Seeing the Future

Scripture Passage: Mark 13

If you could know the future about any person in your life, would you want to know? Perhaps your first thought is, "Yes!" But then when you find out the big events that are in store for that person, both good and bad, you may have second thoughts.

It would be good to know something about the future to help guide you in the present. At the same time, too much information about the future might be unhealthy. You could decide you do not want to face the future and just "check-out" of life.

Well, someone once said, "The future ain't what it used to be." The grammar may not be correct but the idea certainly has merit. The future is determined somewhat by the choices we make today.

Is the future simply fate -- history written in advance -- or is it the random unfolding of events created by our choices? Or is it something else?

Jesus made a bold statement about the future and His disciples were understandably curious:

¹As he was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, "Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!" ²"Do you see all these great buildings?" replied Jesus. "Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down." (Mark 13:1-2, NIV)

This was a huge prophecy by Jesus. It was unthinkable in the first century that the colossal Temple of Herod would be totally destroyed.

Imagine it was telling someone in Hiroshima, Japan, on August 5th, 1945 that the city would be vaporized the next day. The citizens there numbered around 340,000 at the time. Probably no one would have believed you. But on August 6th, the United States dropped the first nuclear weapon ever used in wartime and the city was in fact obliterated.

So the disciples were amazed that Jesus predicted the massive temple would ever be destroyed. Yet in 70 A.D. the Temple was indeed destroyed by the incoming Roman army. No stone was left unturned as a testimony to the utter power of Caesar's army. Only the western wall was left to show the depth of their destruction.

Jesus went on to unfold events in the future - not the complete picture but major highlights. We will examine these events and our response to the revelation of the future given by the LORD Jesus. Note there are two other passages in the Bible where this teaching is found: Matthew 24 and Luke 21.

Main Point:

As the LORD Jesus unfolds the future events leading to His return to Earth, we must be on our guard and be alert to the deceptions and treachery all believers will face.

Outline:

Compelling questions about the future.
Catastrophic answers about the future.
Critical advice for the present.

1. Compelling questions about the future.

3As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, 4"Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?" (Mark 13:3-4, NIV)

Here are the million dollar questions:

When is this going to happen?
Will there be any signs to let us know?

Would you have been in this inner group asking Jesus to tell you more about the future? I believe I would.

Why would Jesus share any details about the future to His disciples?

The 3 1/2 years that Jesus spent with His disciples was a time of preparation.
The disciples would carry Jesus' message to the world after He was gone.
They needed this to prepare for their future ministry.

I want to understand the future - at least enough to chart a good course. If I am driving to work, I need to chart a good course to get to my office. There may be areas of traffic congestion so I chart a course around those areas if possible. Similarly, a good sailor navigates the seas by charting a course based on major shipping lanes, known islands or obstacles along the way, and previously identified rough waters. The actual journey will deviate from the charted course in small and, sometimes, large ways. But you have to have course plotted ahead of time and it is very helpful to have some idea of what to expect.

So Jesus gave His disciples the highlights of future events. He provides some sequence as well as insight into is ahead. And let's face it - this instruction is even more relevant for us today than it was for the disciples 2,000 years ago.

So what is going to happen?

2. Catastrophic answers about the future.

⁵Jesus said to them: "Watch out that no one deceives you. ⁶Many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am he,' and will deceive many. ⁷When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. ⁸Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains. (Mark 13:5-8, NIV)

There are many potholes in the road near my house. A pothole is a place where the road is cracked and a section of the road is just missing. It is very hard on your automobile tires to hit a pothole. So it is best to avoid them if you can.

I have learned the hard way where there are major potholes in the road ahead. At certain points I swing wide to the right and at other times wide to the left. Sometimes you have to swerve left and right to avoid multiple holes in the road. Since I know where these potholes are, I can avoid them - assuming I stay alert.

Jesus provides a warning here about some upcoming "potholes" in the future - not potholes in the road but life events that could be even more dangerous:

Birth Pains

Many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am he,' and will deceive many (v6).
When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come (v7).
Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom (v8).
There will be earthquakes in various places (v8).
and famines (v8).

