Gospel of Mark Study #44

“Forewarned Is Forearmed”

Mark 13:24-37

Study #44 in Mark Series

INTRODUCTION:

“To be forewarned is to be forearmed.” This is an old saying, but what does it mean? Let’s think of some practical examples:

ü  In a military setting, sometimes there is intelligence information that comes in telling of an attack that is about to take place somewhere along the line. With this advance information in hand the generals will assign more men to that area to fend off the impending attack. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.

ü  Or in a police context, the cops sometimes learn from a “confidential informant” of something that is about to go down. With that information they gear up to go into action, knowing what they are about to walk into, so they plan accordingly. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.

ü  Or suppose your company transfers you to Kansas, in the heart of tornado country. Knowing that you are going to be there for several years you decide to buy a lot and build a new house. You know that sooner or later the area will be threatened by tornados, so you build it out of brick, with a secure basement. You buy a gas generator and stock a closet in the basement with water, freeze-dried food, and an emergency radio. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.

ü  Or how about this? In the past two months three houses on your block have been broken into at night and robbed, one of these attacks resulting in grave bodily harm to the homeowner. You decide to put in a sophisticated alarm system, sign up with ADT Home Security, and keep your shotgun loaded at night lying on the floor next to your bed. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.

When we learn about a coming catastrophe, it becomes much easier to prepare ourselves for it. We can take steps to get our stuff in order and make sure that we have done everything possible to protect ourselves and our families. This only makes sense. Only a fool would ignore the facts and fail to act, knowing that this could mean disaster for him and his loved ones.

TRANSITION:

In Mark 13 Jesus is telling His disciples of a coming Tribulation period in which thousands upon thousands will die, both from the supernatural judgments of God rained down upon the earth as well as from persecution meted out by the Antichrist and his evil administration. For two weeks we have been studying this text known as the Olivet Discourse in which Jesus lays out for His disciples the order of events and what that future time will look like. Last week we ended at verse 23 in which Jesus says: “But take heed; behold, I have told you everything in advance.” The New Living Translation puts it this way: “Watch out! I have warned you!” In other words, “to be forewarned is to be forearmed.” 

For the believers who are living through the events described here, this text, along with several other related passages, will serve as a “Guide to Survival” for those going through the Great Tribulation. 

Just to clarify for you again... I believe that Mark 13 breaks down this way:

Ø  Verses 5-8 = describe events during the first half of the Tribulation (3½ years).

Ø  Verses 9-23 = describe events during the second half of the Tribulation, also referred to as The Great Tribulation. This is when God will pour out His wrath on this evil world.

Ø  Verses 24-27 = describe events at the tail end of the Tribulation including Christ’s Second Coming, when He returns as King and Judge to destroy the Antichrist and to set up His Millennial Kingdom on earth.

Ø  Verses 28-37 = Warnings and exhortation to watchfulness for those living in that period and awaiting the Lord’s return.

NOTES on the Text:

Verses 24-25: But in those days, after that tribulation, THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, ²⁵ AND THE STARS WILL BE FALLING from heaven, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken.

·       If I am correct about the breakdown of this chapter then Jesus is here talking about events right at the end of the Tribulation. He is saying that there are going to be some amazing supernatural events taking place, unmistakable signs in the heavens that indicate His imminent arrival. Jesus here seems to take His language from Isaiah 13:10; 34:4; and especially Joel 2:10-11, 30-32. Listen to what the prophet Joel wrote about this event, which he calls “the Day of the Lord.” “The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and awesome Day of the Lord comes. And it will come about that whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be delivered; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape, as the Lord has said, even among the survivors whom the Lord calls.” 

Verse 26: Then they will see THE SON OF MAN COMING IN CLOUDS with great power and glory.

·       This is NOT the Rapture! The Rapture will have already taken place 7 years earlier. Why do I say that? Because the Bible is clear that Christ will return for His Bride, the Church, BEFORE the appearance of the Antichrist and the beginning of the judgments of God. The Word says emphatically, “For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thess. 5:9).

