Mark 13:24-26 - Signs in the Heavens

Mark 13:24-26
24 “But in those days, after that tribulation, THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, 25 AND THE STARS WILL BE FALLING from heaven, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken. 26 Then they will see THE SON OF MAN COMING IN CLOUDS with great power and glory.

Message: Signs in the Heavens

Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.

What the Lord is Saying:

Preface - Jesus continues to speak. He has been speaking about the coming destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem and then how the believers there would need to flee the City to the mountains to preserve their lives. False teachers will try to get them to stay, but they are not to be fooled by them for they must remember the message and teaching of the true Messiah - Jesus Christ.

Jesus now comments about what will occur, in those days, after that tribulation. The tribulation here is referring to the events around the destruction of the Temple. At this point Jesus has already died on the cross, risen from the dead and the temple has been destroyed. Jesus now predicts His Second Coming. Or is it about this? The Olivet Discourse has been controversial for it is a prophecy and there has been a struggle in understanding its meaning and application.

Jesus now discusses the dissolution of the Jewish State or the governing system that the Jews were apart of up to this point. They had their own government but now it was going away. The glory, excellence, and prosperity of the Jewish nation will go away and instead their will be universal sadness.

Jesus quotes from the ideas of Isaiah 13:10 and Ezekiel 32:7 - THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT - which speak of the destruction of Babylon. Out with the Jewish Nation and in with the Gospel Church.

But this language could also point to God's judgment on Jerusalem for rejecting the Messiah.

Up to this point, it has been interpreted that much of what Jesus had been saying would be fulfilled in the 1st century, by AD 70. But others have thought that, in Matthew 24:29, which is a parallel discourse of this passage, it states Immediately after the distress of those days whereas Mark says But in those days, after that tribulation. The world immediately could take on the meaning of now or even of a thousand years being a day which is common to think about since God sits outside of time. And though we are living in the constraints of time and feel like it is a long day to Christ's second coming, for God it can be immediately.

So I think now of someone coming to me and asking me for the interpretation of this passage and I believe my response would be that there is not one definitive interpretation that numerous people consistently agree with. I therefore defer to others more astute in the study of this passage.

Jesus concludes this by quoting from Daniel 7:13-14 - THE SON OF MAN COMING IN CLOUDS Jesus is coming like a son of man but with all of the majesty of God. If anything what we know from these words is Jesus acknowledging himself as the true Messiah. This was a known passage of Jewish leaders to speak of the Messiah coming. I think one thing we can know from this is Jesus is expressing with clarity that He is the messiah.

Summary - as Tabletalk states for October 11, 2016 - Jesus will come again to judge the living and the dead, but that does not mean that every passage that might seem to predict that event is actually talking about the second coming of Christ. Thus, this passage is predicting an event or a time period but it is Jesus proclaiming the future and with that I will trust him.

Promise: Jesus is coming. Jesus is here.

Prayer: Lord, at times I do not understand your words, but that is okay. You have confirmed much already about who you are and why you have come and I can trust you for other ideas that I do not understand. Help me to continue to be a student of the Word and continue to follow you all of my days. You are Savior and Lord and I need you every moment. I want to worship you and praise your name for saving me and making me whole and new and acceptable before God the Father for all eternity.