Mark 13:24-37 — With Great Power and Glory

[Note: Due to my academically-induced layoff from posting, today we will cover three sections and finish Ch. 13. “Behold, we are moving quickly!”]

Mark 13:24-27

“But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

Comments:

“After that tribulation”…the sun and moon may be darkened due to pollution in the atmosphere, either artificially or naturally. The language works well with the events surrounding the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, but could also speak about an event still future. In the apocalyptic imagery quoted (v. 24-25) about sun, moon, and stars we have a pretty common way of describing God’s judgment on a city or a nation. 

In the OT prophets, it applies to God’s judgment of Babylon (Isaiah 13:10), Egypt (Eze. 32:7-8), Judah (Joel 2:10, 30-31), Tyre, Sidon, and Philistia (Joel 3:15), Edom and all nations (Isaiah 34:4) and the whole earth (Isaiah 24:23). Perhaps we can see that Jesus' parousia (i.e., his second coming in v.26) will be so bright and so glorious that it will eclipse even the brightest heavenly bodies in all of creation. Compared to his glory everything else grows dim and dingy. In addition, the reference to the Son of Man (Jesus’ most common self-reference alludes to Daniel 7:13-14.)

In contrast to the humble birth of his first advent, Jesus comes again with “great power and glory.” Yet he still has the same love and concern for people that he had on the cross. Remember how he was concerned for the welfare of his mother and the salvation of the repentant thief, even while he hung in agony on that Roman cross? Here in the midst of the day of the Lord, the day of vengeance and judgment as the symbolic universe collapses, as the shakable is shaken one last time, as the heavens are rolled up like a scroll (Isaiah 34:4), the Lord sends his angels to rescue his elect from even the furthest part of the earth—no one will be forgotten! As Joel writes, “And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (2:32).

What a sight to see the Lord coming in the clouds in power and glory! We will surely fall on our faces in fear of the Lord and I can see the angels being sent to pick us up and dust us off. It reminds me of that passage in Shane (when Bobby sees his friend Shane as he really is and overcome by fear falls down in the road but Shane gets off his horse and picks him up and gently encourages him), and also reminds me of the sudden end of C.S. Lewis's book, The Great Divorce.

When Christ returns… what joy we will sense to be clothed in Christ on that day! What shame and horror and nakedness to be found only in ourselves!

Mark 13:28-31

From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

Comments:

Jesus, in his dealing with the terrible signs of the coming destruction of Jerusalem, of the tribulation, and of the Second Coming, inserts a simple nature parable/illustration. He said "It's like the trees. When they grow tender and put forth leaves you know that summer is coming soon. It is the same with these signs. Summer is coming soon." He used the simple folksy language of the people. Just as the arrival of the Roman legion would not have been by total surprise, neither should the return of Christ take his people by surprise. The generation to which he spoke that day would have lived to see the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans under Titus in AD 70. As for Christ's Second Coming, we need to live in constant readiness. What would we do if he came back now? Would we be joyful or ashamed? 

Jesus' emphasis seems to have been on the certainty—rather than the timing—of his return, however, he worded everything in such a way as to suggest its immanence. We are to live in the waiting room of the “continual present” with vigilant watchfulness.

Mark 13:32-37 "Stay Awake!"

“But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor

Photo by Paul Morley on Unsplash

the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning— lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.”

Comments: 

Jesus warned against trying to fix the date of his return, something even he didn't know. If we figure it all out we will be proven wrong and will bring disgrace upon ourselves and upon the church. There is plenty for us to do in the meantime besides pursuing a date. Jesus gave the disciples several commands in v. 33 "Take heed, watch and pray. Why? Because we don't know when the time is.

Our job is to do our job until he returns—the job that he has given us. What job has he given to me? If we are the doorkeeper then our responsibility is to watch and open the door at the right moment. All Christ's people are commanded to be ready and to make sure those who are in the house are also ready. His return could come at any time—probably when we let our guard down. He doesn't have to call ahead to confirm his reservations. 

We are all commanded to watch. We can't just delegate that to someone else. If we are surprised by his coming in glory, or by our departure to him in death (whichever comes first), then as Christians we only have ourselves to blame. We don't want to be like the 10 foolish virgins (Matt. 25:1-13). 

However, if we are watching expectantly, waiting patiently, and serving faithfully, his appearing might seem very normal and natural since we will have been consciously living in his presence all along. 

What will we say when we see him coming? An enthusiastic, "Yes!" or some expletive of regret?

So until he comes we say, "Maranatha!" Our Lord, come!