Title The Watchman's Mission (Mark 13:14-27)
Contents Today's text also speaks of the tribulation that will come to Jerusalem following yesterday's.
These words are also prophecies of God's final judgment that will come upon this earth in the future.
“When you see the abomination of desolation standing where it cannot stand… ” (verse 14).
It is not certain whether the abomination of destruction was a man, a building or some other thing.
However, many biblical scholars interpret "the abomination of desolation" as one who opposes Christ, that is, the antichrist.
Just before the destruction of Jerusalem or just before the last 7 years of the Great Tribulation, there will be powers opposing Christ, the abomination of destruction, standing in the temple of Jerusalem. And it will deceive many people. It is a signal that the great tribulation is imminent.
That tribulation will be unprecedented (verse 19).
However, even in the midst of such terrifying tribulation, God is gracious and promises to reduce those days. From the Bible of Daniel or the Bible of Revelation, we can see that the suffering of tribulation lasted only 7 years. Of course, the punishment of eternal hell continues after that. It is said that when the 7 year great tribulation begins, many false Christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders to deceive the elect (verses 21-22).
However, this kind of tribulation happens regardless of us Christians who believe. According to 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, when Jesus Christ returns in the air, we are already taken up into the air and do not exist on this earth.
This tribulation is a judgment for the Jews (the people of Israel) and for the unbelieving Gentiles.
But if you say it has nothing to do with us, it is not. Rather, we should know the time and wake up from our spiritual sleep and pray for our country and people, for our unbelieving families and for our loved ones. Because if our loved ones are not saved through faith in Jesus Christ by then, they will go into such terrible tribulation.
We must wake up from our spiritual sleep and take on the mission of watchmen. We must proclaim to the people a time of terrible tribulation that is soon to come.
We must make it known that no one can escape that terrible tribulation except through Jesus Christ. That is our mission.