Jesus describes these events as birth pains - the rather unpleasant pain that precedes the birth of a child, a rather happy event. These are not the "signs" of the end of the age but things that lead up to that time. Birth pains are progressive - they get worse and worse until the final climactic moment.

In the Big Picture chart of biblical history, the birth pains are characteristic of the church age - the time from Jesus' ascension until the beginning of the Tribulation period.

These things have been happening since the first century. Many have thought it was the end of the age when the first and second world wars were being fought. Many have pointed out increasing frequency and intensity of earthquakes in the last 100 years. Certainly famine has been a horrific problem in many parts of the planet.

This is not very rosy picture of the future. But Jesus assures us, "Such things must happen, but the end is still to come" (Mark 13:7, NIV).

Persecution

⁹"You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. ¹⁰And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. ¹¹Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit. ¹²"Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. ¹³All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. (Mark 13:9-13, NIV)

There will be a time of great persecution of believers. Many will be arrested, tortured, and tried for the crime of professing faith in the LORD Jesus. Families will be torn apart by the faith of some and the lack of faith by others. Believers will be hated because of the LORD Jesus we serve.

Why would the LORD Jesus allow believers to endure such tragedy?

In verse 9, "On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them."
Many of the greatest tragedies we endure as believers are our greatest opportunities to witness to the world of the wisdom, power, faithfulness, and love of our great God and Savior.

Have you ever experienced family turmoil that was related to your faith?

There have been times in the past where I took a stand based on biblical teaching that resulted in my being ostracized and abandoned by members of my extended family.

What was the outcome of this trial?

It was extremely painful ... but necessary. It lasted much longer than we thought it should. But the LORD used this as a witness to His truth and grace. The relationships were ultimately renewed.

This time of persecution Jesus reveals will be during what is called the Tribulation Period. It is a time predicted in the Old Testament as "Jacob's trouble" (Jeremiah 30:7, NKJV) and in the New Testament as the "tribulation" (Matthew 24:9, NKJV) or the "Great Tribulation" (Matthew 24:21; Revelation 7:14, NIV). In fact, Revelation 6-18 covers the tribulation period in great detail.

In the Big Picture chart of biblical history, the persecution Jesus spoke of covers the period of the seven-year Tribulation.

Note that during this ominous seven-year period, the gospel will be proclaimed to all nations by many believers: "And the gospel must first be preached to all nations" (Mark 13:10, NIV). Just to be sure, the Bible predicts that God will even send an angel to proclaim the gospel all over the world:

⁶Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people— ⁷saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.” (Revelation 14:6-7, NIV)

This seven-year period of tribulation will begin with an era of great peace. A world leader will emerge to unite all nations under his rule. But this peace comes at a great cost - people will eventually be required to worship him. This will occur halfway through the tribulation period when this ruler, the antichrist, will defile the temple by establishing himself as the object of worship.

Desecration

14"When you see 'the abomination that causes desolation' standing where it does not belong—let the reader understand—then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 15Let no one on the roof of his house go down or enter the house to take anything out. 16Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak. 17How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 18Pray that this will not take place in winter, 19because those will be days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now—and never to be equaled again. 20If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them. 21At that time if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'Look, there he is!' do not believe it. 22For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and miracles to deceive the elect—if that were possible. 23So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time.

So during the latter half of the tribulation (see the Big Picture chart of biblical history), literally all hell breaks loose on Earth. The judgments of God on a largely unbelieving world are horrific. Note what Jesus says:

¹⁹because those will be days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now—and never to be equaled again. ²⁰If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. (Mark 13:19-20, NIV)

Many have argued that this horrible time Jesus predicted has already occurred. They try to explain that this prophecy of Jesus all took place in the first century up through 70 A.D. when the temple was destroyed. This, however, is contradictory to Jesus' warning about how terrible this time will be. It will be without equal in history - when you consider the world-wide flood of Noah's time and the tragic wars that have been fought all over the world - there is no reasonable way to conclude that what Jesus predicted all transpired in the first century.

2nd Coming of Christ

24"But in those days, following that distress,
" 'the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light;
25the stars will fall from the sky,
and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.'

26"At that time men will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.

The most hoped for event in the heart of every believer is the return of the LORD Jesus. In the midst of this prediction of terrible times, there is the glorious hope of His return.

