Mark 13:1-20
As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!”
“Do you see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”…
When you see ‘the abomination that causes desolation’ standing where it does not belong—let the reader understand—then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let no one on the housetop go down or enter the house to take anything out. Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! Pray that this will not take place in winter, because those will be days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now—and never to be equaled again.
Our passage today has Jesus once again telling his disciples about coming events. This time it is regarding the beloved Temple. His words are hard for the disciples imagine, let alone understand. Yet, not 40 years after he spoke this it all game true. Rome destroyed Jerusalem, the Jewish people who weren’t killed escaped and went into the mountains – occupying abandoned fortresses.
One of my all-time favourite books is “The Dove Keepers” by Alice Hoffman. Based on the writings of Josephus, it chronicles the survival of the remnant who made it to Herod’s desert fortress, Masada and how that occupation ended with everyone’s death before the Romans could take them captive. 3 women escaped the massacre and it’s their account that Josephus recorded.
As we look back into this history – Jerusalem was destroyed, just as Jesus warned them would happen. But 2,000 years later, in a very built up city that has never not been inhabited, archeological discoveries are being made all the time. They give light to the lives that had been lived for centuries. Pots, coins, bells from priestly clothing, jewellery, foundations of houses, even ashes from fires that were extinguished by falling walls in that siege have all been discovered. It’s a city that rebuilt, and thrived after unimaginable tragedy. The views all around the city are glorious. (I could go on at length about the finds, but I won’t – you’ll just have to come to Israel with us when travel is safe to do so!!)
What about us today? I think this hard passage, combined with our 2022 understanding of history, reminds us that life will bring us devastating circumstances. Things will happen that will bring our well built plans, resources or health to the ground in heaps of rubble. But, as long as God still wakes us up in the morning, He’s not done with us and the rebuilding will begin.
It will be hard and some days you may wish He wouldn’t wake you up. Know this, you are more treasured by God that the Temple was, and He will redeem it all. You will likely have to sift through the rubble, and it may feels like tiny wins and all too much work to see restoration, but wins are wins, and He will be in them all with you. Then, when the rebuild is completed you will be able to look back and see all that God has done and all He has brought you through. I promise – the view will be glorious.
Joyfully Yours 