They Will See the Son of Man Coming (Mark 13:1–27)

 

They Will See the Son of Man Coming (Mark 13:1–27)

Where is this world heading? It is heading toward the end times — toward the last day. This is also the path that each person's life walks. From the moment a person is born, they move toward death. Why must there be an end? The end is like the pain of childbirth. It is the process of bringing forth new life. And because it is the day on which good and evil are distinguished as clearly as bright daylight, God's judgment must certainly come.

In Mark 13:1–27, Jesus taught his disciples about the signs that would occur at the end of the age. In the end times, false prophets will arise and deceive, wars and famines will break out frequently, and nation will clash against nation, language against language. These signs are the beginning of the end — the beginning of birth pains. After the gospel of God's salvation has been proclaimed to all nations, then the end will come. The purpose is not judgment but to lead people to salvation.

Jesus Foretells the Destruction of the Temple (Matt. 24:1–2; Luke 21:5–6)

1 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; every one will be thrown down." (Mark 13:1–2)

The Jerusalem temple of that time was a massive construction project by Herod that had taken a staggering eighty years. The disciples were astonished at the grandeur and majesty of the temple and the stones used in it, much like tourists would be. They had seen the temple before, so why were they so astonished and moved at this particular moment? This can probably be connected to the fact that their expectation that Jesus would soon establish an earthly messianic kingdom had reached its peak.

Yet Jesus said that not one stone of this temple would be left on another — every one would be thrown down. And in fact, the final section of Herod's temple was completed between AD 62 and 64, and just a few years later, in AD 70, it was completely destroyed by the Roman general Titus. Contrary to the disciples' expectations, God's just judgment was drawing near for Israel. God is a God of love and at the same time a God of judgment. Yet God gives advance warning that judgment is coming — as he did in the days of Noah's flood.

Signs of the End of the Age (Matt. 24:3–14; Luke 21:7–19)

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?" (Mark 13:3–4)

The disciples took the destruction of the temple as a cosmic end-of-the-age event. After the destruction of Solomon's temple, Israel had been in Babylonian captivity for seventy years. So Jesus' words could not but come as a great shock. They asked when these things would happen and what the sign would be. In response, Jesus explained both the imminent destruction of the temple and the end of the age that was yet to come. However, Jesus answered concerning the signs of the end times but did not speak about the exact time (Matt. 24:36).

Watch Out That No One Deceives You — This Is the Beginning of Birth Pains

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 rumors 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." (Mark 13:5–8)

Above all else, a prominent sign of the end times is that deception will be widespread. That is why Jesus commanded us to watch out so that no one deceives us. In the end times, many will come in the name of Christ and deceive many people. There have been countless examples of false Christs appearing and leading many people astray down the path of destruction. The spirit of deception has been present from the very beginning. The cunning and crafty Satan the devil deceived the woman and brought her down, and Adam then fell as well.

The reason many come in the name of Christ is fundamentally that people are desperately longing for a messiah to come. But the problem is that because people crave the wrong kind of messiah, they fall prey to deception. Some people crave success, some crave wealth, others crave power, and many crave recognition and praise. No human being can fundamentally save, help, or change another. Yet many come in the name of Christ and, like wolves in sheep's clothing, deceive people by appearing to satisfy their deep longings and bring them down.

There will also be wars and rumors of wars and violent conflicts between nations and kingdoms, along with natural disasters of earthquakes and famines. The earth on which we live has wars everywhere, with murder and violence being carried out in every place, and heat waves, earthquakes, and famines recurring every year. Yet Jesus said this is not yet the end, but rather the beginning of birth pains (ἀρχὴ ὠδίνων).

Right now we are at the beginning of birth pains, where wars, famines, and earthquakes are falling on us in part. The characteristic of birth pains is that once they begin, there is no going back — the process of pain must be endured all the way through. In the end times, disasters, wars, earthquakes, and famines will occur on a cosmic and sweeping scale, and no one will be able to stop them. But when the pain of labor is over, a breathtaking moment of new life being brought forth is at hand. Therefore, the end must certainly come, and after it the glorious and powerful kingdom of heaven arrives.

Because this generation is sexually immoral and corrupt, it cannot escape the just judgment of God. God's judgment is to illuminate everything as clearly as bright daylight, exposing all evil and darkness before all of creation. Those who hold the power of darkness will no longer be able to hide in the darkness but will be exposed for what they truly are and will face the wrath of God's judgment (Isa. 14:15–17).

