The Signs Of The Times Part 4

The Signs of the Times Pt. 4

Mark 13:24-37

It is ironic we are studying Mark 13 where Jesus taught about End Times as we hear about all of the things happening in Israel.

We did not plan to teach on End Times because of the things in the Middle East, in fact, we had already begun Mark 13 when the war started in Israel as we have been teaching in this Gospel.

Sandra and I were praying and spoke about how this world belongs to the Lord and we are simply blessed to be a part of it.

Sandra said something along the lines of, “Just imagine someone coming into our home and making a complete mess and disaster of our home and then simply leaving it that way”.

How would anyone feel about someone messing up their home, having a complete lack of respect for their property?

Please open your Bible to Mark 13 as we continue in that study.

Last time we were in Mark, we learned about the Abomination of Desolation from the Book of Daniel, and some things that will occur at the midpoint of the Tribulation.

The Abomination of Desolation is when the Anti-Christ stands in the Holy of holies in the rebuilt temple and places a statue of himself there and demands to be worshiped as God.

Then we learned that the warnings in the Olivet Discourse in Mark 13, were specifically addressed to a Jewish audience.

When the Jewish people rejected Christ, they were temporarily cut off from the blessings of a relationship with God and as a result, the Gospel was given to the Gentiles.

At the right time, God will restore Israel and a remnant of Jews who come to faith in Him, ending the Times of the Gentiles.

We learned how Satan will attempt to deceive people with false messiahs, finally offering the Antichrist as the Messiah.

Those who truly know God are the elect and because they know His Word, they will be prepared to refute all those deceptions.

The Great Tribulation is God’s wrath poured out on a Christ-rejecting world, but the Great Tribulation is also meant to correct and restore His chosen people, Israel.

Today is our final lesson in our mini-series on the End Times and some commentators believe the first portion of this passage happens as a result of what mankind has done to planet earth.

In this section of Mark 13, Jesus will teach about His physical second coming as He warns not to guess the time of His return.

As Review read Mark 13:21-23

I. Coming in the clouds.

Read Mark 13:24-27

The Preterits people say these events symbolically occurred in 70 A.D., but notice Jesus gives us a timeline as He said in those days, after the tribulation, these things will happen.

This is obviously different than the Rapture where the saints, both living and dead will be changed, raised from the grave, and caught up to meet the Lord in the air.

We know this is not the rapture, because the whole earth sees the physical return of Christ. At the rapture, the Church will be caught up in the clouds to meet Jesus and only believers see it.

Several prophetic passages in Isaiah, Joel, Ezekiel, and others describe the cosmic disturbances that will precede and surround the glorious return of Jesus.

We are not told what causes these events but, they are so awesome that nobody will miss the physical coming of our great and awesome King Jesus!

Henry Ironside said, “His second advent is to follow at once upon the close of that time of trouble, so that it is evident that this day of trial is yet in the future.

When it comes to its complete fulfillment, there will be remarkable manifestations among the heavenly bodies, and the Son of Man will be seen “coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”

Many commentators believe the events in Mark 13 are the same vision given to John, about the 6th Seal Judgment, in Revelation.

Revelation 6:12, I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood.

Revelation 6:13 And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind.

Revelation 6:14 Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place.

Revelation 6:15 And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains,