More Future Distress: Mark 13:14-23
The closer we get to the end, the more deceptive the world becomes. This makes sense in many contexts. The more accustomed I get to my sinfulness, the easier it is to make (and believe) excuses, the easier it is to feel like the behavior is normal instead of wrong, and the easier it is to exercise power out of the sinfulness. The more I fall away from God, the easier it is to get accustomed to my sinfulness. The key to preventing myself from succumbing to temptation is to remain close to God.
Jesus speaks about the abomination of desolation. While there is great uncertainty about the event to which Jesus is referring, it seems reasonable to think that Jesus is drawing from the Old Testament passages of Daniel 9:27, Daniel 11:31, and Daniel 12:11. Biblical scholars traditionally believe these verses in Daniel found their fulfillment under Antiochus Epiphanes IV about two centuries prior to Jesus time on earth. However, we know scripture can have multiple fulfillments. We also know the sins of humanity are often cyclical; just because a prophecy was fulfilled once doesn’t mean it won’t happen again after Jesus’ time.
Jesus is not specific about what the abomination of desolation. Many assume this indicates the construction – and profaning - of another temple in the future. As the followers of God are now both Jew and Gentile, the abomination of desolation might be more generic such as the profaning of God’s ways. Whatever the abomination of desolation is, it can be assured that something significant to God will be profaned by the ways of the world.
This isn’t all-that-great for helping Jesus’ followers know the timing of the end. Jesus’ words make it seem like this is something we should know, but it doesn’t need to be the case. Jesus initially redirected the disciples away from knowing when judgment is coming, focusing them instead on preventing themselves from being led astray. while it may be frustrating to not fully understand Jesus’ meaning of the abomination of desolation, it makes sense. Jesus still doesn’t want us to focus on knowing the events of the end. E wants us to focus on avoiding temptation and bolstering our spirit in the face of persecution.
To this end, Jesus tells the disciples there will be great suffering. This is the God who sent the flood. This is the God who brought the plagues of Egypt. This is the God who sent pestilence upon the armies of Assyria in defense of Jerusalem. Jesus says the suffering to come will be so great that nothing like it has ever happened in the past. That is impressive. That is also scary.
Even after this warning, Jesus’ focus is still on not being led astray. He warns of people coming in His name. He warns of people exerting false power to draw others away from God. The closer we get to the end, the more deceptive the world becomes.
