Read Mark 13:1-37.

Introduction⤒🔗

As the world approached the end of the millennium, one writer wrote as follows:

As never before, we see people intent on evil, even from childhood. Men today exhibit an unbelievable arrogance, kicking against the law of God. Never before have there been such base crimes of incest and fornication as are evidenced today. Our way of life has been debased and corrupted by a combination of the frivolous and the infamous; our minds have lost their taste for what is serious and dwell upon the shameful. Look across the land, can justice be found in any court? The moral degeneracy of our nation’s men has led to the acceptance and support of homosexuality.

The writer of those words surely knew what he is talking about; he gives a pretty accurate picture of society and the world at the close of the twentieth century, doesn’t he?

Actually, the answer to that is, “No.” That writer was not giving an accurate description of our present society and world as we approached the end of the twentieth century and the second millennium. He was giving an accurate description of his society as they came to the end of the first millennium. The writing that is paraphrased above, (removing the original archaic expressions), was written by Ronal Glabber shortly before the year 1000 A.D. At that time in history the expectation among Christians of Christ’s immediate return was running high; many Christians were utterly convinced the Lord would return in the year 1000 A.D.

As we find ourselves in the early decades of the new millennium, may our outlook concerning Christ’s return be informed and guided by the words of our Lord Himself as they are recorded in the Gospels. In order that we may be adequately prepared for His return, let us give heed to three important “Don’ts” concerning our Lord’s return.

Don’t Be Deceived←⤒🔗

As Jesus departs from the temple, one of His disciples calls attention to the splendor and awesomeness of the structure (vs. 1). The temple in Jerusalem was, indeed, one of the most impressive sights in the ancient world; it was regarded as an architectural wonder, being built of massive white stones. Jesus acknowledges the greatness of the temple complex; but then, to the astonishment of His disciples, He announces that this entire massive structure shall be totally demolished (vs. 2).

A little while later, as they sit on the slope of the Mount of Olives, gazing down upon this magnificent temple structure, the disciples ask, “When is this demolition going to occur? And what will be the sign that it is about to happen?” Jesus informs them that these things are going to happen within their lifetime (vs. 30); and He prepares them by describing the circumstances and events leading up to that day of the temple’s destruction.

According to verses 5-6, this period of time, leading up to the destruction of the Jerusalem temple, will be characterized by the appearance of many false Christs: “Then Jesus began [to teach them by] saying, Be careful that no one leads you astray. ⁶Many shall come in my name, saying, I am he; but they shall lead many astray.” In conjunction with our Lord’s teaching, note the comments of the Jewish rabbi, Gamaliel,

Some time ago, Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. ³⁷After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. Acts 5:36-37

Verses 7-8 elaborate on these false Christs and the result of their activity:

When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. It is necessary for these things to happen; but the end has not yet come, ⁸for nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there shall be earthquakes in various places; there shall be famines; these things are the beginning of birth pains.

As these verses imply, and as Gamaliel’s comments confirm, these false Messiahs would be political and revolutionary figures. As such, they would incur the opposition of Rome and, consequently, embroil Palestine in numerous armed conflicts, which the Jewish historian, Josephus, calls “the Jewish Wars.” But with the outbreak of these Jewish wars the disciples must not assume that the world is coming to an end. On the contrary, prior to “The End” far greater upheavals will occur throughout the entire world: world wars and natural catastrophes of world-wide proportion and world-wide significance will take place (vs. 8a). The disciples should view these local Jewish wars as “the beginning of birth pains,” not the consummation of all things. Just as birth pains become more severe as the birth approaches, so such events as described in verses 7-8 will become more severe as “The End” of history and of the world approaches.

In verses 9-13, the Lord Jesus informs His disciples that they must be prepared for the personal opposition they are going to encounter during this period that lies immediately ahead of them:

But watch out for yourselves; because they will hand you over to councils; and in synagogues you shall be beaten; and you shall stand before governors and kings for my sake, to be a testimony to them. ¹⁰But the gospel must first be preached to all the nations. ¹¹Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what you will say; rather, speak whatever words are given to you in that hour; for it is not you who are speaking, but the Holy Spirit. ¹²Brother will hand over brother to death, and the father [will betray] his child; and children will stand up against parents and cause them to be put to death. ¹³You shall be hated by all men for my name’s sake; but whoever endures to the end, he shall be saved.

