<html><head></head><body><div><div><div><div><br></div>Mark. 13;14-23<div><br></div><div><b>14. &nbsp;“But when you see the desolating sacrilege set up where it ought&nbsp;not to be (let the reader understand), Then let those who are in Judea, flee to the mountains;</b></div><div><b>15. &nbsp;Let him who is on the house top not to go down, nor enter his house, to take anything away;</b></div><div><b>16. &nbsp;and let him who is in the field, not turned back to take his mantle.</b></div><div><b>17. And alas&nbsp;for those who are with child and for those who give suck in those days!</b></div><div><b>18. &nbsp;Pray that it may not happen in winter.</b></div><div><b>19. &nbsp;For In those days, there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation, which God created until now, and never will be.</b></div><div><b>20. &nbsp;And if the Lord had not shortened the days, no human being would be saved, but for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he shortened the days.</b></div><div><b>21. &nbsp;And then, if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ do not believe it.</b></div><div><b>22. &nbsp;False Christ and false prophets will arise and show signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect.</b></div><div><b>23. &nbsp;But take heed; I have told you all things beforehand.</b></div><div><b><br></b></div><div>This is a difficult passage of scripture. &nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Jesus begins by warning of the Roman’s destruction of the temple and all Jerusalem&nbsp;in 70AD. &nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The <i>“desolating sacrilege”</i></div><div>first refers to the setting up of an&nbsp;unholy image in the temple in Jerusalem. &nbsp;This happened several times, Antiochus Epiphanes in 167BC,&nbsp;Caligula in 40AD, and finally Emblems (probably images of an eagle)&nbsp;of Romean authority&nbsp;on a standard from 66AD to 70AD.</div><div><br></div><div>Following this, not only the Temple, but all of&nbsp;Jerusalem was besieged and&nbsp;destroyed. &nbsp;The ancient historian Josephus estimates up to 1.1 million people died, (many having traveled to Jerusalem for Passover, prior to the siege).<span></span></div><div><br></div><div>Although,&nbsp; this does not explain Jesus’ words in verse 20, which refer to an even greater apocalyptic threat to the entire human race.</div><div><br></div><div>Taking verse 20 into account, this warning of Jesus <u>may</u>&nbsp;refer to the <i>“desolating sacrilege”</i>&nbsp;which now resides <i>“where it ought not to be”&nbsp;</i>in the unrepentant hearts of all people. &nbsp;This then becomes a reference to the rebellion of Satan at work in all of human kind. &nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>We, the Church, who&nbsp;are the New Jerusalem, the Temple of God, His own dwelling place, are sadly still able to,</div><div><i>“fear, love, and trust,&nbsp;</i>(other earthly things)&nbsp;<i>before God.” &nbsp;</i>(Luther’s Small Catechism, Explaination of the First Commandment)</div><div><br></div><div>These words of Jesus foreshadow the end of all things. &nbsp;The final judgment of God against all rebellion against Him. &nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>This is a grim and frightening warning against carnality, which makes us&nbsp;<i>“luke-warm” &nbsp;</i><span>in our devotion to God,&nbsp;</span><span>(</span><span>like the church of La-odicea,&nbsp;</span><span>Revelation 3;16). &nbsp;&nbsp;</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>This is why the Church is called to inspired, unrestrained, crazy,&nbsp;full-hearted love of God. &nbsp;We are called to not be friends with this world, we are called to walk by the Spirit, and to not </span><span>gratify the desires of the flesh. &nbsp;We have a purpose on this earth. &nbsp;</span><i>“We who first hoped in Christ have been destined and appointed to live for the praise of His glory.” </i><span>(Ephesians 1;12)</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>Broken hearted, contrite sinners must never become complacent toward&nbsp;God,&nbsp;Who forgives, cleanses, and gifts us with faith and the Holy Spirit, Who calls us to holiness of life and fruitfulness. This is true discipleship, denying self, carrying our cross, and by faith&nbsp;following Jesus, doing the Father’s will, bringing the ‘Light of Life’, the Gospel into this dark, dying world.</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>Such a life can only be lived by faith in Christ indwelling and empowering&nbsp;us by the Holy Spirit,&nbsp;Who continually speaks His own life into&nbsp;us through the&nbsp;living Word, transforming us into His own&nbsp;image.