Verse 27: 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.

·       From verse 26 it is obvious that Jesus is talking about living people, not dead ones. Note: “Then they will see...” So here in verse 27 it seems obvious that He is still talking about these living people, not dead ones. He says that people will be gathered from every part of the earth, from every nook and cranny where they have fled to avoid the natural disasters and the persecutions of the Antichrist. God is going to gather them up and bring them to Zion. By that time, the world’s population will be a fraction of what it was before the start of the Tribulation. Millions (maybe billions) will die. We cannot even begin to comprehend the extent of the devastation that will occur.

·       Note: when it says “His elect” it refers especially to Jewish believers, but they will not be the only ones gathered but they are the ones in focus here.

Verses 28-29: 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. ²⁹ Even so, you too, when you see these things happening, recognize that He is near, right at the door.

·       Verse 28 begins a section given over to warnings and exhortations for those living in the end times to get ready for what is coming. Remember, “To be forewarned is to be forearmed.” Jesus is giving His people a heads-up and saying, “Get prepared!”

·       Jesus used two parables to get His point across. The first one was about a budding fig tree. The second parable was about a master who left on a trip without saying exactly when he would return.

·       Let’s look first at the Fig Tree Parable. Many people had one growing in their back yard. They knew how to tell if the fig season was coming by looking at the buds. And figs generally budded in late spring, indicating that summer was just around the corner. A person did not have to be a genius to figure out when summer was coming. In the same way, Jesus said, “When you see these things happening, recognize that He [i.e., Christ] is near, right at the door.” All they must do is connect the dots.

Verse 30: Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these

things take place.

·       Which generation? For one thing you need to know that in the past when Jesus has used the fig tree as an object lesson it has generally represented the people of Israel. I believe that is true here as well. God’s timepiece is ISRAEL. She is the chronometer upon which God’s plans are based. I have heard this verse used to defend the view that from the time when Israel once again officially became a nation in her own land (i.e., May 14, 1948, at 4:00 PM) that this verse is saying that Jesus will have to come back within the space of one generation (±40 years). I do not buy that, because the Jews went back to Israel in complete unbelief and have remained in unbelief. Also, it all depends on what you understand verse 29 to mean. Personally, I think that it is clear. In context, Jesus is referring to the generation still alive at the end of the Tribulation. They are the ones who will live to see all these things take place, not those who saw Israel reestablished as a nation. Any other interpretation does injury to the text.

Verse 31: Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.

·       This is just Jesus’ way of saying, “You can take it to the bank that what I’m telling you really is going to happen. My word is faithful and true and established in the heavens. You can count on it happening exactly as I have told you.” 

Verse 32: But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in Heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.

·       I find this to be a fascinating statement and Mark is the only one to include the words, “...nor the Son...” We truly have very little understanding about the inner workings of the Godhead, and the relationships between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We think of them all having equal knowledge but here Jesus states that only the Father knows the exact time when these events are going to unfold. He has not shared that information with the other two Persons of the Trinity, nor with the angels. Yet Jesus seems to be OK with that explanation. “But is Jesus not omniscient?” you might ask. The answer, of course, is that Jesus was self-limited while He was on earth. For example, Jesus could never be in two places at once because He limited Himself to a human body like ours. And in that human form He also taught us humility by submitting Himself to the will of the Father. His statement here in Mark should in no way cause us to think that He was a lesser God than the Father.

·       It begs the question: So then, why are so many Christians frantically trying to figure out exactly when Jesus will be coming back? Why have so many gone out on limbs to set dates and to wax eloquent about the supposed signs of His coming? 

Verse 33: Take heed, keep on the alert; for you do not know when the appointed time will come.

·       You see, the time is not as important as our preparedness. Since His ascension Christians have been warned to live as though His return could happen at any moment. If we really took that injunction seriously, we would have evangelized the whole world long before now. If we honestly believed that Jesus might come back today, would we not live differently? Would we not be more concerned about the Great Commission? Would we not be more preoccupied with Him finding us faithfully being about our Father’s business when He comes back? 

