Missions Paul

End times – Jesus comes and we are gathered

Mark 13:26 “At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. ²⁷ And 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 Anti-Christ comes with destruction, fear abounds and it looks hopeless. But he ends not with a bang but a whimper for he is eclipsed by the Son of Man.

Edgar Whisenant wrote ’88 reasons for 1988’ predicting the date of the rapture in that year to be between September 11 and 13th. Amazingly 4.5 million copies were sold! He stated, ‘Only if the Bible is in error am I wrong. ‘ Hmm!

Throughout history angels and men have asked ‘how long?’ and ‘when will you come?’ But there is no answer. What we are told is He will come and He will gather.

Days of distress and death is not the end.

Job 19: 25-26 “I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. ²⁶ And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God”

Job knew there was more than the suffering he was going through.

Jesus says there is more than the days of distress.

There is more than just existing on this earth for a set amount of years.

We are made for something else, somewhere else, for someone else.

He is coming on the clouds and will gather us to be with Him.

When and how? Who cares that much when you are just relieved and excited He is coming!

The last words of the Bible “I am coming soon!” this is all we need to know!

 

 

End times – only for a time

Mark 13: 20 ‘If 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”

Jesus prophesied days of distress that will have been unequalled up to then. In Matthew and Luke we have other details of this prophecy of Jesus which clearly speaks of AD 70 but as with all Biblical prophecy it has more than one event in mind. This is also about what is to come at the end. It is how Daniel prophesies also when firstly it is believed he is speaking of Antiochus Epiphanes but also of the Anti-Christ at the end times. Whether the final Anti-Christ is alive now or still to be born it is true that in every generation the spirit of that Anti-Christ has been alive and toppling the previous generations ‘figure’ in the abhorrent treatment of God’s people.

Jesus clearly demonstrates that the days become very difficult, that there is panic and mayhem. He advises not to return for your belongings but to get away as fast as you can. It will be terrible especially for those with small children or those expecting, the vulnerable and weak will struggle more.

Of course, there are so many experiencing this today. We may sit in the comfort of our homes reading this blog and at the same time there are people literally doing their best to survive. Evil crouches at their door. They wonder if this is actually the end times as it couldn’t get much worse. Where is their comfort? What is their hope? It is this verse.

To those who have been manipulated by a deception that has entrapped you. To those whose stronghold is under severe attack, mind, body and soul. To those in the centre of an all-out war. Let me tell you something that will help you hold on. As Daniel’s prophecy comes to an end, the last 2 chapters of his prophecy are taken up with an incurring theme which is akin to this verse today.

On 12 occasions in the last 2 chapters references are used to the timing of God. “Only for a time” and “the appointed time” are a common developing theme. Today, ‘the Lord cuts short the days.’

God sets the limits and establishes the times when evil will be brought to an end and good will triumph.

Just as Biblical prophecy has more than one event in mind then also the intervention of the Lord that Jesus speaks of happens more than once.

At the end times the Lord will step in and cut short the days of Satan’s attack. Evil will not be able to fulfil its aim, he will be curtailed, the days will be shortened, whether that be literally or preventing his plan to come into completion. For God is in charge of the clock.

So, I can proclaim over everyone who is struggling and reading this blog:

‘Only so far, only so much, only for a time.’

‘The Lord will step in and cut short this time’

End times – The Father knows

Mark 13: 14-23

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. ¹⁵ Let no one on the housetop go down or enter the house to take anything out. ¹⁶ Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. ¹⁷ How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! ¹⁸ Pray that this will not take place in winter, ¹⁹ because those will be days of distress unequalled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now – and never to be equalled again. ²⁰ ‘If 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.²¹ At that time if anyone says to you, “Look, here is the Messiah!” or, “Look, there he is!” do not believe it. ²² For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. ²³ So be on your guard; I have told you everything in advance. ²⁴ ‘But in those days, following that distress, ‘“the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; ²⁵ the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.” ²⁶ ‘At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. ²⁷ And 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. ²⁸ ‘Now learn this lesson from the fig-tree: as soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. ²⁹ Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, right at the door. ³⁰ Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. ³¹ Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. ³² ‘But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. ³³ Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. ³⁴ It’s like a man going away: he leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. 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 cock crows, or at dawn. ³⁶ If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. ³⁷ What I say to you, I say to everyone: “Watch!”’

