Latest / Bible Study with Pr. Daniel Batarseh | Verse by Verse Series | Maranatha Bible Church - Chicago / A Closer Look at The Day of Christ's Return | Mark 13:24-27 | Pastor Daniel Batarseh (Gospel of Mark Bible Study Series)

Transcript

A Closer Look at The Day of Christ's Return | Mark 13:24-27 | Pastor Daniel Batarseh (Gospel of Mark Bible Study Series) · Bible Study with Pr. Daniel Batarseh | Verse by Verse Series | Maranatha Bible Church - Chicago

0:01
What a joy to be with you today. Well, if you were with us last
0:05
week, you know that we took our time together to investigate and
0:10
confirm the major signs and events that will precede and
0:16
prepare for the triumphant return of the Lord Jesus Christ.
0:23
And we examine five of those signs, the fifth one being the
0:27
most descriptive and unique among them all, and Jesus Christ
0:32
himself. And identifying that significant
0:36
indicator called it the abomination of desolation in
0:41
verse 14 of Mark chapter 13. And I invite you to turn with me
0:45
to Mark 13 as we prepare to continue in this glorious
0:49
discourse of Christ concerning. The things to come.
0:55
We determined together by surveying the entirety of the
0:59
Scriptures, especially the book of Daniel, that the abomination
1:03
of desolation, it didn't originate with Christ, but the
1:07
prophet Daniel spoke of this. And in Speaking of this, we have
1:12
concluded that he was describing a powerful political figure who
1:18
is to come and one day he will invade the Temple in Jerusalem
1:24
and will perform a blasphemous and abhorrent act within that.
1:30
Place. And Paul tells us exactly what
1:34
that abomination that will cause the temple, the holy place, to
1:38
be desecrated or desolate. He says in Second Thessalonians
1:42
chapter 2, verse four, that the man of lawlessness will take his
1:46
seat in the temple of God and he will proclaim himself to be God.
1:54
And that is a significant thing to do.
1:57
And it is a sign that is directly connected to our
2:00
understanding of when a generation should lift up its
2:04
head and realize, at least for the believers, that their
2:07
redemption is near. Now there are some who believe.
2:12
That the abomination of desolation was already fulfilled
2:16
in one of two ways in history past.
2:19
One common claim and belief is that there was a Greek king by
2:24
the name of Antiochus Epiphanes. Epiphanes is a self ascribed
2:30
title which means God manifest and Antiochus was a Greek king
2:37
who ruled over Syria between 175 and 164 BC.
2:43
Now in his attempt to solidify his rule he sought to oppress
2:49
the Jewish people and not just Hellenize it, but to erase
2:54
Jewish culture and faith altogether.
2:58
And of course, the Jews of that time resisted such decrees.
3:03
And this only stirred the king to do something that is really
3:08
unthinkable, unthinkable for the Jewish people, and really
3:11
unthinkable from an objective viewpoint.
3:14
And Teakiss invades Jerusalem. He surrounds the Temple, he
3:18
enters into the holy place, he removes the artifacts and the
3:21
treasures of the Temple of God, and he sets up an altar
3:27
dedicated to false gods and sacrifices the flesh of pigs
3:32
upon it. Such an act triggered what is
3:37
known in history as the Maccabean Revolt, and you can
3:40
find that in the apocryphal books, specifically 1st and 2nd
3:44
Maccabees. Josephus the historian writes
3:48
about it as well. But the Maccabean revolt really
3:52
was a group of Jewish people who in great faith and zeal, wanting
3:56
to defend the honor of their God, overturned and take kiss
4:01
and even defeated the Syrian Greek oppression that they were
4:04
enduring to the degree that they were able to re enter into the
4:08
temple, cleanse it once again and separate it unto the glory
4:13
of God as it once was. Jews today celebrate what took
4:19
place then. It is the festival known as
4:22
Hanukkah. And so many people believe that
4:25
what Daniel predicted throughout his book, especially the latter
4:29
part, was ultimately fulfilled and realized in that period of
4:33
history. Now the other viewpoint is what
4:36
you and I looked at and considered briefly last week,
4:40
that although this group may acknowledge that what happened
4:43
then was an abomination, it could not have fulfilled what
4:46
Daniel predicted because of what Jesus said in his discourse.
4:49
In Mark 13, Matthew 24, Jesus said that there would be this
4:54
abomination of desolation, but it would occur in this
4:58
generation. And this camp would say that
5:01
this generation speaks of the generation that was living at
5:03
the time of Christ. And so it's really the timing
5:06
factor. It couldn't have happened in the
5:07
past because Christ says it is to happen apparently in his
5:11
time. And so they see what happened in
5:14
70 AD when the Romans surrounded the Temple and General Titus
5:18
invaded and destroyed it as the fulfillment of what Daniel said
5:23
concerning the abomination of desolation.
5:25
What do you and I do with these monumental moments in history
5:29
that are clearly connected to biblical prophecy?
5:32
Here's where we concluded last week, and I want to reaffirm
5:35
this today, that although those things do in fact reflect upon
5:40
biblical prophecy and prediction, they are but partial
5:44
fulfillments. They are foreshadowings and
5:47
previews of something greater to come.
5:50
And the reason why we believe that is because what the Bible
5:53
testifies specifically about the abomination of desolation and
5:58
what it will cause has not yet been realized.
6:02
And so you and I remember that when we landed our time last
6:05
week, we explored how this man of lawlessness who would be the
6:09
reason why there would be an abomination of desolation To
6:12
begin with, His profile, according to Second
6:15
Thessalonians, does not fit past descriptions of others who have
6:20
desecrated the temple. Once Upon a time, he would be
6:24
one who would what? He would perform false signs and
6:26
wonders. That has not happened yet.
6:28
Additionally, Jesus Christ himself, according to the
6:32
writings of Paul, would personally defeat and destroy
6:35
this man of lawlessness who would enter into the temple of
6:38
God and proclaim himself to. Be God, that hasn't happened
6:41
yet. Additionally.
6:44
The abomination of desolation that Jesus describes, yes, has
6:49
been partially fulfilled in 70 AD, but the one that He is
6:52
speaking about would set into motion what you and I read here
6:56
in Mark 13. Look with me please, in verse
6:59
19. This is within the context of
7:03
speaking about the abomination of desolation.
