5 And Jesus began to say to them, “See that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name, saying, I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains.
24 “But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them. And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations…… “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. – I’ve underlined some words which you may choose to deliberate upon!
Comment: Please don’t ask me to prove it, but many believe that the following two verses refer to the author of this book – ‘Mk 14: 51 – 52 And a young man followed him, with nothing but a linen cloth about his body. And they seized him, but he left the linen cloth and ran away naked.’ We meet Mark in the book of Acts. Initially, in Paul’s opinion, he was keen but not determined to run the race to the end! He came back on track and in the end was a real helper and friend to Paul, a true servant of Christ. He was believed to be a relative of Peter, who was a pretty tempestuous guy, and who is thought to be a source of much of Mark’s writings in the gospel! After all Peter was one of the first disciples of Jesus. Mark seems to be so keen to get the message of the gospel out that he starts his writing without a reference to the life of Jesus before Jesus was on the roads, across Judea, teaching and healing! So why do I bother to mention his gospel in the lead up to Christmas? Christmas in the church calendar has a four week lead in. It is a time for thought and worship considering BOTH the Incarnation in Bethlehem and the return of Jesus when this old sinful world is wound up as Jesus returns! The return of Jesus Biblically ends up with it being absolutely beautiful for those whose names are written in the Book of Life. However, anything but beautiful, for those who have said ‘no way’ to God! Read the answer when rebellious people spoke longingly to the Prophet Amos about ‘the end times’ (Amos 5: 18) – He answered. “Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD! – Why would you have the day of the LORD? It is darkness, and not light, as if a man fled from a lion, and a bear met him, or went into the house and leaned his hand against the wall, and a serpent bit him.‘
In Mark’s gospel talking about time after He departed, Jesus talks about two periods of time without clearly separating these times. When you think prayerfully and consider what happened in the time near to Jesus’ Resurrection and Ascension and what is to happen at the end of time, when as promised by the Bible frequently, that is Jesus returns, you can separate the two periods. I have tried, after the general introduction of the subject by Jesus, to concentrate on the second coming of Jesus. This is a very short reading of which the Bible has much to say. Remember as you think about Jesus’ return, which at Christmas we are supposed to ponder, there are many aspects to it of persecution, judgement, destruction, but ultimately sin-free living where God has His rightful place and as those entering into God’s Presence they know and experience what we now long for!
Rev 21: 4 -“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there will be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There will be no more pain, for the former things have passed away”.
Prayer: Help me to understand more clearly and hope more fervently for these promised days, even though the entering way is not without difficult times. Please keep me faithful to the end!
As I read it! 