Daily Readings and Thought for February 17th. “STAY AWAKE”

These are the last 2 words in our reading today of Mark 13.  They had their initial application to those who heard Jesus say them!  Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed in AD 70 and faithful believers who were spiritually awake heeded his words “flee to the mountains” [v.14] instead of staying in Jerusalem with its wonderful Temple, thinking it was impossible God would let the Temple and the Holy of Holies be destroyed.

Those who believed Jesus that “there will not be left one stone upon another that will not be thrown down” [v.2], did “stay awake”; they escaped from this destruction.  But Jesus, after speaking at some length on this great tragedy then looks further into the future! It seems clear that while his words have an application to the destruction of Jerusalem, they also apply to an even greater time of trouble and destruction engulfing this time, the whole world. 

Jesus speaks of a coming time of “tribulation as has not been from the beginning of creation that God created until now, and never will be” [v.19].   And while these words speak of the end of the Jewish age they also have a secondary application to the days of the Lords second coming, as they are a quote from the prophecy of Daniel 12:1. The Lord is to “cut short” those days, otherwise “no human being would be saved” [v.20].   Ponder the words which follow about how “after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light and the stars will be falling …” [v.24,25]  

Is this literal?  It should be understood symbolically.  Note v.31 where Jesus says, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” which leads us to recall what Peter later wrote, “according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” [2 Peter 3 v13]  We therefore understand that the collapse of all governments and human institutions is coming, occurring because of their total godlessness. Human “heavens” and systems will be overwhelmed by awesome events. When?  Jesus says that even he does not know the day  “only the father” [v.32]  His next words are, “Be on your guard, keep awake” [v.33] which is emphasised in his final words in the chapter, “And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.”