Mark 14:12; Ex. 11:4-7; 12:1-7,13, What was Written about When Jesus Would be Crucified?

Jesus was crucified at Passover.  Not the Day of Atonement.  Not during the Feast of Tabernacles.  But Passover.  The rest of the NT calls attention to this fact.  John the Baptist referred to Jesus as the Lamb of God (John 1:29), a title of Christ that is found in the Passover.  Paul said, Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us (1 Cor. 5:7).  Peter’s words in 1 Pt. 1:17-19 are profound:

¹⁷ And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; ¹⁸ knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, ¹⁹ but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.

There are many things about the first Passover that connect with Jesus’ crucifixion.  Moses told the people of Israel what God had said to him: around midnight the LORD was going to kill the firstborn of all in the land of Egypt, but He would not kill the firstborn of the Israelites.  In this way, everyone would know that the LORD made a distinction between Egypt and Israel.  Moses said these words for Pharoah to hear (11:8), and yet he spoke in the hearing of the people of Israel (11:2). 

Exodus 12 contains the instructions for the first Passover, the one that set the stage for all the others, and the one that prophesies Christ.  For example, in 12:3 we see that, as Jesus often said, “whosoever will may come.”  The offer was to all the people of Israel.  Passover involved a male lamb, without blemish (12:5), fulfilled in Jesus.  In 12:6 we see that the lamb was chosen and spent 4 days with the family, becoming dear to them.  In the same way, Christ came to His own, and lived among them, and ministered among them, and then was put to death. 

The Israelites were to take blood from the sacrificial lamb and put it on the doorposts and over the top of the door.  Thus, the lamb provided “atonement.”  The word for “atonement” comes from Gen. 6:14 when Noah was told by the LORD to cover the ark with pitch so that it would not leak.  In the case of Passover, the blood provided a covering over the household so that, when the LORD went throughout Egypt He would “pass over” the homes of the Israelites that were covered with blood.  The Lord Jesus provides an eternal covering for us, as we see in Rom. 3:24-25:

being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, ²⁵ whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed.

There is more to say about this connection, which we will in the next post.

Mk. 14:10-11,18-21, What was Written About Jesus’ Betrayer?

Remember, we are acknowledging that “the Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him” (14:21).  In v10-11 we see that Judas initiated the betrayal and the chief priests paid him accordingly.  In the recent post called “Thirty Pieces of Silver” we saw that this was written beforehand in Zech. 11:12-13. 

As Jesus and the disciples ate the Passover meal together, Jesus prophesied that one of “them” would betray Him (14:18-21).  Jesus seems to indicate He is less concerned about naming the betrayer and more concerned about the fate of the betrayer: it would have been good for that man if he had never been born.  The Zechariah passage had prophesied the tragic ending for the betrayer when the prophet said, And the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—that princely price they set on me. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord for the potter.  The Gospels tell us that Judas threw the money at the feet of the chief priests and hung himself in the potter’s field.  The priests used the money to purchase the field for the burial of strangers (cf. Matt. 27:3-10).  Peter, in Acts 1:20 quoted two Psalms that spoke of Judas’ woeful fate: Let his dwelling place be desolate, and let no one live in it (Ps. 69:25) and, Let another take his office (Ps. 109:8).

There is one other Biblical connection with Judas.  In John 17:12 Jesus refers to him as the son of perdition.  2 Thess. 2:3 refers to the future antichrist by the same title: Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of^] sin is revealed, the son of perdition.

All of these references to the betrayer work together to assure us that Jesus’ is correct to pronounce a “woe” upon Judas (Mk. 14:21).  There are people who sometimes want to paint Judas as a “gray” individual, struggling with perhaps some political motives or “reverse psychology” (trying to force Jesus’ hand).  As we have noted, and say again, Judas was a man of covetousness, loving money, and he was willing to put a price of 30 pieces of silver on Jehovah, God who came in the flesh!

Having said that, and without any diminishing of this description of evil Judas, there is an interesting study in the NT.  The word for “betray,” paradidomi (prefix “over, beside” with verb “to give”, to give over or give to someone) appears several times in the NT in speaking of Jesus’ crucifixion.  Who gave Him over?

·       Mk. 14:10: Judas gave Him over, betrayed Him.

·       Mk. 15:1: the elders, scribes and entire Sanhedrin “delivered” Him to Pilate.

·       Mk. 15:15: Pilate delivered Jesus to be crucified.

·       Rom. 4:25: Jesus was “delivered up” for MY justification; I delivered Him up.

·       Jn. 19:30; Gal. 2:20: Jesus “gave up” His spirit; He loved me and “gave Himself up” for me.

·       Rom. 8:32: The Father “delivered Him up” for us all.  Why did the Father do this?  Because there was no other Redeemer!

Acts 13:26-41, The Fragrance of His Death

Since Jesus’ anointing at Bethany has caused us to consider His burial, let’s consider other passages that speak of His burial. 

And they made His grave with the wicked—But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth. (Isa. 53:9)

Here is a passage I love because it speaks of a “carved out tomb” like the Garden Tomb.  That was a rich man’s tomb.  Shebna, in Isa. 22:15-16, was a rich man who made such a tomb. Crucified people were not normally buried; their bodies were burned.  I consider this burial to be the beginning of Jesus’ exaltation.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. 10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. (Ps. 16:9-10)

This is the passage quoted by both Peter (Ac. 2) and Paul (Ac. 13) when they anchor His burial in the OT. 

My strength is dried up like a potsherd, And My tongue clings to My jaws; You have brought Me to the dust of death. (Ps. 22:15)

This is the point of burial in the amazing prophecy of “crucifixion.”  He was truly dead, brought to the “dust of death.”  I also find it interesting how often the burial “spices” are mentioned in Scripture.