 

Over the next few days I will just stay on this passage and see what we can draw from it.

 

In 168 BC Antiochus Epiphanes slaughtered a pig on the altar and offered it to Zeus in the Temple in Jerusalem, it became known as the abomination of desolation.

But in AD 70 Titus and the Roman Army moved in and fulfilled this prophecy of Jesus. They reduced the Temple to rubble and took the holy artefacts back to Rome. During this abomination of desolation over 1 million Jews died. However the Jewish Christians heeded Jesus warning and when the Romans were approaching fled the city.

In Matthew and Luke we have other details of this prophecy of Jesus which clearly speaks of AD 70 but as with all Biblical prophecy it has more than one event in mind. So our thoughts are on his Second Coming also, Jesus describing himself as coming on the clouds.

There is an abomination to come, for many, they are currently experiencing it. The spirit of the Anti-Christ is in the world increasing in every generation its abhorrent acts against God’s people.

Many write their interpretation of the end times using this and other passages. It is a minefield of understanding. Do we have a detailed plan of what will happen and what to look for? No. The variants are many. But this is what we know from this passage …

The Father knows

Only the Father knows when but the point is He knows also what.

Today there are estimates of 20 Christian martyrs per hour. How do they go through this? Surely by knowing that the Father knows.

Is there someone reading this who is going through the trauma of their worst day? Your Father knew it was coming and He knows what you’re going through.

God doesn’t always give us what we want.

But He is certainly the God who determines what is best. He has perfect timing, who appoints everything. He permits, assigns, chooses, selects, prescribes and establishes. Everything works according to His will and purposes which are perfect.

It takes faith and discipleship to be able to say this abomination is known by my Father.

We all love this verse in Romans 8:28: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

But it only applies if we submit to verse 35 also: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?”

The end times show us that they are days of great difficulty and we never know when these days will begin for us but the Father knows.

 

What happens when it all gets too much?

Mark 13: 13 “Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.”

The Message “Stay with it—that’s what is required. Stay with it to the end. You won’t be sorry; you’ll be saved.”

The Amplified “You will be hated by everyone because of [your association with] My name, but the one who [patiently perseveres empowered by the Holy Spirit and] endures to the end, he will be saved.”

Sunday 22^nd January 2017 I stood with a married couple with 2 small children for a photograph. This was their farewell from the church as they were being sent as church planters to an area where there was absolutely no Christian witness. It was for me a most poignant moment for I knew the struggle that they would face. I was in the region of the world where the Church is continually persecuted. Christians carried injuries to their bodies because they were Christ followers. I was told of how their houses got burnt down, their children set upon and their entire family despised as worthless. I asked the question, “What happens when it all gets too much?” The answer that came shocked me.

There is a message from some of the persecuted church that teaches everyone in the Christian world today.

You may enter your day struggling to get through it. You face internal pressures from external circumstances that are causing you to wonder if you will ever be free. Physical problems, loneliness, financial instability, loss of work and broken relationships are making you feel like you are swimming against the tide. Let the persecuted Christians help you today. They have found something that is priceless. If we do what they do then we will be saved in our circumstance.

The answer?

“We stay.”

 

 

It’s nearly over.

Mark 13: 5 – 13

⁵ Jesus said to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you. ⁶ Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many. ⁷ When you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. ⁸ Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains. 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. ¹⁰ And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. ¹¹ Whenever 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. ¹³ Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.”

Alongside the gospels of Matthew and Luke, this passage has Jesus answering a few questions:

1. When will this happen?—the Jerusalem temple being torn down, stone by stone.
2. What will be the sign of Jesus’ coming?
3. What will be the sign of the end of the world?

 

Jesus’ answers are in all 3 gospels combined but for Mark he concentrates on these last 2 questions.

