Mark 13:24-37. Yesterday used a statement by one of his followers about the Temple as an opportunity to teach them a little bit about what was coming in their lives.  He told tem that the Temple would be destroyed.  In shock they asked him when.  His answer went way beyond the question as he told them about the things that would happen between then and now (and beyond actually).  The Temple actually was destroyed just a few years after it was finished.  In 70 AD the Roman army, in response to a revolt by the Jewish people , entered Jerusalem and ransacked the city.  Part of the events included a fire raging through Jerusalem, including the Temple, which melted the gold off the Temple walls.  The soldiers, in an attempt to get the gold out of the cracks it had melted into, actually demolished the Temple, stone by stone.  Eventually the Jewish people would be dispersed through out the world and Israel would cease to be a nation, until May 14, 1948 when the United Nations, as part of the reparations for World War 2 gave the Jewish people some territory that had formerly been part of their nation, the modern state or country of Israel was born.  Of course tis is all part of a larger series of events promised by God to the Jewish people and the world to establish a kingdom with a descendant of David as king.  Jesus is to be that king and his death on the cross was designed to open the door to the kingdom for all who would accept his offer of reconciliation with God.  According to 2 Corinthians 5:20 believer are ambassadors for Jesus telling the world about that offer.  Jesus, with his death on the cross for the sins of us all, was starting a new period of history, one in which people could have a right relationship with God and their lives could become the home for the Holy Spirit.

In the mean time much of the world is responding the same way many of the Jewish leaders of Jesus’ time responded; with hostility.  Not only that but the world is joined in that hostility and often led in it by Satan and the angles who rebelled against God with him (Ephesians 6:12).  So in yesterdays reading Jesus started to inform his followers about that coming trouble, trouble which will last until Jesus returns again to take physical possession of the Earth as his kingdom.  In verses 24-26 Jesus combines several prophecies from the Old Testament about the trouble that would be part of the “End Times” events. He hints at words from Ezekiel, Isaiah, and Joel.  In verse 27 Jesus then informs his followers that he will gather together his people in the end.   In verses 28-32 Jesus tells his followers that they cannot know the exact timing if the events and their ultimate gathering by him.  In fact he doesn’t even know because he is leaving the timing up to God the Father.  In verse 30 Jesus tells his followers that their generation will not pass away until the event he was talking about take place.  This does not mean that all of the events of the end times would happen before his followers generation died.  Remember the original question by the followers about the destruction of the temple.  Jesus saw that as the beginning of a series of events that would end with his second coming and his establishing his kingdom on earth.  I think I mentioned the woman at the well in yesterday’s post.  Jesus told her a time was coming and was actually there when people’s relationship with God would be renewed; he said, “a day is coming and now is…”.  Jesus clearly saw the whole series of events as a indivisible unit.  So his followers generation did see the events he was talking about at least in the fact that the events had started.

Some people might not like that explanation but there are two other possibilities.  First the word “generation” comes from a word that means “offspring” so we might ask what “generation” Jesus was talking about.
We assume it was the “generation” of the people alive when he was talking, John was one of his followers and he lived into the mid-90’s AD.  But the word might also refer to the new “generation” of believers (See 1 Peter 1:14, 23; 2:9.  In 1 Peter 2:9 the word “race” is the Greek word that our word “Generation” comes from).  If you want to insist that it was the generation then alive and that they needed to see “all” the event Jesus was talking about then consider that John, who I mentioned above, actually did see the event occur, at least in his vision when he wrote the book of Revelation.  So in that respect at leas tone of their Generation “saw” the events.

I think the important thing to see in this section is in verses 29, 33, 35 and 37.  In verse 29 Jesus tells his followers to “recognize” or “know” or “be aware” that the event leading to the kingdom are happening.  In verses 33, 35 and 37 Jesus tells them to be alert.  I think the point is “Be Alert”.  God clearly wants us to know that he is working toward restoring our relationship with him and one day we will live together with him.  He doesn’t want anyone to miss out, although many will.  So, although we can’t know exactly when Jesus will return for his people and set up his forever kingdom, we can know it is going to happen; the events have already begun.  What we need to do is respond to the events we see or have seen, hopefully by giving our lives to God and in service to God, regardless of the cost.

God thank you for making us a new “race” of people.  Peter tells us that we are a “royal priesthood”; a part of your family who get to represent you to others.  He tells us that we are a “holy nation”; a special group of people, special to you.  And he tells us that we are a people who re your own possession.  Thank you for bringing me into your family.  Thank you for holding me in your hand and caring for me.  Thank you for making things right between us.  Help me be a good representation for you to those around me.  Help me not be slack in serving you.  Let me be serving you when you return for me.  Thank you for your love and for revealing this stuff to me and to the world.  Let us all be alert.