Mark 13 - Purpose and Pitfalls of Prophecy

In this episode, Pastor Jeremy Minor explores Mark 13, unpacking the purpose and pitfalls of prophecy. Discover how biblical prophecy glorifies God, comforts the church, and calls us to live with eternity in mind—while avoiding common missteps in interpreting end-times events.

Transcript

85 - Mark 13 - Purpose and Pitfalls of Prophecy

Intro

• If you have your Bibles please turn with me to Mark 13 and find verse 1.
  • Today we come to not only a challenging chapter but a challenging topic for which there is no shortage of opinions on. 
  • That is because the chapter focuses on last things…
    • It opens the door to all the questions that surround how Christ is going to return and how judgment is going to come upon the world.
    • The theological term used to describe these events and the study of it is eschatology.  
      • I will be using that term a lot today as well as the coming weeks that we spend in this chapter so I wanted you to be familiar with it from the start.  
  • You could say that over the next several weeks we will be diving into a mini series on eschatology.
• I know that even sharing that can cause some believers to be rather nervous…
  • When we step into prophecy, when we talk about end times, some people get very tense.
    • In part I think this is because of how some people are very dogmatic about the events of the last days.
      • Arguing about how things will unfold and being completely unmoved by other opinions on the matter.
    • I think the topic can also cause a lot of dread because there is so much unknown about it…
      • It has become a topic and section of scripture to avoid and that is a tragic thing.
        • Chapters like Mark 13 as well as the book of Revelation were given to us for our good.
      • It is as much the Word of God as the book of Romans and we should treasure it in much the same way. 
    • So if you are in dread knowing that today and for the next several weeks we will be discussing end times…
      • I want you to know that my hope and prayer is that over the next few weeks this topic would not be a source of anxiety for you but rather a source of comfort.
      • For that is its intended purpose, this was given to the church for the good of the church.
    • It is true there is much unknown, much room for disagreement, but there is also much room to rejoice.
• Consider what we know in a nutshell regarding last things…
  • Christ is coming back and He will gather His church…
  • You want to sum it up, that does it, and that is enough…
    • This should stir in us an excitement and I pray that as we step into this topic you will be excited about what we see.
• Today, we are simply going to dip our toes into the water, as we consider…
  • The Purposes for Prophecy…
  • The Pitfalls of Prophecy…
• With that let us read the opening verses of Mark 13 and step into our topic today…

Mark 13:1-2

• These verses capture the moment our Lord left the Temple for the final time…
  • Never again will He step foot into the Temple…
  • Never again will He teach upon the Temple Mount…
  • It is a moment akin to the 1 Samuel 4 after the death of Eli and his sons and after the Ark of God has been captured by the Philistines.
    • 1 Samuel 4:22 - “And she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.”
• Here in this somber moment, the Glory of God has departed as the Son of Man has left for the final time.
  • There is a heaviness in this moment, a heaviness that the apostles do not seem to be picking up on.
    • It really is a bit humorous.
      • Parents, have you ever been in a heavy situation with your young children?
      • Perhaps a funeral or the death of a loved one and they just are not picking up the heaviness of the situation?
      • It is very rarely funny at the moment, sometimes it is never funny at all, but their lack of situational awareness can be entertaining at times.
    • That is where we are at in our verses today, the apostles seem to be completely unaware of the weight of the situation they found themselves in.  
  • However, very quickly they understood, at least in part, that this moment was a serious time and not one of lighthearted wonder.
• As they are gazing upon the beauty of the Temple they are told that it will not endure.
  • This moment sets the stage for the entire discussion that follows as their questions to the Lord and His answers are simply a catalyst of these first two verses. 
  • Let us look at verses 3-4 to see how this begins to unfold…
    • Vs. 3-4
  • What follows after this in verses 5-36 are Jesus' answers to these questions.
    • It was not a simple answer and all the scholars would agree that he was not just simply answering their questions about the Temple.
    • Instead, Jesus pulls back the curtain of eternity and shares very briefly about how some things will unfold in the days to come.
  • That is why Mark 13 as well as its counterparts in Matthew 24 and Luke 21 are considered apocalyptic in nature.
    • It is the revealing of what is to come in the days ahead.
  • Knowing that let us consider at the introduction of this chapter, first…

