Dwell in the Word Mark 13:14-23

Think on these questions as you dwell in Mark 13:14-23:

1. In the Olivet discourse, Jesus warns his disciples about the coming destruction of the temple and provides specific instructions for recognizing the signs leading up to it. How does this historical event serve as a backdrop for Jesus' broader warning about false prophets and deceitful signs? What lessons can contemporary believers draw from this?

2. Jesus emphasizes the importance of discernment in identifying false teachers and prophets who may lead believers astray. How can Christians today cultivate discernment and safeguard themselves against deceptive teachings or individuals? What role does a solid understanding of God's word play in this process?

3. While the destruction of the temple was a significant event in Jesus' time, he also speaks to enduring principles applicable to believers throughout history. How does Jesus' warning about false teachers extend beyond the context of the temple's destruction? What timeless truths can we glean from this passage for our spiritual walk today?

Transcript:

As we look at this second part of the Olivet discourse, it's important that we remember the first part, because what is Jesus talking about here? He is saying that the temple is going to be destroyed. The disciples have said, Hey, Jesus, look at this building. And Jesus says, Well, you think this is great. It's going to be destroyed. And he prophesied that it would happen. And as I mentioned, it did happen in the year '70, when the Romans came and sacked Jerusalem. Well, so what is Jesus talking about here? He's giving further warnings to his disciples and to his followers about how they should react when they see this happening. And so he calls upon some Old Testament language here from the Book of Daniel, The Abomination of Desolation. Now, this was a prophecy in the Book of Daniel that a king would come from the north and destroy the temple. Well, the temple was destroyed, just as Daniel prophesied, and then the temple was rebuilt. Jesus is now saying that the second temple is going to be destroyed, as I said, as we looked at on Monday. But now He's using some of that same language.

He's saying, When you see the abomination of desolation, standing where it not ought to be, then get out of the area. Get away. This is going to be bad. He says, Women who are pregnant and nursing, that will be terrible for them because they won't be able to get away as quickly. It shouldn't happen in winter because that would be terrible too, because they're going to be away from their homes and away from their supplies. Jesus says here that the Lord has cut short the days, or no one would be saved because it would be so terrible. Then Jesus gives some ideas of what they should look for, people claiming to be the Christ, people doing signs and wonders. Now, Jesus is implying that they are false signs, and so they need to get away from them. This is the idea here that they need to be on guard for this to happen. They need to be ready. And the Book of Mark being written before the year 70, this would have been an important warning to the Christians who were in that area. They would have seen it coming. They would have been able to know, boy, they're in the temple.

This is the abomination of desolation. We need to get out of here and get safe because this is going to be a terrible tribulation. So, how does this apply to us? There is no temple to be destroyed. We don't have that to look to. So, what are we to think about here? And I think the most important thing that we can think about here is this idea of false Christ, false prophets, people performing signs and wonders to lead astray, if possible, the elect. It is easy for us to be led astray. And so, we need to be on guard. We need to be watching for those who might be leading us away from Christ. It's important that we understand God's word. It's important we understand how God works in this new covenant that we are in with him. And we need to be looking to His word and trusting that the Spirit is at work in us, so that we will be able to discern these false teachers that will arise because they will. It's not going to be the same false teachers that Jesus is talking about here, but there will always be false teachers.

There will always be those who want to make merchandise of you and I to make money off of us. There will always be those who will lead people astray because they are not having a true understanding of God's word, and the Spirit is not at work in them. We have to remember to be on guard because it will happen. There will be those that will try to lead us astray. And so, may we be a people of God who goes to His word, who trusts His Spirit, and we stand fast as we trust in Christ.