Mark 13:24–37 (ESV)

²⁴[Jesus said:] “In those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, ²⁵and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. ²⁶And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. ²⁷And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

²⁸“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. ²⁹So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. ³⁰Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. ³¹Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

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³²“But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. ³³Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. ³⁴It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. ³⁵Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the cock crows, or in the morning— ³⁶lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. ³⁷And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.”

Like the disciples asking Jesus, we want to know when He will return. Rather than giving a date, Jesus gives a warning of when the end is near. The signs are not good news. Jesus warns that before people “see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory” (26); it will be frightful: “the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken” (24-25).

In the parable about the fig tree Jesus is telling us that the signs have a different purpose. The tree’s budding leaves late in the spring are a sure sign summer is around the corner. The Lord’s point is not to try to calculate the date of His Second Coming when we see the signs, rather it is a reminder that as sure as summer follows spring, His return is sure and certain. All has been set into motion on the cross when Jesus said, “It is finished.” Christ’s death, resurrection, and ascension assure us He will return to take us to live with Him forever and ever! Jesus promised in John 14:3, “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.”

While we are waiting, Jesus calls us to watch and remain in our holy vocation according to how God has stationed us in life. All of us have responsibilities as spouse, father or mother, son or daughter, employer or worker, and so on. Like “the master of the house” (35) leaving on a journey, Christ commands us “to stay awake” (34; 37). No matter where God has placed us in life, we seek daily to do His will, looking in faith to Jesus and His promises.

Christian, you do not have to worry about the end because every sign of the end is a quiet and certain reinforcement that Jesus’ victory and His Word will never pass away. In Isaiah 51:6 the Lord says, “Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth beneath; for the heavens vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and they who dwell in it will die in like manner; but my salvation will be forever.”

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