Mark 13:19 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For in those days there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, and never will be.

NIV: because those will be days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now—and never to be equaled again.

NASB: For those days will be such a time of tribulation as has not occurred since the beginning of the creation which God created until now, and never will again.

CSB: For those will be days of tribulation, the kind that hasn’t been from the beginning of creation until now and never will be again.

NLT: For there will be greater anguish in those days than at any time since God created the world. And it will never be so great again.

KJV: 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.

NKJV: For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be.

The tribulation is a seven-year period during which the Antichrist will rise in power and persecute Christ-followers and God will judge the world. The first three and a half years will be horrible. But, as Daniel corroborates (Daniel 12:1), the last half will see the worst destruction in the history of the earth, even including Noah's flood.

During the siege and destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, Josephus records that 1.1 million civilians died of starvation or violence. Another 97,000 were sold into slavery, many forced to become gladiators. During the Holocaust of World War II, 6 million Jews were killed, about 35% of the estimated Jewish population.

These disasters will pale in comparison to the end times. Zechariah 13:8–9 warns that during the tribulation, two-thirds of all Jews will be killed. Revelation 6—16 outlines the additional horrors the world will experience. These include an earthquake that will flatten every mountain and sink every island (Revelation 16:17–21). All sea life will be destroyed (Revelation 8:9; 16:3). Billions will die.

The last half of the tribulation is also known as the great tribulation, or "wrath of God." This impending judgment on sin refers to both the end-time tribulations and the eternal, all-consuming consequences of defying the Creator (Romans 2:5; 5:9; Ephesians 5:6; Colossians 3:6). This is God's response to the calls for justice people have prayed over the centuries. The evil world, as a whole, will face the repercussions of their rebellion against God. Until then, whoever rejects Jesus carries God's impending wrath on them (John 3:36).

It is easy to forget, especially as Christian believers, that we all deserve the same fate. There is nothing inherent in any of us that makes us undeserving of earthquakes, famine, fire, and death. All of humanity deserves to experience God's wrath, whether in the end-times tribulation or in an eternity in hell.

The good news is that Jesus makes this fate optional. Those who submissively and faithfully accept His sacrifice for our sins, making our relationship with God right, will escape God's wrath (Romans 5:9). It doesn't mean we won't see hardships, such as war and natural disasters. But we will be free from God's righteous judgment of our sin.

Mark 13:14–23 describes Peter, James, John, and Andrew asking Jesus for the signs that the temple will be destroyed and He will return to establish His kingdom (Matthew 24:3). Jesus has explained that wars, natural disasters, false teaching, and persecution will increase (Mark 13:5–13). Now He speaks of the second half of the end-times tribulation. It will start with the Antichrist erecting the abomination of desolation in the temple and end right before war and natural and supernatural disasters would cause worldwide extinction. Matthew talks a bit more about false prophets in Matthew 24:15–28 while Luke gives a shortened version in Luke 21:20–24.

Days before the crucifixion, the disciples praise the glory of the temple. When Jesus tells them the temple will be destroyed, they ask for signs of that coming destruction and of His return (Matthew 24:3). Jesus answers their second question with information crucial for believers in the end times, and any time. Tribulation Christians will face horrifying hardships and violence, as may believers of any era, but they must remember that the hardships will not last. Jesus will return so quickly, any attempt to live by the world's rules will be futile.

The prior chapter contained several parables and Jesus' answer to assorted questions. In this section, Jesus turns His teaching towards the disciples. He explains concepts related to the end times: the still-future period when God will complete His plan for judgment on sin. Those details include a prophecy about the impending destruction of the temple. The final chapters of Mark then describe events up to and after the crucifixion of Jesus at the hands of His enemies.

The Gospel of Mark emphasizes both Jesus' servanthood and His role as the promised Messiah: the Son of God. This is done through a concise, action-packed style. Mark provides relatively few details, instead focusing on actions and simple statements. This relates to the Gospel's authorship, which is believed to be based on the memories of the apostle Peter. These include many of Jesus' miracles, in contrast to other Gospels which include many more of Jesus' teachings and parables. Mark also makes frequent mention of Jesus' ministry being misunderstood by others.