Mark 13

Mark 13:1-8

CHAPTER 57 “The Beginnings of Sorrows” “And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here! And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled? And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you: For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.” (Mark 13:1-8) Our daily newspapers are filled with stories of misery, woe and sorrow. Sicknesses, diseases, wars, famines, earthquakes, pestilence, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes and the like ravage the earth. Add to these things the robberies, rapes and murders that are reported every day, and you cannot help asking yourself this question: — If God almighty is truly good and he absolutely rules the universe in total sovereignty, if God really is in absolute, total control of everything, how can these things be? Would a good God allow such things as this? If God is in total control of all things, how can we explain fathers raping their own daughters, mothers murdering their own children, sons slaughtering their parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters, and schoolboys murdering their classmates? There is absolutely no question that God is good, perfectly good, and that he is in absolute, total control of all things at all times. — “Our God is in the heavens. He hath done whatsoever He hath pleased!” Not only does he allow these things, he brings them to pass. These things are not accidents. They are the work of God’s hands. He says, “I form the light and create darkness: I make peace and create evil: I the Lord do all these things!” This world of sorrow and woe is a world full of sin; and a holy, good God must and shall punish sin. The sorrows of this world are God’s judgments upon this world.

Yet, all the misery, woe, trouble and sorrow we see here are just “the beginnings of sorrows.” The troubles, woes and sorrows of life in this world, no matter how severe, no matter how relentless they may be, are but “the beginnings of sorrows”. These things are just the forerunners of that great and terrible day when God shall judge all men in strict justice. They are just the forerunners of wrath to warn us of the infinite, indescribable, eternal wrath that shall be relentlessly poured out upon your soul in hell, upon all who perish under the wrath of God. If you are not in too big a hurry to go to hell, pay attention to what you have just read. Paul said, “Knowing the terror of the Lord, we persuade men.” If you are yet without Christ, I pray that God the Holy Spirit will be pleased to persuade you by his Word and by his omnipotent mercy to flee to Christ, to be reconciled to God. The wrath of God is upon you. The Lord Jesus Christ is your only hope. Unless God saves you by his almighty, free grace in Christ, you will soon be in hell. O sinner, trust Christ now. Come, plunge into that fountain drawn from Immanuel’s veins. Wash your soul in the blood of Christ. Lay hold upon eternal life. Cast yourself down at the throne of grace and sue for mercy. Trust Christ, and live forever! It is written, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” Will you now trust the Son of God? May God give you faith in his dear Son. Oh, I pray that he will make you willing in the day of his power! Mark 13 is all about the judgment of God upon men and women who despise his grace. The Destruction of the Temple “And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here! And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?” (Mark 13:1-4) This 13th chapter of Mark is full of judgment. It speaks of the destruction of the temple at Jerusalem, the destruction of the Jewish church state and of the civil government of the Jewish nation, which was consummated in 70 AD, just forty years after our Lord was crucified. This is exactly according to the prophecy given in Genesis 49:10. When our Savior “went out of the temple,” he went out never to return to it. What solemn thoughts that should awaken in our minds. Robert Hawker wrote… “When the Lord departs, woe to that land, woe to that house or family, where the Lord’s gracious presence is not. No sooner had Lot departed from Sodom than the next account is the destruction of it (Genesis 19:22-24). And who shall say how much the Christless owe in being saved from instant ruin, both in nations, and cities, and families, from the seed of Christ living in the midst of them.” It seems obvious to me that this passage also speaks of the glorious second advent of our Lord Jesus Christ, when he shall come in flaming fire taking vengeance on his adversaries. While no man knows the day or hour of Christ’s second advent, or even the approximate time when the end will come, we are assured throughout the Scriptures that Christ shall come again. Trusting his Word, his providence and his grace, it is enough for us to live in anticipation of that great day, waiting for the promise of his coming. It is far better for us not to know the time when he shall appear. If we knew when he would appear, we would be irresponsible and neglect our daily responsibilities in this world, just as people have always done when they thought they knew when he was coming. It is best for us to live in the anticipation of faith, waiting for the Lord from heaven, believing that he will do as he said. “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:1-3). Yet, it is a serious mistake to read such passages as the one now before us as merely referring to prophetic things, as though they had no immediate message for us. You will notice that our Lord hardly even answered the disciples’ question about when these things would be and what would be the sign of their fulfillment. Reading the entire chapter, you cannot miss the fact that our Lord deliberately seized this opportunity, not to answer those questions about prophetic things, but to warn and teach them and us about present dangers and responsibilities. We see this clearly in the opening verses of the chapter. When they walked out of the temple, the disciples’ looked over that splendid piece of architecture, the center and glory of the Jews’ religion, with great pride, and said, “Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here! And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.” What does the Holy Spirit intend for us to learn from this statement and our Lord’s reply to it? Obviously, he intends for us to learn more than the mere fact that our Lord here declared he would come in judgment against the Jews and destroy their temple. The very first thing that seems obvious to me is this: — Every mere form of godliness, religion, worship and ceremony, without the power of godliness, is an abomination to God. The Jews’ religion was rich in tradition, rich in outward appearance, rich in respectability and rich in history. But they had forsaken the Word of God and the worship of God. They had a form of religion that impressed everyone but God. They had a form of godliness, but denied the power thereof. They had a name that