Mark 13: 24 – 32
Jesus said to his disciples. “Watch out. I’ve given you fair warning.
“Following those hard times, Sun will fade out, moon cloud over, Stars fall out of the sky, cosmic powers tremble.
“And then they’ll see the Son of Man enter in grand style, his Arrival filling the sky – no one will miss it! He’ll dispatch the angels; they will pull in the chosen from the four winds, from pole to pole.
“Take a lesson from the fig tree. From the moment you notice its buds form, the merest hint of green, you know summer’s just around the corner. And so it is with you. When you see all these things, you know he is at the door. Don’t take this lightly. I’m not just saying this for some future generation, but for this one, too – these things will happen. Sky and earth will wear out; my words won’t wear out.
“But the exact day and hour? No one knows that, not even heaven’s angels, not even the Son. Only the Father.”
Gospel Reflection
We find in this passage a definite description of the Second Coming of the Son of Man. It is going to be preceded by huge catastrophe events in nature (vv. 24-25). Then Jesus is going to come in the clouds in great power and great glory (v. 26). He will send His angels to gather his people from all over the earth, to set up the Millennial Kingdom (vv. 27-29).
The interpretation of the phrase “this generation shall not pass, til all these things be done,” has caused much comment over the years (vv. 30-32). It would seem that the word “generation” means Jewish race. The Jewish nation will not pass away until all of these things are fulfilled. This certainly takes on added meaning as we remember Hitler’s determination to destroy all Jews. Jesus also states that He does not even know the day or the hour when He will come again. We are like men who know that their master will come, but do not know when. We just need to live so that it does not matter when He comes, but will be ready to meet Him face to face. No one can predict by Scripture or by science the exact day of His return. Jesus is teaching that preparation, not calculation is needed.
In Jesus’ day the world seemed concrete, dependable and permanent. Presently, many people fear the destruction of the earth by a nuclear war. Jesus tells us, however, that even if the earth passes away the truth of His words will never be changed or abolished. God and His Word provide the only stability in our unstable world. How foolish it is for us to spend all our time learning about this temporary world and accumulating its possessions, while neglecting the Bible and its eternal truths!
Months of planning go into a wedding, the birth of a child, the purchase of a home or a career change. Do I place the same importance on preparing for Christ’s return which is the most important event that may happen in my life time? It’s results will not just be for a life time but for all eternity.