Things to Come / Mark 13:1-37
Introduction: The Unavoidable Question
Well, good to see you again this week, Well community. Do me a favor: if you have a Bible with you, turn to Mark chapter 13. That’s where we’re going to be. If you’re a guest among us, I want to welcome you. My name is Shay Summer, and I’m one of the teaching pastors here at The Well.
You’ve caught us deep in a series called To Follow a Servant, all about what it means to follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ through the lens of the Gospel according to Mark. As we’ve tracked this journey throughout the summer, we’ve watched the disciples follow Jesus, and along the way, they’ve asked a number of questions that Jesus has been faithful to answer. Questions like: What is salvation? What is righteousness and what is not? What does it mean to love our neighbor? And ultimately, what does it mean to follow the Servant?
Mark 10:45 (NASB)
‘For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.’
He has called us to follow in that way, and we’ve been drilling down there. But of all the questions that have been asked, there is one key question remaining as we near the end of Mark’s Gospel. It’s a question that has preoccupied the minds of both Christians and non-Christians alike since the beginning of time: How is this all going to end? How is the world as we know it going to end? What do the end days look like, and how do we know when it will happen? There were prophecies in the Old Testament pointing to that day, and now the disciples have the Messiah standing right in front of them. They want to know: How is this whole thing going to wrap up?
Jesus speaks directly to that question here in chapter 13. Now, I have to warn you—this passage is known as the Olivet Discourse because Jesus delivers it on the Mount of Olives. Many scholars agree that this is the single most difficult chapter to interpret in the entire Gospel of Mark. And I got assigned this passage this week, so we’re going to have a little fun with it!
I want you to know upfront that my goal is not to get into the weeds of theological debate or try to solve some eschatological Rubik’s cube with puzzling timelines and charts. The reason is simple: I don’t think Jesus wants us to do that. In this text about His second coming, Jesus actually persuades us not to obsess over future timelines, but instead to be faithful in the here and now. He calls us not to be consumed with future fulfillments, but to be soberly aware of them so that we remain presently obedient to His Great Commission.
Not One Stone Left
The context begins right out of the gate in verses 1 and 2. This entire chapter is triggered by a specific event Jesus foretells.
Mark 13:1-2 (NASB)
As He was going out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, ‘Teacher, behold what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!’ 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.’
Jesus and His disciples are leaving the temple, where they have been teaching since chapter 11. As they walk out, one of the disciples looks back and says, “Teacher, behold what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” He is completely enamored with the external magnitude of the structure. This was Zerubbabel’s temple, vastly expanded and glorified by King Herod with some of the most massive architecture the ancient world had ever seen. Even today, modern architects marvel at how it was constructed; archaeologists have uncovered single foundation stones measuring up to 60 feet in length.
This disciple is marveling at the architecture, but look at Jesus’ response: “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left upon another which will not be torn down.” Jesus tells them there is a day coming when this magnificent, picturesque temple will be utterly decimated. Those giant stones will be completely leveled.
Sure enough, we know from history that this is exactly what happened. Roughly forty years later, in 70 AD, the Roman army under General Titus (who would later become Emperor) marched in, besieged Jerusalem, and leveled the temple. The Jewish historian Josephus wrote that if a visitor came to the site after the destruction, they would hardly believe a temple had ever stood there. If you visit Israel today, all that remains is the retaining platform of the Temple Mount and a portion of the Western Wall. The temple itself was demolished, just as Jesus said.
Two Questions on the Mount of Olives
This prediction naturally piques the disciples’ curiosity. The scene shifts in verse 3 as they cross the Kidron Valley and climb the Mount of Olives, looking back across at the temple.
Mark 13:3-4 (NASB)
As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew were questioning Him privately, ‘Tell us, when will these things be, and what [will be] the sign when all these things are going to be fulfilled?’
The four original disciples—Peter, James, John, and Andrew—pull Jesus aside on behalf of the Twelve and ask two questions: “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign when all these things are going to be fulfilled?”
These were not casual inquiries; they were loaded with eschatological expectations. The disciples were asking two things: first, When will the destruction of the temple take place? and second, What signs will signal the end of the age and the fulfillment of all things?