they lived, but they were dead. Our Master said to them, — “Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God” (Luke 16:15). “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away” (2 Timothy 3:1-5). The power of godliness is the gospel of Christ (Romans 1:16). Every form of religion that denies the gospel of Christ is an abomination to God. We are strictly commanded, as we care for our souls and care for the glory of God, to turn away from it (Revelation 18:4). Next, we will do well to remember that we are all too much inclined to judge things by the outward appearance. We are too much like little children, who are much more excited about a field of dandelions than a field of corn. We are too much impressed with stately, ornate buildings, stained glass, marble floors and religious images and icons. Those things that appeal to our senses more easily attract us than that which meets the needs of our hearts and souls. That which is essential to the worship of God is not physical, but spiritual. The gospel of God’s grace, the revelation of his glory, the presence of his Spirit, and the knowledge of his Son are the things that are of singular importance! If we have these things, all is well. If we are lacking these things, our religion is vanity, and worse than vanity. Without these things, our religion is useless and damning, and God will soon destroy it. Let us learn from our Lord’s words here that the true glory of a church is not buildings, creeds, rituals and history, but the knowledge of and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Yet, we must not run to the absurd extreme of being indifferent about that building which is set aside for the worship of God. “Let all things be done decently and in order” (1 Corinthians 14:40). It is no shame for a congregation to meet in a barn or under a tree, if they can do no better. But it is abhorrent for people who live in beautiful, richly furnished homes to be content for the house of God to be a run down shack. The buildings in which God’s people meet to worship him are erected for and dedicated to the worship of our God. We ought to care for them and treat them as the house of God. We certainly ought to take as much interest in the appearance of God’s house as we would of our own houses. The Deception of the World “And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you: For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many” (Mark 13:5-6). This solemn warning is repeated frequently throughout the New Testament There have been many throughout history who have come claiming to be the Christ, the Messiah. Every time such a blasphemer arises a few fools follow them. But never do they deceive many. Our Lord is here warning us of something more subtle than a man openly claiming that he is the Christ. His warning is against those by whom the nations of the world are deceived. He is talking about that strong delusion, which God himself sends upon those who will not receive the love of the truth. “And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” (2 Thessalonians 2:8-12) There are many false prophets who preach a false Christ, by whom men and women are deceived, deluded, and damned: the false Christs of liberals, cults and papists, and the false Christ of Arminian, freewill, works religion. There are many false Christs, many antichrists, by whom the souls of men are deceived and damned. I want to be as charitable, kind and gracious as I can; but charity, kindness and grace will not allow me to be silent while immortal souls are deceived and God’s glory is trampled beneath the feet of men. If you trust a false Christ, you cannot be saved any more than you could be saved by trusting a tadpole. We are called of God to trust, love, follow and obey the true Christ and him only. Salvation is promised to none but those who trust the true Christ. Therefore, we are warned, “Take heed that no man deceive you.” We must take heed to the teachings of Holy Scripture, lest we be deceived by some false Christ. The Christ of Scripture is himself almighty God incarnate in human flesh, who alone is the Savior of the world. He is the Surety of an elect, covenant people (Hebrews 7:22). He is the Substitute who has satisfied divine justice for and effectually redeemed his people by the sacrifice of himself (Isaiah 53:10; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:13; Ephesians 1:7; Hebrews 9:12). He is the Savior who saves his people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). He is the Sovereign who sits upon the throne of universal dominion (John 17:2). What should our attitude be toward those who preach Christ in all the fulness of his grace and glory as our all-sufficient Savior? Isaiah declares, — “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!” (Isaiah 52:7). What should our attitude be toward those false prophets who preach a false Christ and deceive the souls of men? The Scriptures are equally clear in answering that question. — “As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:9). — “I would they were even cut off which trouble you” (Galatians 5:12). — “If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds” (2 John 1:10-11). The Displays 0f God’s Judgment.“And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows” (Mark 13:7-8). Now, I pointedly address any who read these lines who are yet without Christ. How often God has spoken to you by the displays of his judgments upon others and by the displays of his wrath and judgment against you! Time and again he has made you see clear, manifest, undeniable tokens of his wrath in this world. Time and again he has brushed your soul with the fires of hell. What misery, what trouble, what woe, what ruin your sin has brought upon you! Yet, you turn a deaf ear to the voice of God’s providence! You try, with all your power, to silence the torments of your guilty conscience. You try your best not to hear the Word of God. Oh, how I pray that God will not allow you to have your way! I warn you again, the troubles you see and the troubles you experience in this world are just “the beginnings of sorrows!” There is a day coming when the holy Lord God will judge all men by that Man whom he has appointed. When that day comes, if you are found out of Christ, if you are found among those whose names are not written in the book of life, you shall perish forever in hell! No mind can imagine, no tongue can describe the horror of sorrow which shall torment your soul forever in hell! “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:11-15). I set before you life and death, eternal life and eternal death. Why will you die? Why will you choose death, when life can be had so freely? Christ is willing to save all who trust him. He is able to save all who trust him. Christ will save all who trust him. Indeed, he has saved all who trust him. Come, O Spirit of God. Breathe upon the poor, helpless, slain sinner, for Christ’s sake. Cause the dead to hear the voice of the Son of God and live.

