Mark 13:14-23
14 “Now 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.
15 Whoever is on the housetop must not go down, nor go in to get anything out of his house.
16 And whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his cloak.
17 But woe to those women who are pregnant, and to those who are nursing babies in those days!
18 Moreover, pray that it will not happen in winter.
19 For those days will be such a time of tribulation as has not occurred since the beginning of the creation which God created until now, and never will again.
20 And if the Lord had not shortened those days, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect, whom He chose, He shortened the days.
21 And then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ’; or, ‘Look, there He is’; do not believe it;
22 for false christs and false prophets will arise, and will provide signs and wonders, in order to mislead, if possible, the elect.
23 But beware; I have told you everything in advance.
The Second Half of the Great Tribulation
The second half of the Great Tribulation
Jesus, before discussing the “second coming and its signs,” first prophesied about the Great Tribulation. The previous passage (Mark 13:9-13) dealt with the first half of the tribulation, but today’s passage (Mark 13:14-23) focuses on the second half (ref. to Matt. 24:15-28). (1) The appearance of the “abomination of desolation” marks the beginning of the second half of the Great Tribulation (Dan. 12:11). The “abomination of desolation” refers to the Antichrist, who will sit in the Most Holy Place of the temple and declare himself as God. At that time, a false prophet will erect an image of the Antichrist in the Most Holy Place and force people to worship it (ref. Dan. 12:11, 2 Thess. 2:3-10, Rev. 13:11-15). (2) Once the “abomination of desolation” appears, the Jews are instructed to flee the country (ref. Rev. 12). The command to “flee to the mountains” refers to the mountain region east of the Jordan River. The urgency is emphasized. The mention of the plight of pregnant women and nursing mothers is because they cannot move quickly. Also, the plea to pray that “this will not occur in winter” is for the same reason. In winter, wadis (dry riverbeds) overflow, making travel difficult.
Three and a half years of tribulation
(3) With the appearance of the “abomination of desolation,” unprecedented persecution of Jews on a global scale will occur. As a result, many Jews will be killed, but God, by shortening the days (three and a half years), will save the “chosen ones.” (4) False christs and false prophets will perform great signs and wonders to deceive the elect (ref. 2 Thess. 2:8–10, Rev. 13:11–15). However, no one should be deceived by such signs and wonders. The Lord Jesus clearly taught in advance about the events that would occur in the end times. Let us remember how crucial it is to distinguish between the real and the counterfeit. Satan continually produces falsehoods to deceive Christians. Let us learn to discern all matters through the words of the Bible. Additionally, let us remember God’s grace at work in times of hardship and give thanks to the Lord.
Today's prayer
Heavenly Father, Satan is actively at work even in this present age, seeking to deceive Christians. Please help me discern between the real and the counterfeit. I pray in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.