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are going to be fulfilled?”  There are really two questions that they are asking.  When will these things happen, and what are going to be the signs of the end of the age. Matthew’s version makes the question clearer, Matt. 24:3 "Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?"

As I said at the beginning, Jesus is going to use this as an opportunity to give the disciples and us some insight into the future events, but at the same time serve a series of warnings to His followers to be on their guard, to be on the alert.  It almost sounds as if there is a military campaign against a fierce enemy.  And they must keep their guard up lest they be overwhelmed.  And perhaps that is exactly what is at stake.  In fact, nothing less than spiritual shipwreck is at stake.  Peter similarly warned the church later in 1Peter 5:8 “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

Paul often related the church to a military unit. 2Tim. 2:3-4 “Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier.”

Now let’s notice these 6 warnings in order and speak briefly of each as we have the time.  I believe that the best understanding of these prophecies is to realize that some were fulfilled within the discples lifetime at the destruction of the temple and some that are yet to be fulifiled completely, but which will be at the second coming of Christ.  There is a dual application to most of them, pertaining to the end of the age of the Israelites and also pertaining to the end of the church age. Perhaps we may visit some of this later, but for now I just want to give you an overview of what Jesus is warning the church of.  And that is what I think Jesus Himself is doing.  He is giving an overview.  This is not a detailed timeline of the end times.  It is an overview, highlights of the time after He leaves the church, so that we might be forewarned.  

First warning, vs5 , “See to it that no one misleads you. Many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He!’ and will mislead many.”  This is a common warning in scripture.  It is a warning against false teachers and false religion.  Paul later on tells the Ephesian elders, in Acts 20:28-31 "Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.  "I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock;  and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.  "Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears.

I think this warning covers more than just false Christs, but also those who would preach a Christ which is not the Christ of the gospel.  It is a deceitful doctrine, a doctrine of demons.  Meant to lead people astray into false doctrine that produces shipwreck and keeps people from true Christianity.  It is superficial Christianity that is external but not internal. That’s why the Lord says don’t be deceived.  

Another false flag Jesus identifies is wars and rumors of wars.  He says that is not a sign of the end.  In fact, that’s just the beginning.  The times of tribulation that the church will suffer and the whole world will suffer will be marked by many wars, many nations rising against nations, kingdoms against kingdom, earthquakes and famines and so forth will be the norm after Christ is ascended into heaven.  People today are constantly grasping onto every new conflict or catastrophe and using it to point that it must be the last days.  Jesus says that is just the beginning of the age, not the end.  Those sort of things will be the normal for the new age when Christ has gone away.

The second warning is in vs9,  "But be on your guard; for they will deliver you to the courts, and you will be flogged in the synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them.  "The gospel must first be preached to all the nations.” Now we know that this was fulfilled during the lives of the apostles.  Paul said by the time he wrote Romans which was before the destruction of Jerusalem that already the gospel had been taken to the whole world.  Of course, he was thinking of the known world.  But nevertheless, a certain measure was fulfilled then, and today we are seeing the full extent of that prophecy fulfilled.  I think that you could say that with internet and television the gospel has reached virtually every part of the world today.  

So there is a warning and a mandate.  Note that the gospel must be preached. It is our duty, it is our service to God.  It is the battle we have been called to wage for the kingdom. The enemy will only be defeated by the word of God as it is proclaimed throughout the world.  But the warning is that we will suffer for doing so, even as the disciples suffered.  Virtually all the apostles lost their life eventually in service of the gospel.  The same sacrifice is expected of us if necessary, but whether we live or die, we must preach the gospel.  We need to understand that the Lord is returning, and men are dying.  We need to preach, as one pastor put it, as dying men to dying men.  The world is dying in their sins.  Without the Lord, without the gospel, people are destined for hell.  We must have a vision for the lost, even if it means that we sacrifice our lives and comfort in the process.  That is how we are to love our neighbor, by telling them the truth of the gospel.  It’s our mandate.  Our mission.

Jesus goes on to describe the opposition and persecution against His followers.  Even family members will turn on you.  In fact, I will go so far as to say that your family will often be the source of some of the most vicious attacks against you as a Christian.  Jesus says that in some cases they will even turn you over to be killed.  Children will rise up against their own parents.  [2Ti 3:1-5 NASB] 1 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.”  Sounds exactly like our culture today.

Vs13 "You will be hated by all because of My name, but the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.”  I don’t think that Jesus is talking about conversion here, but he is talking about the end of one’s life.  Persevere until the end.  Endure until the end.  Fight the good fight.  Finish the course.  Paul said in [2Ti 4:7-8 NASB] 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; 8 in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.”  Such is our hope if we finish well.  

These next verses I think clearly refer to the destruction of the temple. Vs 14 "But when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION standing where it should not be (let the reader understand), then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. 15 "The one who is on the housetop must not go down, or go in to get anything out of his house; 16 and the one who is in the field must not turn back to get his coat. 17 "But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 18 "But pray that it may not happen in the winter.