All Your garments are scented with myrrh and aloes and cassia, Out of the ivory palaces, by which they have made You glad. (Ps. 45:8)

And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. (Mt. 2:11)

And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds. (John 19:39)

Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him.  (Mark 16:1)

What is important about this?  His friends wanted to be sure His shame did not continue, even in death.  So they brought the spices.  The way we live our lives should present Jesus’ death as a “fragrant” event!

14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. 15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things? (2 Cor. 2:14-16)

John 12:1-8, Jesus Anointed for Burial

Let us continue our comparison of the two records.

Mark 14:3-9	John 12:1-8
4 But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, “Why was this fragrant oil wasted? 5 For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they criticized her sharply.	4 But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, 5 “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.

John adds something valuable.  Several were indignant, but apparently on one of them was one of the Twelve.  John clarifies the motivations of Judas.  He was all about the money.  He was a thief and never cared about the poor.  There are some who want to try to clean up the reputation of poor Judas, or at least to give some extenuating circumstances.  Furthermore, we learn here something of the true value of our Lord.  We noted in a previous post that the “shepherds of Israel” only valued Him at 30 pieces of silver.  Here He is valued at, not just 300 denarii, but as the most valuable item one worshiper could give. 

Mark 14:3-9	John 12:1-8
6 But Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. 7 For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always. 8 She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial.	7 But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. 8 For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.”

The words Jesus spoke in this situation would never fly in the world where we live.  Not that there are not those who have such an exalted view of themselves.  But we can never speak of people rightfully doing good to us.  Our world would say that Jesus “dissed” the poor, that He was arrogant.  And yet, Jesus as always spoke the truth.  He was and is worthy of our praise and Mary had come to know this from taking time to sit at His feet.  Again, what was happening here?  She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial.  This is the right thing for Mary to do, and a magnificent good work of worship.  As Mark concludes,

Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”

Mark 14:3-9, What was Written About the Burial of Jesus?

We now come to one of the most wonderful and powerful stories in the life of Christ: His anointing by Mary of Bethany.  But before we get started, we need to be sure we understand: this is a story about the burial of Christ!  It says so in 14:8: She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial.  Keep that in mind!

The second thing is that we need to take time to compare this story as found in Mark 14 and John 12. 

Mark 14:3-9	John 12:1-8
1 After two days it was the Passover and the feast of Unleavened Bread … 3 And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head.	Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. 2 There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him.

First, there is no conflict in the schedule.  Two days after Jesus’ Olivet Discourse was to be Passover.  He had already been in town several days before this, having arrived at the home of Lazarus.  Jesus had entered Jerusalem on the “Triumphal Entry” and then retired to this home afterwards.  At some point, a dinner was served at the house of Simon the leper.  Martha was their serving; Lazarus who had been raised from the dead several weeks before, was an honored guest as was Jesus.  This is not the same story as Luke 10:38-42 where Martha had complained that Mary was not helping her with the meal.  Different time.  Different home.

Mark 14:3-9	John 12:1-8
3. … a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard.  Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head.	3 Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.

Again, I don’t see a conflict.  She poured it on His head and it went to His feet which she wiped with her hair.  My evidence is Psalm 133:2: It is like the precious oil upon the head, Running down on the beard, The beard of Aaron, Running down on the edge of His garments. It was meant to be a glorious picture in Ps. 133 and it is also in the Gospels!

Zech 11:14-17; 13:7-9, One Shepherd, Two Advents

Zechariah was told to prepare the flock for slaughter.  The flock is no longer receiving the grace of God but is dedicated to destruction.  It has been pointed out by others, and I see it as well, that between Zech. 11:14 and 11:15 is the age of the Church, the time between the two advents of Christ. 

In 11:15 Zechariah is told to take new implements for shepherding, “the implements of a foolish shepherd.”  The reason is that God had determined to raise up a shepherd over Israel that would not care for the flock at all (v16).  This is God’s doing, not the actions of the evil “shepherds of Israel.”  This shepherd is “worthless,” as he leaves the flock, being unable because of weakness and blindness to give what the flock needs (v17).

This is the end of the “burden” of the LORD in Zech. 9-11.  Ch. 12:1 begins another prophetic “burden,” continuing through Ch. 14.  In 12:1-13:6 you will see a message of hope and salvation.  God will use Israel to bring the nations to His place of judgment (12:1-9).  The people of Israel will see the Messiah they pierced and will repent of sin (12:10-14).  Idolatry will be removed from Israel (13:1-6).  The story concludes in Ch. 14, but the issue of a shepherd for Israel arises again in 13:7-9. 

What we have in the three verses is a short version of what will happen.  First, the LORD’s Shepherd must give His life for the sheep.  The LORD who said “prepare the flock for slaughter” now says, “Strike the Shepherd,” My Shepherd.

7 “Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, Against the Man who is My Companion,” Says the LORD of hosts. “Strike the Shepherd, And the sheep will be scattered; Then I will turn My hand against the little ones.

Then the work of the Good Shepherd must be applied to the flock. 

8 And it shall come to pass in all the land,” Says the LORD, “That two-thirds in it shall be cut off and die, But one-third shall be left in it:

9 I will bring the one-third through the fire, Will refine them as silver is refined, And test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, And I will answer them. I will say, ‘This is My people’; And each one will say, ‘The LORD is my God.’ ”

In these verses we see the history of the Shepherd and the flock from the cross of Jesus until the saved nation enters with Him into His righteous Kingdom.

When Jesus told His disciples that all “the Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him,” He knew that this included the evil intentions of the evil shepherds of Israel.  The OT was very clear about this.

Zech. 11:4-17, Thirty Pieces of Silver

There is yet another “major” OT passage that prophesied the involvement of the wicked shepherds of Israel in the crucifixion of our Lord.  It is a theme woven throughout Zech. 9-14.  The NKJV calls Zech. 11:4-17 the “Prophecy of the Shepherds.”  Zech. 13:7-9 is called “The Shepherd Savior.” 

