THE OLIVET DISCOURSE

Sir,

Mark chapter 13 is widely known as the Olivet Discourse. It’s a sermon that was delivered by Jesus Himself. This sermon is also recorded in Matt. 24-25 and in Luke 21. Mark chapter 13 begins with the disciples asking Jesus about the end of time and about the signs accompanying that time period. Let’s take a look at the signs recorded in this chapter.

The first thing to note is deception. In the end times there is a going to be a serious worldwide deception. That is why you and I need to be grounded in the Word of God. There will be false Messiahs (vs 6, 21-22); Jesus said many false christs would come along. In our era we have also heard about many of these so-called messiahs. The appearance of such is a sign that the end is fast approaching.

There will be wars and rumours of wars (vs 7). Our world has been marked by war, the history of our world is one of war. Jesus said wars and rumours of war would increase as the end of time approaches. We are seeing this in our day; wars ravage our planet.
There will be turmoil among the nations of the earth (vs 8). Jesus tells us that as long as the world stands, there will be strife among nations. As the end approaches, we will see an increase in this kind of activity.

There will be an increase in earthquakes (vs 8). This world is no stranger to earthquakes; these earthquakes are increasing in frequency and their intensity. There will be famines (vs 8). Studies have shown that everyday people are dying of starvation.
Every year 15 million children die of starvation and of hunger related illnesses. Four million people starve to death every year. 1.3 billion people live on less than US$1 of income per day. Another three billion survive on less than US$3 per day. Famines are devastating our world and they will increase in these end times.

There will be troubles of every kind (vs 8). In Matthew’s account, the Bible tells us these troubles will be ‘pestilences’. There will be an increase in diseases as the end times approach.
Think of the Spanish Influenza outbreak during World War I. Millions of people died of the flu during World War I than those who actually died in battle.

Think of the AIDS pandemic, think of cancer, think of reported cases of cholera and Listeriosis outbreaks, think of the Bird Flu scares, think of Ebola. There are killer diseases out there just waiting for an opportunity to devastate the human race. There will be persecution of the people of God (vs 9-13). The sun and the moon will not give their light, and the universe will be plunged into darkness (vs 24-25).

Dear beloved,  we must not allow these things to fill us with fear. Luke 21:28 says, “Nakucala kwenteka letintfo sukumani niphakamise tinhloko tenu ngobe insindziso yenu iyawube seyisedvutane.” Jesus wants us to be on the alert, let us live every moment in anticipation of His return.

Jesus is coming again! Skeptics and scoffers may deny that fact, but they can’t change the truth of it. Jesus is coming, and He is coming soon.

Bopoto Gwinyai

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