Mark 13:9 says, But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them. After Jesus spoke of some of the things that would occur before the His return that didn't mean the end was near, He then told those who put their faith in Him to take heed of themselves. Since we see these things occurring today, this would apply to us more than ever. Jesus said that Christians in that day would be delivered up to councils and religious leaders where they would be beaten and brought before rulers for Jesus's sake as a testimony against them. Again, this applies to us today more than ever before. Jesus did not promise riches nor that we would escape this persecution. Since Jesus said this would happen, we often apply this to the early church, but then apply the signs as happening today, but it seems to me that the persecution happens as the signs increase, so we need to take heed of ourselves and our faithfulness to Jesus Christ. Verse ten adds, And the gospel must first be published among all nations. Jesus did say that the gospel must be published or preached to all nations before His return. I am not sure if this has happened at some point in time or not, but if we are impatient for the return of Christ, we need to be busy sharing the gospel with the world. Verse eleven continues, But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost. Jesus also said that we should not worry about what we should say if we are persecuted, because it would be given to us at that time because the Holy Spirit would speak through us. Of course, we must remain faithful to Jesus Christ for this to happen. We have very little control over these other signs, but we have a lot of control over proclaiming the gospel, especially when we find ourselves suffering persecution. Verse twelve states, Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death. Jesus said that the closest family members would betray each other and cause them to be put to death, and that Christians would be hated for His sake. We are definitely getting closer to that point, so we need to take heed of ourselves. Verse thirteen adds, And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. Jesus said then that we would be hated by all men, but if we remain faithful to the end, we will be saved. I don't believe that this means that we could possibly lose our salvation, but that if we are truly saved, we will never deny Jesus Christ even if it costs us everything, even our life. Verse fourteen continues, But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains: We must first determine what the abomination of desolation is. Matthew Henry says it was the Roman army, and this prophecy was fulfilled within forty years of it being made. I believe that this is something that everyone has to determine themselves under the leadership of the Holy Spirit. I know that the Romans wreaked desolation on the early church. Many Christians were killed, many turned away from their professed faith in Christ, and some were able to escape. We today may find ourselves in a similar situation, but we are told to stand fast in our faith. I don't believe that we are to run away from persecution, but as Mark said to the early Christians, we have to come to an understanding of what this means for us if it begins to happen in the world today under the leadership of the Holy Spirit. Verse fifteen states And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter t herein, to take any thing out of his house: Verse sixteen adds, And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment. When this occurred, Christians were urged to flee for their life. They were not to worry about material possessions but were to leave everything to find safety. Verse seventeen continues, But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days. Jesus said it would be very hard on mothers with young babies, because fleeing would be hard for them. Verse eighteen concludes, And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter. These were all commonsense warnings, and they are still applicable today. Verse nineteen says, For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be. Jesus said that there would be affliction like the world had never seen at that time, and we today are seeing affliction like never before, and a growing persecution of Christians. I cannot say that we will not face those times, but I can say that if we are faithful to Jesus Christ, He will see us through them. Verse twenty adds, And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days. Jesus said that if God had not shortened the days of persecution that no one would have survived, but that for the elect’s sake, those who had accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord, God shortened the days. Before the return of Christ, we are going to experience the same sort of desolation, but our days of suffering, no matter how long they may last, are already shortened compared to everlasting life that we have if we put our faith in Jesus Christ. Of course, the key is accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord. Verse twenty-one concludes, And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not: Mark was still writing about the early days of Christianity when Christians were to suffer persecution at the hands of the Romans, but also about any time since Jesus's ascension and His return.
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