In Mark Chapter 13 we find Jesus sitting down on the Mount of Olives and giving his disciples some disturbing information about what lies ahead of them. Little did they know or realize that within just a few short hours, some of this dialogue was going to become very real to them.
Jesus opens and closes this conversation with what seems to be a very simple thing to do…Watch!
“Watch out that no one deceives you.” This is his opening response to the question of the signs that are coming as to when prophecy will be fulfilled. He then wraps up the instructions again with the simple command “Watch!”
Between those two statements, he details circumstances and scenarios for them to be able to discern truth and to understand the signs of things to come. Also he gives them a “not so pretty picture” of what it will be like to be His disciple. History records for us that most of those in attendance were in fact brought to trial at some point and/or executed for their faith; including the One giving them the information.
The disciples were no doubt reminded of this command to watch only a few hours later, when Jesus awoke them….. Mark 14:41…Returning the third time, he said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. 42 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”
Mark 13 is one of those passages where I truly do not know how to discern all the information given to the disciples still yet today. One truth that I can take away from this passage is to continue to Watch. Watch and observe the world around me. I certainly can see where some of these things that Jesus mentioned are going on around me now. I can only hope and pray that when the time is fulfilled, I will be watching.