7:05
Notice what the Lord says, for in those days pause what days,
7:09
the days of the abomination of desolation.
7:12
For in those days there will be such tribulation as has not been
7:17
from the beginning of the creation that God created until
7:21
now, and never will be. Matthew is more specific in
7:26
saying that what the abomination of desolation will do is trigger
7:30
the great tribulation. So some who object to this view
7:35
that you and I hold to at least what I am preaching is that
7:40
there can't be a future abomination of desolation
7:42
because there is no standing temple today.
7:47
And that is true. But we're again, you and I
7:51
hopefully agreed, is that in order for Jesus's prophecies and
7:54
the even the prophecies of the prophets and Paul himself, in
7:58
order for those things to be filled means that there has to
8:01
be a temple to come, that a temple must erect, it must
8:06
arrive at some point. And with the establishment of
8:10
the nation of Israel 1948, and a growing desire among some of the
8:14
Jews there who long to revive the rituals and the ceremonies
8:17
of the Mosaic covenant, the realization of a physical Jewish
8:23
temple is more possible now than ever than ever.
8:28
And we can't downplay what happened in recent history
8:32
concerning a people group that were virtually erased in some
8:38
sense. And restored itself and came to
8:41
the point where it's at today. It's miraculous.
8:46
Nothing short of it. And if you and I are troubled to
8:49
grasp this, then realize that the most apocalyptic book in the
8:53
library of the Bible tells us about a temple.
8:58
So turn with me briefly to Revelation 11.
9:01
Look at the 1st 2 verses with me.
9:03
Realize that Revelation speaks of things yet to happen,
9:10
especially after chapter 4 and in Revelation 11.
9:15
If you view the Book of Revelation as a chronological
9:19
record, then this this is something you have to deal with.
9:23
Look at what John describes in Revelation 11/1 and two, he sees
9:28
this vision that I was given a measuring rod like a staff, and
9:31
I was told rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and
9:36
those who worship there, but do not measure the court outside
9:41
the temple. Leave that out, for it is given
9:44
over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for
9:48
42 months. And then John goes on to
9:51
describe two witnesses who will prophecy and preach for a period
9:57
of time from Jerusalem. They will be slain.
10:00
The world is going to celebrate it.
10:02
Interestingly, we're also told in this chapter that every eye
10:06
in the world will behold their slain bodies in the streets.
10:09
How is John able to describe how every inhabitant of the earth
10:13
would see the same thing at the same time?
10:16
It's in your pocket, that's how. Then there will be this
10:22
miraculous resurrection. I'm saying all this to say that
10:24
hasn't happened yet. We haven't seen at any point
10:28
these two witnesses performing these signs and wonders, them
10:30
being slain, the world celebrating it and giving gifts
10:33
to one another because they were tortured by their preaching.
10:36
When does that happen? Unless, again, you do brutal
10:40
origami with the Bible to say that all of that is
10:42
spiritualized. And again, I present that to
10:45
you, say that within the context of those two witnesses and all
10:47
the things attached to them. You have a temple described in
10:50
the beginning. Some people mentioned to me last
10:55
week about the sermon man, that there was a lot of scripture in
10:58
that, and that was intentional. And there's going to be a lot of
11:02
scripture in this one too. You know why?
11:03
Because I don't want you to wrestle with any ideas that come
11:06
from here. If you're going to wrestle,
11:09
wrestle with the text that has been prayerfully and hopefully
11:14
you will recognize rightly divided and so the the this.
11:19
Is going to be not a common sermon because my intention
11:24
here, if you've been here week after week, you know that we
11:27
love to go to different places in the Bible and land there and
11:29
meditate on certain truths. But.
11:32
Last week and this week and perhaps in the next two weeks, I
11:35
want to just present to you Scripture after Scripture after
11:39
Scripture for what purpose? So that you can see that these
11:41
truths are harmonized in the Bible, that from beginning to
11:47
end they testified the same thing, and that there's evidence
11:51
for why we believe what we believe concerning the end
11:53
times. And so prepare yourself to turn
11:57
your Bible to different places because again, I want to bring
11:59
your attention to these passages and for you and I to have a
12:02
holistic grasp on these things. So with all of this being said,
12:07
is there anything else to add concerning our understanding of
12:10
the last days? And the obvious answer is
12:12
absolutely. We can go back in to Mark 13 and
12:17
look at these signs in greater detail.
12:20
We can pause between verses 14 and 19 of of Mark 13 and look at
12:26
Israel's role in the end times because Jesus himself directly
12:30
addresses the Jewish people and how they should respond to the
12:34
abomination of desolation and the tribulation period.
12:37
Or we can take our time to discuss that the tribulation,
12:40
Matthew calls it the great Tribulation.
12:42
What? What is that period of time the
12:45
world has known the world has known horrors before, but it's
12:49
Jesus described me something that the world is not yet known.
12:55
If the Lord wills, we will look at these different subjects in
12:58
greater detail on an individual basis.
13:00
But what I want to do today is honor the flow of thought that
13:04
Christ offers in his teaching. So Jesus is going to continue
13:09
where we left off and after giving us the signs that we must
13:13
see and anticipate before His return, after describing the
13:17
most descriptive sign being the abomination of desolation, where
13:21
does Jesus want us to go now? What does He want us to unpack?
13:25
And Christ now wants to turn our gaze upon the day, the actual
13:33
day when He returns. He told us about the occasions
13:39
and the signs leading up to that day, but in three verses now He
13:43
is going to. He is going to paint for us a
13:45
picture of what it's going to be when he physically returns to
13:50
the earth. That's our main text today.
13:53
So let's read together Mark 13 beginning in verse 24.
14:00
But in those days after that tribulation, the sun will be
14:06
darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars
14:10
will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will
14:14
be shaken. And then they will see the Son
14:16
of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.
14:20
And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from
14:23
the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.
14:30
If you are somebody who takes notes, then you'll be happy
14:33
today because I want to gather the thoughts here in these
14:37
verses under 4 headings that will hopefully organize what we
14:42
want to clarify concerning Jesus's teaching about His
14:45
return. The first thing that we're going
14:47
to consider is the period of His return, the period of His
14:52
return. The second thing will be the
14:55
platform of His return, the platform of His return.
