Great Tribulation and Warning Against False Christs (Mark 13:14-23)

September 5, 2025 Verses 21-23: "Then if anyone says to you, 'Here is the Christ! Look, there he is!' do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will arise, performing signs and wonders, to deceive, if possible, the elect. But beware, for I have told you all this beforehand!"   Today is called the era of pluralism. That's why people consider that there is no single absolute religion. And we see mosques everywhere in Germany. In the midst of pluralistic thinking, many people become disoriented in their life.  But we want to find clear guidance for our life through the word of Jesus. What does Jesus say in the era of pluralism? Let us now listen to and reflect on the word of Jesus from the 13th chapter of the Gospel of Mark.   Jesus says in verse 14: "But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where it should not be—let the reader understand—then let everyone who is in Judea flee to the mountains."  The word "abomination of desolation" originally came from the prophecy of the prophet Daniel (Dan. 9:27; 11:31; 12:11). It originally meant "pagan images," because the Jews considered the image of the pagan armies to be an "idol." For the Jews, the coming of the pagan armies with the images signified the impending, horrific desecration of the Holy Place. The Jews remembered the deeds of Antiochus, who desecrated the Temple by sacrificing pork on the altar and converting the courtyards into brothels. A revolt against the Roman occupiers breaks out in Judea. The Romans strike back with extreme brutality. Under the leadership of Vespasian and his son Titus, a vicious struggle begins. They first conquer the provinces of Galilee and Transjordan, the present-day Kingdom of Jordan. Soon, the province of Judea is surrounded on three sides. In 69 AD, Vespasian returns to Rome to be crowned the new emperor. His son Titus assumes military leadership in the war against the rebellious Jews.  The historian Flavius Josephus reports on the conquest of Jerusalem in his work "The Jewish Wars." Immediately after the Passover festival, the Romans attack Jerusalem. Approximately 3 million people were in the city. A horrific battle ensues. At the end of this war, 1.1 million people, mostly Jews, are killed, and 97,000 people are exiled as slaves. This prophecy was fulfilled by the following event. When Titus began attacking Judea, many people fled from the countryside to the city, believing Jerusalem to be safe because of its walls. The Christians, however, followed Jesus' instructions and fled Jerusalem to the mountains. Because Jerusalem's fortress was so strong, Titus besieged the city for a year, so the people in the city starved to death. The hunger was so severe that some mothers slaughtered their own children to survive. Eventually, Titus reduced Jerusalem to rubble. All who had sought refuge in Jerusalem's fortress perished. But all who had followed Jesus' instructions were saved.  I thought my apartment was safe from theft. But on July 12, 2025, while I was staying in the church all day, my apartment and the apartment next door on the same floor were burglarized, and about 700 euros were stolen. This showed me that there is no safe place in the world from theft. Only with God is the absolute safe place. With his words in verse 14, Jesus instructed his disciples that when they saw the abomination of desolation standing, they should not flee into the city, but to the mountains. Jesus instructed the people of Jerusalem: "Whoever is on the housetop must not go down or enter to take anything out of his house. And whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his almonds." (15-16).  At that time, a coat served both as clothing against the cold and heat and as a blanket for sleeping. Therefore, a coat was essential for every person. But Jesus said that one should not turn back to get one's coat. By this, Jesus certainly did not mean that we should live without a coat. He wanted to teach us that we should always rely solely on God.  Many years ago, a department store collapsed in Seoul due to a shortage of building materials. Shortly before the collapse, two wives of Daewoo CEOs were leaving the department store after shopping. One of them had forgotten something, so she went back inside. She died. The other, however, was saved.  Jesus then said to his disciples: "Pray that it not be in winter, for in those days there will be tribulation such as has not occurred since the beginning of creation, which God created, nor ever shall be." (Verse 18).  Jesus' disciples can ask God for his help and protection when they anticipate something unbearable. God certainly hears our prayer and will surely help us.  Jesus continued: "And if the Lord had not shortened those days, no flesh would have been saved (or saved); but for the sake of the elect whom he has chosen he has shortened those days." God is so kind that He shortens the days of tribulation. For God does not want to lose a single chosen one. But God uses tribulation to separate false believers from true believers, just as chaff is removed from wheat by shoveling. No false believer will be saved, but no true believer will be lost. We must not believe superficially, but must truly believe in Jesus and the gospel.  Jesus now warned us against deception: "Then if anyone says to you, 'Here is the Christ! Look, there he is!' do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will arise, performing signs and wonders, so as to deceive, if possible, the elect. But beware! I have told you all this beforehand!" (21-23).  False Christs also perform miracles and signs. That is why we are deceived when we look for signs. God's Word in the Bible is therefore the only solid foundation of our faith. We should base our faith on the Word of God, regardless of signs, and hold fast to faith in God's Word. We should not allow ourselves to be deceived, neither by other religions nor by unbelievers. Rather, we should hold fast to our faith in Jesus and follow his instruction.  We should hold fast to the word of Jesus, for he told us: "Then if anyone says to you, 'Here is the Christ! Look, there he is!' do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will arise, performing signs and wonders, so as to deceive, if possible, the elect. But beware, for I have told you all this beforehand" (verses 21-