The Prophetic Christ
Scripture Reading: Mark 13:1-37
Meditation
As the disciples left the temple mount, they looked up, stood in awe, and exclaimed how magnificent the house of God was.
But the Prophetic Christ looked past the temple’s past: past the building that Solomon had first built; past its destruction by the Babylonians; past the modest restoration by Zerubbabel; and past the magnificent and massive white stones of Herod the Great.
He looked past the past, past the present, and prophesied into the future.
“‘Do you see all these great buildings?’ replied Jesus. ‘Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.’”
Later, as Jesus sits on the Mount of Olives, opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew come to him in private and ask,
“Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?”
Again Jesus looks into the future.
This time, he doesn’t stop with the destruction of the temple. He fast forwards the prophecy and details the end of the age. He warns the disciples of deception, destruction, persecution, and distress.
“Watch out that no one deceives you.”
“When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen but the end is still to come.”
“All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.”
“So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time.”
The end of the age is going to bring the worst of times.
But Jesus tells these things to his disciples to prepare them, not to frighten them. These horrible future seasons aren’t going to be senseless, random acts of suffering.
They’re going to be signs. They’re going to point to something beyond themselves. Something yet to come, something imminent. The worst of times will serve only as a precursor to the best of times. In these signs, Jesus is giving his followers inside information, clues to his coming.
“At that time men will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.”
The Prophetic Christ is telling his disciples all that he knows ahead of time. He wants them to look for his reappearance, he wants them to be prepared, and he wants to protect them while they wait.
He holds nothing back. He tells them everything—he will reappear, there will be signs, and he will come in the clouds with great power and glory. The only thing he doesn’t tell them is the day or the hour of his coming, and he doesn’t tell them that because he doesn’t know. Neither do the angels. Only the Father knows.
One day the Father will say,
“Now! Go! It’s time!”
Until then, the Prophetic Christ says to his followers,
“Be on guard! Be alert! Watch!”
When Jesus speaks of the future, he doesn’t fuel apocalyptic fears. He sparks faith. Fear dreads the end of the world; faith looks forward to the beginning of another world.
Fear asks,
“Where is God?”
Faith declares,
“God is here! He’s in the midst! Present always!”
The Prophetic Christ tells his disciples everything ahead of time so that they might be blessed.
“The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.” (Revelation 1:1-3)
Blessed are those who know the outcome of the end of the age because, at the end of the age, they know that it will all turn out right.
Blessed are those who are ready and waiting, on guard and alert, attentive to the signs, watching for the return of the Master, because, when he suddenly reappears, it might be a surprise but it won’t be a shock.
Blessed are they who stand in awe of another temple.
“They are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple.” (Revelation 7:15)
Prayer
Father,
Your Son spoke plainly about the end of the age.
He prophesied times of deception, in which false Christs and false prophets would appear to try and deceive the elect. He foretold seasons of destruction. There would be wars, rumors of wars, famines, and earthquakes. He predicted that there would be persecution and distress; the glorious Jerusalem temple would be destroyed, brother would betray brother to death, and whoever was a Christ follower would be hated.
These signs were clues to his long awaited reappearance. While his own waited, he wanted to protect them, prepare them, and assure them of his presence. He prophesied in order that they might be on their guard, watch, and long for his coming.
During this day, and every day after, may I watch for the reappearance of the Prophetic Christ. And when I see the signs of the end of the age, may he remind me that the end is really just the beginning—a beginning, with him, for all eternity.
It’s in his name I pray. Amen.
Reflection
What signs of the end of the age do you see? Do they fuel fear or spark faith?
In what ways are you preparing for Christ’s reappearance?
What comfort is there in knowing that the Prophetic Christ knows what’s going to happen?
In what ways are you “on guard,” “alert,” “watching?”
All Scripture references in the meditation are marked by italics and are taken from the Gospel reading for the day (Mark 13:1-37). Those verses quoted outside of the chosen reading for the day are noted in parenthesis. All Scripture quoted on this site is taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.