To get the gist of this prophecy, we need to understand Zech. 11:4: “Thus says the LORD my God, ‘Feed the flock for slaughter.’”  The LORD is speaking with Zechariah.  The flock is Israel, as we will see.  He is told to fatten them up so that they can be butchered and sold.  Why would the LORD say this?  The rest of the sentence in v5 tells us: “whose owners slaughter them and feel no guilt; those who sell them say, ‘Blessed be the LORD, for I am rich’; and their shepherds do not pity them.”  There we have it again!  The shepherds of Israel who are out to make themselves rich off the flock that they are supposed to watch after.  The reason is that the LORD no longer pities the flock.  He is giving them over to their fellow Israelites, their neighbors and their king.  So Zechariah did as he was told (v7).

Shepherds typically had two staves: one for outside danger and one for internal strife.  Zechariah has these and gives them names: Beauty (meaning “grace”) and Bonds (referring to unity).  Not only was the flock under control; he also took control of the unrighteous shepherds of Israel, dismissing three in one month (v8).  Some try to find a historical situation that fits this description, but I go with those who refer the three to the prophets, priests and kings, the three classes of shepherds in Israel.

But then he leaves the sheep to themselves, withdrawing “Beauty” (God’s grace that established the covenant with Abraham) and “Bonds” (resulting in the division of the nation into two, Israel and Judah, v14).  He does this because, as the poor of the flock understand, “it was the word of the LORD” (v11). 

It is important to understand this: Zechariah is doing what we might call “the dirty work” but he is doing what the LORD told him to do.  We say this because of what happens next: Zechariah asks for his wages, not asking the LORD who had asked him to prepare them for slaughter, but asking the evil shepherds whose goal was to get rich off the sheep.  He asks for his wages, and they give him “thirty pieces of silver” (v12).  It is then the LORD who says, “throw it to the potter.”  It’s hard not to think of Matt. 27:3-10 where Judas’ betrayal and remorse is seen as he returns the money to the shepherds of Israel. 

Now you may wonder if God intended all this to be the foretelling of what would happen in the NT.  The answer is found in v13: the LORD calls the thirty pieces of silver “that princely price they set on me.”  The price is not just the worth of the betrayer; it is the declared worth of the One being betrayed!

We must stop here but this story is not finished.  It get’s quite exciting!

Psalm 90

 (I recently had the joy of sitting in on a Bible Study led by one of my sons.  He was talking about the Psalms, noting that Ps. 89 was the last of Book III, and was the darkest of the sections, as we have seen, written with the backdrop of no Davidic king, apparently in the time of captivity and dispersion.  Then he noted how the first Psalm in the next book, Ps. 90, was the only Psalm attributed to Moses.  How perfect, he said, that God would remind His people through Moses that however dark the times are, God is still in control, still the One for Israel to trust.)

This Psalm deals with the reality of our lives, that they are comparatively short.  And the shortness of life brings with it certain issues and great cause to seek the Lord daily.  It is the only Psalm attributed to Moses and is interesting given that the length and strength of his life was exceptional at 120 years (Deut. 34:7).

·         90:1-2: God is eternal.  His existence spans all our generations.  He existed before creation, meaning He is from everlasting to everlasting because before creation there was no time.  He was not far removed from His creation but has been our dwelling place (Heb. ma’own, a place to live in peace, a refuge).

·         90:3-6: On the other hand, man is temporal.  Very temporal!  God has commanded man to “return” to the dust of the earth from which he was made.  The length of our lives is insignificant compared to God’s existence (v4). [Sidebar: this verse does not present an equation that one of our days equals 1000 years of God’s time.  Notice it also says 1000 years of God’s time are like a watch in the night.  God has no beginning nor end.  The point is simply to show how finite and limited we are compared to our Creator.]

·         90:7-11:  Additionally we must also say that our lives seem long to us because they are so full of sorrow.  That sorrow is our own fault; it is not because of some defect involved in our creation by God.  He is angry with mankind because of their sins.  The satisfying life in the Garden of Eden was lost when Man sinned.  The resulting curse brought labor and sorrow, what verse 3 called destruction, and the result was a life generally of 70 to 80 years.

·         90:12-17:  What can we, what should we, do?  We should cry out to the One who has been our dwelling place in all generations!  Thus Moses does this.

ü  Teach us to number our days, v12.  What a great prayer.  Given our short life there is no time to waste.  We must be redeeming the time (Eph. 5:16).

ü  Have compassion on Your servants, v13.  Given our frailties and God’s righteous anger we should plead for His compassion.  Moses uses the same word “return” as in v3: since we are returning to dust He prays God will return to us in compassion rather than turning His face from us. [Sidebar: a literal translation of the last phrase of this verse would be, "repent concerning thy servants." The first use of this word is in Genesis 5:29 where Noah's name is connected with comfort from the work and toil of our hands, in other words the destruction Psalm 90 verse 3 speaks of. Thus, we see that Moses in this Psalm is still seeking that comfort from the effect of sin in our lives and in our world.]

ü  Satisfy us early with your mercy, v14.  Again, this is so perfect.  Our lives are short and deservedly difficult.  So we need God’s mercy and, as soon as He is willing, that we might rejoice in Him for more of our lives. [Another sidebar. The word for mercy is the Hebrew chesed, referring to God's General and abundant goodness to us. Mercy finds us in the pit, grace takes us out of the pit, and then God's goodness satisfies the soul.]

ü  Make us glad according to our days and years, v15.  He prays that God will be our sufficiency every day of every year. 

