THE GREAT TRIBULATION
TEXT: Mark 13:14-23
Mark 13:14-23 (KJV) 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: [15] 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: [16] And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment. [17] But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! [18] And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter. [19] 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. [20] 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. [21] And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not: [22] For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. [23] But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things.
I. INTRODUCTION—CURRENT EVENTS
REMOVED DUE TO THE PERSONAL NATURE OF THE INTRODUCTION.
II. A BRIEF REVIEW OF THE PREVIOUS VERSES
-Before I go to this passage, I would like to briefly cultivate some ground, we went through a few months ago. Mark 13:1-13 can be called “What Shall Be the Sign?”
• Mark 13:1-4—The Destruction of the Temple
• Mark 13:5-6—The Deception of Many
• Mark 13:7-8—The Devastation of the World
• Mark 13:9-13a—The Distress the Persecuted
• Mark 13:13b—The Deliverance of Believers
-This is just a simple way to look at this passage so it will lodge in your mind. . . Destruction. . . Deception. . . Devastation. . . Distress. . . Deliverance. . .
III. THE GREAT TRIBULATION—MARK 13:14-23
-Some points about this passage of Scripture:
• This is a portion of a sermon the Lord gave to His disciples called the Olivet Discourse.
• There are similar accounts in Matthew and Luke.
• Matthew and Mark concentrate more on end-time events.
• Luke focuses more on the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD but with other prophetic implications.
-The portion of Scripture we have read deals with the Great Tribulation. In fact, all of this is dealt with in Revelation 6-16 in much greater detail. During the Great Tribulation, the entire world will have the full measure of the wrath of God poured out on it.
• Evil without restraint because the Spirit of God has been removed—2 Thess. 2:7
• Demonic activity will increase dramatically—Rev. 9:1-11
• 144,000 Jewish evangelists will be preaching—Rev. 7
• Two powerful witnesses will be on display to the whole world—Rev. 11
-This passage that we have in Mark 13:14-23 is actually the last half of the time called the Tribulation. The whole will be seven years in length but the Anti-Christ will set up his rule in Jerusalem in the middle of this.
-Again, I am borrowing Dr. John MacArthur’s outline from his commentary on Mark 9-16.
A. Mark 13:14a—The Perversion of the Anti-christ
Mark 13:14a (KJV) 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,) . . .
-What fuels the whole matter of is the presence of deception. That must be the matter of every one of our prayers. “Lord, don’t let me be deceived!” The menacing thing about deception is that it feels like what is right.
-Our prayer ought to be. . . Lord, help me to live my life in such a way that I am not deceived. Give me the ability to see! Help me to take Scripture into my heart in such a way so that I do not fall to the thousands of voices and influences that are vying for my attention.
-Deception has always been one of the devils most useful tricks. He has the ability to get man to believe his lies and take them for the truth.
Matt Emmons was one shot away from claiming victory in the 2004 Olympics. He was competing in the 50-meter three-position rifle event. He didn’t even need a bull’s-eye to win. His final shot merely needed to be on target. Normally, the shot he made would have received a score of 8.1, more than enough for a gold medal. But in what was described as “an extremely rare mistake in elite competition,” Emmons fired at the wrong target. Standing in lane two, he fired at the target in lane three. His score for a good shot at the wrong was zero. Instead of a medal, Emmons ended up in eighth place. That is what happens when you get confused about the targets. (Adapted from Not a Fan, Kyle Idleman, p. 69.)
-What we do know that the whole world will embrace this figure as a world-leader who has the answers for all of the global problems that we are facing. But it is all fueled by deception.
-Paul gives a description of him in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-10 and John records his actions in Revelation 13.
Revelation 13:4-9 (KJV) And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? [5] And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. [6] And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. [7] And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. [8] And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. [9] If any man have an ear, let him hear.
-Jesus told the disciples that all of this would be called the “abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel” (Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11).
-The word “abomination” in itself is one that gives a very negative connotation. It is foul, detestable, immoral, blasphemous, and abhorrent to God. The Bible is filled with descriptions of what this abomination is:
• Lev. 18:22-29; 1 Kings 14:24—Homosexuality and Bestiality
• Deut. 22:5—Blurring of gender distinction by the wearing of apparel. Women not to wear men’s clothing and vice versa. God does not bless transgender.
• 1 Kings 11:5-8—Idolatry and child sacrifice on altars.
• 2 Kings 16:3—Child sacrifice
• Prov. 11:1—False balances (or dishonesty in business gains)
• Prov. 12:22—A mouth that tells lies
• Prov. 15:8-9—The sacrifices of the wicked conveys the meaning of false or hypocritical worship
• Prov. 20:23—Divers weights and false balances again pointing to false business profits
• Jer. 16:18—General defilement of the nation with sinful practices
-Abomination is also associated with idolatry and pagan worship practices of the people—Deut. 7:25; 27:15; 32:16; Isa. 44:19; Ezek. 5:11; 7:20; 18:12.
-Abomination in the book of Revelation describes the wickedness of Babylon in Revelation 17:4-5.
-There was a king of the Seleucid Empire from 175-165 BC named Antiochus Epiphanes. During this period of time he also ruled Israel. He committed great abominations during that time by offering a pig on the altar in the Temple. He also put up an idol of Zeus in the building. He was responsible for killing many Jews and selling another large group into slavery. He was guilty of the abomination of desolation.
-This man was already dead when Jesus spoke the words of Mark 13. So Jesus was warning that there would be another who would come into the place of the Temple that would be the restored one in the final days.