Verse 34: 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.

·       This is the second parable, about the master of the house who goes away on a trip, leaving his servants in charge. He assigns them tasks to accomplish and warns them to pay attention to their duties, to stay alert and protect the household from any danger. Special instructions are given to the doorkeeper to be alert. 

Verses 35-36: 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— ³⁶ in case he should come suddenly and find you asleep.

·       Here Jesus refers to the four watches of the night according to Roman military reckoning: evening (6-9 PM), midnight (9-12 PM), cockcrowing (12-3 AM), morning (3-6 AM). Why does He not say anything about daytime hours? Because we are normally awake during the day, and less apt to be taken by surprise. However, most enemies attack at night, when there is a good chance of catching somebody asleep at the switch. The apostle Paul, in 1 Thess. 5:1-6 talks about this same future time frame. He says: “Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. ² For you yourselves know full well that the Day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. ³ While they are saying, ‘Peace and safety!’ then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labour pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape. ⁴ But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief: ⁵ for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; ⁶ so then let us not sleep as others do but let us be alert and sober.”

·       Like I said, Jesus is giving the Tribulation believers a big heads-up so that when the time comes, they do not get caught napping. 

Verse 37: What I say to you I say to all, “Be on the alert!”

·       This is the bottom line: “BE ON THE ALERT!” In other words, “To be forewarned is to be forearmed.” 

CONCLUSION:

I have tried over these past three studies to make the case that this Olivet Discourse is outlining events that will occur in a time yet future, leading up to the Second Coming of Christ at the end of the Tribulation. I do not believe the events of this chapter were fulfilled in the First Century. Nor have they been fulfilled subsequently in our time. In fact, these events are still in the future. I do not believe that I will be present to see them unfold because I believe that Christ is going to come at any moment to take His Bride away. I believe that at any moment we could hear the voice of the archangel and the trumpet of God, and WE WILL BE OUT OF HERE! That event is called the Rapture of the Church and it is the next event on God’s timetable. 

However, since the time when Jesus walked among us, we have been called to watch, to work, and to wait. We are to watch for His return. We are to work while it is day to accomplish the tasks that He has assigned to us. We are to wait patiently for His appearing, not in anxiety or fear, but in joyful expectancy. Today, as children of God we are to be watching with joyful anticipation and looking for that blessed hope, the glorious appearing of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

FEEDBACK:

What should we learn from this passage? Are these verses any comfort to you or are they irrelevant? If the Church is going to be Raptured before the Tribulation, the way I believe, then what is the value in studying these verses?

Gospel of Mark Study #43

“Fake Christs, False Prophets, and Lying Signs”

Mark 13:9-23

Study #43 in Mark Series

INTRODUCTION:

Most of us dislike fakes and phonies. We hate false advertising. We detest people who “put on airs” and pretend to be something they are not. We ridicule and make fun of “knock-off” products. No, we like the genuine article, the “real McCoy.” That is because we have learned that things that are fake, and false, and phony, are always second rate, at best.

And yet, for some odd reason many people are drawn to fakes. You may remember the 2002 Spielberg movie, “Catch Me If You Can,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks. It was a true story about a young conman named Frank Abagnale, Jr. who, before his 19^th birthday, successfully swindled companies out of millions of dollars by writing fraudulent checks and posing as a Pan Am pilot, a pediatrician, an assistant attorney general, and a history professor. He was finally tracked down and arrested in France by a dour, long-faced FBI agent named Carl Hanratty, Jr. He was extradited, tried, and sentenced to prison for passing more than $4,000,000 in bad checks in 26 countries. Of course, those of you who saw the film know that what started out as a cat and mouse game between Abagnale and Hanratty eventually became something more akin to a father-and-son relationship. That is one of the amazing things about the story. Everyone who came to know Abagnale really liked him, including the people he swindled. He was a genuinely nice guy and very likeable. Everyone said so. 