14:59
The third thing will be the power of His return, the power
15:03
of His return. And lastly, we will consider the
15:06
procuring of His return, the procuring of His return.
15:10
And if you are again, if you are one who has difficulty
15:15
understanding this particular viewpoint of the end times or
15:20
just trying to understand it because it's fresh to you, then
15:23
be prepared to take notes of these references because they
15:25
will greatly help you. And having a familiarity of this
15:29
very important truth concerning our faith, Lord, we ask that you
15:33
help us now by Your grace, by Your Spirit, Give us the minds
15:37
and the hearts to be attentive. May the delivery of this word be
15:40
assisted by the power and wisdom of the Holy Spirit, and may the
15:43
Person of Jesus Christ be exalted even in this teaching.
15:46
We pray these things in His precious name, Amen.
15:51
The period of His return. You and I very shortly are going
15:56
to realize that Jesus says no man, no man nor Angel, not even
16:01
the Son of Man knows the day or the hour of His return.
16:04
If that text has troubled you, I suggest not missing the next two
16:07
weeks of church because we will explore that in greater detail.
16:11
How is it that Jesus, who is God, did not know the day or the
16:14
hour? But that doesn't mean that we do
16:17
not know the general period of. His return because he tells us
16:21
when it will happen again. Look here at verse 24.
16:24
But in those days after that tribulation.
16:30
So again, he says after that tribulation, we all agree that
16:35
in human history there have been many troubling times.
16:38
But what Christ defines here as a specific and unique period of
16:42
tribulation that will precede his return.
16:45
So Christ now offers us a block, a chronological block, that
16:50
after that tribulation, my return is closer than ever.
16:55
But what does he mean about that tribulation?
16:59
Well, again, if we look at the Bible holistically, if we look
17:01
at the entirety of Scripture, then there is a consensus that
17:04
this tribulation period in terms of its duration is 7 years,
17:10
seven years. And where you want to go on your
17:13
own time, because we don't have time to do it, is Daniel 924 to
17:17
27, where that's spelled out so clearly.
17:21
It's confirmed in the Book of Revelation, but its basis is
17:25
found in Daniel 924 to 27. And although we can't unpack in
17:30
detail about why we believe this period of tribulation is 7
17:33
years, what we can determine at this point is that it has a
17:37
purpose on the earth. There is a two fold purpose for
17:41
why this tribulation period will unleash in human history.
17:46
The first one is very obvious. It's for the Lord to exercise
17:50
judgment against the wicked with the aim of awakening them to
17:55
repentance before He returns. So there will be catastrophes
18:00
and devastations again, like Jesus said that the world has
18:03
never seen before. And yes, it is to bring judgment
18:07
against this world, but also to cause them to see their
18:11
wickedness and call upon God to be saved.
18:14
And what you find in Revelation that spells out that tribulation
18:17
period in greater detail is many, many people will refuse to
18:20
repent even after these catastrophes and all these
18:24
horrors. Some will even bite their
18:27
tongues in disgust against God and curse him and curse him,
18:31
still highlighting the depravity of humanity.
18:35
But there's a second purpose. It's not just for the world to
18:38
be shaken one more time, but it's for God to bring about and
18:44
finalize his discipline against the people of Israel.
18:48
It's for God to now focus specifically after the times of
18:52
the Gentiles are fulfilled upon this covenant people and to
18:56
bring them to a place in which they must acknowledge that Jesus
18:59
Christ is the Messiah and they will after that severe
19:03
chastisement during the tribulation period.
19:07
The basis for these understandings of what that
19:10
tribulation period is about, specifically about Israel is is
19:14
found throughout the Word of God.
19:15
And I want to show you a few places why this tribulation
19:19
period must take place. Turn with me to Daniel.
19:22
Look at Daniel chapter 12, beginning in verse one.
19:28
I want to show you just a few verses from the Hebrew
19:30
Scriptures that speak about this period of great difficulty for
19:33
the people of Israel. Daniel chapter 12, verse one and
19:36
two. At that time shall arise
19:42
Michael, the great Prince, who has charge over your people, and
19:47
there shall be a time of trouble.
19:49
Highlight that there shall be a time of trouble such as never
19:55
has been since there was a nation till that time.
19:59
Does that sound familiar? A time of trouble that the world
20:03
has not seen specifically for this people group.
20:06
When Jesus spoke about the abomination of desolation and
20:09
therein how it will trigger this great tribulation.
20:11
The context of speaking about the Judean people, the people of
20:14
Israel. And here you have hundreds of
20:16
years before Jesus is teaching where Daniel's being told that
20:20
there will be a time of great trouble like the nation has
20:22
never seen before. But it continues.
20:26
But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone
20:31
whose name shall be found written in the book.
20:34
Pause when Daniel is being instructed and informed about
20:38
this time. Notice that the context is for
20:41
your people. Who are his people.
20:43
Daniel was a Jew. This is about his people, the
20:46
Jewish people. So let's collect our evidence so
20:49
far. There's going to be a time for
20:51
the Jewish people of great trouble like the world has never
20:54
seen before. But that kind of trouble will
20:57
not 'cause their extinction. They will not be completely
21:01
annihilated because we're also promised that they shall be
21:04
delivered from it. There is going to be salvation
21:07
out of it. And to add to this, to add to
21:11
this being something about the days to come in the latter days,
21:14
look at verse two. Because there's a connection in
21:17
the context that is important. And many of those who sleep in
21:21
the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life
21:27
and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
21:30
You want an Old Testament verse that proves the resurrection?
21:33
That's one of them. But notice here that in this
21:37
teaching about the people of Israel undergoing a time of
21:40
trouble like they've never known, we have this discussion
21:44
about the resurrection. And we know that the
21:47
resurrection deals with when things are about to wrap up.
21:51
So this is this is strategic. This is beautiful.
21:54
And Jeremiah the prophet echoes Daniels.
21:57
Ingredients of what is to come for this people turn with me to
22:01
Jeremiah chapter 30. We're going to have a workout in
22:08
the Bible today. OK Jeremiah 30 beginning in
22:13
verse 4. Jeremiah the prophet says by the
22:27
Spirit, these are the words that the Lord spoke concerning Israel
22:32
and Judah. Thus says the Lord.