ü  Let Your work, Your glory and Your beauty be on us, v16-17a.  He desires God to be involved in his life so that he, the man, will be honoring to God. And he prays the same for his own children, that God's glory will be evident to them as well.

ü  Only then does he pray: establish the work of our hands, v17b.  Our lives will end.  We will not have accomplished all that we desired for His glory.  We will soon be forgotten.  So he asks God to give him a legacy.

Here is a prayer to be prayed frequently by God’s people: for themselves and in intercession for their family members, their friends, their acquaintances.

Ezek. 34:1-10,23-24, The Wicked Shepherds of Israel

Not only do we have the many texts, here and there, that speak of God’s Savior/ Son being beset by ravenous wolves.  We have it prophesied in full chapters.  One of those is Ezekiel’s message against the “shepherds of Israel” in Ezek. 34.

The leadership of God’s people is entrusted to “shepherds.”  This is God’s term and concept of leadership.  This applied to the priests, the royalty, the prophets, and any others who had authority over the people.  A shepherd is intended to care for the flock, providing something the flock cannot provide for itself.  The flock needs shepherds.  But, as always, the shepherds might not always be good shepherds.

Such is the case in Ezek. 34:1-6.  The leadership of Israel were guilty of feeding themselves and not the flock (v2-3).  They did not care for sheep that were sick, injured, driven away or lost (v4).  Instead, they ruled them harshly (v4) so that they, the shepherds, could get rich off the flock.  The result was that the sheep were scattered and susceptible to being eaten by other beasts (v5, sheep need protection as they cannot do this themselves).  The sheep wandered (they need to be led) and no one was searching for them (v6). 

Because of this failure of the shepherds, and because of God’s love for His people, there were two conclusions to this situation.  First, in stern and profound words, the Lord GOD says, “Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require My flock at their hand; I will cause them to cease feeding the sheep, and the shepherds shall feed themselves no more; for I will deliver My flock from their mouths, that they may no longer be food for them” (v10).  The Lord will hold them accountable.  What a sad reality, for God to be “against” a leader.

Second, God says that He Himself will take over the shepherding responsibilities.  He will search for the flock and then bring them back from where they were scattered (v11-12).  He will bring them back from the nations to which they were dispersed and will give them good pasture and protection and healing (v13-16). 

But this care for them by the Lord has a special turn later in the chapter: God will care for them through “My servant David” (v23-24).  Ezekiel’s prophecy was long after the time of King David.  The LORD is referring to the fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant when the Messiah, the greater Son of David, becomes the Good Shepherd. 

Jesus confirmed this in John 9:35-10:15 in “The Good Shepherd Sermon.”  He spoke these words against the “shepherds of Israel” in His day.  He likened them to thieves who were stealing the sheep to get rich (10:1), just as Ezekiel had spoken.  He affirmed that He, Jesus, was the “good Shepherd” because He was the “door of the sheep” (v2-10) and because He would give His life for the sheep (v11-15).  Yes, Jesus faced up to the irresponsible shepherds of Israel, and entrusted Himself to His Father, knowing the Father’s plan was that He shepherd the flock faithfully.

Mark 14:1-2,17-21, “Crucified As It Is Written”

In the first two verses of Mark 14 we see that the narrative is resuming after Jesus’ lengthy response to His disciples’ wonder at the beauty of the temple area.  We also see, in those two verses, the fundamental truth of the entire story of the Incarnation.  The Lord is sovereign.  He is directing the entire matter.  The religions leaders, the powerful men of the nation, sought to kill Jesus but not during the feast, lest they cause a riot among the people.  The Lord intended to sacrifice His Son for the sins of the world, and He fully intended to do it during the feast. 

There is another truth woven throughout the stories of the Incarnation that demonstrates God’s plan being worked out.  Lest you have any unwise thought that Satan is in charge as we come to the sufferings and the cross of Christ, Jesus clearly states, “The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him” (14:21).  He said these words in the context of predicting His betrayal by Judas, one of the Twelve.  Every step of the way, even during the final days leading to the cross, the OT had anticipated, predicted, prophesied every one of Jesus’ steps.  And mind you, Jesus knew His Bible, even from His childhood (Luke 2:41-50).  While this was not an easy time for Jesus (14:33-34), we see Him committed to the path His Father had laid out for Him.  As Paul said of us, so the Father had a path of good works designed for His Son, that He should walk in them (Eph. 2:10).  He is our forerunner (Hb. 6:20), giving us One on whom we set our gaze, the “author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:1-2).

So, you might wonder, did the OT prophesy the actions of the “chief priests and scribes” who set out to kill Jesus?  Without question, YES! They are the wicked lawmakers who decree unrighteous decrees of Isa. 10:1-2.  They are the “workers of iniquity” referred to in the OT (e.g. Ps. 94:16).  They are the evil doers who shed innocent blood (Ps. 94:20-21).  In Ps. 22, the Psalm of the Suffering Savior, they are the “bulls” (v12) and “dogs” (v16) that surround Jesus. 

We have called attention to the Psalms of David and his frequent issues with enemies.  What we see is that David is not only speaking of himself as he cries to the LORD for help.  His words become the words of the Messiah.  Everyone sees it in places such as Ps. 22:1 (“My God, My God, why have You forsaken me”).  But the same can be said of any of the Psalms.  Take Ps. 35 for example.  It is not considered “Messianic” but is “imprecatory.”  David begins, Plead my cause, O LORD, with those who strive with me; Fight against those who fight against me.  Throughout the Psalm David pleads for help against those who unjustly attack him, who seek his life.  But as you read this, you can hear the same prayer from Jesus, the same entrusting of Himself to His Father who judges righteously (1 Pt. 2:23), the faithful Creator (4:19).  Both David and his great Son had these enemies and gave it to their God.