The church will be persecuted at the hands of the Jews (vs. 9). The fulfillment of this prediction can be seen in the progressive persecution of the church as recorded in the Book of Acts:

The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. ²They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. ³They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. Acts 4:1-3

They [the Jewish leaders] called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. Acts 5:40

On that day [the day when Stephen was stoned to death] a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. Acts 8:1

Jesus assures His disciples that this persecution at the hands of the Jews will not annihilate the church, because it is imperative (πρωτον δει) that the gospelbe preached to all nations, a task that only the church as the people of God can undertake (vs. 10). Jesus further assures His disciples that the Holy Spirit will give them utterance when they are brought to trial (vs. 11). An example of this is found in Acts 4:7-8. Peter and John are brought before the religious leaders for questioning. They, being “filled with the Holy Spirit,” respond by boldly preaching the gospel. As the Lord indicates in verses 12-13, just as the Jewish wars would be a precursor of greater world-wide upheavals; so, too, the Jewish persecution of the church would be a precursor of greater world-wide persecution of the church: “you (the church) shall be hated by all men for my sake.”

Having spoken in general terms up to this point, Jesus becomes more specific in verses 14-20:

But when you see 'the abomination that causes desolation' standing where it ought not, (let him who reads understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. ¹⁵Let him who is on the housetop not go down nor enter [his house] to retrieve anything from his house. ¹⁶Let him who is in the field not return home to get his cloak. ¹⁷How dreadful will it be for those women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing in those days! ¹⁸Pray that these things will not occur in the winter. ¹⁹Those shall be days of tribulation, such as has not occurred from the beginning, when God created the world, until now, and never shall occur again. ²⁰If the Lord had not shortened those days, no one would have been saved; but for the elect’s sake, whom he chose, he has shortened those days.

When “the abomination that causes desolation” makes its appearance, immediate flight is imperative, because the day of Jerusalem’s destruction is at hand (vs. 14-16). “The abomination that causes desolation” is something so utterly abominable, (i.e. so utterly sacrilegious), that it causes the temple to be left desolate: evacuated by both the worshipers and God Himself because it has become utterly polluted. Such an event had occurred previously in Jewish history as Mark’s editorial comment, “let the reader understand,” indicates. In 168 B.C. the Syrian ruler, Antiochus Epiphanes, erected an altar to the pagan deity, Zeus, sacrificed a pig, and poured its broth throughout the temple. A similar such desecration would occur at the hands of the Romans just prior to the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in 70 A.D.

Being sensitive as to the hardship of such a flight from the city, Jesus instructs His disciples to pray for God’s mercy (vs. 17-18). According to the commentator, William Lane, flight in winter would be almost impossible because the streams swollen by heavy winter rains would become impassable.¹

Having spoken of the tribulation to be faced at the time of the destruction of the Jerusalem temple, Jesus now views that period of tribulation as a type of the universal tribulation the church shall encounter just prior to His return: “Those shall be days of tribulation, such as has not occurred from the beginning, when God created the world, until now, and never shall occur again” (vs. 19). This must be the case, since the localized tribulation that occurred in 70 A.D. could not be greater than the worldwide persecution of the church foretold in verse thirteen: “You shall be hated by all men for my name’s sake; but whoever endures to the end, he shall be saved.” (For more on this subject, see the accompanying Appendix.)

But in verses 19-20 our Lord speaks not only of the awful tribulation that is ordained to occur, but also of the steadfast faithfulness of God to His people in Christ. If the LORD had not shortened those days, “no one (literally, “no flesh”) would survive.” God shortened those days for “the elect’s sake.” Here is seen the LORD’s covenantal faithfulness to His people: all those who have placed their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ will know His presence in the midst of even the most severe tribulation, and shall be brought safely through all such tribulation into the everlasting kingdom of God. God will never allow the trial to be of such intensity or duration that His elect shall succumb to it.

Once again Jesus warns His disciples to be on guard against deception:

At that time, if anyone shall say to you, Look, here is the Christ! Or, Look, there [he is]! Do not believe him; ²²because false Christs and false prophets shall appear, and shall perform signs and wonders, in order that they might, if possible, lead the elect astray. ²³So beware. Listen, I have told you all these things in advance.

That time of intense crisis in first century Israel will also be a time of false hopes; many will eagerly look for the Messiah’s appearance and will rashly seek to identify Him (vs. 21). In the spiritual and emotional climate of that time many false Christs will appear, and prove to be very seductive (vs. 22). Referring to all that He has foretold in verses 5-22, Jesus exhorts His disciples to “beware” (vs. 23).

The first lesson for us to learn is, Don’t Be Deceived. We must not be deceived by false Christs, as the Lord Jesus repeatedly emphasizes in verses 5-6, 21-23. We must not be deceived by the hope of a “rapture,” as becomes evident from the Lord’s teaching in verses 9-13, especially verse thirteen, “You shall be hated by all men for my name’s sake; but whoever endures to the end, he shall be saved.” The whole thrust of Scripture is that Christians must pass through tribulation, as opposed to being raptured away from it:

[Paul and Barnabas] returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, ²²strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and [teaching], ‘We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God. Acts 14:21-22

Then, too, we must not be deceived by the apparent permanence of structures and institutions in this present world. The disciples were very impressed by the massive structure of the temple and were shocked to learn that it all would come to destruction (vs. 1-2). In a similar manner, we must not assume that the structures, institutions and nations of this present world shall continue indefinitely or will "evolve" into the righteous kingdom of God.

Don’t Set a Date←⤒🔗

In verses 21-22 our Lord has warned His disciples of the great messianic expectations and claims that will characterize that period of intense tribulation experienced by first century Israel. Now to further insure that they be not carried away by the seductive appearance of false Christs, in verses 24-27 the Lord points them to the future and the time of His Second Coming:

But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give its light, ²⁵and the stars shall fall from the heavens, and the heavenly bodies shall be shaken. ²⁶Then they shall see the Son of Man coming on the clouds with great power and glory. ²⁷And then he shall send out the angels, and he shall gather together his elect from the four winds; from the most distant part of the earth to the most distant part of heaven.

The Lord Jesus declares that His return shall be some time in the future, “after that tribulation” experienced by the Jews in 70 A.D. When the Roman armies surround Jerusalem, the Jews should not expect a miraculous appearance by the Messiah to deliver them, such as had occurred in the days of the Old Testament king, Hezekiah, when the LORD miraculously delivered Israel from the Assyrian army by slaying 185,000 men in one night (Isa. 37:36-37). On the contrary, the approaching tribulation will climax with the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, which occurred in 70 A.D. The final appearance of the Messiah, (“the Son of Man,” vs. 26), will not occur until “after that tribulation:” but just how long after that tribulation our Lord does not say.

Jesus further teaches, “those days,” (i.e. the time of His Second Coming), will be characterized by cataclysmic events in the heavens (vs. 24-25). Unlike the signs performed by the false Christs in the days of Jerusalem’s tribulation (vs. 22), when the Son of man is about to make His return in glory, the whole creation will bear witness to His arrival by its cosmic upheaval. Furthermore, when the Son of man makes His return there will be no need for anyone to point Him out (vs. 26); this in contrast to those who must point out the false Christs (vs. 21). The whole world shall witness His coming as He appears “on the clouds with great power and glory.”

Then, at His coming, He shall gather unto Himself “his elect” from the remotest regions of earth and heaven (vs. 27). The elect, who are chosen by God and, who consequently receive Jesus as the promised Messiah, shall finally join their Savior in His glory.

Verses 24-27 actually form a parenthesis, projecting forward to the day of Christ’s return. In verses 28-29 Jesus again focuses on the coming of Jerusalem’s tribulation:

Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: as soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that the summer is near. ²⁹In the same way, when you see these things beginning to happen, realize that it is near, at the door.

