Signs of the End (Mark 13:14-27)

In Mark 13:14-27 Jesus talks about the Antichrist, the tribulation, and even the rapture. It begins to answer the ageless question: What will the End look like?

Q: What will the End look like? Today we’ll cover a lot of ground, so buckle up! We’ll talk about the Antichrist, the tribulation, and the rapture. 

There are several famous doomsday movies that explore apocalyptic scenarios, often depicting the end of the world or catastrophic events. Here are some well-known doomsday movies:

• Climate change
  • Mad Max series (1979-2015):** Set in a dystopian future where society has collapsed (oil shortage)
  • The Day After Tomorrow (2004):** Directed by Roland Emmerich, this film depicts the catastrophic effects of global climate change, including superstorms and a new ice age.
  • Waterworld (1995):** In a future where Earth is mostly covered in water, this film follows a lone drifter with a mysterious map as he navigates a world where dry land is a precious commodity.
• Virus
  • I Am Legend (2007):** Starring Will Smith, this film is based on the novel of the same name and portrays a world where a man-made virus has turned most of humanity into zombie-like creatures.
• Asteroid/Comet
  • Armageddon (1998):** In this action-packed film directed by Michael Bay, a group of oil drillers is sent to space to prevent an asteroid from colliding with Earth.
  • Deep Impact (1998):** Another film released in the same year as Armageddon, Deep Impact explores the global efforts to prevent an extinction-level comet impact.
• Extra terrestrials
  • War of the Worlds (2005):** Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of H.G. Wells’ classic novel portrays an Earth invaded by powerful and destructive extraterrestrial beings.

Related: https://www.pursuegod.org/what-is-eschatology/ 

Antichrist

Jesus warns about an “abomination of desolation” – an idea taken from the book of Daniel. This prophecy had been partially fulfilled during the Maccabean Revolt, but the final fulfillment would happen later. 

Mark 13:14-18 (NLT) “The day is coming when you will see the sacrilegious object that causes desecration standing where he should not be.” (Reader, pay attention!) “Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. A person out on the deck of a roof must not go down into the house to pack. A person out in the field must not return even to get a coat. How terrible it will be for pregnant women and for nursing mothers in those days. And pray that your flight will not be in winter.

• (Pillar New Testament Commentary) The “abomination that causes desolation” is a phrase taken from three cryptic references in Dan 9:27; 11:31; 12:11 to a scandal that would defile and profane the Jerusalem temple. The same phrase is used in 1 Macc 1:54 to describe Antiochus IV (Epiphanes), the Syrian general who outraged the Jews in 168 B.C. by erecting an altar to Zeus on the altar of burnt offering in the temple and sacrificing a sow on it. The sacrilege of Antiochus in the Jerusalem temple became the dramatic provocation for the Maccabean Revolt, which against all odds earned Jews their only century of political self-rule between the fall of Jerusalem to Nebuchadnezzar in 586 B.C. and the formation of the State of Israel in 1948.
  • The Maccabean Revolt was triggered by the oppressive policies of the Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who attempted to force Hellenistic culture and religion on the Jewish population of Judea. In 167 or 168 BCE, Antiochus desecrated the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem by erecting a statue of Zeus and demanding that sacrifices be made to the Greek gods. These actions, along with other harsh measures, led to widespread resistance among the Jewish people.
  • (Pillar New Testament Commentary) What event does Mark desire us to understand? There are three major possibilities. One was the ego-maniacal attempt of Caligula, Roman emperor from A.D. 37-41, who attempted to erect statues of himself in the temple of Jerusalem and have them worshiped as god (Josephus, War, 2.184-203).
  • (Pillar New Testament Commentary) A second possibility is to see v. 14 fulfilled in the destruction of the temple by Titus. This is the most common explanation of the passage…. The reference to “standing in the holy place” in Matt 24:15 could be a reference to Titus’ entry of the temple in September of A.D. 70 (Josephus War 6.260); and Luke’s references clearly describe the circumvallatio, the defense perimeter erected by the Roman Tenth Legion under Titus in the siege of Jerusalem
  • (Josephus) “While the holy house was on fire, everything was plundered that came to hand, and ten thousand of those that were caught were slain; nor was there a commiseration of any age, or any reverence of gravity, but children, and old men, and profane persons, and priests were all slain in the same manner.”
  • (Pillar New Testament Commentary) A third possibility is that “the abomination that causes desolation” refers to “the man of lawlessness” as conceived in 2 Thess 2:3-4 who will exalt himself in the temple as God (or as “a Son of God” according to Did. 16:4).
    • 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 (NLT) For that day will not come until there is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness is revealed—the one who brings destruction. He will exalt himself and defy everything that people call god and every object of worship. He will even sit in the temple of God, claiming that he himself is God.
• (Pillar New Testament Commentary) The “abomination that causes desolation” alludes to the destruction of the temple in A.D. 70, but it is not exhausted by it. The “abomination” is a mysterious (2 Thess 2:7!) double referent, a historical medium that anticipates an ultimate fulfillment in the advent of the Antichrist and the final tribulation before the return of the Son of Man.