Mark 13:9-13

CHAPTER 58 “Take Heed to Yourselves” “But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them. And the gospel must first be published among all nations. But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost. Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” (Mark 13:9-13) As our Lord Jesus warns us of the trials, troubles and persecutions we must face while we live in this world, he admonishes us, saying, “Take heed to yourselves.” Our Savior here reminds us both of the troubles we must expect in this world and the consolations God has given us in anticipation of them, lest we be overcome by them. Let us ever beware of these things and take heed to ourselves. We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. Troubles Sure Many have the dreamy-eyed idea that faith in Christ puts an end to earthly trouble. Nothing can be further from the truth. There are many troubles that are sure to follow faith in Christ. It is written, “Man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward” (Job 5:7). Trouble, sorrow, heartache and pain are the things assured to all men because of sin. It is the common lot and portion of Adam’s fallen race. Where there is sin there is sorrow. These are the thorns and thistles of our hearts. Yet, there are specific troubles to which all true believers are and must be exposed in this world. These are our lot and portion as long as we are in this body of flesh. The believer’s life is a checkered history of great sorrow and great joy. All the prophecies dealing with the church of God on the earth between Christ’s first and second advent assert this plainly. Certainly, none can doubt that our Lord asserts this in Mark 13:9-13. Our Master tells us plainly, “In the world you shall have tribulation.” In Philippians 1:29 the Holy Spirit tells us, “Unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.” As long as we live in this body of sin, every believer has his divinely appointed miseries and his divinely appointed mercies.

We will all have our nights of darkness and days of brightness, our trials and our triumphs, our falls and our restorations, our sorrows and our joys. Our heavenly Father has so ordained it. There is no question about the fact of our many problems and troubles in this world. But we are often surprised by their sources, though we shouldn’t be. Our Lord also told us plainly what the sources of our woes would be. We must always expect trouble from people of the world, especially lost religious people (Mark 13:9; Mark 13:11; Mark 13:13). Never look for help or favor from “rulers and kings”. Our way of life, the gospel we believe and the God we worship is a constant annoyance to this world. These things will never bring us favor with men. Our gospel constantly exposes their sin, their idolatry and their condemnation. Those who dream that politicians and civil magistrates will one day help the cause of Christ as they once did, have misread both the Word of God and history. Many there are who have been persecuted, imprisoned, beaten and burned at the stake for absolutely no reason, except their adherence to the gospel of Christ. Trouble from the world is not too surprising. But there is another source of trouble plainly stated in this passage, a source that every believer will experience, which almost always shocks us. If we are faithful to Christ and the gospel of God’s free and sovereign grace in him, we must expect trouble from our families, too. — “The brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death” (Mark 13:12). Do not be surprised, my brother, my sister, when those to whom you are most devoted, even father and mother, brother and sister, son and daughter, husband or wife, speak evil of you, hold you in contempt and treat you as an enemy. We must not be surprised if those whose hearts are enmity against our God are also enmity against us. Cain will always persecute Abel. Esau will ever despise Jacob. The seed of the serpent will always persecute the seed of the woman. We will be wise to remember these things and lay them to heart. We must, if we would follow Christ, “count the cost” of being his disciples. I know that we are living in days of great freedom. Physical persecution, at least in free societies, is not a fear to God’s church today. But persecution is still sure to follow true faith in and faithfulness to the Son of God. You can bank on it.

Believers still suffer in their livelihoods for the gospel’s sake. God’s children must still endure scorn, slander, laughter, ridicule, isolation and petty hostilities for their faith in Christ, even from their families. “The offense of the cross” has not ceased. It is still true that “the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God.” Those who are “born after the flesh” still persecute those who are “born after the Spirit.” Let us never forget or doubt this word from our God and Savior. It is as true as the declaration that Christ died for our sins. — “Ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake.” Add to these things the fact that many of God’s people in this world live with indescribable bodily infirmities, sorrows, bereavements and losses, and domestic troubles. Yet, there is another source of great trouble. Indeed, the greatest source of our trouble in this world is this third source. — We must, as long as we live in this world, expect to have an unceasing warfare in our souls between the flesh and the Spirit, between the old man and the new (Romans 7:14-23; Galatians 5:16-17). Let me illustrate what I am saying by asking you to consider a few questions. Be honest with yourself. These are things which trouble me greatly. I am sure they trouble you, too. Before God saved you, did you ever imagine that a believer, a sinner redeemed by the blood of Christ, robed in his righteousness, saved by God’s free grace, living in the prospect of heavenly glory, a person truly born of God, one who truly believes and loves the Lord Jesus Christ, could have so much difficulty with inward lusts as you do? — Could find it so difficult to read the Word of God as you do? — Could be so indifferent to the things of God as you are? — Could have such a hard time praying as you do? — Could love the world so much and love Christ so little as you do? No wonder our Lord said, “take heed to yourselves!” We who know ourselves to be such sinners have great reason constantly to give thanks to God that salvation is by grace alone (1 Corinthians 15:10). Let us ever give thanks for him who is our unceasing, all-prevailing Advocate with the Father (1 John 2:1-2). God’s Promises Our blessed God and Savior holds before us in his Word an immeasurable, rich range of promises to encourage, comfort and inspire us in the midst of the many problems and trials we have in this world. Here are two sweet cordials with which we may encourage our own hearts and one another. First ,and foremost, we are assured that God’s purpose of grace in Christ shall be fulfilled. Look at verse ten. Right in the middle of this list of woes, our Savior interjects this blessed word of promise. “And the gospel