What are the imminent signs that Jesus is returning?

Sun and the moon will be darkened (v24)
Stars in the sky will fall away (v25)
There will be great turbulence everywhere (v25)
There will be clouds (v26)

Do you know people who are always afraid the sky is falling whenever the least little thing happens? One day, they will be right!

I remember Nelson Price, former pastor of Roswell Street Baptist Church, used to say, "I love a cloudy day ... because it means this could be the day that Jesus returns." Now I have a pretty good hunch that these clouds are going to be unlike any clouds we have ever seen before. They will indicate a breach between time and eternity, heaven and earth. It will be unlike anything anyone has ever seen.

At that time men will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. (Mark 13:26, NIV)

And in this parallel passage:

At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. (Matthew 24:30, NIV)

Note that everyone will see this glorious event but not everyone will see it with joy. Believers will rejoice and shout; unbelievers will cry and moan. Believers will see the return of the LORD Jesus as their redemption. Unbelievers will see the return as the time of their judgment. But everyone will see.

The Jehovah's Witnesses teach that the 2nd coming of Jesus happened in 1914 when He set up an invisible, heavenly kingdom to rule the Earth.¹ Of course, they first predicted it would occur in 1874. When that didn't happen, they changed their predictions to 1914. When that didn't happen, the prediction morphed into an "invisible return." This is an example of the false christ and false teachings that Jesus warned about in Mark 13. God's truth is true yesterday, today, and tomorrow. It does not change. And we can be confident that this teaching of the Jehovah's Witnesses in incorrect because it directly contradicts the clear teaching of Scripture - everyone will see the return of the LORD Jesus.

Will you see it as a joyous event or a mournful one? Right now, you can commit your life to the LORD Jesus and be among those who rejoice even at the thought of His return. Click here to learn about the good news of God's GRACE.

3. Critical advice for the present.

³²"No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. ³³Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. ³⁵"Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. ³⁶If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. ³⁷What I say to you, I say to everyone: 'Watch!' " (Mark 13:35-37, NIV)

If we are experiencing birth pains at this time in history and there are other events to transpire before the actual 2nd coming of Christ, then for what are we to watch?

A. False christs and false teachings about Christ (v5)

We need to be diligent learners so we can know God's truth so well that we can smell any false teaching a mile away.

B. Troublesome times (v7)

Remember during tragedy and troublesome times, the sky is not falling (yet). The LORD Jesus is still LORD of all.

C. Opportunities to witness (v9)

When you are tested, your faith has the greatest opportunity to shine. Remember to buckle up God's truth (Ephesians 6:14) and rest assured in His presence (Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 13:5).

D. Wavering and apathy (v13)

I daresay this is the current path of many believers today. The world has a powerful, appealing message to our human nature (1 John 2:15-17). Jesus said, "he who stands firm to the end will be saved" (Mark 13:13, NIV). Do not allow yourself and others to question the reality of your faith - walk in truth (John 3:21; 3 John 1:4) and love (Ephesians 5:1-2) as Jesus walked (1 John 2:6).

E. Miracle workers with a different gospel (v23)

Again, be good students of God's word so that you can keep your spirit attuned to false teachers. In particular, we need to examine the claims of so-called "miracle workers" to see if what they proclaim about the LORD Jesus and His gospel is true.

F. Signs of the times as they relate to Jesus' predictions regarding the future (v28-29)

Some people see prophecy fulfilled with every news story that comes along. The lesson of the fig tree is that because we see the big picture of the future we can understand how today's events fit in with Jesus' predictions. We can remain calm, firm, and faithful no matter what is happening.

G. The return of the LORD Jesus (v33)

We may not know the date but we can know the joy. The return of the LORD Jesus gives us great hope and encouragement (1 Thessalonians 4:18).

Conclusion

As the LORD Jesus unfolds the future events leading to His return to Earth, we must be on our guard and be alert to the deceptions and treachery all believers will face. At the same time, knowing the future and how it ends gives every believer great confidence in living today and great hope for that future.

End Notes

1. Retrieved 2/13/2010 from http://www.watchtower.org/e/lmn/article_10.htm.