Question 1

29 OCT 2023: Marks of a Persevering Christian Today and in the Last Days / Mark 13:28-37

Accepted Answer

1)  They recognise the return of Christ is near  (vs 28-29)    
28 “Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near.  29 “Even so, you too, when you see these things happening, recognize that He is near, right at the door.

2) They recognise the Word of God is faithful and true (vs 30-31)  
30 “Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.  31 “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.

3) They are watchful and ready (vs 33-37) 
32 “But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. 33 “See to it, keep on the alert; for you do not know when the appointed time will come.  34 “It is like a man away on a journey, who, leaving his house and giving authority to his slaves—each one his task, also commanded the doorkeeper to stay awake.  35 “Therefore, stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether in the evening, at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning— 36 lest he come suddenly and find you sleeping.  37 “And what I say to you I say to all, ‘Stay awake!’”

Question 2

22 OCT 2023: The Gathering of the Elect and End of the Evil World System / Mark 13:24-29

Accepted Answer

The return of Christ with great power and glory  (vs 24-27)

24 “But in those days, after that tribulation, THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT,  25 AND THE STARS WILL BE FALLING from heaven, AND THE POWERS THAT ARE IN THE HEAVENS will be shaken.  26 “And then they will see THE SON OF MAN COMING IN CLOUDS with great power and glory.  27 “And then He will send forth the angels, and will gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth to the farthest end of heaven.

Quote: There is no mention of a millennium, no new Jerusalem, no rebuilt temple, no restoration of Israel or the State of Israel, no battle of Armageddon, and no hints how and when Christ will return. About all these things the text is silent. All these incidentals yield to the preeminent truth of the power and glory of Jesus’ future coming and the promise that his elect will be gathered to him. Edwards, J. R. (2002). The Gospel according to Mark (p. 404). Eerdmans; Apollos.

Quote: It is clear from the structure of the discourse that the parousia cannot take place until after all the preliminary events announced in verses 5–23 have occurred. They are the necessary precursors to the coming of the glorified Son of Man, yet in themselves they do not determine the time of that event. Lane, W. L. (1974). The Gospel of Mark (p. 474). Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

Isaiah 13:9-13 says, Behold, the day of the Lord is coming … For the stars of heaven and their constellations Will not flash forth their light; The sun will be dark when it rises And the moon will not shed its light. Thus I will punish the world for its evil And the wicked for their iniquity … Therefore I will make the heavens tremble, And the earth will be shaken from its place At the fury of the Lord of hosts In the day of His burning anger. (Isa. 13:9–13; cf. 24:1–6, 23; 34:1–6)

Joel 2:10-11 says, Before them the earth quakes, The heavens tremble, The sun and the moon grow dark And the stars lose their brightness. The Lord utters His voice before His army; Surely His camp is very great, For strong is he who carries out His word. The day of the Lord is indeed great and very awesome, And who can endure it?… The sun will be turned into darkness And the moon into blood Before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. (Joel 2:10–11, 31; cf. 3:15)

Daniel 7:13-14 says, 13 “I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven  One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him. 14 “And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations and men of every language Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed.

Revelation 1:7-8 says, 7 Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen.  8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

The Son of man will replace the evil system of the world to an eternal righteousness and holiness and godliness, and all ungodly wicked people of the world will be judged and pinched to their eternal death eternal separation from God (2 Thess. 1:7–10; cf. Isa. 11:4; 63:1–4; Rev. 1:16), MacArthur, J. (2015). Mark 9–16 (p. 257). Moody Publishers.

Mark 13:28-29 28 “Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near.  29 “Even so, you too, when you see these things happening, recognize that He is near, right at the door.

Question 3

15 OCT 2023: Perseverance Of The Elect Today and In The Last Days / Mark 13:14-23

Accepted Answer

1) The coming antichrist and tribulation (vs 14-18) 
14 “But when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION standing where it should not be (let the reader understand), then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains.  15 “And the one who is on the housetop must not go down, or go in to get anything out of his house;  16 and the one who is in the field must not turn back to get his garment.  17 “But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!  18 “But pray that it may not happen in the winter.

Daniel 9:27 “And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.”

Daniel 11:31: “Forces from him will arise, desecrate the sanctuary fortress, and do away with the regular sacrifice. And they will set up the abomination of desolation.

Daniel 12:11: “From the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days.

2) The perseverance of the elect (vs 19-23) 
19 “For those days will be a time of tribulation such as has not occurred since the beginning of the creation which God created until now, and never will.  20 “And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect, whom He chose, He shortened the days.  21 “And then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ’; or, ‘Behold, He is there’; do not believe him;  22 for false christs and false prophets will arise, and will show signs and wonders, in order to lead astray, if possible, the elect.  23 “But as for you, see! I have told you everything in advance.

Question 4

8 OCT 2023: Perseverance Of The Christians In An Unfriendly Environment / Mark 13:1-13

Accepted Answer

1) The purpose of the Olivet discourse (vs 1-4) 
1 And as He was going out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, behold what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!”  2 And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left upon another which will not be torn down.”  3 And as He was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew were questioning Him privately,  4 “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are going to be fulfilled?”

2) Many will be deceived and mislead (vs 5-8) 
5 And Jesus began to say to them, “See to it that no one deceives you.  6 “Many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He!’ and will mislead many.  7 “And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; those things must take place; but that is not yet the end.  8 “For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will also be famines. These things are merely the beginning of birth pains.

3) True Christians will be persecuted (vs 9-11) 
9 “But see to yourselves; for they will deliver you to the courts, and you will be beaten in the synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for My sake, as a witness to them.  10 “And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all the nations.  11 “And when they lead you away, delivering you up, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say, but say whatever is given to you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but it is the Holy Spirit.

4) True Christians will endure to the end  (vs 12-13)  
12 “And brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.  13 “And you will be hated by all because of My name, but the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.

Question 5

1 OCT 2023: Signs Of The End Times / Matthew 24:1-5

Accepted Answer

1 Jesus came out from the temple and was going away when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him.  2 And He said to them, "Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down."  3 As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?"  4 And Jesus answered and said to them, "See to it that no one misleads you.  5 For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will mislead many. (Matthew 24:1-5 NASB)

The Signs of the Return of Christ

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