In the minds of first-century Jews, the fall of Jerusalem was inextricably linked with the arrival of the Messiah’s final kingdom. They believed a climactic battle would take place against their oppressors, during which the Messiah would appear, overthrow their enemies, and establish His reign on earth. So when Jesus spoke about the temple being destroyed in the near future, the disciples assumed the end of the world was imminent.
Starting in verse 5, Jesus addresses both concerns. He speaks directly to the coming destruction of the temple in 70 AD—events that generation of disciples would experience within forty years—and He speaks to the promise of His second coming, the ultimate consummation when He will return in glory, defeat all evil, gather His elect, and restore all creation.
This is where the interpretation gets tricky. These two events did not occur simultaneously, even though the prophetic language weaves them together. Jesus uses the historical events leading up to 70 AD to prefigure a future, final tribulation before His return. This is what theologians call prophetic foreshortening or double fulfillment—a prophecy that speaks to an immediate, near-term reality while pointing forward to a ultimate, distant fulfillment.
Jesus is not giving us an apocalyptic blueprint so we can pull out dispensational charts, speculate on world leaders, and write the next installment of the Left Behind series. Instead, Jesus gives this discourse for three clear reasons:
- To prepare the church for inevitable suffering, so that we might embrace reality and persevere.
- To command present obedience, urging us to get busy preaching the gospel to all nations.
- To anchor our hope in His return, ensuring that in the midst of trial, we know Jesus will make all wrongs right.
Four Threats to Watch For
In verses 5 through 13, Jesus outlines four signs—or rather, four threats—that could easily distract us from remaining faithful to our mission.
1. False Messiahs
Mark 13:5-6 (NASB)
And Jesus began to say to them, ’See to it that no one misleads you. ’Many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am [He!]’ and will mislead many.
Jesus warns that between His departure and His return, many impostors will claim to be the Messiah, seeking to deceive people into following them. This happened repeatedly between 33 AD and 70 AD. In Acts 5, Gamaliel mentions a man named Theudas who claimed to be somebody and led hundreds astray. Josephus records an Egyptian false prophet who gathered thousands into the wilderness, promising deliverance. Later, Simon Bar Kokhba led a revolt against Rome, hailed by many as the Messiah, which ended in catastrophic devastation.
We see the same phenomenon today. If you look at history, the number of individuals claiming to be Jesus returned is staggering—and quite a few seem to come out of California and Texas! But Jesus says: Do not be misled. When the true King returns, there will be no ambiguity. In the meantime, do not let fakes distract you from the mission.
2. Wars and Rumors of Wars
[SCRIPTURE: Mark 13:7-8a]
For the early church, rumors of war were constant. Around 40 AD, Emperor Caligula attempted to erect a colossal statue of himself inside the Holy of Holies in Jerusalem. It nearly sparked an immediate, catastrophic war. That crisis passed, but in 66 AD, the Jewish revolt erupted, culminating in Rome’s total invasion.
In our modern world, with constant tensions surrounding nations like Iran or North Korea, rumors of war never cease. But Jesus tells us: Do not be frightened. These conflicts are part of a broken world, but they are not the end. Do not let geopolitical chaos throw you off mission.
3. Natural Disasters and Birth Pains
[SCRIPTURE: Mark 13:8b]
In the first century, a severe famine struck the Roman world during the reign of Claudius (recorded in Acts 11), and major earthquakes devastated regions of the empire in 61 and 63 AD. When these things happen, our natural instinct is to ask, Is this the end?
Jesus calls these events “the beginning of birth pains.” In Jewish culture, motherhood was viewed with high honor. A woman willingly endured the intense agony of labor because she knew it was the necessary pathway to new life; the pain was validated by the joy on the other side. In the same way, global turmoil and suffering are the painful contractions of a fallen world awaiting redemption. They point forward to the hope of renewal, but they are not a signal to abandon our work.
4. Severe Persecution
Mark 13:9-13 (NASB)
’But be on your guard; for they will deliver you to [the] courts, and you will be flogged in [the] synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them. ’The gospel must first be preached to all the nations. ’When they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but [it is] the Holy Spirit. ’Brother will betray brother to death, and a father [his] child; and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. ’You will be hated by all because of My name, but the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.