The situation was when Jerusalem was surrounded by the Roman armies, the people did what was normal for that time, they went for refuge to the walled cities.  In that case they went to Jerusalem as the Romans came in closer.  Jesus said do not go into the city, but instead flee to the mountains.  History tells us that 1.1 million Jews died in Jerusalem when Titus sacked the city.  But it is believed that many of Jesus’s followers escaped by fleeing into the mountains. 

Now a lot of dispensationalists make hay with the mention of the abomination of desolation.  It is a probably a reference to the Greek king Antiochus Epiphanes who offered swine blood on a pagan altar in the temple 200 years before Christ in fulfillment of Daniels prophecy.  And Jesus meant that as a foreshadowing of the Roman legions with their banners depicting Caesar encircling Jerusalem.  In fact, in Luke’s synoptic account in Luke 21, he makes it clear that the encroaching Roman armies are the abomination of desolation here spoken of. Luke 21:20  "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that her desolation is near.” There may yet be a future fulfillment of that prophecy though in regards to Israel today.  Today I think you may certainly say that Israel is encircled with enemy armies.  Perhaps the end of the age is much closer than we might think.  

Once again, Jesus warns of false Christs and false prophets who will arise, so that if possible they would lead astray even the elect.  As I mentioned earlier, Paul said those would come immediately upon his departure.  John, and Peter and Jude also spoke of false prophets already in place.  John said that many anti Christs were already in the world. So we know that was fulfilled, and yet we know that in the end of times such false teachers will increase even more.  Notice how today there are entire denominations that are known for their signs and wonders and consequently are deceiving many people.

Vs24-29 sound to many as if He is speaking of His second coming.  And perhaps in one respect He is.  But I think it is also accurate, and perhaps more accurate to see this section as apocalyptic language which depicts a coming judgment.  If you look at prophetic language of the Old Testament, particularly in regards to God’s judgment upon the pagan nations, you will hear almost the exact same phrases being used. The events depicted in Mark are similar to those used to foretell God’s judgment of other nations such as Babylon - Isa 13:9-10, Egypt - Isa 19:1. Edom Isaiah 34:4,5; Nineveh - Nah 1:3-5, Israel - Am 8:9 or Judah - Jer 4:5-6,23-28.  The prophets often foretold God’s coming in judgment upon such nations by using figures of speech denoting worldwide, cataclysmic destruction, even though it was a local or national event.  And perhaps it was done so to foreshadow God’s final judgment upon the world at the end of the age.  And I would add that the reason for God’s warning, and the reason even for the ensuing judgment and wrath is to bring about repentance.  Even in judgment God is working to bring repentance.

    

But notice that Jesus puts a contemporary ending on this section by saying this generation will not pass away until all these things come to pass.  Many theologians have tried to define generation to mean race or people in order to show that this judgment is still in the future.  But we know for certain that it was fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem in one generation (40 years).  The point though I want to emphasize though is that the Lord has the right to pronounce judgment upon His temple, and He has the right to pronounce judgment upon His world, and even His church as we saw in the letters to the seven churches.  And the certainty is that the Lord is going to return in judgment for the world, and deliverance for His bride. James 5:8-9 “You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.  Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door.”

The last three warnings are all found in the last section, from vs33 to 37.  And I have to cut this message short due to time.  But suffice it to say that Jesus illustrates very well the mission for the church today in His statement about the man who went away on a journey.  He is speaking metaphorically of course about Himself, who has ascended into heaven to the Father’s right hand.  In the meantime, He has given to us, His servants the responsibility of guarding His house and maintaining His kingdom until He returns.  And foremost in His statement, He instructs us to stay alert. 

“Therefore, be on the alert—for you do not know when the [fn]master of the house is coming, whether in the evening, at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning—in case he should come suddenly and find you asleep. What I say to you I say to all, ‘Be on the alert!’”

Yet once again I think that there is an allusion to the immediate situation for the disciples and a future allusion for us today.  For the disicples, it would be but 2 days before they would be told in the garden to watch and pray that they may not fall into temptation.  And yet Jesus found them asleep on two occasions.  And consequently they deserted Him in HIs betrayal. I think it’s no accident that Jesus mentions a rooster crowing, reminiscent of the denial by Peter when the cock crowed as he denied Christ three times.  They were so focused on the future that they forgot the present application to be on their guard.

And I think the application is just as appropriate for the church today.  I think the church is asleep when we are supposed to be on duty.  We need to be about the Lord’s business.  We need to be praying and watching and guarding against temptation.  But instead I’m afraid we are lulled to sleep by ear tickling preachers who are preaching a here and now prosperity doctrine so that we are so concerned with the world that we are too preoccupied to be any use for the kingdom.  I don’t claim to know all the ways that you may be deceived by the devil, or distracted by the devil, but I do know that the Lord is coming quickly.  And He is coming this time in judgment.  We need to make sure that we are found by Him to be faithful.  He is Lord.  We are His servants.  

[2Pe 3:3-4, 7, 10-15 NASB] 3 Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, 4 and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation." ... 7 But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. ... 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. 11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! 13 But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. 14 Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, 15 and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation;