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After that Tribulation – Week 48 / November 25th
“But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be
darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars
of heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will be
shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the
clouds with great power and glory. And then He will send
His angels, and gather together His elect from the four
winds, from the farthest part of the earth to the farthest
part of heaven.”
Mark 13: 24-27
This is undoubtedly one of the most amazing and intriguing passages of scripture. It is thus worthy of our close attention and study since the days it speaks of are certainly fast approaching. These days, about which Jesus is speaking here in His Olivet Discourse, will:
Be after that tribulation
Jesus is here speaking of a very difficult period for the world and particularly for the Church. This unique tribulation or “great pressing down period” will befall those living on the earth just before the arrival of the great Day of God’s Wrath since scripture clearly teaches us that this Day occurs after the changing of the luminaries. That is, after the sun, moon, and stars are altered. (Acts 2:20) the Day of The Lord takes place but, before the changing of the luminaries that great tribulation will befall the earth and so we must brace ourselves spiritually because its signs are even now all over the earth. Christians are everywhere either being murdered in huge numbers or discredited and challenged with legal action because of their unswerving commitment to and belief in scripture. This will escalate! Sadly much of the present day Church is asleep and therefore not prepared for or equipped for the days that are coming. As Paul states in his epistle to the Ephesians, it’s time for the sleeper to awake and put on Christ. (Ephesians 5:8-14)
Be dramatic and cataclysmic
We are told by Jesus that the sun, moon and stars will fail. When you think about it, this will be terrifying. The world will panic because every part of it will be impacted by this heavenly upheaval. Things as we knew them will be gone forever as a foreboding and thick veil of darkness envelopes the earth. This is for real as time and time again the scriptures warn of this approaching calamity. (Joel 2:28-32; Zechariah 14:6-7, Acts 2:19-21; Revelation 6:12-13) In my view it is this phenomenon the constitutes the “sign of the coming Son of Man.”
Be dis-empowering
We are further informed here that “The powers in the heavens will be shaken.” Various parts of scripture warn that that God is going to shake all things on earth and in heaven at the end of the age. ( Haggai 2:6-7,21-22; Hebrews 12:25-29) this shaking means that God will remove the false and beggarly foundations that the people of the earth have built their lives upon. At the core of this will be the collapse of the global financial system! This is coming quicker than you think and you must prepare for it. However, here in Mark’s Gospel we are told that the powers or authorities of the heavens will also be shaken. This means that demonic power with all its structures of principalities will fall. They will finally be dislodged from their place in the “air” (Ephesians 2:1-2) and come down to the earth. (Revelation 12:7-12) The defeat of Satan and his hordes is certain because of what Jesus accomplished on the cross. He, by His death disarmed and dis-empowered them and so in the end they will be completely and utterly shaken! (Colossians 2:15)
Be glorious
The world, enveloped in darkness, will suddenly behold a great and glorious light descending toward it. It will be the light of Jesus’ second coming. The whole world will see it and for those who have rejected Him and scoffed at Him and who have persecuted His people it will be a Day of great terror. They will call out for the hills and mountains to fall on them as the Son of Man, seated on a beautiful white horse, approaches the Mount of Olives. ( Revelation 6:12-17) The great Day of His wrath will befall them as He comes to take control of the earth by ruling and reigning from Jerusalem. Then the nations will learn war no more and peace will rain down upon every part of the world. The Prince of Peace will bring light and joy to the whole earth and His resting place on Mt. Zion will be glorious! Even so, come Lord Jesus!
Be redemptive
On that glorious day when Jesus comes, as He descends to the Mt. of Olives, He will call forth His elect from all over the world. At the Trumpet call of the Archangel they will arise out of their graves and those who are alive will be transformed in a twinkling of an eye and they will all be transported by glorified power to meet Jesus in the air as he comes in triumph. (1Corinthians 15:51-57; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10) He will gather His elect “from the farthest part of the earth, to the farthest part of heaven.” That is, He will gather them out of every nation, glorify their bodies and, in the end, populate heaven with them! They will occupy the “farthest part of heaven.” Finally, our weak and decaying bodies will “catch up ” with our redeemed souls and spirits and be clothed with immortality. Blessed be The Lord God of heaven!
This then is the teaching of Jesus in this short but incredible passage of scripture. Days of trial and difficulty lie ahead but these will be fully eclipsed by the “weight of glory” that is reserved for us at His coming. Let us then be strong, faithful and true and let us go forth in the promise that Jesus will be with us even until the end of the age. (Matthew 28:20)
Malcolm Hedding
©Malcolm Hedding Ministries
2014Devotional