22:35
Verse five. We have heard a cry of panic, of
22:39
terror and no peace. Ask now and see, can a man bear
22:43
a child? Why then do I see every man with
22:46
his hands on his stomach like a woman and labor?
22:49
Alas, that day is so great there is none like it.
22:55
It is a time of distress for Jacob, yet he shall be saved out
23:01
of it. Do you see the concert of the
23:05
Bible? Do you see the Symphony of the
23:07
Scriptures? Does not sound so familiar to
23:10
Daniel's prediction that there will be a time so great this
23:15
day. There is none like it.
23:16
Verse seven. It is a time of distress for
23:20
Jacob. That's why many people
23:21
identified the tribulation period, that seven-year period,
23:24
as the tribulation or the time of Jacob's trouble, the time of
23:30
Jacob's trouble. And notice again the promise,
23:32
yet he shall be saved out of it. So again, you have Jeremiah and
23:36
Daniel agreeing that there is going to be this unparalleled
23:39
period of discipline and restoration in this future
23:44
moment. And what's so amazing about
23:46
Jeremiah's prophecies that he continues to speak about it?
23:49
And it only confirms what you and I believe that will happen
23:53
after the tribulation period. So if the seven-year period
23:56
deals with God judging the world but also disciplining Israel, we
24:00
know that's not where it ends. And it doesn't end here with
24:03
Jeremiah's prediction. So look here at verse 8 now.
24:08
And it shall come to pass in that day, declares the Lord of
24:12
hosts, that I will break his yoke from off your neck, and I
24:17
will burst your bonds. And foreigners shall no more
24:20
make a servant of him, but they shall serve the Lord their God,
24:26
and David their king, whom I will.
24:28
Raise up for them. You want answers in the Bible?
24:34
Ask the Bible questions. Here's my question.
24:38
It seems to be speaking in sequence.
24:40
That after this time of great trouble there will be
24:42
liberation, and part of that liberation is that foreigners
24:45
shall no more make a servant of him, Him being who?
24:48
Israel, Jacob. But following that, we also read
24:51
that the nation of Israel will. Serve the Lord their God and
24:55
check this out, David their king.
24:59
Why is it interesting that David is being mentioned here?
25:02
Because David was in the grave hundreds of years before this
25:05
prophecy. So why are we talking about
25:09
David being served in this future time after Jacob's
25:12
trouble, time of distress, and after that this treasures would
25:15
be liberation. They're going to serve their God
25:17
and David their king. This is not speaking about David
25:20
specifically, but about a son of David, one who will occupy the
25:24
throne of David, one who has been promised by the same Old
25:27
Testament prophets that will establish an everlasting
25:30
Kingdom. And so we read here that there
25:34
will be this revival of worship and honor towards a.
25:38
Promised king as well. And if there's any confusion
25:41
about this prophecy being about Christ returning after the
25:43
tribulation and establishing his rule on the earth, specifically
25:48
his throne in a literal, real, physical Jerusalem, keep reading
25:53
on. Look at verse 10.
25:56
Then fear not, O Jacob, my servant, declares the Lord, nor
26:00
be dismayed, O Israel, for behold, I will save you from far
26:05
away, and your offspring from the land of their captivity.
26:09
Jacob shall return and have quiet and ease, and none shall
26:15
make him afraid. Can I ask you a question?
26:18
Has there been any time in Israel's history where they were
26:21
quiet and at ease, and none shall make them afraid?
26:26
No, no. There have been periods of
26:31
grace, yes, especially in the Old Testament when they had
26:35
their own monarchy. But following that, especially
26:38
in recent history, this can't be true.
26:40
But notice verse 11. For I am with you to save you,
26:44
declares the Lord. I will make a full end of all
26:49
the nations among whom I scattered you.
26:51
But if you, I will not make a full end, I will discipline you
26:56
in just measure, and I will by no means leave you unpunished.
26:59
There's a time coming where the Lord is going to deal with all
27:02
the nations that harassed Israel, all the nations that
27:05
oppressed Israel, but the Lord assures them.
27:08
That doesn't mean that you're not going to be disciplined.
27:10
You will be punished, you will undergo chastisement and that
27:16
chastisement will climax during the seven-year tribulation where
27:20
they will know. Pain and distress unlike any
27:24
time, no matter what history has told us about this particular
27:27
people group. And so again, over and over, we
27:31
see here that the Scripture speaks about this time that has
27:34
not yet been realized. And once more, if we have
27:36
difficulty believing that this speaks about the end times, or
27:39
maybe it was fulfilled in times past, look at the final verse of
27:44
Jeremiah chapter 3024. The fierce anger of the Lord
27:52
will not turn back until He has executed and accomplished the
27:56
intentions of his mind. In the latter days, you will
28:01
understand this. The latter days is a consistent
28:05
phrase that speaks about the last days.
28:09
And here Jeremiah gives this prophecy and he signs off by
28:12
saying, if you're not going to get it now, you're going to get
28:15
it in the latter days. Is anybody going to be able to
28:19
thwart God's purposes for Israel?
28:21
No, he says. The fierce anger of the Lord
28:23
will not turn back until He's executed and accomplished it.
28:28
So all this to say that you and I want to establish here that
28:31
there is going to be as Jesus taught, as Daniel taught, as
28:36
revelation teaches, how the return of Christ will occur
28:40
after the seven-year tribulation period when the Lord will judge
28:45
the world and discipline Israel. And if you want to know more
28:49
about the the revelation concerning the Tribulation
28:52
period, God has given us an extensive record, specifically
28:57
Revelation chapter 6 to Revelation 19.
29:00
Those chapters give us with a wonderful insight series of
29:05
insights about what will take place.
29:06
During those seven years, but. We speak about here the period
29:11
of his return. This tribulation period must
29:12
take place. There's a lot of debate about
29:14
when that tribulation will happen, what will trigger that
29:17
tribulation period. But let's not overstuff
29:19
ourselves. Let's speak about the platform
29:23
of his return. Coming back to Mark 13, verse
29:25
24. But in those days after that
29:29
tribulation, something's going to happen.
29:34
The sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light,
29:38
and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in
29:42
the heavens will be shaken. What is Christ describing here?