Today we are going to see that there is coming a day when the greatest conman the world has ever seen will lead many astray with his words, his charismatic personality, and his lying wonders. The Bible calls him, the Antichrist.

TRANSITION:

In our last study we forged ahead into chapter 13 of the Gospel of Mark. I explained to you then that this is what is called the Olivet Discourse. Jesus and His disciples were seated on the hillside of the Mount of Olives where they could look across the Kidron Valley and see the Temple in all its beauty and shining glory. A little while before that Jesus had made an astonishing statement to four of the disciples in response to an observation made by one of them about the beauty and strength of the Temple. Jesus told them that the Temple was going to be destroyed in such a way that not one stone would be left upon another. However, they could not imagine such a thing happening.

After they got to Mount Olivet Jesus began teaching them about things to come. This was specifically in response to their three-part question: “When will all of these things be [i.e., the destruction of the Temple], and what will be the sign of your coming [i.e., His coming in power and glory], and of the end of the age?”

I explained to you last week that I believe that while this passage contains clues about what was in the relative near-future for the disciples [i.e., in approx. 40 years when the Temple was destroyed by the Roman General, Titus Flavius Vespasianus in AD 70], most of the text is referring to events that will happen during and at the end of the seven years of Tribulation described in Revelation chapters 4-19 and other passages. This is a prophetic passage with instructions for those believers who will be alive during that future time. This will be their Guide to Survival during the 7-year reign of the Antichrist. 

I also explained to you last week that I do not believe that we, the Church, will be present for these events, even if they occur in the near or middle future, because I believe that the Rapture of the Church precedes the events herein described. The Rapture will be a sign-less event. By that I mean it will have no signs or miracles or clues that it is about to happen. It could be today. It could be tomorrow. Jesus could come back for us at any time. The Rapture of the Church is the next event on God’s timetable, and we need to be ready to meet the Lord at any moment. Although the Scriptures do not give any clues as to when it will take place, the Bible is full of warnings to be ready and to redeem the time and to “...look up, for your redemption draws nigh.”

So, while Mark 13 is not written to us, it is written for our instruction so that we will spread the Good News while there is yet time for our friends and neighbors and co-workers and loved ones to respond to Christ and the Gospel so that they will not be on hand to experience the awful events described in this text. 

So, let’s continue and see what will take place in those days. Let’s pull back the curtain and get a peek at what will happen to those who are left behind and what it will cost just to be a Christ-follower in that future period.

NOTES on the Text:

Verse 9: 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 Tribulation will be a time of great peril for believers. They will be hunted and pursued like wild game. According to Jesus, they will be punished legally, through the court system. It will be against the law to be a Christian. They will also be persecuted by the religious people and publicly humiliated, much the way today’s Islamic fundamentalists treat those whom they consider to be infidels or lawbreakers.

·       Christians will be called before magistrates, governors, judges, and kings to give account of themselves and explain why they have not abandoned this hateful religion known as Christianity.

·       But the last phrase of verse 9 is important: Jesus says, “You will do this for My sake, as a testimony to them.” This reminds me of Jesus before Pilate, and Paul before Agrippa.

Verse 10: The Gospel must first be preached to all the nations.

·       If you misunderstand the context of Mark 13 you will come out wrong here. I have heard many people say that “the Rapture cannot occur yet because the Gospel first has to be preached in all the world.” But that is not what the Bible is saying here. Universal evangelization is not a prerequisite condition limiting the Rapture. Here in Mark 13 Jesus is not talking about the Rapture when He shall come for His saints, but about His Second Coming, when He will come with His saints and His holy angels to destroy the Antichrist, to rescue His people Israel, and to set up His Millennial Kingdom.