Jesus now points His disciples to the budding fig tree as an illustration (vs. 28). In contrast to the other trees, (such as the almond), which blossom very early in spring, the fig tree bears its leaves and blossoms very late. Consequently, when you see the fig tree blooming you know that summer is fast approaching. In verse twenty-nine Jesus applies this illustration, (or parable), with the warning: “When you see these things happening, knows that it [i.e. the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple] is near; at the very door!” Note: The phrase, “these things,” as used in verse twenty-nine is a reference to the events foretold in verses 5-14, not the events foretold in verses 24-27. The phrase, “these things” is referring to the following events:

• the heightened messianic expectations and the appearance of messianic pretenders (vs. 5-6)
• the outbreak of the Jewish Wars (vs. 7)
• the increased persecution of the church, especially at the hands of the Jewish leaders (vs. 9­-13)
• the abomination that causes desolation (vs. 14)

In verse thirty Jesus solemnly testifies that all these events, (the events outlined in verses 5-23), leading up to and culminating in the destruction of Jerusalem, shall surely be fulfilled within the lifetime of that first century generation. In verse thirty-one our Lord makes His prophecy even more emphatic: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” Our Lord spoke these words in about the year 33 A.D., and they were completely fulfilled by 70 A.D.

Then, in verse thirty-two, in sharp contrast to the certainty that the temple would be destroyed within the lifetime of that generation, our Lord declares that the day or hour of His return is a complete mystery, known only to God the Father: “But no one knows when that day or that hour shall occur, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” His statement concerning His own “ignorance” of the appointed day should be understood in the light of His testimony given in John 5:19-20,

Jesus therefore responded to them by saying, I tell you the truth, The Son can do nothing by himself, but [only] what he sees the Father doing; for whatever [the Father] does, the Son also does in the same way. ²⁰[This is so because] the Father loves the Son and [therefore] shows him everything that he is doing. Indeed, greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel.

The second lesson we must learn: Don’t set a date for Christ’s return. We are not to calculate and conjecture as to the precise time of our Lord’s return. Such endeavors are disappointing, even disturbing to those weak in the faith, and are contrary to our Lord’s teaching that no one is able to know the exact date of His return.

Don’t Fall Asleep←⤒🔗

The opposite of calculation and pre-occupation is neglect; an equally disobedient response to this whole subject of our Lord’s return. So, in verse thirty-three the Lord issues the counsel and warning: “Beware; watch and pray.” We are to be spiritually alert, expecting and anticipating His coming, and being prepared to meet Him.

We are to be in prayer for the coming of that day, even as the Lord Jesus teaches us to pray: “This, then, is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, ¹⁰your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:9-10). The church’s response to the Lord’s testimony, “Yes, I am coming swiftly,” should be, “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus” (Rev. 22:20).

To reinforce this exhortation, the Lord Jesus provides a parable (vs. 34-36). Household servants, entrusted with the upkeep of the master’s property and business, should be found faithfully doing their assigned duties in anticipation of their master’s return. The emphasis of the parable is on watchfulness. The doorkeeper is especially assigned the task of watching for his master’s return. The Lord Jesus issues the command, “Stay alert, because you do not know when he is coming” (vs. 35). The command is followed by the warning that we must not be caught off guard and be found sleeping (vs. 36).

This is the third lesson to be learned: Don’t fall asleep spiritually.

Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. ³⁵It will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth. ³⁶Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man. Lk. 21:34-36

Conclusion←⤒🔗

As we find ourselves in the opening decades of the new millennium, indeed, no matter what may be the year in which we live, may our outlook be informed and guided by the words of our Lord Jesus Himself. With regard to this great matter of Christ’s return in glory, let us bear in mind these three don’ts: 1) Don’t be deceived; 2) Don’t set a date; and, 3) Don’t fall asleep spiritually.

Discussion Questions←⤒🔗

1. As they leave the temple, to what do Jesus’ disciples call His attention? See Mk. 13:1. To what degree, are we as Christians overly impressed by the structures of this world? Do these structures appear to us to have a permanence that cannot be shaken? But what does Scripture tell us? See Hag. 2:21b-22a.  As Christians, in what should we place our confidence and focus our hope, and how should we live? See Heb. 12:26b-28,

As he was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What a magnificent building! Mk. 13:1

^21bI will shake heaven and earth. ^22aI will overthrow the throne of kingdoms; I will destroy the strength of the Gentile kingdoms. Hag. 2:21b-22a

...[he] whose voice then shook the earth...now...has promised, saying, 'Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.' ²⁷Now this, 'Yet once more,' indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. ²⁸Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. Heb. 12:26­-28

The mention of “shaking the earth” is a reference to Mt. Sinai at the time of the giving of the Law; this is followed by a reference to the passage from the prophet Haggai.