Tribulation

Jesus goes on to explain a time of great tribulation. It will be marked by deep anguish and false prophets, so watch out! 

Mark 13:19-23 (NLT) For there will be greater anguish in those days than at any time since God created the world. And it will never be so great again. In fact, unless the Lord shortens that time of calamity, not a single person will survive. But for the sake of his chosen ones he has shortened those days. “Then if anyone tells you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah,’ or ‘There he is,’ don’t believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones. Watch out! I have warned you about this ahead of time!

• (Pillar New Testament Commentary) On his own authority (“‘I have told you everything ahead of time'”) Jesus warns his disciples and the church not to be distracted or diverted from obedience to the suffering Son of Man, neither by ingenious speculations nor by signs and wonders.
• The idea of a seven-year tribulation period is often associated with a specific interpretation of biblical prophecy, particularly derived from the book of Daniel and the book of Revelation in the Bible. This concept is rooted in interpretations of certain passages, including Daniel 9:27, which speaks of a covenant made for one “week” (interpreted by some as a period of seven years). The idea is that this covenant is broken in the middle of the week, leading to a time of intensified tribulation.
  • Daniel 9:27 (NLT) The ruler will make a treaty with the people for a period of one set of seven, but after half this time, he will put an end to the sacrifices and offerings. And as a climax to all his terrible deeds, he will set up a sacrilegious object that causes desecration, until the fate decreed for this defiler is finally poured out on him.
  • In the Book of Revelation, there are references to a period of seven years or a week of years, which is sometimes associated with the tribulation. The events during this period are often divided into two halves, with particularly severe trials and tribulations occurring in the second half.

Related: www.pursuegod.org/the-tribulation-and-the-antichrist/

Rapture

Jesus then describes his second coming at the end of the tribulation. Bible scholars differ about whether Christians will go through the tribulation, based on how they understand the timing of the rapture.

Mark 13:24-27 (NLT) “At that time, after the anguish of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will give no light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then everyone will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds with great power and glory. And he will send out his angels to gather his chosen ones from all over the world—from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven.”

• Daniel 7:13 (NLT) As my vision continued that night, I saw someone like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. 
• 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 (NLT) For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. 17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. 18 So encourage each other with these words.
• Related: https://www.pursuegod.org/what-is-the-rapture/ 
  • The Pretribulation rapture position holds that the Tribulation is a time of God’s wrath on sinful, rebellious humanity. Christians are not appointed to suffer wrath (1 Ths 5:9). (Rev 3:10). God’s means of deliverance from his judgment is to remove the church from the earth. Since the church will not be in the Tribulation, Christians will not experience persecution under the Antichrist. Those who suffer from persecution in Rev 13 are either Jews, or people who believed in Jesus after the Rapture, or both. (emphasizes that it can happen at any time)
  • The Prewrath rapture view believes that the Tribulation falls into two parts. The first involves the persecution of God’s people. The second is a time of God’s wrath on sinful, rebellious humanity. Since the Rapture occurs after the rise of Antichrist, but before the wrath of God is poured out in judgment, the church will be present for the first aspect but not the second. (emphasizes visible signs before it happens)
    • Midpoint: when man of lawlessness desecrates the temple
  • The Posttribulation rapture position holds that because the Rapture occurs when Jesus comes in public triumph over evil, the church will experience persecution under the Antichrist. It will be present on the earth during the time of God’s wrath on sinful humanity. Believers are forever exempt from God’s wrath (Rom 5:9; 1 Thess 1:10). But this promise does not require Christians to be physically absent. Consider how God spared Noah from his judgment on humanity during the flood. Isaiah 26:20-21 portrays a situation where people escape God’s judgment without being removed. Also, in Revelation, the expressions of God’s wrath are not applied to every person (see Rev 9:4; 16:2). 

Close

At first it’s frightening to think about what the End will look like. But once you see the full picture, Jesus wins! 

“Then everyone will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds with great power and glory. And he will send out his angels to gather his chosen ones from all over the world—from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven.”

• (Pillar New Testament Commentary) Something happens on a cosmic scale that happened between Jesus and the leper in 1:42: the “divine contagion” overcomes everything unclean and dark and evil.
• (Pillar New Testament Commentary) The grand finale of the gospel preached by Jesus is that there is a sure hope for the future. It is grounded not in history or logic or intuition, but in the word of Jesus…. There is a striking contrast between the vast cosmic array the particularity of the Son of Man: the elect are as widespread and diverse as all creation, but they converge at a single point: the Son of Man. Jesus is the focal point of divine redemption.
• (Pillar New Testament Commentary) When Jesus returns “in clouds” it can only mean that God is no longer present in the temple, but in Jesus, the Son of Man.

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