Matt. 25:1-13, Matthew’s Discourse Appendices

Before we leave Mark’s record of Jesus’ Olivet Discourse behind I consider it valuable to briefly acknowledge Matthew’s conclusion to the Discourse.  Matthew’s record is two lengthy chapters (Mt. 24-25), with Ch. 24 similar to Mark 13.  Ch. 25 adds two parables and one description of coming judgment.

·       The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins, 25:1-13.  This parable expands Jesus’ teaching that no one knows when the end will come.  The virgins represent Israel, because they are the friends invited to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, the feast celebrating Christ and His Church/Bride, which occurs in conjunction with His return (cf. Rev. 19:7-10).  The application of this parable is watch, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming (24:13; cf. also Mk. 13:33).

·       The Parable of the Talents, 25:14-30.  Luke records a similar parable of Jesus in Luke 19:12-27, given after leaving the house of Zacchaeus on the final journey to Jerusalem.  It makes sense that Jesus might have told the parable then.  Jesus apparently accommodated the crowd of  “dispersion Jews” as He used Roman monetary units while in Matt. 25 He used Jewish units.  I have no reason to think that Jesus did not give the parable twice; it makes good sense in each location.  In Matthew’s location it expands on Jesus’ words in Mt. 24:45-51 and Mark 13:34-37.  The parable adds some information beyond the shorter passages, such as the idea of “commensurate reward” (the workers are rewarded according to their labor, 25:29).

·       The Judgment of the Nations, 25:31-46.  This is not a “parable” but an actual future event.  The key to interpretation is the recognition that there are not two but three groups present at this judgment.  As with all judgments, there must be two groups according to how they are judged.  There were wise and foolish virgins.  There were profitable and unprofitable servants.  Now there are sheep and goats.  But Jesus is very clear that these are “the nations” that have been brought before Him.  Israel is not being judged at this time.  He separates these people of the nations, one from the other, as sheep and goats.  The basis of judgment is questioned: “when” did we do the things that resulted in our judgment (25:37-39 and 44).  Jesus had said that the nations did these things to Him, but then specifies that when you “did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me” (v40,45).  The “brethren” are not the Church.  For one thing, the Church appears in heaven before Christ’s judgment seat, and the basis of judgment is there is their service for Christ (Rom. 14:10-12; 2 Cor. 5:10).  The OT reveals a “judgment of the nations” (especially Joel 3, but often in the Psalms, e.g. 96:13).  This judgment deals with how the nations treated the people of Israel in their time of tribulation.  As Israel suffered, did these people show compassion?  This is appropriate given God’s clear blessing pronounced on the nations that blessed Israel (Gen. 12:1-3).

Mark 13:32-37; Eph. 1:20-22, Jesus is Waiting

The conclusion of the Olivet Discourse (in Mark’s account) is a rather amazing statement from Jesus: no one knows the exact time when these things will take place, not even Jesus, the Son of God!  Only the Father knows.

We say this is amazing.  But it should not be difficult to accept.  At this very moment Jesus, the Son, is sitting at the right hand of the Father, waiting for the Father to make His enemies a footstool for His feet.  This was the Father’s instruction (Psalm 110:1) and the NT affirms that this is where Jesus is now (Heb. 10:12-13).  What we see in this are the distinctions that are evident in the Trinity.  It was the Father who promised the Son that His inheritance would involve ruling the nations (Ps. 2).  Thus, it is the Father who will tell the Son when it is time to return.

There is another matter we should clear up.  Eph. 1:22 and 1 Peter 3:22 seem to indicate that Jesus already has authority over His enemies.  That is true!  After Jesus’ death and resurrection He said that the Father had given Him all authority (Matt. 28:18).  Paul said the same: He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church.  Peter said, He is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.  But that is not the same as saying they are now His footstool.  Many Gentiles (people from the nations) are submitting themselves to Christ through faith in Him, but there is still plenty of rebellion in the nations.  There is an event still future, called “the supper of the great God,” described in Rev. 19:17-21, that will bring an end to rebellion.  After that event will be the Millennial Reign of Christ (Rev. 20:1-6).

Until then, Jesus calls all His followers to “watch and pray,” the same instructions He gave His disciples in Gethsemane (Mk. 14:38).  In the Garden the reason we need to watch and pray is that “the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.”  In this passage we watch and pray so that we are being faithful to our calling when He comes.  Both passages have to do with faithfulness.  We are being encouraged not to forget about or neglect our Lord.  We always want to have a mindset, if you will, that Christ is coming again.  This is our hope as we walk with Him in this sinful world, carrying out His plan of building His church through the making of disciples.

The NT frequently emphasizes this watchfulness.  We are to look at the things “not seen,” the eternal things (2 Cor. 4:16-18), setting our minds on the things above where Christ sits at the right hand and from which He will come (Col. 3:1-4), looking unto Jesus, our forerunner who has run the race before us (Heb. 12:1-2).

Mk. 13:24-31, The Final Lesson from the Fig Tree

We have noted that the Olivet Discourse shows us the love of God as well as the faithfulness of God.  The latter conclusion is one Jesus Himself picks up on as, for the fourth and last time, He brings His disciples, and us, back to the fig tree.

Let’s review.  In Luke 13:6-9 Jesus saw that the fig tree was struggling.  The keeper of the vineyard wanted to cut it down but the owner wanted to give it one more year with tender, loving care.  This was a picture of the Jewish people; Jesus wanted to give them one more year of His ministry.  In Part 2 (Mark 11:12-14), at the end of that year, Jesus sought fruit on a fig tree, but there was none, and He cursed the tree.  In Part 3 (Mark 11:20-24), the next day, His disciples saw that the tree had already withered.  Jesus used the opportunity to call His disciples to “have faith in God.”  He seemed to think that the tree was not hopeless.  To this point, the nation was now under a curse, but the disciples should trust God in the matter.

Now, at the conclusion of the Discourse about Israel’s coming tribulation and great tribulation, and the bringing together of all things when Christ returns, Jesus returns to the fig tree.  The essence of His message is, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.”  Again, the tree is Israel.  A time will come when leaves will begin to appear on the fig tree that had once been cursed.  The tree will start to look like a living tree again.  Jesus said when they start seeing the ”signs” of His coming, then they will know that the restoration and salvation of the nation will be “near – at the doors.”  He emphasizes by saying that the generation that sees these things happening will not pass away until the end comes.

This promise is, as we said, based in the fact that Jesus said it.  In our previous post we considered several passages that promise God’s faithfulness to Israel.  Let me lead you through a few more, given by the Lord at critical times in Israel’s history.

·       Deut. 32:23-27,43: Just before Israel crossed the Jordan to enter the land the first time, Moses, at God’s direction, gave them a song by which God told them where they would be going as a nation.  They would eventually turn to idols and God would punish them and remove them from the land.  But He would eventually, for the sake of His name and glory, bring them back.

·       Amos 9:8: Before the Assyrians carried away the northern tribes, the LORD said that destruction was coming, “Yet I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob.”

·       Jer. 30:7,11: After the Assyrians, and before the Babylonians came to destroy Jerusalem and take Judah captive, the LORD promised to save Israel out of all their trouble.  Again, He said, “Yet I will not make a complete end of you.”

·       Rom. 11:1,11,26-27: After the crucifixion of Israel’s rejected Messiah, God again said that He had not cast them away, but that “all Israel will be saved.”  He confirmed this be reminding them: “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.”  As Jesus said, “My words will by no means pass away.”

Lam. 3:22-33, God’s Faithfulness to Abraham and Israel

The Olivet Discourse speaks highly of God’s love.  But Jesus’ words also remind us that God is faithful!  God is the One who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty (Rev. 1:8).  He is the same; His years do not end (Ps. 102:25ff, cf. Hb. 1:10ff).  With God there is no variation or shadow of turning (Jas. 1:17).  We could provide these Biblical pronouncements of God’s faithfulness all day long.  But take a look at these:

For I am the Lord, I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob (Mal. 3:6).

Thus says the Lord, Who gives the sun for a light by day,
The ordinances of the moon and the stars for a light by night,
Who disturbs the sea, And its waves roar (The Lord of hosts is His name):

³⁶ “If those ordinances depart From before Me, says the Lord,
Then the seed of Israel shall also cease From being a nation before Me forever.”

³⁷ Thus says the Lord: “If heaven above can be measured,
And the foundations of the earth searched out beneath,
I will also cast off all the seed of Israel
For all that they have done, says the Lord. (Jer. 31:35-37)

⁷ Will the Lord cast off forever? And will He be favorable no more?
⁸ Has His mercy ceased forever? Has His promise failed forevermore?
⁹ Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has He in anger shut up His tender mercies? Selah (Ps. 77:7-9)

For the Lord will not cast off His people, Nor will He forsake His inheritance. (Ps. 94:14)

³¹ For the LORD will not cast off forever.

 ³² Though He causes grief, yet He will show compassion according to the multitude of His mercies. 

³³ For He does not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men. (Lam. 3:31ff) Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers.  For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.  (Rom. 11:28-29)

We could also go on all day with this repeated message in the Scriptures.  God’s faithfulness is illustrated in His keeping His covenant with Abraham.  Israel, in the latter days, will be a shining illustration that He keeps His word. 

We have turned our attention to this because this is the direction our Lord Jesus takes in the Olivet Discourse.  He has prophesied of great tribulation, “the time of Jacob’s trouble.”  The disciples to whom He is speaking are men of Israel.  Perhaps to them it sounds as if God’s patience has worn thin, and that He will cast off His people forever.  Jesus returns for the fourth and last time to “the Parable of the Fig Tree” to assure them and us that God will keep His word!

Psalm 89

Oh what a magnificent Psalm is this hymn exalting God for His mercies and faithfulness!  It gives such reassurance to the saint with application throughout for every moment of our lives.  It is lengthy but I plead with you, be not lazy!  Read it all.  Contemplate its truth.  Glory in the God at the center of it all!

Let us consider the movements in this Psalm.

·         The theme of the hymn is “the mercies of the Lord” and “His faithfulness to all generations (v1-2).  Mercy (Heb. chesed) and faithfulness (Heb. emunah) are prominent throughout.

·         The context of the hymn (the area where God’s mercy and faithfulness are highlighted) is God’s covenant with David in which God promised a throne forever (v3-4). 

·         Stanza 1 (v5-10): God is truly one of a kind.  None can compare to Him in heaven or on earth.  And what He is, He is constantly; His faithfulness also surrounds Him (v8).

·         Stanza 2 (v11-18): Israel is blessed to have such a God because He can do anything and everything He determines to do.  Israel’s shield (protection) and king are God’s provision.  How blessed!

·         Stanza 3 (v19-23): Nowhere is this blessing more evident than in God’s choice to establish and exalt His servant David as king. 

·         Stanza 4 (v24-29): The covenant God made with David promised an enduring throne, One to rule forever.  You cannot miss the obvious reference in this stanza to David’s greater Son, the Messiah.  He will be the Son of the heavenly Father (v26), the firstborn over all creation and over the new creation (v27), the King of kings and Lord of lords (v27).  David’s seed (descendants) will endure forever through the Messiah!

·         Stanza 5 (v30-37): Many stumble over the fact that many of the Davidic kings were so sinful.  They stumble in thinking that God would change His covenant with David and make it spiritual, not applying to his actual lineage.  But the mercies and faithfulness are quite evident here: God will not utterly take away His lovingkindness nor will He allow His faithfulness to fail (v33).  That is the clear answer!  It will be as established as the moon (v37), God’s faithful witness in the sky.

·         Stanza 6 (v38-45): Now we come to the issue.  Ethan the Ezrahite (cf. the title of the Psalm) writes in the context of the times of the Gentiles.  There is no Davidic king.  The nations have authority over God’s people and God’s land.  It is the nations that are exalted over David’s kingdom rather than David being exalted over the nations.

·         Stanza 7 (v46-51): Thus he asks the burning questions.  “How long?”  “Where are Your former lovingkindnesses?”  He asks questions of God.  But he does not question God!  To ask “how long” is to say, I know You will keep your word, but when?  To ask about former mercy is to acknowledge the reality of that mercy.  Behind this contemplation (again, cf. the title) is the constant struggle of the saints of the Old Testament to put together the suffering and glory of the Messiah (1 Peter 1:10-12).  The Davidic rule was to eventually move into the eternal reign of his greater Son (that’s Jesus, who will have the throne of His father David; who will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of His kingdom there will be no end, Luke 1:31-33).  But now, in Ethan’s time as in ours, there was no Davidic king on the throne of Israel!  The situation is reversed from what God promised.  He does not doubt God’s faithfulness or mercy; he has made that abundantly clear throughout the song.  But what he asks is, “how long?”  “The mercies are promised; so where are they?”

·         The song ends with a two-fold “Amen” affirming he does not doubt God.  The promise is forever; and the Lord is also blessed forevermore!  Ethan does not understand, but without question he believes in the sure mercies of David (Isa. 55:3; Acts 13:34). 

The application, as we have said, is moment by moment.  May God encourage you with this great Hymn.  Let us note:

1. God will establish the throne of David in the future.  Failure to do so is to deny Himself which He cannot do! (Psalm 2:6-9)

2. The sign of God’s faithfulness (the moon, God’s faithful witness in the sky, 89:37) is also called to testify to God’s faithfulness to keep the New Covenant (Jer. 31:35-36).  Let us trust our Lord who obtained eternal redemption, who promises an eternal inheritance and who lives forever to intercede on our behalf (Heb. 9:12,15; 7:25).

3. Every word of God is sure because He who said it is faithful.  Even our sin cannot keep Him from keeping His word because He is merciful and gracious.  As Ethan the Ezrahite rested on the promise that God made to David, so let us rest on every word of God!

We are writing this while in a part of the world (Ukraine) that keeps the "Eastern Calendar."  Today is Easter in Ukraine.  This Psalm about God's faithfulness and mercies is prime material when we celebrate the resurrection of Christ.   How merciful that God poured out His own life-blood for mankind.  And He will be faithful to give the gift of eternal life to all who believe because death could not hold our Lord.  The chains of death are broken.  He is alive!  "Blessed be the Lord forevermore!  Amen and Amen."

Rev. 14:1-7; Mark 13:10, God Still Loves the World

One conclusion we should arrive at in our study of the Olivet Discourse is that God loves the elect.  Eschatology is about the love of God.  Note Hebrews 9:

²⁷ And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, ²⁸ so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

It is true, that eschatology tells us how the judgment of God is fulfilled.  But the entire story is about Christ: the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy (Rev. 19:10).  The salvation He provided through His first advent will get its full and final application in His second advent.  It will truly be a day full of “Hallelujahs!”

And, if you are wondering, in God’s prophetic plan we see that He also loves the world, with a John 3:16 love.  A major “timing” issue is that the end will not come until the gospel is preached to all the nations (Mk. 13:10).  God does not desire, nor does He rejoice in, the death of the wicked (Lam. 3:33; Ezek. 18:23; 2 Peter. 3:9).  In love He will make it a point for the gospel to be available to all!  Not only did Jesus say this.  Paul, by the Spirit, in the verse that precedes his prophecy that “all Israel will be saved,” said that the door to salvation for the nations would remain open “until the fullness of the Gentiles (Nations) has come in” (Rom. 11:25). 

Revelation 14:6-7 also speaks of this:

Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people— ⁷ saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.”

The “everlasting gospel” is the good news of redemption in Christ.  That was the good news in the OT when Abraham, for example, believed God with respect to a  Son from his own body (Gen. 15:4-6) as well as in the NT where the good news is that the Son of Abraham has come and given His life as the ransom.  The angel preaches this gospel to every nation, tribe, tongue and people, urging them to glorify God by believing in His Son.  In my view, this angelic preaching is in some way tied to the 144,000 standing on Mt. Zion with the Lamb (14:1-6).  Perhaps, having been sealed early in the Tribulation Period (Rev. 7:1-8), they were protected by the Lord until the message reached all the nations.  That would be consistent with God, who “so loved the world,” the world that He created and has sustained throughout the ages.

 

Ezek. 20:33-44, The Salvation of Israel

The love of God for His chosen nation of Israel means that He must, in some sense, save Israel from her sin.  God did not just burst into His creation and announce that He had chosen a few people to be His special treasure.  The “choosing” meant that all the other aspects of God’s character and word, such as His holiness and righteousness and His words that the sinning soul must die, must also be satisfied.  He could not forgive the sins of some without the penalty for those sins being paid.  Further, His word of “faith” must also be satisfied, that “whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.”  Salvation must be “reachable.”  It cannot require an effort on the part of people since it will be found that none of those people is capable of the effort.  Again, Deuteronomy (30:11-14; quoted and commented on in Rom. 10:5-13) helps us understand:

¹¹ “For this commandment which I command you today is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off. ¹² It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ ¹³ Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ ¹⁴ But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.

Thus, given God’s faithfulness and love, He will save Israel.  And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; 27 For this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins” (Rom. 11:26-27, quoting Isaiah 59:20,21).  How will God bring this about?  To what extent will God go to bring about a saved nation?  While we don’t have all the details, here are some passages that give us some info on God’s plan.

·       Rev. 11:13: This passage speaks of a great earthquake in the great tribulation, after the ministry of the two great witnesses in Jerusalem mentioned earlier in Rev. 11.  Many die in the quake, “and the rest … gave glory to the God of heaven.”

·       Rev. 12:13-17: This passage speaks of the people of Israel, finding refuge in the wilderness, where God protects them from Satan’s attempt to destroy the nation.

·       Jer. 31:1-4: This passage also connects Israel’s salvation with the wilderness.  The people who survived the sword found grace in the wilderness—Israel, when I went to give him rest.”  If you read the entire chapter you see various aspects of God’s future for the nation, including the New Covenant (31:31-34).

·       Isa. 63:1-6: This passage speaks of the Messiah coming from Edom, the wilderness, with His robe stained with blood because He has fought for Israel when no one else would take a stand.  The context fits with the future salvation.

·       Other passages speak of this “wilderness” protection: Zech.9:14-17; Hosea 2:14-15 and Ezek. 20:33-44.  Israel’s salvation will, of course, involve faith in the crucified and risen Christ, as there is other way: Zech. 12:10.

Deut. 7:1-11; Mark 13:20-27, God Loves the Elect

The doctrine of “election” and “predestination” is hard for many people.  It is hard because of the deep thinking required to understand God’s choice and man’s faith.  But also hard because it is often accompanied by a strong dose of God’s sovereignty.  By “sovereignty” I am not referring to the Biblical doctrine but the doctrine of the one who wants to inform us at to God’s “sovereign choice in election.”  I suppose I better explain what I mean as I might be offending many people.

What do you mean when you say, “God is sovereign”?  Often it seems it is like the Islamic view.  In Islam a person can be quite faith in keeping the five pillars of Islam and being a way above-average Muslim.  And yet, according to the doctrine, it is Allah’s choice to receive them after they die.  They can never be sure in this life of what will come to them in the next life.  That is not the Sovereign God of the Bible. 

For Christians, trusting God is not like playing the slots in Vegas (so I have been told).  God is sovereign in that He will do all that He has said He will do.  He will be totally faithful to His word, and to the sum-total of all His attributes or perfections. 

As we study the Olivet Discourse, there are several reverences to the elect: v20 (He will shorten the day for the sake of His elect), v22 (the times are so deceptive that the elect would even be deceived if that were possible), and v27 (when Christ returns He will gather His elect from the four corners of the earth).  The question to ask is: what does the doctrine of election tell us about our God?  For many the first answer is, “He is sovereign.”  But in Mark 13 I would say the answer is, “He loves His chosen ones!”

Why did God choose Israel in the first place?  Deut. 7:6-8 makes clear God’s motives.  First, He says it was because of His love: The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; ⁸ but because the Lord loves you.  Then He follows this up, not with an essay on sovereignty but on faithfulness: and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.  His summation is this: Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments. 

The Bible regularly connects the elect with God’s love, grace and mercy.  Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies (Rom. 8:33).  In Col. 3:12 the “elect” are also called “holy” and “beloved.” 

For me, this is one of the things about our God that can be learned from His plan for the future.  He has loved us at the cross; His love will continue into eternity.

Mark 13:14-23, Verse-by-Verse (3)

We are at the mid-point of Daniel’s 70^th week, the final 7 years that are filled with tribulation and then, “great tribulation.”  Remember what Jesus is talking about in v14: “the abomination of desolation” spoken of by Daniel the prophet.  Keep in mind that Jesus indicates that this is an event that is still future as He is speaking about it.  We have explained this in a previous post (called “Olivet Discourse Timing Keys, 2”).  Now let us continue through 13:27.  As we work through this, keep in mind the question in Mark 13:4: what will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled? 

·       13:14-18: The command to flee.  Jesus says the people of Judea should flee when this event of “desolation” takes place.  In Luke 21 (v20-23) Jesus says Judea should flee with they see Jerusalem surrounded by armies.  As we have noted, those who interpret these things with the “Preterist” view see this as referring to 70AD when, certainly, Jerusalem was surrounded by the armies of Rome.  We have responded to this, that it fits the Scriptures that there could be two such events, one in 70AD and one, as Luke also says (v24), in the “times of the Gentiles” that leads up to the return of Christ (21:25-28).  The Biblical record is also quite comfortable with the thought that both Mark and Luke’s versions speak of the future time.  It does not make any sense at all to deny a still-future time of desolation as both Mk. 13:24-27 and Luke 21:25-28 describe the return of Christ.  The abomination involves the full take-over of Jerusalem and the temple by the nations, and particularly the future “son of perdition” (antichrist).  One thing that must be fulfilled is that Jesus’ enemies are placed under His feet.  The abomination is a step in that direction, as it is part of gathering the nations to a war against Christ in the last days.

·       13:19: The reason to flee is because there is coming a time of unprecedented tribulation on the earth.  Some of this revolves around the actions of two great witnesses in Jerusalem who are empowered by God to bring great plagues on earth (Rev. 11:1-6).  Another aspect to this are the three series of judgments in Revelation as the opening of the 6^th seal bring about the time of the “wrath of the Lamb” (Rev. 6:12-17).  Jesus does not give us these reasons; He simply indicates something will be happening in Jerusalem that are a reason to flee the area.

·       13:20-23: Jesus does give a pointed description of the difficulties of this time.  It will involve exceptional items of deception.  It will be nearly impossible to choose the right during this time, even for those who are chosen by God.  The time is so burdensome that God, for the sake of His chosen ones, will shorten the time.  The “elect” certainly include the people of Israel, chosen by God to be His people.  But in addition, Rev. 17:14 speaks of the “called, chosen and faithful” of Christ that seems to be worldwide.  More in the next post to come concerning God’s elect.