The Purposes for Prophecy

• Within the Bible there are different prophetic writings that are found…
  • In the Old Testament we have the section of the Prophets from Isaiah to Malachi but we also find prophecy in the Psalms, the writings of Moses, and even in the historical record of Israel.
    • Much of it is intended for and fulfilled in the nation of Israel and the coming of Christ.
    • There are times throughout the prophets that we see the fulfillment of what was spoken by the prophet in what occurs with the nation of Israel…
      • For example, we find Jeremiah, the weeping prophet, warning the people of Judah that they would be carried off into Babylonian captivity.
        • We see that unfold in Israel’s history, it was fulfilled long before the writing and events of the New Testament.
    • We also see much prophecy concerning the Messiah, all of which was fulfilled in the Person of Christ.
  • In the New Testament we have the book of Revelation as well as a few chapters in the Gospels as well as the Epistles that contain prophecy about what is to come. 
    • This, by and large, has not yet come to pass but is something yet to come.
    • So as we approach this chapter where Jesus teaches us about what is to come let us pause at the start and ask the question…
  • What is the purpose of prophecy in the first place?
    • This is an important question because we can easily get ourselves off track when discussing events that have yet to pass.  
    • So instead of thinking very specifically about how things are going to unfold let us step back and ask, why has the Lord given this to us to begin with?
      • This is a good question, because Jesus takes up a portion of His final days to outline what is to come…
      • Furthermore, the final book of the Bible is all apocalyptic and reveals to us what is to come…
    • So what has the Lord given this to us?
• As we ask that question we will find that there are three, big picture reasons for which we are given chapters and books like this.
  • First and foremost, they are meant to bring Glory to God and Christ.
    • Revealing to us that God has outlined the end from the beginning.
    • Nothing we see is a cosmic accident and everything will unfold just as He has ordained it.
    • Therefore just as the Temple was indeed destroyed in 70 AD so also will the other events come to pass in their appropriate time.
      • This all brings Glory to God and reminds us that He is One that can be trusted because all things are in His hands.
      • It is good to know that we do not have to worry about how things are going to unfold because it is all in trusted hands.
  • Second, it is meant to prepare the church and bring comfort to the people of God.
    • As we can see in our verses that we just read, Jesus was not teaching the masses.
      • Instead we find Him having a “private” conversation with just four of His apostles.  
      • The words He spoke to them, and that have been written down for us, were meant for comfort.
        • Look with me at one of the first things Jesus says to His Apostles.
        • Vs. 7
          • In the midst of telling them about wars and earthquakes and fighting, He tells them to “...not be alarmed…”
        • Do not be alarmed because it is all going according to plan.
      • That is a comforting thing.
    • In the same way that we see Him telling them about the horrors of the cross for their benefit, to prepare their hearts, so we see this prophecy.
    • Chapters like this are intended to bring us comfort, reminding us that God will work all things out in His time for His Glory but also for our good.
      • So He has told us what we need to know ahead of time that we can find comfort in His Sovereign plan.
  • Third, this prophetic writing is meant to call the church to action and to remind us that this life, this existence, is temporary so we must prioritize the eternal.  
    • It is easy to focus on the here and now…
      • To fix our eyes upon what we can see, what we can touch, what we can build, but we must remember that eternity is fast approaching.
    • 2 Peter 3:7 reminds us of this fact, he writes…
      • 2 Peter 3:7 - “But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.”
    • Judgment is coming, we would be fools to live for the next 20 years while casting aside the next 2 Billion.
    • Chapters like Mark13 remind us that judgment is coming and we must prioritize the eternal.  
• I know it can be difficult to keep in mind these purposes for prophecy especially as we tend to get into the weeds in some parts of it.
  • However, we must strive to keep in our sights the reason for which we have this writing to begin with. 
  • It is not so that we can chart out the events of the last days, instead it is so that…
    • God may be Glorified…
    • His people may be comforted…
    • That we can live with eternity in mind, prioritizing that which will last forever over that which is temporary.  
• Considering these three things then we must also realize that this chapter as well as others like it have been abused, misapplied, misunderstood, and the point has been missed.
  • It is now we must turn our attention to…