False Messiahs –in my own nation of UK there are approximately 500 – 1,000 cults today.

Wars and rumours of wars –Today there are a total of 68 countries involved in wars and 804 militias-guerrillas and terrorist-separatist-anarchic groups are involved.

Earthquakes – In 2017 there were 39 earthquakes in the world.

Famines – According to the 2018 Global Report on Food Crises an estimated 124 million people in 51 countries are currently facing a food crisis.

Persecution – According to an Open Doors report in 2017 there are 215 million Christians experiencing high, very high or extreme persecution at that time.

Gospel to all nations – Understanding nations to mean people groups there are 16,591 groups in the world today. There are now 2,792 unevangelised people groups (meaning greater than 5% Evangelical Christian) which equates to 11% of the world population.

Family breakdown – Research from the Centre for Social Justice says that there were 500,000 people aged 75 plus who spent Christmas Day in 2017 on their own where two fifths of them had families living in the UK. One in ten people aged 16-25 have spent at least one month sleeping on someone’s sofa because of the breakdown of relationships. Almost half of 15 year olds do not live with both parents.

The checklist is done.

Surely it’s nearly over!

He’s nearly here!

The Wailing Wall

Mark 13: 1-4 “As Jesus 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; everyone will be thrown down.’ ³ As 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?”

If you have ever visited the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem then you catch a glimpse of the reaction of the disciple in verse 1. In AD 70 Titus and the Roman army totally destroyed the temple and yet this 150 foot long wall was preserved under all the debris. Jews from all over the world go there 24 hours a day to ‘wail’ for the lost glory of the temple and for the peace of Jerusalem and the nations of the world. When I was there I saw many posting their own personal prayers into the crevices of the wall. The wailing is the constant noise of people praying.

The Wailing Wall tells me:

Life is filled with magnificence but it doesn’t last forever so enjoy and appreciate every moment, every relationship and even every conversation. Slow your life down, go to a vantage point and breathe in the magnificence.

Nothing is ever totally destroyed. Wailing walls can be found in photographs, letters and personal belongings. These can become holy relics which keep us connected to God.

The remnant can be used to spur us on to believe again that there is a future hope to hold on to.

The beauty of today can be the wailing wall of tomorrow. The wailing wall of today can be the hope for tomorrow. Where is your wailing wall?

 

 

 

What is left trumps how much is given.

Mark 12: 41-44 “Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. ⁴² But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few pence. ⁴³ Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. ⁴⁴ They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything – all she had to live on.’

 

Jesus moved from exposing the flamboyant megalomaniac teachers of the law to a poor widow. What a contrast!

“They like to walk around in flowing robes, greeted with respect, have the best seats, the places of honour, devouring widow’s houses, praying long prayers to impress. They will come to nothing.”

But here comes the widow …

• Everyone knew she was a widow as she would be wearing her mourning clothes all her life as was the custom.
• Everyone knew she would be struggling. Her self-esteem now at an all-time low, her status even lower. Look how Lamentations 1:1 uses the widow status to speak of the plight of God’s people, “How deserted lies the city, once so full of people! How like a widow is she, who once was great among the nations! She who was queen among the provinces has now become a slave.”
• She would not be permitted to wear any jewellery whatsoever. Her life was now darkened by anything bright, loud or lovely.

 

There were those who liked to demonstratively throw in their offering. But when you only have 2 coins you don’t throw, you put them in, trying not to make a sound, lest people see.

There were those who after giving still had their wealth. But the widow had nothing left.

We need to stop seeing what everyone sees, to stop seeing the red carpet treatment, the loud displays and headlines of how good, great and awesome we are, we need to focus on what is not seen. Wisdom gives us that insight. We must not miss the widow’s offering, she teaches us far more than anyone.

It isn’t what people see but what they don’t see that matters. We can miss the truly most important and valuable if we look at only what is before us.

What is left reveals what has just really happened.

There was nothing left for the widow. She went away with nothing and went home to nothing. What she had given far outweighed what the others had given. She gave her all.