·       During the seven years of the Tribulation my understanding is that the Gospel will be carried to the ends of the earth by an army of 144,000 Jewish believers who will be divinely sealed and protected from the attacks of the Antichrist. They, along with ordinary believers, will share the Good News in every corner of the globe, much to the anger and chagrin of the Antichrist (cf. Rev. 7:3-8; 14:1, 3). However, remember the context of this chapter and do not confuse what will occur during the Tribulation, thinking that the job must be accomplished before Jesus can come back to take out His Bride, the Church. That is not so! 

Verse 11: 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 speaks, but it is the Holy Spirit.

·       While the principle here has been proven many times to be true and faithful, this is specifically related to the kinds of scenes described in verse 9. During those days people will discover that God is still with them, even as they stand as sheep before the butcher. 

Verse 12: Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.

·       This kind of thing happened often with the Hitler Youth Movement in the WWII years. It also happened in Communist China in the early days of the Maoists. It still goes on today in Muslim countries when someone professes his/her faith in Jesus Christ. However, it will also mark those days during the Tribulation when Christians will be considered dangerous to public safety and will be hunted down like rabid dogs. 

Verse 13: You will be hated by all because of My name, but the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.

·       Universal hatred against Christians—that will be the norm. Believers in every country will flee to the hills and caves to avoid detection, torture, imprisonment, and death. But what does Jesus mean here when He says, “...but the one who endures to the end, he will be saved”? Is He talking about physical salvation or eternal salvation? Does the context give us any clues?

·       It seems clear to me that the context is about the endurance of believers during a future time of intense persecution. There seems to be no doubt here about the genuineness of their salvation. That is not even being called into question. For one thing, if they were not true believers, they would not be the target of the Antichrist. All they would have to do to save themselves would be to recant and make it clear that they are not Jesus followers. No, Jesus is talking about those who endure and make it safely to the end of the Tribulation period. “...they will be saved,” meaning they will have made it through the minefield and on to safety. These “overcomers,” the Tribulation saints who survive, will be the ones who go on into the Millennial reign of Christ.

Verse 14: 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.

·       This cryptic verse has been the subject of much speculation over the years. If you take the position that these verses all describe events in history past, then you must find some event within a few years after the prophecy was given to hang it on. The logical choice must be the profaning and destruction of the Temple by the Romans in AD 70.

·       The phrase “abomination of desolation” comes straight from the Book of Daniel (cf. 9:27; 11:31; 12:11) and refers to a future profaning of the Temple. That prophecy was fulfilled literally in 168 BC by the blasphemous and hateful act of the Seleucid King, Antiochus Epiphanes, who profaned the Temple of Yahweh by erecting idols within it and even going so far as to sacrifice pigs to Zeus upon the Temple’s altar of burnt offerings.

·       However, the context here militates for an interpretation tied to Christ’s Second Coming. Both the heinous act of Antiochus Epiphanes and the destruction of the Temple by the Romans in AD 70 were a foreshadowing of another “abomination of desolation” that will occur in the future under the regime of the Antichrist, immediately preceding the glorious return of King Jesus. 

Verses 15-18: The one who is on the housetop must not go down or go in to get anything out of his house; ¹⁶ and the one who is in the field must not turn back to get his coat. ¹⁷ But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! ¹⁸ But pray that it may not happen in the winter.

·       These verses give specific practical instructions for those who will flee to the hills to avoid the wrath to come. The second half of the Tribulation, also referred to as “the Great Tribulation,” will be a time like the world has never seen before. We know that the Antichrist is going to set up his capital in Jerusalem and will rule from there. The “abomination of desolation,” whatever blasphemous form that will take (probably a profaning of the Holy of Holies), will be the signal for the believers living in the region of Judea to get the heck out of Dodge. The Book of Revelation says that the first half of the Tribulation will be a period of relative calm, while the Antichrist marshals his forces and consolidates his power. However, at the midpoint he is going to break his treaty with Israel, and when he does that, all hell is going to break loose. That is when he is going to begin his murderous campaign to wipe out the name of Christ along with all His followers, and the Jews to boot. That is when God will begin to pour out His judgments on the earth. Those will make the 10 plagues of Egypt look like a Sunday school picnic. 

