Daily Devotions
Mark
and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38b "Acts 2:38b"
Day 282 – Mark 13
…and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:38b
SURVIVING THE TRIBULATION PERIOD
How did the Disciples respond as they heard these devastating words from their Teacher. They knew that He was most serious as He foretold the future! There must have been many questions in their hearts and even on their lips as they listened to Jesus speak about the future. How may the world survive if the tribulation was going to be so severe?
“And unless the Lord had shortened those days,
No flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake,
whom He chose, He shortened the days.”
MARK 13:20
1. The Lord is still in control
The Disciples must ever be assured that God has not lost control of the situation. The tribulation period was allowed for, but God’s authority is never in doubt. It is sometimes difficult to comprehend and appreciate why God would factor in this period of fierce tribulation. Nevertheless, there is no need to lose our sense of assurance concerning the fact that “God is still on His throne, and He watches over His own”.
2. Shortening of the tribulation period
a) The tribulation period is spoken of as mere “days”.
b) This word tells us that this period of tribulation would be “short”.
c) It is the Lord Himself who has “shortened those days by divine decree”.
3. The Elect
a) Who are these?
i) These are the ones who have come to faith in the Lord Jesus.
ii) Believers are sometimes called “the elect”.
iii) As much as we may speak of choosing to believe, we may also speak of the Lord choosing us (The latter is the greater concept! Our choosing of the Lord is “logical”. The Lord choosing sinful people- that is truly amazing grace)!
b) For the elect’s sake
i) This phrase speaks of the tender regard of the Lord for His saints.
ii) When the world undergoes tribulation, saints would also suffer.
iii) In God’s great mercy and grace, He has limited those days of tribulation- for the sake of the elect.