The lesson is this: If you are giving everything do it quietly. If you are giving only a part then that is okay but don’t draw attention to yourself as if it is something amazing.

 

Rules of social etiquette – by Jesus.

Mark 12: 38-40 “As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, ³⁹ and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honour at banquets. ⁴⁰ They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”

They like to walk around in flowing robes.

Jesus said stop trying to be noticed.

They like to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces.

Jesus said stop trying to be someone.

They like to have the most important seats in the synagogues

Jesus said stop trying to be important.

They like to have the places of honour at banquets.

Jesus said stop trying to be popular.

They devour widows’ houses

Jesus said stop trying to deceive and defraud.

They like to make a show with lengthy prayers.

Jesus said stop trying to impress.

 

There are no rewards for such attempts. What rewards they get will be taken from them. In the end they will only have regret.

Who is Jesus?

Mark 12: 35-37

“While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he asked, “Why do the teachers of the law say that the Messiah is the son of David? ³⁶ David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, declared: “‘The Lord said to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.”’ ³⁷ David himself calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?” The large crowd listened to him with delight.”

Within the question lies the answer.

Jesus is revealing that he is more than human. He is not just the son of David which everyone knew as his genealogy but that He is Lord, He is Divine. No father calls his son ‘Lord’ so why did David do this?

Apostle Peter knew as he quotes this same text in Psalm 110 in Acts 2:34.

Peter shows how David was prophesying of the coming of Christ. Let me write it like this: David writes, “God said to my Christ, “Sit at my right hand …”

God said to David’s Lord (Jesus).

David was prophesying of the Christ to come. He knew He would be Divine.

Jesus asks the question and the answer lies within that question. He knew who he was and chose the last few days before his crucifixion to reveal it.

Peter knew.

Acknowledge again today the Lordship of Christ.

The position of Christ indicates His authority and His power.
The Bible refers to the right hand as a place of refuge and protection. A place where blessing is declared. A place of intercession. Where authority over all powers is established.
And where is Jesus? At the right hand. Therefore, Jesus is God.

Because Jesus is at God’s right hand then there is nothing you are facing today that He cannot help you through.
Call upon God’s right hand today to move in your life.

Love gets you into the kingdom of God.

Mark 12: 32-34 “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. ³³ To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” ³⁴ When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.”

This teacher of the law had heard Jesus give a good answer to a trick-question regarding the resurrection. He comes with his own question but this isn’t to try to trap Jesus. It is an interesting one because the answer is obvious for a Jew, it is the Shema and everyone knew this. But the man was hoping for something more. Jesus gave it to him by adding a second commandment. Then elevates the 2 commandments to the highest command an individual can do.

What does this mean?

• The vertical relationship is expressed in the horizontal relationship. You cannot separate your worship of God and how you relate to others.
• Nothing is greater than the commands to love. All the other great things we can do in life are secondary.
• Exclusivity is pride that needs to be broken. Whether a person desires to be apart from God or apart from others believing that they can do it ‘my way’ they are intrinsically wrong.
• Whatever you long for, long for it for your neighbour. Whatever you seek then also give. If it is food then long to make sure no one goes hungry. If it is a house then have a heart for the homeless. The list goes on.
• Let love for yourself be first transformed and fulfilled in the One who gives life abundantly and who satisfies the heart, soul and mind. Then from this place love others with the same love that transformed your self-love.

 

The teacher of the law agreed and said that all of this was more important than the sacrificial worship within the Temple. It was wisdom according to Jesus and he wasn’t far from the kingdom. But he was still outside. He wasn’t far because the One person who could bring him into the kingdom is the One who he is speaking to and who he needs to follow. We don’t know what happens to this man. Does he realise that all the law and prophets hang on these 2 commandments? Does he realise that Jesus came to fulfil the law? Does he come to know there is only one way to the Father through Jesus? If he came to know that and was transformed by the power of God’s love immersing into his self-love then he would be loving others with that same love and he would not be far anymore, he would be in the kingdom of God!