29:47
He's describing a literal and final stage that will set up the
29:52
universe to introduce the commencement of the culmination
29:58
of human history. The point of this terrifying
30:03
chaotic cosmic scene is to illustrate different points.
30:08
One of the main points is this, that regardless of the moral and
30:13
literal darkness that will overcome the world, nothing will
30:18
stop the glorious return of Christ.
30:22
So during that tribulation period, it's you you thought I.
30:26
Don't know if I can say this world without it being flagged.
30:29
You thought the you know that pandemic thing that happened?
30:33
You thought that was bad. You you, you thought the world
30:39
being held hostage for 2-3 years was suffocating.
30:45
You have no idea what the tribulation period will be like.
30:50
People are going to wish to die and they won't be able to at one
30:54
particular point at least. It's going to be severe.
30:58
It's going to be detrimental in so many ways, and not only
31:03
because of the judgments, but because of the people's
31:06
immorality and their unbelief and their hatred towards God and
31:09
righteousness. Paul told us that it's only
31:12
going to get worse in terms of people's pride and their lust
31:14
and their love for money and their priority on pleasure
31:17
rather than prioritizing God. There are there are those out
31:21
there within Christendom who believe that the world is only
31:24
going to get better and better and better before Jesus returns.
31:26
I don't know how you can come to that conclusion with all the
31:29
prophecies. It's going to get worse.
31:32
It's going to get worse. And some are hesitant to believe
31:35
that because they think that it will only cause Christians to
31:37
bunker and hide and just hope for the return of Christ.
31:42
But no, I believe if anything, it stirs us.
31:44
It should stir us at least to save as many people from the
31:47
sinking ship. So Jesus here in saying that the
31:52
sun will be darkened. All these heavenly bodies,
31:55
they're they're going to be affected, they're going to be
31:57
shaken, is meant to present to us the universe preparing,
32:01
rolling out the red carpet, so to speak.
32:04
The spotlight now is going to come upon the center of this
32:07
whole story, Jesus Christ himself, and he doesn't need a
32:11
spotlight. His glory will be enough light.
32:14
But these celestial shakings also indicate to us that there's
32:19
a realignment coming in the very universe itself.
32:23
That that things are ready now to shift.
32:25
Things are ready now to change, so to speak.
32:29
And what's amazing here is that this end time imagery is found
32:33
throughout the Old Testament. Jesus is not introducing a new
32:37
picture here. He's only confirming what the
32:39
prophet saw and wrote about. And when you see this thing
32:43
again, it should only encourage your heart to realize the Bible
32:46
is consistent. Hey, listen, the book that's
32:49
you're holding your hand wasn't written by one or two people in
32:52
the span of 30 years, over 1400 years and 40 different authors
33:01
and different languages and yet the same theme, the same point,
33:05
the same script. And you and I last week we
33:08
peeked into the book of Zechariah to realize the
33:11
foundation of the Olivet Discourse was built upon that.
33:14
So let's peek again and realize that even the details of Jesus
33:17
teaching here are found in the prophets.
33:20
Look at Zechariah 14. Last time we read from verse one
33:23
to verse four and we touched on verse 9.
33:26
But look again at another verse that we didn't touch on that
33:29
confirms and agrees with the Lord Jesus.
33:33
Zechariah 14, verse 4. On that day his feet shall stand
33:45
on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east.
33:49
And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to West
33:52
by very wide valley, so that 1/2 of the mount shall move
33:56
northward and the other half southward, and you shall flee to
34:00
the valley of my mountains. I love that.
34:03
Whose mountains are they? They're my mountains.
34:08
There's a lot of debate about who deserves that land.
34:11
It belongs to God. For the valley of the mountain
34:15
shall reach to Azal, and you shall flee, as you fled from the
34:18
earthquake in the days of Uzziah, king of Judah.
34:20
Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.
34:25
Now look at this verse 6. On that day.
34:28
On what day? Pause, Zechariah.
34:30
If you read Zechariah 14, he loves to say that on that day,
34:34
on that day on, he says it over and over again, speaking about
34:37
the day when the Lord returns and also the dispensation of
34:41
when Christ does set up His earthly Kingdom.
34:43
But look at this phrase here, verse six.
34:45
On that day what's going to happen?
34:47
There shall be no light, cold or frost, and there shall be a
34:53
unique day which is known to the Lord, neither day nor night, but
34:57
at evening time there shall be light.
35:01
Doesn't that sound familiar to what Jesus says in Mark 1324 and
35:04
25? The sun will be darker and the
35:06
moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling
35:08
from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
35:10
Yes, yes, Jesus saying, you know, the prophets are
35:18
confirming what I'm saying, and I'm telling you that you could
35:20
trust in what they say because yes, me, I'm telling you the
35:23
same thing is going to occur. And it's not just Zechariah.
35:28
If your arm hasn't gotten tired yet, there's another passage in
35:31
Isaiah. Plenty of passages.
35:34
Isaiah 24. Verse 21, mark it down, mark it
35:44
down, mark it down and be good brains.
35:46
Go home with your family, with your spouse, with your siblings
35:50
and see if these things are true.
35:53
Isaiah 24 verse 21 on that day. I guess Isaiah likes that phrase
35:57
too on that day. The Lord will.
36:01
Punish the host of heaven in heaven.
36:04
You know the host in heaven in heaven.
36:06
You know what he's speaking about there, what Paul spoke
36:09
about in Ephesians 6. Principalities, cosmic powers,
36:12
invisible beings who occupied the heavenlies.
36:17
On that day, the Lord will punish the host of heaven in
36:19
heaven and the kings of the earth on the earth.
36:22
They'll be gathered together as prisoners in a pit.
36:26
They'll be shut up in a prison, and after many days they will be
36:29
punished. Look at verse 23.
36:31
Then the moon will be confounded and the sun ashamed, for the
36:35
Lord of hosts reigns on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and his
36:38
glory will be before his elders. Verse 9.
36:47
Verse nine of Isaiah. Not 24.
36:49
But look at verse nine of Isaiah 13.
36:53
You're already there, so it shouldn't be too much work.
36:56
Isaiah 13. Verse 9.
37:05
Behold, the day of the Lord comes cruel with wrath and
37:09
fierce anger, to make the land a desolation, and to destroy its
37:15
sinners from it. For the stars of the heavens and
37:18
their constellations will not give their light.
