What's So Awesome About Jesus? A Chapter by Chapter Study Through Mark - Chapter 13

                                 CHAPTER 13

1. Read Mark 13:1,2. What was Jesus' response to the disciple's comment?


     What point do you think He was making?


     Last week we learned about Jesus being focused. Look at the following passages and tell how Jesus is focused in them:

      Luke 13:1-5

      Luke 10:17,20

      John 3:1-3

    How do they compare to Mark 13:1,2.

     Here is a historical description of Jesus' prophecy being fulfilled in 70 AD although only John would have been alive to hear of this.

     The Jewish zealots, reacting in opposition to Caligula’s campaign began a revolt against Rome, a revolt which led to Roman legion soldiers from Syria destroying the food stocks of the Zealots and the local Jewish population. The inhabitants of the city of Jerusalem died in great numbers via starvation. (Luke 21:20-23) Roman General Titus encircled the city, (later became Caesar) and began the siege of Jerusalem in April, A.D. 70. He posted his 10th legion on the Mount of Olives, directly east of and overlooking the Temple Mount. The 12th and 15th legions were stationed on Mount Scopus, further to the east and commanding all ways to Jerusalem from east to north. On the 10th of August, in A.D. 70 – (the 9th of Av) -- in Jewish calendar reckoning, the very day when the King of Babylon burned the Temple in 586 B.C., the Temple was burned again. Titus took the city and put it to the torch, burning the Temple, leaving not one stone upon another.
Thus, Jerusalem was totally destroyed and as Jesus had predicted, and not one stone was left upon another. When the Temple was set on fire the Roman soldiers tore apart the stone to get the melted gold.

2. Read Matthew 24:3. What question do the disciples ask?

     Who is His audience?

      Is there any significance to the fact that this is a question answered in private?


3. Read Mark 13:5-37 and underline every time deceive, watch out, on guard, alarmed, stand firm, don't worry, and be alert appears. Why do you think He is telling the disciples this information?


   What part of this passage may or will occur in their lifetime? (9-13)


     What promise is given them in that pertinent passage?


     What warning is given to them?

4. Read Revelation 6. List the untoward events that these 2 passages have in common.



      What does this tell you about Jesus?

 
  5. Read Mark 13:14. What is the abomination of desolation? (opinion)


      According to Daniel 9:27 when does it occur?


      Note "let the reader understand". What does this tell you about Jesus?


      Who is Jesus "writing" this for?


       According to your eschatology, who are the readers going to be?


       What does that tell you about Jesus?


6. Read Matt 24:13 and 2 Peter 3:11,12. These verses have inspired multiple churches and organizations to missions. Explain why.


      In context with the tribulation, read Rev. 14:6,7. How might this also explain this Matthew passage?



Summary
     A lot of Christians really get into prophecy. My family is one of them. Growing up in the 60's and 70's I was exposed to the furor with Israel becoming a nation in 1948 or 1967 officially. Therefore passages like "this generation (is that 40 or 100 years?) will not pass away until this is accomplished..." took on meaning it hadn't since the Bible's completion. We were convinced since the fig tree (Israel) had blossomed, Jesus would come back at least by 2007! Here we are in 2014 and we see how difficult it is to understand prophecy. There was even a book 88 reasons why Jesus will come back in '88 which you can see from 1948 + 40 year generation how people bought into this. My parents, my dad passed away in 2013, moved to a retirement community in Boca Raton Florida called Bibletown, which no longer exists, and they were treated to weekly conferences of speakers 50% of whom talked about prophecy. With this sub population of 70+ year olds, all of which wanted to avoid death and be raptured, you can understand the interest. The Jesus movement of the 60's and 70's was spurred on by Hal Lindsay's book, The Late Great Planet Earth and one of the hallmarks of the Jesus movement was the teaching of the immenent return of Christ.
    Although prophecy is something to study as seen by the fact that Jesus spent a whole chapter of His 16 chapter book of Mark discussing it, in a book that has very little teaching and mainly action, it is one of those topics that we need to be careful about. First of all, it isn't meant for unbelievers; there are much more important things to share with them. Notice Jesus takes the disciples aside and gives Mark 13 in private. Secondly, it can divide us and Jesus' high priestly prayer in John 17 pleaded with the Father to make us one. The common thread has to be to live as if He is coming back tomorrow and live urgently and keep the Kingdom of Heaven in mind at all times to live effectively here and please the Lord. (Heb. 11:14-16) Anything more than that is not to be argued about because "the Lord's servant is not quarrelsome". Lastly, as seen in Chapter 12, what's so awesome about Jesus is that He was focused. People tried to get Him off track with political, social, theological arguments and He kept coming back to what really mattered. Throughout the gospels we see this; Nicodemus said, "We know You are a teacher sent from God..." Jesus response -"You must be born again" When asked about natural disasters in Luke 13 His response was basically, "If that happened to you do you know where you will go?" When the 72 came back and said "Even the demons submit to us" Jesus response - "Rejoice rather that you are going to Heaven". And in this passage we see the disciples rightfully marveling at the splendor of the temple and Jesus basically says,"It's all going to burn" (which btw it did in 70AD) The point is that we need not get sidetracked but focus on loving God and loving people until He comes back which might be soon so we better get busy.
      With all that in mind, we approach this passage and realize that it really wasn't written to the 12. Like John 17:20 where Jesus is praying not only for the 12 but future believers, he comes right out in Mark 13:14 (and Matt. 24:15) and says "Let the reader understand". As Jesus is talking to the disciples, He is also writing the Bible! He knows what He is saying will be written down and read by us. Now certainly the part about standing before authorities in persecution related to the disciples and encouraging them that this is to be expected, not feared, and don't fall away - but most of the rest won't happen in their lifetime. In fact, if my eschatology is right, it won't happen in my lifetime either. I believe these signs begun in Revelation 6 will be during the tribulation and we will be raptured. I believe this for 7 reasons
    1. Biblical examples of Lot, Noah, Rahab, even Joseph removing his family from famine. These were all people taken out before judgment occurred.
    2. We are told we don't know the day of His return. Actually if we are here it will be 1260 days from when the antichrist sits in the temple and declares himself to be god. (Rev. 12:6)
    3. we are told to live urgently as it will come unaware. If we will be here we will have plenty of signs to watch for so we can slack off
    4. We are the salt of the earth - we are the preservative. When we leave the restrainer - the holy Spirit - will be taken out of the way (2 Thes. 2:6-8) and make way for the tribulation
    5. God's people are not appointed for wrath 1Thes. 5:9
    6. Jewish weddings last a week. When the bridegroom comes and takes us away to the wedding feast (Rev.19) it will last 7 years and then we will come back with Him to face Armegeddon
    7. Rev. 1-4 mentions the church but it is missing chapters 6-18 during the tribulation.

  Anyway, if that is true, not only is Jesus not writing this for the 12 or us who believe, but rather He is thinking of those who rejected Him until it was too late, so He gave them one more chance and wrote them a tribulation playbook so they wouldn't lose their faith. He is writing Revelations before John! What's so awesome about Jesus? While He should be the one needing consoling about His upcoming crucifixion that He is willingly walking into, He is consoling and warning those who will deny Him, flee from Him, fall asleep on Him, and reject Him. What amazing love. Normally we extrapolate His love for us by seeing how He loved Biblical people but here we see Him directly loving us out of the Bible times people and this during His last days on earth. Love outside of time. That is what is so awesome about Jesus!