Are We Living In The End Times? (Mark 13:1-13)

In Mark 13:1-13 Jesus talks about the end of the world. This passage has been studied and interpreted for generations, and it helps us to answer the question: are we living in the end times?

1. Are we living in the end times?

• Failed Doomsday Predictions:
  • Jonestown (1978): The People’s Temple, led by Jim Jones, was a religious cult that ended in a mass murder-suicide event in Jonestown, Guyana, where over 900 people died. While it may not have been a specific prediction of the end of the world, it was a tragic event associated with a cult leader’s belief system.
  • “88 Reasons Why the Rapture Will Be in 1988” by Edgar C. Whisenant, a former NASA engineer. Used a combination of biblical numerology, calculations, and interpretations of Scripture to arrive at the conclusion that the Rapture would take place on September 11, 1988.
  • Heaven’s Gate (1997): The Heaven’s Gate cult, led by Marshall Applewhite, believed that a spaceship was following the comet Hale-Bopp, and they thought they needed to commit mass suicide to reach a higher plane of existence before the Earth was “recycled.” In March 1997, 39 members of the cult took their own lives.
  • Harold Camping (2011): Harold Camping, a Christian radio broadcaster and founder of Family Radio, predicted that the Rapture and the end of the world would occur on May 21, 2011. When this prediction did not come to pass, Camping revised the date to October 21, 2011, which also proved incorrect.
  • Y2K (2000): Leading up to the year 2000, there was significant concern about the “Y2K bug.” Some believed that computer systems would malfunction and potentially lead to global chaos and the end of the world when the year rolled over from 1999 to 2000. In the end, the Y2K bug did not cause the catastrophic events that some had predicted.
  • Mayan Calendar (2012): The Mayan Long Count calendar was said to end on December 21, 2012, leading to speculations that this date marked the end of the world. However, the Mayan civilization did not predict the end of the world on this date, and December 21, 2012, came and went without apocalyptic events.

Not One Stone

Jesus predicts the destruction of the temple – which had become the focal point of faith. Surprisingly he’s not sad about it, because he knows that the temple was always meant to be temporary. 

Mark 13:1-2 (NLT) As Jesus was leaving the Temple that day, one of his disciples said, “Teacher, look at these magnificent buildings! Look at the impressive stones in the walls.” Jesus replied, “Yes, look at these great buildings. But they will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another!”

• This is a big claim. The temple is a huge part of their community and culture. So, not only is the claim of the temple being torn down a big claim, but Jesus specifically states the degree of the damage too.
  • ii) Expositors Bible Commentary: All the buildings on the temple platform, including the temple itself to which the prophecy refers, were utterly destroyed. So completely were they destroyed that no trace of them remains today. Even their exact location on the temple mount is disputed.
  • iii) The siege lasted nearly 5 months, and consisted of fires so hot that glass was melted. The Romans were worked into such a frenzy to destroy the Jews, and retrieve valuable temple artifacts that they pulverized any remnants of the structures. To this day, archaeological evidence shows incredible destruction from this event, to the point that it is difficult to discern where the buildings had been.
• Euphemism pointing to Jesus, Himself.  Ephesians 2:19-22 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.
  • i) The temple had, inadvertently, become the focus, rather than Jesus. Jesus’ response doesn’t focus on the temple, but looks beyond the temple to Himself. It’s another reminder that pomp and circumstance, as we’ve seen throughout this study, is not what is important to God, but rather, our relationship with Him.
  • ii) Here, Jesus seems indifferent to the coming destruction of the physical building, meanwhile; In Luke 19:41-42, Jesus weeps over the people of Jerusalem failing to see Him for who/what He was.
    • Luke 19:41-44 (NLT) 41 But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep. 42 “How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes. 43 Before long your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you from every side. 44 They will crush you into the ground, and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you did not recognize it when God visited you.”
    • Ephesians 2:19-21 (NLT) So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord.

Signs of the Times

People have always sought answers to the timing of doomsday, but Jesus warns us to be on guard for false prophets and bad teaching. World chaos is to be expected; our job is to preach the gospel. Mark 13:3-8

Mark 13:3-6 (NLT) Later, Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives across the valley from the Temple. Peter, James, John, and Andrew came to him privately and asked him, “Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will show us that these things are about to be fulfilled?” Jesus replied, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many.

• People have always sought answers to timing (Expositors Commentary: Thus they wanted a sign, some sure way by which they might know that the destruction of the temple was about to occur and that the end of the age was approaching. But Jesus refused to give them eschatological signs. Throughout his discourse he was more concerned to prepare them by exhortation and warning for the trials that lay ahead than to give them dates and signs.) 
  • i) Matthew 24:36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.
  • ii) Believers should watch for signs, not for the sake of timing, but so as to remain effectively good stewards of His Church.
• Be on guard for False prophets/Bad teaching
  • i) Jesus warns 3 times in Ch 13 to be wary (V 9, 23 & 33) of misleading/bad info.
  • ii) It is clear that Jesus was adamant about the need for believers to be alert to false teaching. Mark 13:6 Many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He!’ and will mislead many. “Many” suggests the Church will be under attack theologically, often. 

Mark 13:7-8 (NLT) And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in many parts of the world, as well as famines. But this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.

• World Chaos is to be expected; not cause for alarm (This is Jesus’ mandate to his disciples and through them to his church). 
• This is not something that the Church should worry and fear over. Believers should see these things as proof of Jesus’ promise of eventual return.

Persecution

Jesus promises that believers will be persecuted in Jesus’ name. In spite of this, our job is to preach the gospel to all the nations. Mark 13:9-12

Mark 13:9-10 (NLT) “When these things begin to happen, watch out! You will be handed over to the local councils and beaten in the synagogues. You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell them about me. For the Good News must first be preached to all nations.”

Mark 13:11-12 (NLT) “But when you are arrested and stand trial, don’t worry in advance about what to say. Just say what God tells you at that time, for it is not you who will be speaking, but the Holy Spirit. “A brother will betray his brother to death, a father will betray his own child, and children will rebel against their parents and cause them to be killed.”

• Believers will be persecuted in Jesus’ name. Persecution of the Church is an element of the age. 
• (Pillar New Testament Commentary (16 Vols.) — PNTC) Here too the persecution of believers (v. 9) provides the context for the proclamation of the gospel to all nations (v. 10). Once again, the sufferings and persecutions of believers are not signs of the end, but signs that attend authentic preaching of the gospel!

1. B) Power of the Holy Spirit 11 When they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but it is the Holy Spirit.
2. i) Persecution is a blessed opportunity for witness
3. C) Betrayal/Persecution  Mark 13:12 Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and [h]have them put to death. 13 You will be hated by all because of My name
4. D) Falling away   Mark 13: 12b but the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.

Matthew 24:12-13 Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. Gr: Hypomeno: to stay behind; to stand firm, endure, persevere

Close

We might be living the end times, and we might not. Either way, true believers will endure to the end. 

Mark 13:13 (NLT) And everyone will hate you because you are my followers. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

• Jesus seems to be saying here, “Instead of looking for signs of the end, get busy and spread the `good news’ ! All nations must hear before the End comes.