must first be preached among all nations.” He seems to be saying, these things are all necessary for the accomplishment of God’s purpose of grace toward his elect. This is how I am going to bring about the fulness of my kingdom and the glory of my name. There is a people in this world, loved and chosen of God, redeemed by the blood of Christ, who must and shall be saved by God’s irresistible grace. God’s appointed means of grace and salvation is the preaching of the gospel (Romans 1:16-17; Romans 10:17; 1 Corinthians 1:18-23). Therefore the gospel must be preached among all nations. Let men and devils, kingdoms, empires and nations do what they will, God’s purpose of grace cannot be thwarted. Those specks of dust, though they swell and burn with rage against our God, his Christ and his gospel, are as surely under God’s control and as surely used by him to fulfill his purpose of grace toward his elect as the angels of heaven. The Word of God is not bound and cannot be bound (Isaiah 55:11; 2 Timothy 2:9). Second, our Lord Jesus here assures us that when special help is needed special help will be given. — “But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost” (Mark 13:11). Many pervert our Lord’s words here and use them as an excuse for laziness and being unprepared for the pulpit ministry. Such an attitude toward preaching the gospel is utter foolishness! God’s servants labor in the Word and doctrine of Christ, studying diligently, praying earnestly, as they seek God’s message for his people. Faithful men never step into the pulpit unprepared! Our Lord’s promise in Mark 13:11 has nothing to do with preaching. It is talking about persecution. Our Master here promises that as he gave words of wisdom to his apostles before their persecutors, so he will give us words of wisdom to answer our persecutors as needed, or else he will give us wisdom and grace not to answer them at all (1 Corinthians 10:13; Isaiah 43:1-5; 2 Corinthians 12:9; Romans 16:20). Salvation Promised Tribulations shall come. But our Savior holds out a word of promise to those who endure to the end, to those who will not forsake the gospel, who will not, for any reason, receive the mark of the beast. — “And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved” (Mark 13:13). Let it be clearly understood that perseverance is a matter of personal responsibility. We must hold on our way. We must cleave to Christ. We must take heed to ourselves, lest we wind up like those who perished in the wilderness. Demas, Diotrephes, Judas and Lot’s wife stand upon the pages of Holy Scripture like blazing beacons to warn us. Having put our hands to the plow, we must not look back. We must not drop out of the race. We must resolutely take up our cross every day and follow Christ. Yet, perseverance for God’s elect is a matter of absolute certainty. Our names are written in the book of life. We have been predestinated to everlasting salvation. Our Surety, Christ Jesus, has already obtained the purchased possession for us. We have the pledge of heavenly glory within us. We are sealed unto eternal life. We are kept by the power of God’s grace in Christ. We have our Savior’s promise. — “They shall never perish!” In fact, the Book of God declares that all God’s elect were glorified with Christ before the world began (Romans 8:30) and that we were risen and seated at the right hand of the Majesty on high with our blessed Substitute when he took his seat in heaven (Ephesians 2:6). All who persevere unto the end shall reap a rich harvest of grace. — “The same shall be saved!” We may sow in tears; but we shall reap with joy. We may pass through much tribulation; but we shall pass through it into the kingdom of God. Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, shall work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory! When those who hate our God, despise our gospel and persecute us are cast into hell, we shall enter into life everlasting with Christ (Revelation 19:1-8; Revelation 21:1-5).

Mark 13:14-23

CHAPTER 59 “The Abomination of Desolation “But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains: And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house: And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment. But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter. For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be. And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect’s sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days. And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not: For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things.” (Mark 13:14-23) In this paragraph our Lord Jesus both warns us of a time of great spiritual darkness, deception and trouble, which must come upon the earth, and assures us of the infallible security of God’s elect in the midst of it. As we look at these verses of Holy Scripture, may God the Holy Spirit inscribe upon our hearts the things here taught. Let me direct your attention to three things revealed in our text. A Time of Great Deception“But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains” (Mark 13:14). In this thirteenth chapter of Mark the Lord Jesus warns us over and over again of a time of terrible spiritual darkness, delusion, deception and danger that must sweep across the earth before he comes again. Without question, the warnings given in Mark 13:14-18 had a specific reference to the judgment of God which fell upon Jerusalem in 70 AD. When the armies of Rome destroyed Jerusalem, when God sent Titus into that once holy city, which had become an abominable house of devils, when swine’s blood was offered up in the most holy place, when the temple was leveled, when the scepter of civil government departed from Judah, God’s judgment upon the nation was manifest and obvious to everyone except the nation of Israel. The Jews were scattered to the four corners of the earth. However, our Lord specifically directs our attention to Daniel’s prophecy (Daniel 9:20-27). In that prophecy, though Daniel speaks of the abomination of desolation, he was also assured by Gabriel, “thou art greatly beloved.” Daniel had been praying for God to show mercy and exercise forgiveness. He had been praying that the Lord God would in wrath remember mercy toward his holy city and his chosen people. In Mark 13:24-27 Daniel is given a vision, by which he was assured of both God’s justice and his mercy. In strict justice the Lord God declared that he would destroy the physical nation of Israel and the physical city of Jerusalem. At the same time, he assured his prophet that he would accomplish the everlasting salvation of his elect, his people, his holy city, his royal priesthood. “And whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God; Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation. And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision. Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.” (Daniel 9:20-27) I will leave it to others to debate and argue about the 70 weeks and the time span they cover. I am not very interested in that. But I am interested in the things here promised. In these verses we are given a clear, prophetic declaration of two things: redemption and wrath, deliverance and damnation, mercy and justice. Daniel’s prophecy is a profound declaration of Christ’s great work of redemption, by which he satisfied the justice of God and put away the sins of his people. In fact, there are eight things promised here. All of them depended upon and have been effectually accomplished by the sin-atoning death and glorious exaltation of our Lord Jesus Christ. In Mark 13:26 we are told that the Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah, must be cut off, slaughtered, not for himself, but for his people. — “And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.” In Mark 13:27 we are told that after he was cut off out of the land of the living, our Lord Jesus Christ would confirm the everlasting covenant of grace to many. — “And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.” Our blessed Savior confirmed the covenant with his blood (Hebrews 13:20). When he did, when he died as our Substitute, our dear Redeemer caused the sacrifices and oblations of the Old Covenant to cease forever (Hebrews 10:1-22). Though this was done in the most public, conspicuous manner when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and the temple, pouring swine’s blood upon the altar, the oblations ceased when Christ died! Our Lord Jesus confirmed the covenant at the appointed time — “one week.” At the specific time God ordained from eternity, in due time, when the fulness of time was come, Christ the Messiah confirmed the covenant with many. He confirmed the covenant with his blood. If you will read Mark 13:24 again, you will see some of the things confirmed to us, confirmed to God’s elect by the blood of the everlasting covenant. “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.” The Lord Jesus Christ, by his obedience unto death as our covenant Surety and sin-atoning Substitute, finished the transgression of his people. Transgression is the breach of the law. The Son of God erased our breaches of God’s holy law. He made an end of sins, all the sins of his people. When he was made sin for us, he put away our sins by the sacrifice of himself. Our all-glorious Christ made “reconciliation for iniquity.” Iniquity speaks of failure, inequity, missing the mark. Everything we messed up, Christ fixed! Thus, by his obedience unto death, the God-man brought in everlasting righteousness for all the Father gave him to save before the world began. Thus, he sealed the vision of the Old Testament prophets (Hebrews 1:1-3). He completely fulfilled the vision of Old Testament prophecy. Having finished everything he came here to do, our great Redeemer has been anointed as the King of kings and Lord of lords with the oil of gladness. He is the “Most Holy”! These are the blessed things spoken of by Daniel; but our Lord directs our attention also to Daniel’s prophecy of wrath and judgment. Look at Daniel nine (Mark 13:26-27) again, and you will see that Daniel spoke by divine inspiration about God’s wrath and judgment upon those who refuse to bow to and trust his Son. We will not read the verses again; but the “overspreading of abominations,” by which the Lord God made Jerusalem and all Israel spiritually desolate, by which he destroyed the city, the sanctuary and the nation in the flood of his wrath, was not accidental, but precisely what God had purposed. Daniel was specifically told that these “desolations are determined.” Horrible as that act of divine judgment was, it was nothing compared to the abomination of desolation which the Lord God has sent upon this reprobate age in which we live. The things which happened in Jerusalem 2000 years ago only foreshadowed the judgment of God which has fallen upon this generation. Read the first chapter of Romans, and you will discover that ours is not a generation ripe for the judgment of God. This is a generation under the judgment of God. I can think of no age, no generation, no circumstance under which the warning of verse seventeen is more appropriate than it is in this day of apostate, freewill, works religion. — “But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!” Just as the Jews fled for fear of their lives from Titus and the Roman armies who engulfed Jerusalem, you and I will be wise to flee the abominations of Arminian, freewill, works religion, lest we be forever damned with Babylon (Revelation 18:4; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18). Let nothing, neither house, nor property, nor clothes, not even family, hold you in Babylon. “But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains: And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house: And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment. But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter. For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.” (Mark 13:14-19). The danger, the trouble, the affliction spoken of here is far more serious than physical persecution. This peril is a peril of soul. It is altogether spiritual! “For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be. And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect’s sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days. And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not: For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things.” (Mark 13:19-23) “And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” (2 Thessalonians 2:8-12) False prophets abound everywhere. False prophets are those preachers, teachers and religious leaders who point sinners to a false Christ, a false Savior (A Redeemer who did not redeem! — A Savior who cannot save! — A King who cannot rule! — A Priest who cannot prevail!). They seduce unsuspecting multitudes by satanic power with signs and wonders, imitating and pretending to be the apostles of Christ. I have deliberately spent the bulk of my time on the first point of my message, because it certainly leads us to and more or less takes in the last two things I want you to see. The second point of my message is… A Matter of Great Responsibility Our Master’s command is, “Flee to the mountains!” It is our responsibility to use the means and the good sense God gave us both to provide for and protect our physical well-being and our spiritual well-being. If you care for your soul and the souls of your family and those under your influence, you will diligently use the means God has given you for your souls’ eternal welfare. Those who profess to believe God, while they idly sit still and do nothing show more contempt for God than conviction from him. Their faith is fanaticism. Their profession is pretense. They may bluster; but they do not believe! Their loud sounds are just lip service. Because he believed God, when Hezekiah said, “The Lord is with us to fight our battles,” he also built up the walls of the city and made swords and shields (2 Chronicles 32:5). Paul had a word directly from heaven assuring him that no man on board his ship would perish. Yet, he knew they would perish