Chronological Bible Reading Plan - Day 310
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Mark, Chapters 13 To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Passages: Mark 13: 1-8 : [NLT] … {Jesus takes some time in Mark 13, as quoted/retold also in other Synoptic Gospel passages, about some prophetic events, apparently trying to help His immediate inner core of Disciples to gain some perspective on their future, especially with the One they had been following now predicting He would die soon and “leave them.” This is the so-called “Olivet Discourse,” having been delivered to His inner core of Disciples on the Mount of Olives. Having been up on that mount, overlooking the City and the Temple (now the Dome of the Rock in Islamic control), one can just imagine the scene of Jesus telling several of His Disciples of the future. The picture above is of a current scene {2009} on the Mount of Olives, close to the Garden of Gethsemane, overlooking the City, very close to where Jesus sat with His Disciples, telling of His future of Jerusalem.} …
1 As Jesus was leaving the Temple that day, one of his disciples said, “Teacher, look at these tremendous buildings! Look at the massive stones in the walls!” 2 Jesus replied, “These magnificent buildings will be so completely demolished that not one stone will be left on top of another.”
3 Later, … Jesus sat on the slopes of the Mount of Olives across the valley from the Temple. Peter, James, John, and Andrew came to him privately and asked him, 4 “When will all this take place? And will there be any sign ahead of time to show us when all this will be fulfilled?” … 5 Jesus replied, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, 6 because many will come in my name, claiming to be the Messiah [or “Yahweh” in Hebrew – “I AM”]. They will lead many astray. 7 And wars will break out near and far, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must come, but the end won’t follow immediately. 8 Nations and kingdoms will proclaim war against each other, and there will be earthquakes in many parts of the world, and famines. But all this will be only the beginning of the horrors to come….”
My Journal for Today: Above is a picture, taken in 2009 from the Mount of Olives, which overlooks the valley across from the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. As I took that picture, our Christian guide read from the Olivet Discourse, from the very passage I’ve copied above, which was Jesus telling a few of His inner core of Disciples about the future of Jerusalem and about His coming again … one day in the future … to return from heaven for His Bride, … the Church.
And of course, now, with the perspective of history, we Christians know that Jesus’ prediction of the destruction of the Temple, which was being rebuilt to great scale by Herod in the time of Jesus [see Mark 13: 2] was absolutely true. This may have seemed outlandish to these inner disciples at the time; but Jesus’ prediction back then helps Christians today to see the validity of that one prophesy, giving great credibility to His other eschatological predictions about His second coming.
I hope you don’t think I’m lazy today by only saying that Jesus’ predictions here in the Olivet Discourse, as well as found in parallel passages in Matthew 24 and Luke 21, give believers, like yours truly, great faith, … telling me to stay ready for Jesus’ return.
Friend, it could be today; but even if it’s 10 years from Thursday, as Christ’s Bride, I need to be preparing for the return of my Bridegroom (see Revelation 19: 6-8 at this link ).
My Prayer Today: … Lord, I ready myself for Your return. Amen
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