THE SON OF MAN WILL COME

Passage: Mark 13:14-27

Key verse: 13:26

NIV

14 “When you see ‘the abomination that causes desolation’[a](A) standing where it[b] does not belong—let the reader understand—then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 15 Let no one on the housetop go down or enter the house to take anything out. 16 Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. 17 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers!(B) 18 Pray that this will not take place in winter, 19 because those will be days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world,(C) until now—and never to be equaled again.(D)

20 “If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them. 21 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it.(E) 22 For false messiahs and false prophets(F) will appear and perform signs and wonders(G) to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 23 So be on your guard;(H) I have told you everything ahead of time.

24 “But in those days, following that distress,

“‘the sun will be darkened,
    and the moon will not give its light;
25 the stars will fall from the sky,
    and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’[c](I)

26 “At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds(J) with great power and glory. 27 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.(K)

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Footnotes
  1. Mark 13:14 Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11
  2. Mark 13:14 Or he
  3. Mark 13:25 Isaiah 13:10; 34:4
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

The Abomination of Desolation

14 “But when you see (A)the abomination of desolation standing where he ought not to be ((B)let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 15 (C)Let the one who is on (D)the housetop not go down, nor enter his house, to take anything out, 16 and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. 17 And (E)alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! 18 Pray that it may not happen in winter. 19 For in those days there will be (F)such (G)tribulation as has not been (H)from the beginning of the creation that (I)God created until now, and never will be. 20 And if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But for (J)the sake of the elect, whom (K)he chose, he shortened the days. 21 And (L)then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. 22 (M)For false christs and false prophets will arise and (N)perform signs and wonders, (O)to lead astray, if possible, (P)the elect. 23 But (Q)be on guard; (R)I have told you all things beforehand.

The Coming of the Son of Man

24 “But in those days, after (S)that tribulation, (T)the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, 25 and (U)the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26 And then they will see (V)the Son of Man coming in clouds (W)with great power and glory. 27 And then (X)he will send out the angels and (Y)gather (Z)his elect from (AA)the four winds, from (AB)the ends of the earth (AC)to the ends of heaven.

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

First, Be on your guard (14-25). These verses tell of the turmoil in the end times. The 'abomination that causes desolation' might refer to the destruction of the temple by the Romans in 7

AD, or to some future horrific event. Jesus said to be on your guard so that when these things happen, the people of Judea should flee to the mountain. There would be distress in the world like no one has ever seen. But for the sake of the elect, God cut those days short. Otherwise, no one could survive. But after that, even the moon would be darkened and the stars would fall from the sky. How could anyone survive? Second, the Son of Man will come (26-27). This is the climactic event of world history. At the height of the distress, the Son of Man would come in clouds with great power and glory. He will come and gather his elect to go and be with him in the kingdom of God. Our hope is not in the end of terrible times. Our hope is in the coming of the Son of Man.

Prayer: Father, help me, that when I am faced with terrible times, I will keep my hope in your coming. Help me to look for the Son of Man coming in clouds of great power and glory.

One Word: The Son of Man will come