37:20
The sun will be dark at its rising, and the moon will not
37:24
shed its light. I will punish the world for its
37:27
evil and the wicked for their iniquity.
37:30
I will put an end to the pomp of the arrogant and lay low the
37:34
pompous pride of the ruthless. Pause.
37:36
Do you know why Isaiah 13 is very important?
37:39
Because those who believe that what happened in 70 AD completed
37:44
all of Jesus's prophecies concerning his return will use
37:48
Isaiah 13 as a proof text to say that Jesus talking about the sun
37:53
being darkened and the moon and the the stars, all of that is
37:55
just symbolic apocalyptic language.
37:58
It's not literal. And why would they go to Isaiah
38:01
13? Because Isaiah 13 in its context
38:03
is speaking about the fall of Babylon, the fall of Babylon.
38:08
So they say this didn't happen when Babylon fell.
38:12
We we didn't see the sun being darkened and and the moon being
38:15
affected. This is just symbolic language
38:17
of God's coming judgment. But again, like many other
38:21
prophecies, there is a already not yet component to many of
38:26
those predictions. And so yes, this is speaking
38:29
about Babylon in many ways. But then there are details woven
38:32
in that cannot be known for a specific context.
38:36
So again, if this is strictly speaking about Babylon, look
38:39
again at verse 11. I will punish the world for its
38:44
evil and the wicked for their iniquity.
38:47
Not just one nation, all nations, all nations.
38:53
You want to talk about how catastrophic this will be?
38:55
Look at verse 12. I will make people more rare
39:00
than fine gold, and mankind than the gold of offer.
39:06
Therefore, I will make the heavens tremble, and the earth
39:09
shall be shaken out of its place at the wrath of the Lord of
39:11
hosts in the day of his fierce anger.
39:19
So what have you and I learned so far together?
39:22
That there's going to be this tribulation period for seven
39:25
years, and at the end of that Jesus Christ will come.
39:29
Does anybody know the exact day or hour of his coming?
39:32
No, but when he does come, the heavenly bodies will be
39:36
affected. They will tremble.
39:37
They will introduce the commencement of the culmination
39:40
of the age. But you know, I had a question.
39:44
What's going to happen to the sun and the moon and the stars?
39:46
Because what we believe is when Christ comes, that's not the end
39:48
of the story. He's going to come.
39:49
And we're just getting started with the Kingdom.
39:53
So what's going to happen if he's going to come to physically
39:55
rule and reign? That's an innocent question, is
39:58
it not? The sun will be darkened, the
40:00
moon will be affected, the stars are going to fall.
40:04
Sounds like we're starting a new heaven and a new earth.
40:07
Not necessarily. I'm persuaded that there's
40:10
another text in Isaiah that gives us a glimpse of what's
40:13
going to happen to the very things that were affected at the
40:15
coming of the Lord on that day, and how they will be changed
40:19
during that 1000 year period when Christ will rule from
40:21
Jerusalem. You want to see it with me?
40:24
OK, Isaiah 30. Turn with me to verse 26 of
40:27
Isaiah 30. Isaiah 30, verse 26.
40:39
Moreover, the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun,
40:45
and the light of the sun will be sevenfold as the light of seven
40:50
days in the day when the Lord binds up the brokenness of His
40:53
people and heals the wounds inflicted by His blow, saying,
40:58
when is that going to happen? Well, if the day of the Lord,
41:01
when he comes, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not
41:04
give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven.
41:07
And when the eternal age, remember there's eternity still,
41:10
right? There's going to be eternity.
41:12
And you know what we're told about eternity?
41:14
There's going to be no sun. There's going to be no need for
41:19
the light of the sun. Tell me why?
41:21
Because the glory of the light of the Son of God will
41:26
illuminate our universe. So if the day of the Lord,
41:29
there's going to be no sunlight and in the eternal age there's
41:33
going to be no sun at all, then what is Isaiah speaking about?
41:36
I, I think he's speaking about what the sun and the moon will
41:38
be like during that interval period when Christ for 1000
41:42
years is going to thin the veil between our world as we know it
41:46
and the eternal age. And he's going to be reviving
41:49
and restoring that Edenic scene that we we were introduced in
41:52
Genesis one and two. And part of the brilliance of
41:55
the millennial Kingdom is that you're going to see the moon
41:57
shining as the sun. And what about the sun?
42:02
It's going to shine seven times stronger than what you and I
42:05
have been used to. Just a little.
42:07
Glimpse, I love how the Lord gives us just little peeks into
42:09
what's to what's to come for the redeemed.
42:13
So we talked about the period of his return.
42:16
We talked about the platform of his return.
42:18
We still have two, two more truths to explore.
42:21
The third one is the power of his return.
42:23
So come back to Mark 13, please, if you're not already there.
42:27
And this is a very common passage in verse 26.
42:33
And then they will see the Son of Man coming into clouds with
42:38
great power and glory. That's what the disciples want
42:42
to hear. Not this dying and being
42:46
betrayed and being tortured. No, no, no, that's what we want
42:51
to know. Yes, the Son of Man coming,
42:54
great power, awesome glory. And I think this is so
43:00
significant for many reasons. One, because in the same way
43:03
Jesus and warning about the abomination of desolation tells
43:08
us in Matthew go to the prophet. Daniel, Let the reader
43:12
understand. Christ continues to rely on
43:15
Daniel even in this part. Because Jesus in verse 26
43:19
borrows Daniel's language concerning the Son of Man,
43:23
Pastor Mark opened up the service with it in Daniel 713 to
43:27
14 specifically where one like a Son of man will come on the
43:31
clouds and to come on the clouds as a prerogative that belongs to
43:34
God alone. Clouds in many instances of the
43:36
Old Testament speak of a chariot like kind of manifestation.
43:42
And so for the Son of Man to ride on the clouds, that's a
43:45
claim to deity. And so we see here that Christ
43:49
also now goes to Daniel indirectly by really quoting him
43:54
and copying his language. And these disciples will surely
43:57
know what he is speaking about. But Jesus speaking about this
44:02
would be so important also because in this discourse, he's
44:06
been warning in so many places, hey, be careful false prophets
44:09
and be careful false messiahs because some of them will have
44:12
the audacity to say I am he, I'm the Savior, I'm the one to
44:17
rescue the world from this mess. And Christ says, be careful.
