Mark

By Joyce Webb 2023

Chapter 13     Verse 1-23

Verse 1 Jesus and his disciples were leaving the temple.
One of the disciples said to Jesus,— Master, Look at these stones!
See these buildings!

(The stones used in the temple were huge! It was amazing that such stones could be cut and brought there. The buildings were a wonder to see.)

Verse 2 Jesus said to him—See these great buildings! In the future, not one stone will be left upon another. They all will be thrown down.

(That was hard for the disciples to imagine. How could that happen?
It did happen 47 years later. In the year 70 AD—- the Roman army —led by the ruler Titus—-took over the city of Jerusalem. They destroyed the temple and burned it.

When they realized that the overlay of gold was melting and running between the stones—-they pulled the stones apart to get to the gold.)

Verse 3 The men went to the Mount of Olives and looked at the temple. Peter, James, John and Andrew gathered near Jesus and talked to him.

Verse 4 They said—Tell us—when will these things happen? What will be a sign that they are about to happen?

Verse 5 Jesus said—Be careful—do not let anyone fool you or deceive you.

Verse 6 There that will be many that will come—saying that they are “the Christ”. They will deceive many.

Verse 7 When you hear that there are wars happening—-and you hear talk of more wars about to happen—-these things need to happen—but the end is not yet.

Verse 8 Nation will rise up against another nation. Kingdoms against kingdoms.
There will be earthquakes in many places.
There will be famine (no food or little food).
There will be troubles.
This is just the beginning of sorrows.

Verse 9 Be careful. You will be taken before councils (government
groups, leaders)—-you will be take before the leaders of the Jewish church—you will be beaten.

You will be taken before rulers and kings— for speaking about me, for believing in me. You will be a testimony for me—it will be against what they want to hear.

Verse 10 The gospel (good news about Jesus dying for our sins)—must be preached to the nations.

Verse 11 When they take you before these leaders—do not worry about what you will say. At that time—the Holy Spirit will help you say the right thing. The Holy Spirit will help you speak—it will not be you thinking up what to say—-The Holy Spirit will help you speak what God wants you to say.

Verse 12 Brother will betray his brother. Father will betray his son. Children will betray they mother and father. Family members will be put to death.

( In other words, family members will tell that other family members are Christians—followers of Jesus—then those family members will be killed.)

(We usually think of family members protecting each other. But in the future—town and city leaders will put such pressure on a person to tell on others—that they will do it —to save their own life.)

Verse 13 You—followers of Christ— will be hated by all men because of your faithfulness to Me.

Verse 14 When you learn that the temple has been “make unclean”—by what they have done to it—-then the people who live in Judea need to go quickly to the mountains.

(When the Romans came in 70AD —they put a pig in the Jewish temple. The Jews had been told by God—-back in the time of Moses—that they were not to eat pig meat. They thought of the pig as a dirty animal. The Jews did not raise pigs. They did not have anything to do with them.

To have a pig put in their holy temple was an “abomination”–very bad sin.
The book of Revelation also speaks of a time when an “abomination” —very bad sin—will happen in the Jewish temple.

The Anti-christ will set up his image in the temple.

This warning that Jesus gives—could mean both of these happenings.)

Verse 15 Jesus tells them—when this happens in the temple—go to the mountains—Do not go into your house to get things to take with you—just go—as fast as you can.

Verse 16 If the person is in the field working—he is not to go find his robe that he took off to work—just leave quickly.

Verse 17 It will be a hard and terrible time for women with infant babies.

Verse 18 Pray and hope that this does not happen in the cold winter.

Verse 19 Those days will be terrible for people. Those times will be harder than anything that has happen to people—-since creation.

Verse 20 Except—Unless—the Lord “shortened” those days—-(stops the terrible things)—no one would be left alive.

But for the “elect” —the ones God has chosen—he will not let it go on a long time—he will cut it short—or stop it.

(During the time in 70AD—it was a terrible time for the Jews. Many were killed—and other terrible things done to them

But the words about it being the worse time since creation—makes us think that Jesus is also talking about the time in the future at the end of time when the Anti-christ is here—-it will probably be the worse time for believers and Jews that has ever been on earth.)

Verse 21 If any man says to you–”Here is Christ!” or “There is Christ”—do not believe him.

Verse 22 There will be those who are false—who will try to deceive—They will do signs and wonders—trying to deceive people to follow them. They will hope to deceive God’s elect or chosen ones.

(God’s “elect” are Jews and could also be Christian believers.)
Verse 23 Be careful–watch out! Remember I have told ahead of time that this will happen.

(This warning from Jesus —could speak of two different times.

The disciples were warned to watch out for men who would deceive.

The book of Revelation and other places in the Bible warn that in “the end times“—-men will come pretending to be Christ.

They will be able to do “signs and wonders”—meaning they will have the power to do “miracles”.

Satan as a former high angel—has much more understanding of science and of powers in the universe than man has.
He can make things happen because of this knowledge. Man has not yet discovered this knowledge.

People who worship Satan and demons—can do surprising things.
Things that look like “miracles”.

That is why Jesus is warning the disciples—and us—to be careful and not be deceived.

Not all “miracles” are of God. This may be hard to tell the difference—so you will need to pray and ask God to show you if it is true or not.

The Holy Spirit can give us “discernment”—meaning to understand—to see—the difference.

If you can learn more about the person who is doing the “miracles”—and you see things that they do —or believe —or teach— that does not match what the Bible teaches—then you will know they are false.

If you can not learn about the person’s life and beliefs—and all you see is the “miracles”—-you will have to depend on the Holy Spirit showing you—speaking to your spirit—if it is true or not.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

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