SPIRITUA DIARY
FOR 11/14/2012 11:25:21 AM
My Worship Time Focus: The Question
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Mark 13:1-4
Message
of the verses: “1 As He was going
out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, "Teacher, behold what
wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!" 2 And Jesus said to him,
‘Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left upon another
which will not be torn down.’ 3 As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives
opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew were questioning Him
privately, 4 ‘Tell us, when will these
things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are going to be
fulfilled?’”
As we begin this 13th
chapter of the book of Mark I look forward to writing about the events that
will unfold here as the words that Jesus speaks here is a prophetic blue print
of what would happen on earth after He was crucified, buried, and then rose
again to return to His Father. He makes
a statement that speaks of “birth pangs” to help us to understand about the
events that will unfold after Jesus returns to heaven. Then at the end of this
prophecy speaks of His physical return to planet earth in a time that is
described as the worst time to ever happen on planet earth. There are three places in the Gospels that
Jesus speaks of this and they are the same event. Matthew 24-25, Luke 21:5-36, and Mark
13:1-35. This event is called “The Olivet
Discourse,” and it was the answer to a question asked by the disciples of
Jesus, and this is the longest recorded answer to a question that was given by
Jesus in all the Gospels. I just want to
begin with the question in Today’s Spiritual Diary.
The Jewish Temple was one of the
most, if not the most beautiful building from ancient times. Herod had rebuilt the temple and it is said
that the eastern side of the building was covered with gold and when the sun came
up in the morning if you looked intently at the building you could go blind
because of the brightness of the sun shining on the gold. The disciples must have been greatly
impressed with the beauty of the building, but as we learned in the last chapter
the building was corrupted by the Jewish religious leaders who worshiped
there. The only time that the building
was filled with goodness was when Jesus was preaching there in the last week of
His life on earth.
The disciples must have been greatly
surprised when Jesus told them that this magnificent building would be torn
down stone by stone. This would happen
in just 37 short years as Titus and his Roman Legions would come into Jerusalem
and destroy the city and also the temple.
I read that Titus did not want to destroy the temple, but that there was
a lot of gold in between the stones and the only way to get to it was to take
it apart stone by stone. This is exactly
what Jesus prophesied would happen.
To be sure the eschatology of the
disciples was not all correct and so they would learn more about the end times
from the answer Jesus would give them.
As we look more closely at this chapter in the days to come we must
remember that there are more things that we can learn from it than the end
times, for all Scripture is given for our instruction, to learn how better we
can serve the Lord.
This chapter is speaking about a
period of time that is called the “tribulation period,” and it is also the 70th
week from Daniels prophecy found in Daniel nine 24-27. In Jeremiah 30:7 we read, “’Alas! for that
day is great, There is none like it; And it is the time of Jacob’s distress,
But he will be saved from it.” The KJV
calls it “Jacob’s trouble.” Zeph.
1:15-18 says, “15 A day of wrath is that day,
A day of trouble and
distress, A day of destruction and desolation, A day of darkness and gloom, A
day of clouds and thick darkness, 16 A
day of trumpet and battle cry Against the fortified cities And the high
corner towers. 17 I will bring distress on men So that they will walk like the
blind, Because they have sinned against the LORD; And their blood will be
poured out like dust And their flesh like dung. 18 Neither their silver nor
their gold Will be able to deliver them On the day of the LORD’S wrath; And all the earth will be
devoured In the fire of His jealousy, For He will make a complete end, Indeed a
terrifying one, Of all the inhabitants of the earth.” Isaiah writes the following about this time,
“20 Come, my people, enter into your rooms And close your doors behind you;
Hide for a little while Until indignation runs its course. 21 For behold, the
LORD is about to come out from His place To punish the inhabitants of the earth
for their iniquity; And the earth will reveal her bloodshed And will no longer
cover her slain.” These are all OT
prophets speaking about the tribulation period, so the disciples would have
known something about this period of time, but they thought that Jesus would
destroy the Romans and begin the kingdom that was promised to Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob.
Spiritual
meaning for my life today: As we
begin to look at this wonderful 13th chapter we can rest assured
that the things that Jesus tells us will happen will happen just like He says
they will.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Continue to
learn contentment, and to continue to study the Word of God so that it will
transform my mind from the inside out.
Memory verses for the
week: Psalm 130:1-4
1 Out of the debts I cried to You, O
LORD. 2 Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my
supplication. 3 If You, Lord, should
mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?
4 But there is forgiveness with You, That You may be feared.
11/14/2012 12:24:38
PM
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