44:22
And I'm telling you one of the ways you're going to know
44:25
whether or not somebody's true. And realizing the description of
44:28
my coming, I will come in clouds with great power and glory.
44:33
I'm not going to show up on TikTok and say I'm the Messiah.
44:38
And who's going to see Him when he says, and they will see the
44:40
Son of Man John tells us who's going to see Him in Revelation
44:45
17. You don't have to turn there.
44:46
Just listen to this awesome declaration.
44:49
Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see
44:53
Him. Every eye, not just the people
44:57
of Israel, every eye will see Him, even those who pierced
45:00
them. And all the tribes of the earth
45:02
will wail on account of Him. Even so.
45:04
Amen. Amen.
45:07
And so Christ, you're mentioning this was important in terms of
45:10
the warnings of false messiahs. Because no Messiah, no matter
45:14
what kind of miracle he would be able to perform, would not be
45:17
able to come close to this triumphant entrance into this
45:21
universe. And again, this would only help
45:24
the disciples more as they are preparing just in a few days,
45:26
whether greatly they would not be expecting it, Their Messiah
45:30
who just told him he would come in great power and glory will be
45:33
humiliated, nailed on a cross. Christ wants to instill that
45:37
future hope that that's not the end of the story.
45:41
So when Christ does come, it will be accompanied by creations
45:46
dramatic response and it will be globally visible and it will be
45:51
unmistakably Him. And again, these disciples would
45:55
need to be comforted by that truth.
45:58
Now we come to the last thing, the procuring of His return, the
46:04
careful gathering and collecting of His return.
46:08
You would think that this would end at verse 26, this crescendo,
46:11
but it doesn't. Verse 27 and Mark 13 And then He
46:17
will send out the angels and gather His elect from the four
46:21
winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.
46:29
What is the centerpiece of the culmination of the age?
46:33
Christ? It's Jesus, one that we are
46:36
waiting for even today. But essential as He is, do you
46:40
realize that those who belong to Him also play a part in this
46:44
grand story? That in God's final program for
46:48
the earth, you and I are in His mind.
46:53
He is mindful of us. In fact, that's part of His
46:56
great mission. When He comes back, He's not
46:59
just coming back to bring judgment.
47:02
He's not even during that Tribulation period and preparing
47:06
for His return, focusing solely on Israel in his mind at least.
47:11
We read in verse 27 that when he comes, he's going to dispatch
47:15
angels and he's going to gather all of those who believed on his
47:19
name. And the language here denotes
47:22
like a great searching. There's not going to be one of
47:25
us that's going to go missing. There's not going to be one of
47:28
us that's going to be left behind.
47:30
It's not going to be one of us. It's going to be overlooked.
47:33
Christ is going to gather us unto himself.
47:37
And if you want another text to prove the deity of Christ, I
47:41
won't turn there, but I'll just throw it out there for you if
47:43
you're interested in this. The language here of have of
47:46
Christ gathering His elect is exclusive also to Yahweh when in
47:52
many instances He speaks about the regathering of His people
47:56
when they go out into exile. And one reference for that is
47:59
actually found in Deuteronomy chapter 30, verse 4, where this
48:02
act of regathering from the four corners of the earth is
48:05
something only God can perform. And yet Christ here says He will
48:08
do it because He is God. But more than that, here's what
48:13
we have to ask ourselves so far. Here's what you and I have
48:17
learned. There's going to be birth pains
48:20
and they're going to only intensify as we come to the
48:22
birthing of the Kingdom. And there's going to be one
48:25
specific period in human history that's really going to 'cause
48:28
these contractions to go wild, and that's the seven-year
48:31
tribulation. And even in that seven-year
48:33
tribulation, at the 3 1/2 year mark, it's going to set off the
48:36
great tribulation. And Jesus says after that
48:39
tribulation, you're going to see the sun darken, the moon not
48:44
give its life, the stars falling.
48:46
And I'm going to crash through the skies.
48:50
And when I crash through the skies, not only am I going to
48:54
cause the nations to wail, but I'm going to send my angels and
48:57
they're going to gather all those who belong to me.
49:00
And we think, OK, great, and then we're going to be in heaven
49:03
forever. No, not yet.
49:08
You heard me tell tell you earlier that there is this
49:11
important period of time where Jesus will set up the millennial
49:16
Kingdom. And when he gathers the elect,
49:20
it's not to just place us in some neutral space or to put on
49:24
a garb on us and us just sing for all eternity.
49:27
No, he's going to gather us. And that's where we're going to
49:31
get busy. You thought you were just going
49:35
to serve the Lord here until you.
49:37
Yeah, there is a unique way of serving the Lord with this life
49:39
He's given us. But let me show you what's going
49:41
to happen when Christ returns and gathers his elect.
49:44
It's found in Revelation 20, specifically in verse 4.
49:58
May I remind you that Revelation 20 is preceded by Revelation 19.
50:04
What a thought, right? But in Revelation 19, you have
50:08
the description of Jesus Christ returning with even greater
50:11
detail than all of it discourse. And again, I think one of the
50:15
most important keys in unlocking the truth of Revelation is to
50:18
honor the fact that it's a chronology.
50:21
Revelation 19 Jesus comes back. He destroys the enemies.
50:26
He destroys those who hate. Him who hate his cause, his
50:29
message, his gospel. And then Revelation 20 follows,
50:33
and here's what we read in verse four.
50:35
Then I saw Thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the
50:39
authority to judge was committed.
50:41
Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the
50:44
testimony of Jesus and for the Word of God, and those who had
50:48
not worshipped the beast or its image and had not received its
50:51
mark on their foreheads or their hands, They came to life and
50:56
reigned with Christ for 1000 years.
50:59
Isn't it plain? Isn't it clear?
51:03
I hope that this time frame is becoming more obvious to us.
51:09
So he returns. Matthew tells us he's going to
51:11
gather his elect. But for what purpose?
51:13
Well, the Lord, in establishing His Kingdom, is going to set up
51:17
Thrones, and depending upon the faithfulness of His people with
51:20
the one life that they have lived, will determine the degree
51:23
of the responsibility and reward in that millennial Kingdom.
51:28
So some will rule. Some will be designated for
51:31
these awesome tasks, some less. Yes, we're saved by grace.