if they did not through over all their cargo and stay on the ship (Acts 27:31). If you want God’s salvation, put yourself under the sound of the gospel. Addict yourself to the Word of God. Use God’s appointed means of grace! If you want your family saved, get them under the sound of the gospel. Addict yourself and your family to the worship of God. Use God’s appointed means of grace! A Reason for Great Praise. Here is the reason given by our Lord himself for great praise and thanksgiving to God — Election! — “And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect’s sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days” (Mark 13:20). — “For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall show signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect” (Mark 13:22). Let every saved sinner give thanks to God for his free, sovereign, eternal, electing love. There is a people in this world called “the elect” who must and shall be saved. Everything God does in this world he does “for the elect’s sake.” Every sinner who trusts the Lord Jesus Christ is numbered among “the elect.” God’s elect shall not be deceived by the false prophets and false Christs of the world. And it is only because of God’s election that we are not deceived by the abomination of desolation called freewill, works religion. Thank God for electing love, mercy and grace! “We are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14)

Mark 13:24-31

CHAPTER 60 The Lord is Coming! “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven. Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near: So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done. Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.” (Mark 13:24-31) The historians tell us that the early saints used to greet one another with these words, “He is risen;” and upon parting they would say, “The Lord is coming.” Thus they constantly encouraged one another in the faith and constantly reminded one another of both the accomplishment of redemption by Christ and the certainty of resurrection glory with Christ. Before he left this world, our Lord Jesus assured his disciples that, just as surely as he arose from the grave, he would come again to raise his saints from their graves and translate all his elect in resurrection glory to heaven. That is the subject of Mar 13:24-31. Without question, this is a prophecy of our Lord’s coming in judgment to destroy Jerusalem, the temple, and the nation of Israel, but it cannot and should not be limited to that. It is also a prophecy of our Savior’s second coming. As we read this passage it should always stir our hearts with expectation and desire for the Lord’s coming. May God give us grace ever to live on the tip-toe of faith in the blessed expectation of Christ’s glorious Second Advent. The Lord Jesus Christ is coming again. The Glory of Christ’s Coming “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory” (Mark 13:24-26). In the 9th chapter of the Book of Hebrews (Mark 13:24-28) we are told that the Son of God appeared once to put away our sins by the sacrifice of himself. Christ came here to die in our place, to put away our sins by his death; and he has effectually performed that which he came here to accomplish. As our great Advocate and High Priest he now appears in the presence of God for us, making intercession for his elect according to the will of God (1 John 2:1-2).Our great God and Savior shall, at the appointed time, appear again on this earth to consummate his great work of saving his people from their sins. As our Savior describes his second advent here in Mark 13, it is obvious that when he comes again, it will not be a secret thing. At his glorious second advent, he will appear with power and great glory. That is the language of Holy Scripture. “And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.” (2 Thessalonians 1:7-10) “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.” (Revelation 1:7) Our Lord speaks about the sun being turned into darkness, the moon refusing to give light, the falling of stars and the shaking of powers in the heavens. Such language conveys the idea of a great, universal convulsion, a climatic dismantling of creation by the finger of God. The language used here is very much like the language with which Peter was inspired of God to describe the coming of Christ. — .”The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up”(2 Peter 3:10). The Order of Events In other words, that which shall immediately precede the glorious appearing of Christ will be the conflagration of the universe. The order of events at the second coming seems to be as follows. These things are not written in concrete. I would not argue in defense of them for even a second. However, this is what appears to me to be likely. I have formed this order by carefully comparing Scripture with Scripture. Whatever the order of events may indeed be, it will not take long to accomplish the whole thing. When the Son of God rises from his throne and says, “Behold, I make all things new,” it will all be done quickly. Our blessed Christ will come in the clouds of heaven. He will raise up those bodies of his saints which sleep in the earth. Those who are living in faith when he comes shall be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. He will destroy the present creation and all his enemies with it, and make all things new. Then we shall come with him to the earth. We shall come with him into a new heavens and a new earth. Then will come the resurrection of the dead and the great white throne judgment. After these things — ETERNAL LIFE WITH CHRIST IN GLORY! Radically Different Christ’s second advent will be radically different from his first. Our Savior came the first time in humiliation, an infant, born of a poor woman, laid in a manger at Bethlehem, unnoticed, unhonored, unknown. He is coming the second time in power and great glory, in royal dignity, with all the armies of heaven surrounding him, to be seen, recognized, known, acknowledged and feared by all people, nations, tribes and tongues. Christ Jesus came the first time to suffer, to bear the sins of his people, to be made a curse, to be despised, rejected, unjustly condemned and slain. He is coming the second time as the reigning, almighty Monarch of the universe to put down every foe, put an end to all rebellion, to take possession of all the kingdoms of this world, to judge the world, to destroy his enemies, to make all things new and to be eternally admired by redeemed sinners. We would all be wise to lay these things to heart and meditate upon them regularly. These facts are filled with comfort for every believer. Our great King, our all glorious Christ, will soon be here again! We shall, with him, inherit all things. We will soon exchange the cross for a crown. We shall enter into everlasting honor, joy, bliss and life. For all who believe not, the facts revealed in Book of God about the second coming of Christ ought to be terrifying. Indeed, if any dare think upon them, I know they are terrifying to their souls. The Christ they despise