Mark 13:24 - Printer Friendly

ESV: "But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light,

NIV: "But in those days, following that distress, " ‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light;

NASB: But in those days, after that tribulation, THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT,

CSB: "But in those days, after that tribulation: The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not shed its light;

NLT: At that time, after the anguish of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will give no light,

KJV: But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,

NKJV: “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light;

Jesus is warning Peter, James, John, and Andrew (Mark 13:3) about the end times. "That" tribulation speaks back to Mark 13:19 which says, "For in those days there will be such a tribulation…" The seven-year "tribulation" is broken into two parts. In the first three and one half years, the Antichrist will rise to power. In the last half, called the great tribulation, God will judge the world not only for its current rebellion, but for mankind's rejection of Him through the ages (Daniel 9:27). "That" tribulation means the great tribulation; so the event Jesus describes in Mark 13:24–27 takes place at the end of the tribulation, right before the millennial kingdom.

God established the sun, moon, and stars in creation for the purpose of being our source of light (Genesis 1:14–19). The removal of that light is always in the context of judgment. In Isaiah 13:10, the darkness accompanies—at least in metaphor— the ruin of the Babylonian Empire. Ezekiel 32:7 refers to the destruction of Egypt. When Jesus is crucified, the land goes dark for three hours (Mark 15:33). Isaiah 24:23 and Joel 2:10 reflect the prophecy Jesus gives here. First John 1:5 says that God is light. When light is taken away, so is God's blessing.

Before and during the tribulation, false teachers and liars claiming to be Christ will deceive people with counterfeit miracles (Mark 13:6, 22). Jesus' return will be much more powerful. Luke adds, "and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world" (Luke 21:25–26). Despite the warnings in God's Word and the testimonies of the 144,000 and the two witnesses (Revelation 7:4; 11:1–12), people on earth won't understand what is happening: judgment is upon them (Isaiah 34:1–2).

Mark 13:24–27 continues Jesus' predictions about His eventual return. Anyone would be excused for being confused about the timeline of the end times, especially regarding Jesus' return. According to a pre-tribulation, dispensational interpretation, this event is Jesus' second coming, which occurs after the rapture and the tribulation. In fact, it marks the end of the tribulation when Jesus destroys the Antichrist and his army (Revelation 19:11–21), imprisons Satan (Revelation 20:1–3), and brings only the tribulation saints and past believers with Him into the millennial kingdom. Jesus' return is also prophesied in Matthew 24:29–31 and Luke 21:25–27.

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.