But it is also the day on which the righteous who have believed in God, trusted in him, and obeyed him to the point of death will receive the crown of life (Rev. 2:10). God will vindicate every injustice and repay each person according to what they have done. That is why the end must certainly come upon us like the pain of childbirth. God extends the grace of salvation to those who stand firm to the end (Mark 13:9; Matt. 24:13).

The Gospel Must First Be Preached to All Nations

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 you will say. Just say whatever is given you to say at that 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." (Mark 13:9–13)

Persecution will also come. The disciples will be examined before councils, flogged in synagogues, and brought before kings — and the disciples faced exactly this kind of persecution after Jesus had ascended to heaven. Paul stood before the proconsul in Cyprus, and when he was arrested and imprisoned in Jerusalem, he proclaimed the gospel before the Roman governors Felix and Festus and King Agrippa (Acts 13:7; Acts 24–25). This was to serve as a testimony of the gospel of Christ to them.

Jesus said that before the end comes, the gospel must first be preached to all nations. It has been nearly two thousand years since the gospel of Jesus Christ was proclaimed on this earth, counted from his death, resurrection, and ascension. During that time, the gospel has been proclaimed to places we cannot even imagine — in communist countries, Muslim nations, and even the depths of the Amazon jungle. The gospel of Christ's salvation has spread to every corner. This means that the day of God — the day when Christ will return — is drawing that much closer.

"Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth — to every nation, tribe, language and people. He said in a loud voice, 'Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.'" (Rev. 14:6–7)

How is the gospel proclaimed to all nations? Of course, the gospel is testified through Bible teachers and missionaries. But fundamentally, the proclamation of the gospel is something God does himself. In the midst of persecution, God's Holy Spirit personally teaches us what we should say. God called Moses and sent him to the stubborn Pharaoh to command him to let his people go out of Egypt. And to Moses, who was afraid, he said: "Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say" (Exod. 4:10–12).

There will also be hatred from family members and from all people. Jesus warned his disciples in advance that they would be hated by the world on his account (John 15:18). This is because we do not belong to this world but belong to God the Father. Therefore, we must endure with patience, just as our Lord Jesus Christ endured the cross (Heb. 12:2).

The Greatest Distress (Matt. 24:15–28; Luke 21:20–24)

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 unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now — and never to be equaled 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 ahead of time." (Mark 13:14–23)

The abomination that causes desolation will stand in the temple — the place where it does not belong. This prophecy of Daniel had already been fulfilled by Antiochus Epiphanes IV (Dan. 11:31). He halted the sacrificial offerings in the Jerusalem temple and placed a pig's head in the temple in their stead in 167 BC. He removed the altar from the temple and set up an altar for the worship of Zeus in its place. Jesus said that this would happen again in the end times. There is currently no temple in Jerusalem, but this implies that one will be rebuilt in the end times (Dan. 7:25).

When this abomination is seen to have taken place, Jesus said to flee to the mountains. This is because God's wrathful judgment is that close at hand. He also said to pray that this will not happen in winter, and that he will cut short those days. This great tribulation will be unlike anything that has come before it and unlike anything that will come after it. At that time, false prophets will gain power and deceive people by saying that Christ is here or there. This world is truly overflowing with knowledge. And to that same degree, false Christs are seizing every opportunity to deceive people from every direction.

They Will See the Son of Man Coming (Matt. 24:29–31; Luke 21:25–28)

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." (Mark 13:24–27)

After the seven-year great tribulation has passed, a great cosmic upheaval will occur in which the powers of the heavens are shaken (Heb. 12:26–27; Matt. 24:29). After this, people will see with their own eyes the Son of God, Jesus Christ, coming from heaven on the clouds with great power and glory (1 Thess. 4:16–17; Rev. 1:7). When Jesus ascended into heaven, the angels said to the disciples who were gazing intently up into the sky that Jesus would come back in the same way they had seen him go into heaven (Acts 1:11).

Jesus, coming as the Judge of all things, will send his angels to gather his chosen ones from the four winds. And as he promised, he will place the crown of life on their heads. They will inherit the kingdom of heaven in all its glory, honor, power, and authority. But those who do not believe will be gathered together and judged with eternal fire and sulfur.

Amen!

September 6, 2026

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Scripture quotes are from the NIV.