Today’s devotion covers Mark 13:1-8. We will focus on the following verse 7.
“When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be frightened; those things must take place; but that is not yet the end.” Mark 13:7. (Emphasis added.)
We are beginning a section of Scripture with prophecy of both near times and end times. Some of the prophecy concerns the siege and destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans around 70 A.D. Other prophecy concerns the end times immediately before the coming of Christ.
Eschatology, which is the study of end times, is a difficult subject and is not suited to coverage in short emails or posts, so I will not attempt anything beyond a very simple message. There are good Reformed books and articles that can help the reader, including but certainly not limited to: Behold he Cometh! An Exposition of the Book of Revelation by Herman Hoeksema and More Than Conquerors: An Interpretation of the Book of Revelation by William Hendriksen.
The very simple message that I bring is the phrase in Mark 13:7 “do not be frightened”. Whether the events are truly scary and surrounded by death or awesome and surrounded by wonder, we often read such words which comfort us and give us peace.
Here is one of my favorite Scriptures:
“5 You will not be afraid of the terror by night,
Or of the arrow that flies by day;
6 Of the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
Or of the destruction that lays waste at noon.
7 A thousand may fall at your side
And ten thousand at your right hand,
But it shall not approach you.
8 You will only look on with your eyes
And see the recompense of the wicked.
9 For you have made the LORD, my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place.
10 No evil will befall you,
Nor will any plague come near your tent.
11 For He will give His angels charge concerning you,
To guard you in all your ways.” Psalm 91:5-11.
Or of the arrow that flies by day;
6 Of the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
Or of the destruction that lays waste at noon.
7 A thousand may fall at your side
And ten thousand at your right hand,
But it shall not approach you.
8 You will only look on with your eyes
And see the recompense of the wicked.
9 For you have made the LORD, my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place.
10 No evil will befall you,
Nor will any plague come near your tent.
11 For He will give His angels charge concerning you,
To guard you in all your ways.” Psalm 91:5-11.
From Genesis through Revelation, such as Genesis 15:1 ([ Abram Promised a Son ] “After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying,” Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great.”) and Revelation 2:10 (“‘Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”), there are many such words of comfort and peace. Here is a link to 143 entries given by BibleGateway using the Keyword Search of matching all the words “do not fear”. Click here: BibleGateway.com – Keyword Search: do not fear Granted, some of these entries are not applicable due to the different order of words arrangement (other than as in the phrase “do not fear”), but many of these entries include the phrase “do not fear” and are applicable to us today. In any event, it is clear that the message of Scripture “Do not fear!” rings throughout Scripture.
Our God is sovereign, totally in control. Our God is Almighty in power, and our God is Faithful as our Heavenly Father.
Question and Answer 1 of the Heidelberg Catechism states:
“Question 1. What is thy only comfort in life and death?
Answer. That I with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Savior Jesus Christ; who, with his precious blood, hath fully satisfied for all my sins, and delivered me from all the power of the devil; and so preserves me that without the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head; yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation, and therefore, by his Holy Spirit, he also assures me of eternal life, and makes me sincerely willing and ready, henceforth, to live unto him.”
When the nations rage and roar and when
“2 The kings of the earth take their stand
And the rulers take counsel together
Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying,
3 “Let us tear their fetters apart
And cast away their cords from us!”
4 He who sits in the heavens laughs,
The Lord scoffs at them.
5 Then He will speak to them in His anger
And terrify them in His fury, saying,
6 “But as for Me, I have installed My King
Upon Zion, My holy mountain.”
7 “I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD:
He said to Me, ‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
8 ‘Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance,
And the very ends of the earth as Your possession.
9 ‘You shall break them with a rod of iron,
You shall shatter them like earthenware.'”
10 Now therefore, O kings, show discernment;
Take warning, O judges of the earth.
11 Worship the LORD with reverence
And rejoice with trembling.
12 Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way,
For His wrath may soon be kindled
How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!”
And the rulers take counsel together
Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying,
3 “Let us tear their fetters apart
And cast away their cords from us!”
4 He who sits in the heavens laughs,
The Lord scoffs at them.
5 Then He will speak to them in His anger
And terrify them in His fury, saying,
6 “But as for Me, I have installed My King
Upon Zion, My holy mountain.”
7 “I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD:
He said to Me, ‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
8 ‘Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance,
And the very ends of the earth as Your possession.
9 ‘You shall break them with a rod of iron,
You shall shatter them like earthenware.'”
10 Now therefore, O kings, show discernment;
Take warning, O judges of the earth.
11 Worship the LORD with reverence
And rejoice with trembling.
12 Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way,
For His wrath may soon be kindled
How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!”
Therefore, “Get yourself up on a high mountain, O Zion, bearer of good news, Lift up your voice mightily,O Jerusalem, bearer of good news; Lift it up, do not fear Say to the cities of Judah,” Here is your God!” Isaiah 40:9
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 