Something the Old Testament prophets did often was to telescope both near and far events. Meaning that a prophecy had both a “near” fulfillment as well as a fulfillment in the far future. Many things that happen in our lives are a foreshadow of what is to come in our life.
Mark 13:17-21 (TNIV)
17 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 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, until now—and never to be equaled again. 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.
The picture painted here seems very bleak. And indeed in AD 70 when the temple fell, when Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans, it was bleak!
Allow me to interject a brief note to remind you of the “abomination that causes desolation” that was discussed a few days ago: “In AD 40 the Emperor Caligula, proclaiming himself god ordered the erection of a statue of himself in the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem which, of course, was an abomination to Jewish monotheism. Jesus prophesied the destruction of the world and a deeper persecution of the Jews (of which He was one).”
This event that is in the near future of those hearing these original words of Jesus are best described by William Barclay (be forewarned that this may be best read sitting down):
“Josephus tells the story of that terrible siege in the fifth book of The Jewish Wars. He tells us that 97,000 were taken captive and 1,100,000 perished by slow starvation and the sword. He tells us, ‘Then did the famine widen its progress and devoured the people by whole houses and families. The upper rooms were full of women and children dying of starvation.
The lanes of the city were full of the dead bodies of the aged. The children and the young men wandered about the market places like shadows, all swelled with famine, and fell down dead wheresoever their misery seized them. As for burying them, those that were sick themselves were not able to do it. And those that were hearty and well were deterred by the great multitude of the dead, and the uncertainty when they would die themselves, for many died as they were burying others, and many went to their own coffins before the fatal hour. There was no lamentation made under these calamities … the famine confounded all natural passions … A deep silence and a kind of deadly night had seized upon the city.’
To make it still grimmer, there were the inevitable ghouls who plundered the dead bodies.
Josephus tells grimly how when not even any herbs were available ‘some persons were driven to such terrible distress as to search the common sewers and old dunghills of cattle, and to eat the dung which they got there, and what they could not endure so much as to see, they now used for food’. He paints a grim picture of men gnawing the leather of straps and shoes, and tells a terrible story of a woman who killed and roasted her child, and offered a share of that terrible meal to those who came seeking food.”
I would also point out that it was reported that, “So many Jews were crucified that the hills were emptied of trees in order to build enough crosses.”
The prophecy that Jesus made of terrible days ahead for Jerusalem came true. Those who crowded into the city for safety died and only those who took his advice and ?ed to the hills were saved.
Here is the point, in verse 20, we see that there is a way for “the elect”, that is, followers of Jesus, Christians, to escape this terrible destruction. It is simply to flee. Indeed, it is important for us to flee the sin in our lives, to stand strong in our faith, relationship and love with our Lord and savior Jesus.
Look closely at verse 19, “… those will be days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now—and never to be equaled again.” There will be a time when Jesus comes again, we will not be able to mistake it (Luke 21:27).
Does your present foreshadow your future? The key is, look at your present life. What you do now has a huge impact on your tomorrow. God is in control; however, He (in wisdom) gives us free-will. Choose to be one of the elect, the people of God who are warned to flee the sin in their lives, to join together in love and community in order to withstand the destruction. Choose to be saved.