reject, and mock will soon call them before his holy bar of judgment. That God-man, whose gospel they trample beneath their feet, will soon hold them accountable. In that day they shall receive of the Lord’s hand their exact, just due for all their sins. Hell will be their everlasting portion. What is hell? The Gathering of God’s Elect In verse twenty-seven, our Master tells us plainly that the first order of business and the primary purpose of his great second advent shall be the gathering of his elect. Throughout the Word of God we are distinctly and constantly taught that our God does all things for the elect’s sake. — “And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.” Just as God’s servants, as the angels of God, are sent out by the preaching of the gospel to gather his elect into his kingdom from the four corners of the earth, so at the end of time those heavenly spirits created to minister to the chosen shall be sent forth to fetch them out of the earth and gather them, all of them, even their dust and ashes, unto Christ in glory! As the angels carried Lazarus into Abraham’s bosom, so they shall carry all God’s elect into heaven’s bosom to be with Christ! As stated above, the gathering out of God’s elect will immediately precede the Lord’s judgment of the earth. Our safety shall be taken care of, when the Lord consumes the earth with the fiery brightness of his coming. Nothing shall be done to destroy the earth until all God’s elect are beyond the reach of harm. Not one drop of rain fell until Noah was safe in the ark. Fire and brimstone could not fall upon Sodom until Lot was safely secluded in Zoar. And God’s wrath will not consume his enemies in the earth until he has taken his saints out of the earth. Blessed be our God, there is a great gathering day coming! We who believe ought to look forward to that great day with unmingled joy, without the slightest dread or fear (2 Thessalonians 2:1). What a gathering “our gathering together unto him” shall be! It will be a gracious gathering, a righteous gathering, a loving gathering and a permanent gathering of all the family of God! The Parable of the Fig Tree “Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near: So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done” (Mark 13:28-30). Our Lord sternly reproved the Pharisees because they could not “discern the signs of the times” (Matthew 16:3). They could not see that the scepter was passing away from Judah. They did not see that Daniel’s seventy weeks were fulfilled. Let us beware of such blindness. It is a blindness caused by spiritual lethargy and an overmuch fondness for this world. This parable of the fig tree is not a deep, mysterious, secretive thing. In this parable our Master tells us plainly that when we see the things spoken of in this context, (when we see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet), his glorious second advent is at hand. The abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel is the revelation (to God’s saints, not to the world) of antichrist (Arminian, freewill, works religion). It is that which Paul speaks of in 2 Thessalonians 2, the loosing of Satan to deceive the nations of the world (Revelation 20:1-8). The lesson of the parable of the fig tree is just this: — While we must never even guess at, or try to figure out the time of Christ’s coming, increasing darkness, ungodliness, apostasy and idolatry ought to cause every believer to live on the tip-toe of faith, looking expectantly for Christ’s appearing. The rising infidelity, increasing acceptance of popery, Islam, Judaism and mysticism, the worldwide will-worship of this apostate age, the lawlessness, the anarchy, the contempt of authority, the acceptance of sexual promiscuity, (fornication, adultery, homosexuality), and the general calling of evil good and good evil ought to be glaring beacons in our eyes and trumpets in our ears telling us, — “This is the end! Judgment has begun. The end is near. The Lord is coming.” The more we see these things coming to pass the more reason we have to look up in hope. Our redemption draws nigh! We must therefore watch, be sober, keep our garments white and unspotted from the world (Revelation 16:15). Armageddon is here. The judgment of the great whore is at hand. The Lord is coming! The Certainty of God’s Word In Mark 13:31 our Lord seems to have anticipated our tendency toward skepticism and unbelief, and therefore warns us emphatically against it. — “Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.” We must never allow ourselves to give any credibility to any questioning of God’s Word. Let us never dare imagine that any word of prophecy is improbable, or unlikely simply because it seems contrary to nature, or experience, or our judgment. Let us never be found among those arrogant fools who imagine that they are smarter than God. We must never find ourselves agreeing with those scoffers who, walking after their own lusts, say, “Where is the promise of his coming?” (2 Peter 3:3-4). Christ is coming again. — Rejoice! “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)

Mark 13:31-37

CHAPTER 61 No One Knows “Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.” (Mark 13:31-37) Soon you and I must meet the thrice holy God face to face in judgment. Soon we will cross over that river that will carry us out of this changing, temporal world of time and sense into that world in which all things are unchanging and eternal. Soon you and I are going to meet God. Like Amos the prophet, I urge you, “Prepare to meet thy God!” When Paul knew that the time of his departure was at hand, he said, “I am now ready.” Are you? Are you ready? Are you prepared to meet God? Soon we must meet God in judgment, but no one knows when. Therefore, our Lord gives us a word of constant, pressing urgency as he concludes his discourse in Mark 13. He calls us to watchfulness. We should always be on the lookout for Christ’s second coming. Every redeemed soul, in whom God the Holy Spirit has performed the saving operations of his grace, is always ready for his Lord’s return and ready to meet God. Yet, it is most blessed to be, as Robert Hawker put it, “in an actual state of waiting, looking, longing for and hastening to the Lord’s corning…Think what a blessed privilege this is, and beg of the Lord Jesus to be so found at his coming (2 Peter 3:12).” A Promise Our Savior makes a promise we would be wise to lay to heart. — “Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.” All creation and all things connected with this present creation, all things involved in the curse, all things affected by and infected with sin shall pass away. This present heaven and earth shall soon be dissolved, burnt up with the fire of God’s holy wrath (Mark 13:24-25; 2 Peter 3:10-14; 2 Corinthians 4:18). We live in a world in which everything is temporal and passing away. We are all going to a world in which everything is permanent and eternal. The bliss of heaven is eternal. The torments of the damned in hell are everlasting. Our state in that unseen world of eternity depends entirely upon