Verses 19-20: 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. ²⁰ 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.

·       Remember, these words are coming directly from Jesus, and He should know! He says that this will be the worst thing that has ever happened. This will not be merely a question of a rash of natural disasters. It will be obvious to everyone on the planet that there is a God in Heaven, and He is ticked off!

·       Verse 20 is interesting because in this verse Jesus uses a literary form called the “historic future.” The verbs are in the past tense while the action of the context is obviously futuristic. You can see the contrast from verse 19. This was just for emphasis. We have said before that God is not limited by time and space. However, we are. What does it mean here: “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”? Is God going to alter the solar clock, make time stand still, compress time? I do not think so. I believe that what Jesus means is that this period of divine punishment will be relatively short, not for the sake of the wicked but for the sake of the righteous Tribulation saints who will be going through it. The period of God’s wrath will last for 3½ years (42 months – cf. Rev. 13:5). That will seem like a lifetime to those who must endure it but, it is a short period. That is yet another evidence of God’s mercy. 

Verses 21-22: And then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ’; or, ‘Behold, He is there’: do not believe him; ²² for false christs and false prophets will arise, and will show signs and wonders, in order to lead astray, if possible, the elect.

·       It is from these two verses that I took the title for today’s study: “Fake Christs, False Prophets, and Lying Signs.” We already mentioned that there have been false christs for a long time, people claiming to be the Messiah. Most of them end up getting locked up in mental institutions. But what would happen if one showed up doing real, honest-to-goodness miracles that could be verified by doctors and scientists? Would that make a difference to anyone?

·       Up until now these fake messiahs have been all talk and no action. None of them has been able to do any kind of miracle. However, the Bible tells us that when the Antichrist shows up on the scene in the last days, he will not only lay claim to the title of “Messiah,” he will also do miracles to attest to his genuineness, and many will believe in him because of his lying wonders. You see, the devil can do some miracles too! Remember the story of Moses when he went before Pharaoh? The king’s seers matched Moses’ miracles one-for-one up through the third one. That is because Satan’s power comes nowhere close to God’s, but he has enough mojo to be very impressive indeed.

·       The apostle Paul wrote about the Tribulation period and the coming of the Antichrist in 2 Thess. 2:9-12: “...the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. And for this reason, God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they might believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth but took pleasure in wickedness.” That goes along perfectly with what Jesus said here in Mark 13. 

Verse 23: But take heed; behold, I have told you everything in advance.

·       I mentioned to you last week that I see this passage as the “Guide to Survival” for those who will be left behind when Christ comes to Rapture His Church. That coming will be a secret event, unheralded, unseen by the world, instantaneous, with no signs and no warning. However, the Second Coming of Christ will have lots of warnings. The Lord has seen fit to describe exactly what will take place during those seven years and in what order. For anyone with the faith and gumption to read THE BOOK they can have advanced warning and a play-by-play description of what will happen during those days. 

CONCLUSION:

Remember, when the Rapture occurs, for a brief time there will not be any Christians left on the earth, for they will have all been caught away to be with the Lord. However, it will not take long for people to begin to realize what has just taken place. Can you imagine the grief, the remorse, the anger, and the pain? The pundits and politicians will quickly rally and will try to offer explanations for what has just occurred, but their explanations will be hollow. So, what is going to happen? Little by little people all around the world are going to begin to believe the Gospel and cry out to God to save them. People will pick up the Bibles that have been left behind and learn how much God loves them. Many will place their faith and trust in Jesus Christ. Many will turn to Him. But that will not change the fact that they have been left behind and will have to endure the wrath of the Antichrist and God’s judgments that will fall upon the earth. Would it not be much better to trust in Christ today and avoid all that pain and suffering?

FEEDBACK:

If I am correct about this passage and it is really a description of events for which we will not be present, then what is the value of studying it, along with its related texts? Is it a waste of time? What principles can we glean from these verses to apply to our lives today? What is the Lord saying to you through them?