The Pitfalls of Prophecy

• So not only must we consider the purpose of chapters like this we must also consider the pitfalls that exist anytime eschatology is discussed.  
  • There are a handful, some of which I am sure you and I have fallen into…
  • I want us today to consider two pitfalls when it comes to prophecy in the scripture.. 
• The first pitfall is when we make more of prophecy than we should.
  • To that I want to be clear on the hierarchy of doctrinal beliefs that exists regarding Christianity.
    • What I mean is that I want us to be clear where prophecy should fall in order of importance regarding Christianity.  
  • To think on this I would ask you to consider with me a pyramid with three levels.
    • On the bottom level we have the foundation, which is the essential doctrines that are contained in true Christianity.
      • If you were to remove a component found within this foundational level then you are no longer practicing Biblical Christianity.
      • In other words what is contained is that which are the nonnegotiables for Christians.
      • Things like…
        • The Deity and Humanity of Christ…
        • The Trinitarian Nature of God…
        • The Character of God…
        • The Explanation of Salvation…
      • To misunderstand or misrepresent these doctrines, and those like them, you depart from Biblical Christianity.
        • All supposed Christian cults have found error somewhere in this first level.
        • Oftentimes it is a misrepresentation with the person of Christ.
      • If we have a disagreement on this level there can exist no like minded fellowship.
        • We could not worship with Jehovah Witnesses or Latter Day Saints.
        • We worship a different God, they have departed from Biblical Christianity.
      • Clearly, eschatology does not fit in this first level, so what about the second level?
    • On the second level, the second tier of the pyramid, we have secondary beliefs.  
      • Since everything on the bottom level is the nonnegotiable doctrines of true Christianity, the second level is other important doctrines that Biblical Christianity is divided on.  
      • Things like…
        • Eternal Security…
        • Speaking in Tongues…
        • Modes of Baptism…
      • All of these issues, and others like them, have created denominational divisions.
      • Let me give you an example…
        • Because of my convictions and my understanding of scripture I could not regularly attend an Assembly of God church.  
          • Likewise, someone who is unconvinced regarding eternal security of the believer would have a difficult time really plugging into a Baptist church.  
          • Where we are not dealing with fundamentals of the faith these are still deep rooted in how we interpret scripture and live out the Christian faith.  
        • In either case we are not dealing with unbelievers but rather Christians that disagree on secondary issues.
          • In regard to the Assembly of God church…
          • They are my brothers and sisters in Christ, we worship the same God and we are saved in the same way.
            • By grace through faith, all saved by the blood of Christ.  
            • Yet there are areas of disagreement that would prevent me from really plugging into that denomination.  
        • This reminds me of a quote from George Witfield speaking of John Wesley.
          • Now, it is important to note that these two men were very divided upon doctrines of Grace.
          • Witfield was a Calvinist whereas Wesley was an Armianain.
          • They had great disagreements and opposed one another sharply.
            • We can understand why…
              • Witfield believed a person was secure in their salvation, he held to what we do that any true believer will endure.
              • Whereas Wesley believed a person could lose their salvation.
            • After years of conflict and division Witfield was asked by one of his students…
          • “We won’t see John Wesley in heaven, will we?”
            • To that question, after years of conflict Whitfield replied…
          • “Yes, you’re right, we won’t see him in heaven. He will be so close to the Throne of God and we will be so far away, that we won’t be able to see him!”
        • A beautiful reply and a good reminder to us that on this second level we find doctrines that divide us denominationally but nothing more.
      • To my brothers and sisters who are in various denominations I would say we disagree on secondary issues of the faith.
        • However, even in this second tier we do not find end times disagreements.
        • What that means is that they are disagreements that should cause denominational division.
      • Let’s talk about this third level…
    • This third level of the pyramid represents issues that can divide among believers even within the same local church.
      • For the most part this is where eschatology falls.
        • Among denominations you will find agreement upon the first and second tier issues.
