Total Destruction

Mark 13:14–23

¹⁴ “But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where he ought not to be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. ¹⁵ Let the one who is on 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 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 such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation that 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 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 perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. ²³ But be on guard; I have told you all things beforehand.

Jesus prophesies in these words the coming destruction of the Temple. The fulfillment of that prophecy takes place in 70ad as the Romans burn the Temple to the ground. Because the dome of the Temple had been covered in gold, the mortar that held the bricks was subsequently covered in that gold. Roman soldiers spent time chipping at that mortar to retrieve the gold, thus going so far as to fulfill the prophesy that “one brick will not be left upon another.” With this warning, the early Christians knew that they needed to flee Jerusalem when these troubling times began and that is what they did. All of these events are meticulously recorded by Josephus, historian who was an eye witness to the Temple’s destruction.

We first hear the words “abomination of desolation” from the prophet Daniel who also describes the events that took place in 70ad although he wrote almost 700 years before the event.

Daniel 9:27

And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.”

Once again, we look back into history and see that God keeps His Word over and over again. Not one promise goes unanswered. Today we look forward to the fulfillment of the final promise of Jesus’ return on the Last Day. That promise will be kept as well. For us, 2,000 years seems like a long time to wait. But for God, a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like a day. Jesus will return when the time is perfect.