51:36
Your faith will bring you into the eternal age, but your.
51:40
Faithfulness or lack thereof, will determine your experience
51:43
in that Kingdom to come. And he speaks about the souls
51:49
who have been beheaded during that tribulation period.
51:52
You're going to have people coming to Christ, those who have
51:55
not worshiped the beast or its image.
51:57
You understand how difficult that will be to resist the
51:59
beast. Do you understand how difficult
52:02
that will be when this Antichrist will say you can't
52:06
eat, you can't drink, you can't do business?
52:08
We got a little sample of it for a couple of years and it was
52:11
light. Want you to understand how
52:16
difficult it would be for a mother or father to look at
52:18
their starving children and all they have to do is go to the
52:20
nearest whatever under A1 world government.
52:23
Take that Mark and their kids can eat and survive, but some
52:27
will choose to rather suffer and die instead of pledge their
52:32
allegiance to this false Messiah and they will be honored in the
52:36
millennial Kingdom. They came to life and reigned
52:41
with Christ for 1000 years. Come Lord Jesus, come Lord
52:47
Jesus, this world's a mess. Every government has failed.
52:51
Every empire that has risen, no matter how long they've risen
52:54
for came tumbling down. But there is one whom Isaiah
52:58
tells us where his government will never come to an end, never
53:01
come to an end. And listen, I I'm excited.
53:05
I'm excited for Christ's name to be vindicated.
53:08
I I'm excited for righteousness to dominate our world.
53:13
I'm excited for the Prince of Peace to prove to the
53:16
generations that he is the true king and he is the one who only
53:20
can solve sin's problem. I'm excited for all of that.
53:25
I'm I'm excited for that conversation with the King of
53:29
Kings about what that millennial king them will look like for you
53:35
and I on an individual basis. I'm I'm excited for holiness to
53:39
be the atmosphere of this universe.
53:41
I'm excited for the geographical and even the the animal Kingdom
53:45
being altered by the rule and reign.
53:47
I'm excited for all of that. But I'm primarily more excited
53:50
about one thing in this whole teaching about the last days.
53:55
Being free from sin, yes. Being free from temptation, yes.
53:58
Getting that resurrection body, please.
54:00
Yes, All of that is glorious to me.
54:04
But Paul indicates one thing that believers will be
54:07
preoccupied by, and I present to you what I am the most excited
54:11
about, and I trust you share that same conviction.
54:14
Here's our last verse. It's in Second Thessalonians
54:17
chapter one, 2nd Thessalonians chapter one.
54:27
And just look at one verse with me in verse 10, Paul says when
54:37
he comes on that day to be glorified in his Saints, this is
54:44
the part. And to be marveled at among all
54:47
who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.
54:55
There's a time coming where we will no longer look through a
54:58
glass dimly, where we won't have to rely on our imagination,
55:05
Where as much as there might have been gifted preachers in
55:08
our lives who are able to paint pictures for us about what is to
55:11
come, there is a time coming without filter.
55:13
Christ will stand before us, and we can't help but marvel at Him.
55:20
Have you ever marveled at somebody?
55:22
Marveled Like astonishment, spellbound, gripped.
55:30
When Christ comes, He will be the object of your adoration for
55:35
1000 years and for an eternity following it.
55:39
I know your mind can't wrap around it, but Paul assures us
55:42
that believers will look at him and they won't be able to take
55:46
their eyes off of him. And you will know a satisfaction
55:49
and a joy when you experience the presence of Christ and the
55:52
way it will come. So that's why the Spirit of the
55:55
bride say come, Lord Jesus, that's our prayer.
55:59
Let's pray it together. We thank you, Lord, for giving
56:16
us the grace and the energy to be able to put these truths
56:19
together. Your word says my people perish
56:22
for a lack of knowledge. But Lord, you have fed us with
56:26
your word today. And we're thankful, Lord, that
56:29
there is more clarity and assurance and confidence of what
56:32
we believe. And Lord, for the person who
56:34
might be wrestling with this particular viewpoint of the last
56:37
days, or maybe for those who still can't seem to understand
56:41
the ABC's of it, may Your grace only continue to flow in our
56:45
hearts. Bring us to where we need to be
56:47
in our understanding of this truth.
56:50
And Lord, we pray that it would not just satiate our curiosity
56:53
or cause us to be better at debate.
56:56
God forbid we ask. Lord, more than anything, it
56:59
would stir our hearts to worship you and to love you and to serve
57:04
You with everything in us. Before you come back, Lord, we
57:09
ask that you would receive glory, and we say what John
57:13
writes about at the end of that glorious book, Revelation.
57:16
Come, Lord Jesus. Lord, our purpose is not in our
57:19
business. It's not in our money, it's not
57:21
in our bank account, it's not even in our relationships, it's
57:24
not in our health, it's not in the experiences of this world.
57:27
Lord, we long for you more than anything else.
57:30
Oh God, you were the giver of every good gift.
57:33
But Lord, we want the Giver himself.
57:35
And so, Lord, if any of us in this place have gone stale in
57:39
our relationship with you and our relishing of you from a
57:41
personal basis, revive it through this teaching.
57:45
Help us realize that it all roads will lead to you.
57:47
Lord, all roads will lead to you, You coming and being the
57:52
center of it all. But Lord, we won't wait until
57:54
that time we choose to make You the centerpiece of our existence
57:59
here on earth. Lord, Your word has gone forth,
58:02
but we pray that Your Holy Spirit would drive it, etch it,
58:05
chain it around us so that we would not forget or lose out on
58:10
the benefits, the life changing aspects of this teaching.
58:13
We look to you Lord, moving forward.
58:16
In Jesus name we pray, Amen. Amen.
58:20
I'm so happy that I know the future.
58:24
Aren't you? We know the future.
58:27
We know what's coming. Nothing will catch us by
58:29
surprise. But it's still possible for the
58:32
believer to so fall asleep that he misses out on what God wants
58:35
him to be prepared for. So I pray that your heart would
58:38
be realigned in your walk with the Lord, that you would gird up
58:42
your loins, that your legs would be strong, and that your heart
58:44
would would beat again for this purpose of living for Jesus
58:49
Christ. Let's stand and worship this
58:51
King together, shall we?