Jesus explicitly details three layers of persecution His followers must anticipate.
First, there is religious and civil persecution (verses 9–11). Jesus says, “Be on your guard.” That phrase means to keep your mind clear and sober. We must rid ourselves of any utopian fantasy that blends the Christian life with the easy comfort of the American Dream. Persecution is not an aberration to the Christian faith; it is the historic norm.
Notice the divine purpose embedded in verse 9: standing before governors and kings happens “as a testimony to them.” God sovereignly uses the trials of His people to place them in front of rulers who would otherwise never hear the gospel. We see this throughout the book of Acts as Peter, Stephen, and Paul stand before the Sanhedrin, Felix, Festus, King Agrippa, and Caesar himself. Every apostle except John eventually sealed their testimony with their blood.
We see this same courage today among persecuted believers across the globe. When our brothers and sisters face violence and death under radical regimes, the Holy Spirit gives them supernatural boldness. I read an account of a believer facing execution who told his captor, “After you kill me, take my Bible.” That captor later had a dream, opened that very Bible, and came to saving faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus promises that when we are brought before authorities, the Holy Spirit will provide the words we need.
Second, Jesus warns of familial betrayal in verse 12: brother will deliver brother to death, and children will rise against parents. The gospel cuts so deeply that it divides households, a reality confirmed both in scripture and by historians like Josephus, who recorded instances of family members turning on one another to spare their own lives during Roman crackdowns.
Finally, Jesus points to cultural hostility in verse 13: “You will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”
The Abomination of Desolation and the Great Tribulation
In verse 14, Jesus shifts from general warnings to a specific, catastrophic sign.
Mark 13:14-18 (NASB)
’But when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION standing where it should not be (let the reader understand), then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. ’The one who is on the housetop must not go down, or go in to get anything out of his house; and the one who is in the field must not turn back to get his coat. ’But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! ’But pray that it may not happen in the winter.
Jesus references “the abomination of desolation,” a direct phrase from Daniel chapters 9, 11, and 12. Historically, the Jews understood this as the event in 168 BC when the Syrian tyrant Antiochus IV Epiphanes invaded Jerusalem, entered the temple, and desecrated the altar by sacrificing a pig to Zeus.
Jesus declares that a similar—and far worse—desecration lies in the future. In the immediate context of 70 AD, this occurred when Roman legions encircled the city, brought their pagan standards into the temple precincts, and leveled the sanctuary. When this happened, believers remembered Jesus’ words. Instead of staying to defend the city like the Jewish zealots did (which resulted in over a million deaths), Christians fled to the mountains of Pella and surrounding regions, ultimately planting churches across the empire.
Yet Jesus’ description in verses 19 through 23 points beyond 70 AD to a final, ultimate crisis.
Mark 13:19-23 (NASB)
’For those days will be a [time of] tribulation such as has not occurred since the beginning of the creation which God created until now, and never will. ’Unless the Lord had shortened [those] days, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect, whom He chose, He shortened the days. ’And then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ’; or, ‘Behold, [He is] there’; do not believe [him]; for false Christs and false prophets will arise, and will show signs and wonders, in order to lead astray, if possible, the elect. ’But take heed; behold, I have told you everything in advance.
Jesus speaks of a tribulation unequaled since the beginning of creation. While the fall of Jerusalem was horrific, human history has witnessed numerous catastrophic atrocities. This language points to the final tribulation described in Daniel and Revelation—a period when the “man of lawlessness” (2 Thessalonians 2) exalts himself against God. Jesus warns that during this intense season, false prophets will perform signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. He tells us: “Take heed; behold, I have told you everything in advance.”
The Glorious Return of the Son of Man
Immediately following this dark distress comes the great climax of human history.
Mark 13:24-27 (NASB)
’But in those days, after that tribulation, THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL BE FALLING from heaven, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken. ’Then they will see THE SON OF MAN COMING IN CLOUDS with great power and glory. ’And then He will send forth the angels, and will gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth to the farthest end of heaven.