        • However, in the third tier you will find areas that we can have differing views on, even within a local church.
      • Consider different things that can fall into this third tier…
        • How we individually interpret end times prophecies…
        • What style of music we prefer in worship…
        • Or, issues of Christian liberty…
      • Take our congregation for example, I am certain that there are many opinions on how the last days will play out.
        • There is no shortage of various explanations for how it will all unfold and I would not be surprised if we have many different views represented here today.
        • What I want you to know is that this is not only ok but I think it can actually be a good thing that we have points of disagreement on these third tier issues.
      • Differing opinions within this third tier can lead to deeper study, it can lead to great discussion as well as edification for both parties.
    • The thing to remember about this tier though is that we can disagree and still gather as a local body of believers, these are not issues that divide.  
  • So let us keep this pyramid in mind as we step into this chapter and keep in mind that any disagreements we may have with one another on this issue is a third tier issue.
    • Let us not major on things like…
      • The timeline of the tribulation…
      • The timing of the rapture of the church…
    • While it is certainly fun to discuss these things, let us keep in mind that we can differ on them and it still be ok.
    • Lastly, before we move on from this pitfall, let me also say…
      • That we must approach this topic and our opinion of it with great humility.
      • Keeping in mind that there are many very Biblically minded individuals who are faithful to the scriptures who fall into different camps.
    • So, church, stay humble regarding your opinion, listening to one another while clinging to your view loosely.  
  • This is pitfall number one that we get our pyramid of belief out of order and make things more important than they should be.
• The second pitfall is that we get laser focused upon understanding how the events of the last days will play out while missing the point of chapters like this.
  • Though related to the first pitfall there is an important distinction.
    • In this case we may not necessarily consider the end times prophecy of greater significance than it is…
    • Instead we may simply miss the broader point of the passage as we try to figure out a timeline of events.  
  • Here I want to remind you where we started, the three purposes for prophecy are to Glorify God, comfort the church, and help us to live for eternity.
    • Creating a timeline of events for how these days will play out is not included in that purpose.
      • It does not mean we cannot do it or that we should not do it, but it does mean that if we are not careful…
    • We can miss the forest for the trees and this happens so often with eschatology.
      • Missing the fact that this scripture was given to us for the comfort of the church.
      • Yet we can spend so much time arguing about how it will all play out that we miss the comfort completely.  
    • To the point of it even being a joke…
      • Someone was once asked what the Millennial Reign is, the reply was it is the thousand years of peace that Christians like to fight about. 
      • Let us not fall into that camp…
  • Likewise, I heard a pastor once say something to the effect of…
    • “The book of Revelation was not given to us to inspire a Left Behind series…”
    • Unfortunately for us today that is often what is thought about when we consider eschatology.
  • We must remember that this was not the intended purpose of the book of Revelation, or, in our case, Mark 13.
    • It was given to the church for our encouragement and comfort as the days grow dark.
      • Knowing that whatever happens in our days, no matter how dark things may grow, no matter the wars, the famines, we know that our God still reigns.
    • None of it happens apart from His Sovereign hand and He will cause it all to unfold in its proper time.  
  • So again, keep in mind that this chapter was not given to us so that we could map everything out, it was given for the Glory of God and for the good of the church.

Closing

• As we close out our time together today…
  • I know we have just barely stepped into this chapter and I hope that you do not look forward with dread but with great anticipation for what we will see in the weeks ahead.  
  • I hope you are excited about what is to come and what encouragements and comforts exist for believers because of the truths we see in this chapter.  
• To sum up that truth let me close by saying this…
  • Keep this in your sights, believer…
  • Christ will return in the way He left and the church will gather with Him and be with Him forevermore.  
    • Glory to God, He is coming back for His people.
    • Let us not dread the last days but let us look with great expectations for the return of our God and King.