Darkness Precedes The Second Coming
Mark 13:24-37
Now read with me: Mark 15:33-34, 37 “Now when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?’ Which is translated “My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?’ And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last.”
This reading gets right to it. “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars of heaven will fail, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.” Verses 24-26
Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” John 8:12
Darkness at the last hour of Our Lord’s life and Darkness shall be at His return.
This reading comes on the heels of the last half of the tribulation. It is a message of hope and a very good word as we enter the season of Advent in the church. The HOPE is in knowing that suffering and enduring the tribulation will cease and quickly, when Our Lord comes in the clouds with great power and glory.
The parable of the fig tree is a picture of that hope. Jesus when you see the tender green shoots begin to put forth leaves, you know that summer is getting close. The generation (nation of peoples) will see the signs of unnatural disasters, unexplained darkness, and famines. Pretty bleak vision of what those signs will be isn’t it? But the fig tree parable is a sign that these things will pass away, and the Son of Man will arrive in splendor to gather His faithful.
All my life, I have heard talk of the end times and the signs that the end times were and are on our doorstep. Some very respected theologians, ministers and evangelists have even gone so far as to try and predict a time or at least a time frame for what is known as the END TIMES.
I have to wonder how that aligns with the following:
“But of the day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is.”
Beloved, we are not supposed to know or even try and know when that time will arrive. For one thing, if it was possible (and it is NOT POSSIBLE) to know, wouldn’t a great many people plan their conversions, dedication, baptism, to occur just before that day and hour?
What a risky thought! No one knows! “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.” 1 Corinthians 15:52 - That’s pretty quick, I’d say. Too quick to stop and begin praying and getting things right with God.
The angels in heaven don’t know. Jesus Himself does not know! Only God the Father knows the day and hour.
We don’t need to know. We don’t need to worry about when. When is not our concern, being ready is our concern. We are to be ready; we are to be watchful; we are to be looking to help others see that truth. Oh, He is coming and I want to be ready; how about you?
Until He makes that glorious entry, we are to be living for Him, worshipping Him, serving Him and staying alert and watchful so that when He does come, we are right there waiting for Him expectantly.
Maybe tonight, maybe tomorrow and maybe not for hundreds of years. It doesn’t matter when. It matters whether we are ready for Him.
Let us pray.