-One of the whole goals behind the spirit of anti-Christ (1 John 4:1-3) is working to desecrate the Temple. It wants to come into any place of worship that has the truth and defile it. This is an on-going battle with this foul spirit because it would do its best to desecrate every truth-preaching and truth-loving and sound-doctrinal place it can find.
-The person that Jesus was speaking of would literally stand in a place where he should not be. The Bible speaks very clearly to the actions of this man.
• He will setup a throne in the rebuilt Temple of Solomon.
• He will pretend to be a peacemaker then will turn against Israel.
• He will pour out his vengeance on the Jews for 3 ½ years (Rev. 11:2; 12:1).
• He will make war with believers (Rev. 13:7).
• He will blaspheme God (2 Thess. 2:4; Rev. 13:15).
• He will deceive with miracles, signs, and wonders (2 Thess. 2:9-10).
• He will use deception to work with the so-called evidence of healings and so-forth so many will follow him (Rev. 13:11-15; 2 Thess. 2:9-10).
• He will not have the desire of women, which means he may be a homosexual (Dan. 11:37).
-This man will literally be so filled with deception and evil that the great majority will be taken to their destruction because they have followed him.
-Here is where the matter becomes even darker. The Anti-Christ will empower a false prophet who will perform miracles thru the power of Satan to deceive the world (Rev. 13:11-15; 2 Thess. 2:9-10).
-But there is another matter that we have to address here. . . The phrase “let him that readeth understand.” Jesus was having great foresight here because He was stating clearly that this was not going to take place to those who were listening to Him but to those who would read the Scriptures later after the apostles were dead.
-Take this all to heart because this will take place and those who are alive will watch it unfold in this manner.
B. Mark 13:4b-18—The Panic of the People
Mark 13:14b-18 (KJV) . . . then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains: [15] 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: [16] And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment. [17] But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! [18] And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter.
-The Lord then tells them that they will have to flee to the mountains—their only hope. Those in Jerusalem and Judea are those who will be attacked first.
-FLEE! The word there is phuego which has the same connotation that someone would flee from a snake or from some matter of harm. You do it suddenly without any preparation or any thinking whatsoever.
-But just because these people flee we discover that many will not be successful in their fearful flight. Zechariah had already prophesied about this event:
Zechariah 13:8-9 (KJV) And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. [9] And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.
-Only about one third will be able to escape this horrific event. The fury of the Anti-Christ will be far worse than the Holocaust where around 6 million Jews died.
-They will attempt to flee but many will not make it:
• The housetop—Those involved in the normal home-life.
• The field—Those who are working on a job.
• The pregnant—Those who are about to bring new life into the world.
-All of these were just descriptions that the Lord used in an effort to get the urgency of His message across to them which is served more for us than it was for His disciples.
-Have you ever heard a preacher plead with you to flee?! Flee from this City of Destruction as Bunyan would say. . . Flee from the hold this world attempts to place on you! See through spiritual eyes! Hear with spiritual ears!
-Our generation needs pleading preachers, pleading pray-ers, and pleading saints more than it ever has! Flee. . . Don’t go to the house. . . Don’t attempt to take anything. . . Get out of the field and get on the road. . . Pray that their flight will be not complicated by bad weather!
C. Mark 13:19-23—The Protection of God
Mark 13:19-23 (KJV) 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. [20] 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. [21] And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not: [22] For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. [23] But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things.
-At no point in history, even that of the flood, has there been such devastation like what will take place during that day. The judgments that will take place are given in Revelation 6-16 that will be in the last 3 ½ years that the Anti-Christ will be reigning in Jerusalem:
• A great earthquake will devastate the earth—6:12-17
• Hail and fire consume a 1/3 of the earth’s vegetation—8:6-7
• A 1/3 of the ocean will be turned to blood—8:8-9
• A 1/3 of the freshwater will be poisoned—8:10-11
• A 1/3 of the sun, moon, and stars will be darkened—8:12
• Countless demons will be released from the abyss to terrorize mankind—9:1-12
• A 1/3 of the earth’s population will be killed—9:13-21
• Another great earthquake will kill seven thousand people—11:13
• Incurable sores will cause people great pain—16:2
• The entire sea will turn to blood and sea life will die—16:3
• The rivers will turn to blood—16:4
• The earth will experience extreme heat—16:8-9
• Great darkness will engulf the world—16:10-11
• The Euphrates River will dry up—16:12
• A final global earthquake will cause massive changes to the earth’s appearance—16:17-21
-The world has never seen such cataclysmic events that will take place like these!
-The Lord said that unless He had stopped them that there would be no survivors whatsoever.
-But there is that common theme that runs all through Scripture and now it comes from our Lord. . . Take heed. . . Don’t be deceived!
-Perhaps one of the most arresting things about this entire passage is how the Lord continues to push the thought that we are not to be deceived. He will shorten the affliction so that the elect will not be deceived.
-There is a small measure of encouragement to be taken from this passage. . . For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.
-If it were possible. . . That tells us that despite the onslaught that may come from the outside there is a sealing work of the Spirit and the Word that will help all saints to remain true to their calling.
IV. CONCLUSION—PUT YOUR FAITH AND CONFIDENCE IN THE LORD
-When we hear matters like these there is a tendency to be fearful about the future. You will be but only if you are confined to looking at things from an earthly standpoint.
-We have to believe that there is a reward for those who are faithful to the end.
2 Timothy 4:7-8 (KJV) I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: [8] Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
Philip Harrelson
November 10, 2015