What follows the horrific events of persecution and suffering is the consummation of all things. Jesus will return in visible power and majesty. He will gather His elect from every corner of the earth. He will eradicate injustice, crush evil, and fully establish His eternal kingdom. Everything promised in Revelation will culminate in that moment.
This is the supreme hope of the Christian faith. Remember the context: in Mark 14, Jesus goes to the Garden of Gethsemane and then to the cross. In His final hours with His disciples, He lifts their eyes to the ultimate victory. One day, the skies will part, and Christ will descend to claim His bride. This promise is not given to paralyze us with fear or entice us into wild speculation; it is given to embolden our faithfulness right now.
Stay Awake and Stay on Mission
Jesus concludes the discourse by urging His followers to live with watchful, active readiness.
Mark 13:28-31 (NASB)
’Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. ’Even so, you too, when you see these things happening, recognize that He is near, [right] at the door. ’Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. ’Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.
Just as the budding branches of a fig tree signal that summer is near, these signs remind us that the Lord’s return is drawing closer every single day. Jesus guarantees the certainty of His promise: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”
Then, Jesus addresses the exact question the disciples asked at the beginning: When?
Mark 13:32-37 (NASB)
’But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father [alone]. ’Take heed, keep on the alert; for you do not know when the [appointed] time will come. ’[It is] like a man away on a journey, [who] upon leaving his house and putting his slaves in charge, [assigning] to each one his task, also commanded the doorkeeper to stay on the alert. ’Therefore, be on the alert– for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether in the evening, at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning– in case he should come suddenly and find you asleep. ’What I say to you I say to all, ‘Be on the alert!’’
Look closely at verse 32: “But of that day or hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”
In His incarnation, Jesus willingly submitted His human consciousness to the Father’s timeline regarding this specific date. If the angels do not know, and if the Son chose not to know in His earthly ministry, what makes anyone think they can calculate the day and hour?
Throughout church history, people have tried. In the third century, some calculated the dimensions of Noah’s ark and decided Jesus would return in 500 AD. In 1988, an author published 88 Reasons Why the Rapture Will Be in 1988—and after it failed, he wrote another book for 1989! Popes, cult leaders, and even great minds like Isaac Newton and John Wesley made speculative predictions. Every single one was wrong.
Jesus explicitly forbids this obsession. We see the exact same principle in the book of Acts just before His ascension:
Acts 1:7-8 (NASB)
He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.’
When the disciples asked about the timeline, Jesus told them it was not for them to know the times or seasons. Instead, He commanded them to receive the Holy Spirit and be His witnesses to the ends of the earth.
Mark 13:10 remains the heartbeat of this entire passage: “The gospel must first be preached to all the nations.” Nine times in Mark 13, Jesus warns us to “take heed,” “be on guard,” and “stay awake.” Five times in the final verses alone, He commands vigilance.
Do not fall into the ditch of neglect, which leads to spiritual apathy and worldliness; and do not fall into the ditch of obsession, which leads to theological distraction. Instead, be consumed with faithfulness.
Conclusion: Our Great Hope
Suffering is inevitable in a fallen world, but Jesus has warned us so that we will not lose heart. I remember hearing John Piper asked why he continually preached on suffering to his congregation in Minneapolis. His response was classic: “I may not be preaching to the current realities of this generation, but I am certainly preaching for your children and your grandchildren.”
Knowing what lies ahead sobers us up, protects us from shallow faith, and anchors us in the unchanging promise of God.
Our lives on this earth are but a vapor. We have only a brief window of time to invest in eternity. Let the glorious reality of Christ’s return fuel your daily obedience. Let it drive you to love your neighbor, share the gospel, stand firm in trial, and advance His kingdom.
Let’s pray together.
*Father, we rejoice in the glorious truth that one day You will look to Your Son, seated at Your right hand, and tell Him to go receive His bride. Lord, we long for that day when the clouds will part, the trumpet will sound, and Christ will descend to make all things new.
Yet, Father, we know that many of our family members, friends, and neighbors do not yet know Jesus. We pray that You would fuel our hearts with holy urgency. Keep us from the distraction of needless debates and protect us from the apathy of comfortable living. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit so that we may live boldly and proclaim the gospel to the ends of the earth, all for the glory of King Jesus. In His precious and mighty name we pray, Amen.*