&nbsp; (Romans 8;29)</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>Prayer: &nbsp;Merciful Father, deliver us from our sinful flesh and all of its unholy carnal desires. &nbsp;We pray in Jesus, Amen.</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>Love,</span></div><div><span>Dad/Baba/Eric</span></div><div><span>Grandpa Pickle Pastor</span></div><div><span>“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’in the living Word. &nbsp;God’s Word is our habitation, and we are His.”</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><br><div><a href="https://mail.onelink.me/107872968?pid=nativeplacement&amp;c=Global_Acquisition_YMktg_315_Internal_EmailSignature&amp;af_sub1=Acquisition&amp;af_sub2=Global_YMktg&amp;af_sub3=&amp;af_sub4=100000604&amp;af_sub5=EmailSignature__Static_" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a><br></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>


Mark. 13;14-23
14.  “But when you see the desolating sacrilege set up where it ought not to be (let the reader understand), Then let those who are in Judea, flee to the mountains;15.  Let him who is on the house top not to go down, nor enter his house, to take anything away;16.  and let him who is in the field, not turned back to take his mantle.17. And alas for those who are with child and for those who give suck in those days!18.  Pray that it may not happen in winter.19.  For In those days, there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation, which God created until now, and never will be.20.  And if the Lord had not shortened the days, no human being would be saved, but for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he shortened the days.21.  And then, if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ do not believe it.22.  False Christ and false prophets will arise and show signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect.23.  But take heed; I have told you all things beforehand.
This is a difficult passage of scripture.   
Jesus begins by warning of the Roman’s destruction of the temple and all Jerusalem in 70AD.  
The “desolating sacrilege”first refers to the setting up of an unholy image in the temple in Jerusalem.  This happened several times, Antiochus Epiphanes in 167BC, Caligula in 40AD, and finally Emblems (probably images of an eagle) of Romean authority on a standard from 66AD to 70AD.
Following this, not only the Temple, but all of Jerusalem was besieged and destroyed.  The ancient historian Josephus estimates up to 1.1 million people died, (many having traveled to Jerusalem for Passover, prior to the siege).
Although,  this does not explain Jesus’ words in verse 20, which refer to an even greater apocalyptic threat to the entire human race.
Taking verse 20 into account, this warning of Jesus may refer to the “desolating sacrilege” which now resides “where it ought not to be” in the unrepentant hearts of all people.  This then becomes a reference to the rebellion of Satan at work in all of human kind.  
We, the Church, who are the New Jerusalem, the Temple of God, His own dwelling place, are sadly still able to,“fear, love, and trust, (other earthly things) before God.”  (Luther’s Small Catechism, Explaination of the First Commandment)
These words of Jesus foreshadow the end of all things.  The final judgment of God against all rebellion against Him.  
This is a grim and frightening warning against carnality, which makes us “luke-warm”  in our devotion to God, (like the church of La-odicea, Revelation 3;16).   
This is why the Church is called to inspired, unrestrained, crazy, full-hearted love of God.  We are called to not be friends with this world, we are called to walk by the Spirit, and to not gratify the desires of the flesh.  We have a purpose on this earth.  “We who first hoped in Christ have been destined and appointed to live for the praise of His glory.” (Ephesians 1;12)
Broken hearted, contrite sinners must never become complacent toward God, Who forgives, cleanses, and gifts us with faith and the Holy Spirit, Who calls us to holiness of life and fruitfulness. This is true discipleship, denying self, carrying our cross, and by faith following Jesus, doing the Father’s will, bringing the ‘Light of Life’, the Gospel into this dark, dying world.
Such a life can only be lived by faith in Christ indwelling and empowering us by the Holy Spirit, Who continually speaks His own life into us through the living Word, transforming us into His own image.  (Romans 8;29)
Prayer:  Merciful Father, deliver us from our sinful flesh and all of its unholy carnal desires.  We pray in Jesus, Amen.
Love,Dad/Baba/EricGrandpa Pickle Pastor“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’in the living Word.  God’s Word is our habitation, and we are His.”

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