our relationship to the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, in this world of time. If you are washed in Christ’s blood and robed in his righteousness now, you will be clean and holy forever. If you trust Christ as your Savior now, he will be your Savior forever. If you are one with Christ now, you shall be one with Christ in eternity. If you love Christ and are loved of Christ now, you shall love Christ and be loved of Christ forever. If you meet Christ in judgment as an unbeliever, you will be an unbeliever forever. If you are unclean when you leave this world, you will be an unclean forever. If you are a rebel when you draw your last breath, you will be a rebel forever. If you are cursed and damned when you go out to meet God in judgment, you will be cursed of God, hated by God, and damned by God forever! Our only hope for eternal life is the free, sovereign, saving grace of God in Christ, the sinners’ Substitute. “There is a fountain filled with blood Drawn from Immanuel’s veins; And sinners plunged beneath that flood Lose all their guilty stains. The dying thief rejoiced to see That fountain in his day; And there may I, though vile as he, Wash all my sins away. E’er since by faith I saw the stream Christ’s flowing wounds supply, Redeeming love has been my theme And shall be ‘til I die!” “Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.” God’s Word is immutable, absolute, certain and unalterable. That statement applies to God’s written Word of Inspiration, the Holy Scriptures, and to every word of decree, doctrine, grace, promise and judgment revealed in Holy Scripture (Isaiah 40:8; Isaiah 46:9-11; Isaiah 55:11; Psalms 119:89). He who is the omniscient, holy, perfect, omnipotent, unchangeable God never needs to alter his word. God’s word is never yea and nay, but always yea and amen. A Problem In Mark 13:32 the Lord Jesus makes a declaration, which presents a problem to many. — “But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.” Here is the problem: — If the Lord Jesus Christ is himself God the Son, equal in all things and one with the Father and the Spirit, as the Scriptures universally assert that he is and the doctrine of the Trinity demands, if he is God all-wise, all-knowing, omniscient, before whom darkness is light, from whom nothing can be hid, — How can he be ignorant of the day and hour of his second advent? The answer is both simple and obvious, when we compare Scripture with Scripture. In fact, the imagined problem is no problem at all, but merely a demonstration of the fact that our Lord Jesus Christ is exactly who and what he claims to be — both God and man — as truly and completely God as if he were not man, and as truly and completely man as if he were not God. As a man, our Savior was no more omniscient than he was omnipotent or omnipresent. When he hungered, it was not God who hungered, but man. When he thirsted, it was not God who thirsted, but man. In the four gospels he sometimes speaks of himself as a man (as here), and sometimes he speaks of himself as God, in order to show us that he is fully both. As God, he said to his disciples, “Our friend, Lazarus, sleepeth,” though no one had informed him of Lazarus’ death. Yet, when he came to Bethany, he asked as a man, “Where have ye laid him?” The same thing is true in Mark 13:32. Obviously, as the Son of God, he knew and always has known the precise second of his second advent. But as the Son of man, he was altogether ignorant of it. He who is our Redeemer must be both God and man in one glorious person. No One In this day of prophecy mania our Lord’s words here need to be emphasized and remembered. He tells us in the plainest terms possible that no one knows when the Lord Jesus Christ shall appear in his glorious Second Advent. The language of Scripture in this regard is crystal clear (Acts 1:4-11). No one knows, or even has a hint of an idea, when the Lord Jesus will come again to this world. The event is certain; but no one knows the time. Not only do the Scriptures tell us this emphatically, we have a glaring proof of the fact in our Savior’s own words. — If the perfect, holy man Christ Jesus, that man who knew the Book of God like no other man, did not know it, if he did not figure out the day or hour of his appearing, no other man is about to do so! And no one knows when Christ is coming to take him out of this world to meet God in judgment. I find it utterly amazing that we so blatantly ignore this fact. David said, “There is but a step between me and death.” We all say we realize that; but very few people seem to live like they realize it. — “There is but a step between me and death!” God has, from eternity, fixed the moment and the means by which he will take each of us out of this world. When our number is up, we shall be taken. And as soon as God takes us out of this world, we are going to stand before him in judgment. I know there is a Day of Judgment at the end of time. Following the general resurrection, there will be a general judgment (John 5:28-29; Revelation 20:11-15). But the Scriptures plainly speak of us meeting God in judgment as soon as we draw our last breath (2 Corinthians 5:10-11; Hebrews 9:27). — “How wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?” (Jeremiah 12:5). A Parable In Mark 13:34-35 our Master puts forth a parable, in which he explains our present position and responsibility as his servants in this world. “For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning.” There are several things in this parable which we ought to lay to heart. The church of Christ is his house: he alone is the Master of his house. The Lord Jesus left his church, his house, under the care, authority and rule of his servants. His servants are men counted worthy by him to preach the gospel and to rule his house with the authority of his Word (Acts 20:28; Hebrews 13:7; Hebrews 13:17; 1 Peter 5:1-3; 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13). The Lord Jesus has appointed to each of his own a specific work to do. — “He gave to every man his work.” Our Master has not abandoned his house: he is coming back to it; and his coming will be sudden, without warning. Let us live in the blessed anticipation of his arrival, watching for his appearance, praying for his grace and working in his house for the good of his house and the glory of his great name. The Post The Master has assigned a post to each of his own in this world. “Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is…Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch” (Mark 13:33; Mark 13:35-37). Ever be watchful of your own soul. Ever stir yourself up to renewed consecration to Christ. When the Master comes, I pray that he will not find me sleeping at my post. One of the old, old writers said, “Be doing something, that the devil may always find you engaged.” When John Calvin’s health was failing him and his friends urged him to rest more and do less work to preserve his health, he responded — “Would you want my Master to find me idle?” Let us not be found sleeping at our post, but watching, praying and working.