2. How does Jesus respond to the disciples’ wonder at the massiveness and magnificence of the temple structure? See Mk. 13:2. In response to His shocking statement, what do the disciples ask? See Mk. 13:3-4. Based on Matthew 24:3, with what did the disciples couple the foretold destruction of the temple and the city of Jerusalem? Do we view this present world, and live our lives, in light of that coming day? Note 2 Pet. 3:11-13,

As he was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What a magnificent building! ²But Jesus said to him, You see these great buildings? Not one stone here will be left upon another, every one of them will be thrown down [to the ground]. Mk. 13:1-2

As he sat on the mount of Olives across from the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, ⁴Tell us, when shall these things happen? And what shall be the sign that these things are all about to occur?Mk. 13:3-4

Now as he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, 'Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?'Matt. 24:3

¹¹Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? [You ought to live] in holy conduct and godliness, ¹²as you watch for and eagerly await the coming of the day of God. On that day, the heavens will be destroyed by fire and the elements will be dissolved by the intense heat. ¹³But, according to his promise, we are watching for a new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness resides. 2 Pet. 3:11-13

3. When His disciples inquire about the signs that the impending calamity is near, what is the first warning Jesus gives them? See Mk. 13:5-6. What emotional state overtakes people when they face an approaching crisis, and to what does this make them vulnerable? How should we as Christians prepare to meet such crises? See Col. 2:6-7; 2 Pet. 3:18a,

Then Jesus began [to teach them by] saying, Be careful that no one leads you astray. ⁶Many shall come in my name, saying, I am he; but they shall lead many astray.Mk. 13:5-6

As you, therefore, have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, ⁷rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.Col. 2:6-7

Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 2 Pet. 3:18a

4. What else will the disciples encounter as the time of Jerusalem’s judgment at the hands of the Romans approaches? See Mk. 13:9. Does this warning only apply to the disciples of the first century? Note Matt. 24:9. As the day of judgment approaches, why should we expect persecution to intensify? Note Matt. 24:12. As the hour of judgment approaches, the Lord will allow the sinfulness of mankind to fully manifest itself, and thereby prove the righteous necessity of divine judgment. As Christians encounter the effect of this situation, what are we called to do? See Matt. 24:13,

But watch out for yourselves; because they will hand you over to councils; and in synagogues you shall be beaten; and you shall stand before governors and kings for my sake, to be a testimony to them.Mk. 13:9

Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. Matt. 24:9

And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.¹³But he who endures to the end shall be saved. Matt. 24:12-13

5. What does the Lord Jesus tell us about the date of His appearance in glory and all that that entails? See Mk. 13:32. What light does John 5:19-20 shed upon Jesus’ mysterious remark that not even the Son, “but only the Father,” knows that hour? In view of the unspecified date of our Lord’s return, how are we as His disciples to conduct ourselves? See Mk. 13:35-37. Of what benefit is it to our sanctification and moral life, that we do not know the exact date of Christ’s return in glory?

But no one knows when that day or that hour shall occur, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Mk. 13:32

Jesus therefore responded to them by saying, I tell you the truth, The Son can do nothing by himself, but [only] what he sees the Father doing; for whatever [the Father] does, the Son also does in the same way. ²⁰[This is so because] the Father loves the Son and [therefore] shows him everything that he is doing. Indeed, greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel. Jn. 5:19-20

Although the members of the Trinity all equally partake of the divine nature, it appears that the Son willing assumes a subordinate position to that of the Father.

Stay alert, therefore; because you do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether [he will come] in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows at daybreak, or in the morning. ³⁶[Stay alert], so that when he suddenly comes he will not find you sleeping. ³7Now what I say to you, I am saying to everyone, Stay alert. Mk. 13:35-37

Appendix: A Comparison of Mark 13 with Matthew 24 and Luke 21←⤒🔗

Dr. Herman Ridderbos explains that in the eschatological discourse of Mark 13, as well as those recorded in Matthew 24 and Luke 21, there occurs a coalescence, (or a fusing together), of the events that are about to take place in the Jerusalem of the first century and the events that shall accompany the final Parousia [i.e. appearance] of the Son of Man, (this is especially evident in Mk. 13:14-20 and the parallel passage of Matt. 24:15-22). Mark and Matthew do not present a distinct and isolated account of the siege and subsequent fall of Jerusalem (as does Luke, cp. Lk. 21:20-24); rather, they merge those events that took place in the first century with the final cataclysmic events that shall occur at the end of the age.

It may be well to cite the three passages so as to have them directly before us:

But when you see “the abomination that causes desolation” standing where it ought not, (let him who reads understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. ¹⁵Let him who is on the housetop not go down nor enter [his house] to retrieve anything from his house. ¹⁶Let him who is in the field not return home to get his cloak. ¹⁷How dreadful will it be for those women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing in those days! ¹⁸Pray that these things will not occur in the winter. ¹⁹Those shall be days of tribulation, such as has not occurred from the beginning, when God created the world, until now, and never shall occur again. ²⁰If the Lord had not shortened those days, no one would have been saved; but for the elect’s sake, whom he chose, he has shortened those days. Mark 13:14-20

Therefore, when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place, (whoever reads, let him understand), ¹⁶then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. ¹7Let him who is on the housetop not come down to take anything out of his house. ¹⁸And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. ¹⁹But woe to those who are pregnant and to those with nursing babies in those days! ²⁰And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath, ²¹for then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. ²²And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake, those days will be shortened. Matthew 24:15-22

But when you see Jerusalem surrendered by armies, then know that its desolation is near. ²¹Then let those in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her. ²²For these are the days of vengeance, so that all things that are written may be fulfilled. ²³But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. ²⁴And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. Luke 21:20-24

As Ridderbos expresses it, “There is only one way in which we may explain this, and that is in the coalescence of two motifs: the motif of the destruction of the temple and the motif of the [final] eschatological [judgment]. These two [motifs] can only be distinguished in the light of their fulfillment.”² That is to say, the fact that Mark and Matthew have “blended” two motifs, and two historical events, (the one occurring in the first century, the other yet to occur at the end of history), only becomes apparent by the unfolding of history, which reveals that there is, in fact, an interim period between these two motifs and events.

We should note that it is Luke’s account that provides the historical perspective. Luke “stretches out” the events that are “compressed” in the accounts given by Mark and Matthew, revealing the time interval between the precursory judgment that befell the nation of Israel in 70 A.D. and the Final Judgment that will occur at the end of history. Luke does so by informing us, “Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled” (Lk. 21:20-24).

Ridderbos goes on to write, in Mark and Matthew, “The great [eschatological] future is described from the point of view of Judaea and Jerusalem, but it implies a universal dynamic that cannot be understood [or contained] within these [localized] limits [of Jerusalem and Judaea].”³ In other words, the focus of the account is on the coming destruction of Jerusalem, but what is described points us beyond that event to the much greater event of the Final Judgment. Ridderbos rightly asserts that this phenomenon of coalescing future events is “entirely in accordance with the nature of prophecy.” This is what has been called “the comprehensive character of prophecy.”

The term, “the comprehensive character of prophecy,” is describing the phenomenon frequently found in biblical prophecy whereby various future events are placed one immediately after the other in the prophetic vision, (or, as in Mark 13 and Matthew 24, blended together with one another), although the actual fulfillment of the individual events may occur centuries or more apart from each other. In this prophetic phenomenon the element of time between events is “compressed” so as to become indiscernible prior to the unfolding fulfillment of the prophecy throughout the course of history. Consequently, very often biblical prophecy provides little or no historical perspective. But, on the other hand, this divinely given method of prophetic communication reveals the profound coherence and unity between the events, that the separate events are actually separate occurrences of the same phenomenon. Thus, when Mark and Matthew “blend” the judgment upon Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple, which occurred in 70 A.D., with the final eschatological judgment at the time of Christ’s return, they are emphasizing the theme these events share in common, the theme of divine and definitive judgment.