22 

The Grim Reality of the Last Days
(Mark 13:1–13) 

As He was going out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, behold what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left upon another which will not be torn down.” As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew were questioning Him privately, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are going to be fulfilled?” And Jesus began to say to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. Many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He!’ and will mislead many. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be frightened; those things must take place; but that is not yet the end. For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will also be famines. These things are merely the beginning of birth pangs. But be on your guard; for they will deliver you to the courts, and you will be flogged in the synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them. The gospel must first be preached to all the nations. When they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but it is the Holy Spirit. Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by all because of My name, but the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.” (13:1–13)

Though the Lord Jesus was sent “to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matt. 15:24), His chosen people willfully rejected Him. As the apostle John explained, “He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him” (John 1:11). Jesus responded to Israel’s unbelief by pronouncing divine judgment on the apostate nation (Matt. 12:41–42; cf. 11:20–24). On one hand, their stubborn rebellion moved Him to weep (cf. Luke 13:34–35; 19:41–44), yet it also provoked Him to righteous indignation (cf. Mark 3:5). He repeatedly rebuked the religious leaders for their hypocrisy and hardheartedness, doing so openly and severely (cf. Matt. 15:3–9; 22:18; 23:13–29; Mark 7:1–8; Luke 12:1), and warned His disciples to avoid their influence (Mark 8:15; cf. Matt. 16:6, 11). Twice in His ministry, at both the beginning (John 2:13–22) and the end (Mark 11:15–17), Jesus struck at the heart of corrupt Judaism by attacking the moneymaking operations of the temple, accusing those involved of turning God’s house into a robbers’ den. But rather than repenting, the religious leaders maliciously arranged to kill their own Messiah (Mark 11:18).

The second of those temple attacks occurred on Tuesday of Passion Week (Mark 11:15–19). The events recorded in this passage (13:1–37) took place the following evening, after a full day of preaching in the temporarily purged temple on Wednesday (cf. 11:20–12:44). On Thursday, Jesus would celebrate the Passover with His disciples and establish the new ordinance of Communion; on Friday, He would be crucified; and on Sunday, He would rise from the dead.

As Jesus left the temple courtyards on Wednesday, He delivered a final pronouncement of judgment on apostate Judaism (13:2). Then, while sitting on the Mount of Olives looking back at the monumental edifice that had become the symbol of that apostasy, He explained to His disciples what must take place before the end of the age and the establishment of His earthly kingdom (vv. 5ff.). The lengthy instruction Jesus gave in Mark 13:5–37 (and in the parallel passages of Matt. 24:4–25:46 and Luke 21:8–36) is known as the Olivet Discourse, so named because it was there on that hill east of the temple that the Lord gave His disciples a sweeping picture of future events.

The Jewish people of Jesus’ day expected the Messiah’s arrival to immediately usher in His kingdom, shattering the yoke of Roman imperialism and subjugating Israel’s enemies. When John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness declaring that the kingdom of heaven was at hand (Matt. 3:2), the people eagerly flocked to hear him preach. Their interest further intensified when Jesus, the one whom John identified as Messiah, launched His public ministry by teaching with authority (cf. Mark 1:21–22), casting out demons (1:23–27), and curing every kind of sickness and disease (cf. 1:34; 3:10). Several years later, when Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on the colt of a donkey, the crowds could not contain their exuberance (Mark 11:1–10). With shouts of exultation, they proclaimed Him to be the promised messianic Son of David (Matt. 21:9) who would restore the glories of the Davidic kingdom (Mark 11:10).

Those enthusiastic expectations were shared by Jesus’ disciples, who similarly “supposed that the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately” (Luke 19:11). Because they knew Jesus was the Messiah (cf. Mark 8:29) and the Son of God (cf. Matt. 14:33; 16:16), their hearts undoubtedly raced with anticipation when they heard the cheers of the people during Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Everything appeared to be on schedule to usher in the messianic kingdom. But the disciples overlooked the essential necessity of His death and resurrection, though Jesus had repeatedly told them. Because they had no tolerance for such a reality, they failed to understand what He was saying (cf. Mark 9:32; Luke 9:45; 18:34; John 12:16). The disciples must have been stunned to hear Jesus explain that He was also leaving and an extensive period of time would elapse before He would return to establish His kingdom in Jerusalem and rule over the world (Luke 19:11–27; cf. Acts 1:6–7).

In this passage (Mark 13:1–13), the Lord Jesus prophetically described features that would occur during that intervening time between His first coming and His return. In surveying that future history, He depicted five coming realities: the destruction of the temple, the deception of many, the devastation of the earth, the distress of persecution, and finally, the deliverance of true believers.

THE DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE

As He was going out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, behold what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left upon another which will not be torn down.” (13:1–2)

Having engaged in a full day of teaching in the temple, delivering His final instruction to the people (cf. 12:1–37) and issuing a stinging denunciation to the religious leaders (12:38–40; cf. Matt. 23:13–38), Jesus left the temple and headed east, exiting Jerusalem through the eastern gate (cf. 11:19). As He and His disciples were going out of the temple, one of His disciples looked back and said to Him, “Teacher behold what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” Situated atop the plateau above the Kidron Valley east of the city, the temple and its surrounding buildings stood as one of the architectural marvels of the ancient world. Built of polished white stone, with its eastern wall covered in gold, the temple’s main structure gleamed in the evening light as if it were a massive jewel. The impressive temple complex contained numerous porticos, colonnades, patios, and courtyards—enabling tens of thousands of worshipers to congregate and present their offerings and sacrifices. Its construction had begun nearly five decades earlier, under the direction of Herod the Great, and would still be ongoing forty years later when it was utterly demolished by the Romans.

The sheer enormity of Herod’s stone temple, combined with its magnificence and splendor, made it difficult to imagine that such an edifice would be destroyed. But Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left upon another which will not be torn down.” In reality, the temple’s external beauty was a monument to apostate religion, not unlike a whitewashed tomb (cf. Matt. 23:27). On the outside its polished marble glistened, but on the inside it was characterized by fetidness rising from the corruption, hypocrisy, and hard-hearted unbelief of Judaism’s religious leaders and those who followed them. Consequently, the cup of God’s fury would be poured out, the temple destroyed, and the house of Israel left desolate (cf. Matt. 23:38).

In A.D. 70, Jesus’ words were literally and precisely fulfilled when God brought to Jerusalem the Roman army under Titus Vespasian to destroy the city and the entire temple complex. As the human instruments of divine wrath, the Romans lit massive fires that caused the stones to crumble in the intense heat. By the time they were finished dismantling the temple, having taken all of the gold and thrown the remaining rubble into the Kidron Valley, all that was left were massive foundation stones that formed footings for the retaining wall under the temple mount, elements that were not part of the temple structure itself. As the Lord predicted with perfect accuracy, the temple and its surrounding buildings were completely demolished under the judgment of God.

THE DECEPTION OF MANY

As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew were questioning Him privately, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are going to be fulfilled?” And Jesus began to say to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. Many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He!’ and will mislead many. (13:4–6)

Having crossed the Kidron Valley and ascended the Mount of Olives, Jesus and the disciples looked back at the temple complex. As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew were questioning Him privately. These two sets of brothers comprised the innermost circle of Jesus’ disciples. Having heard prophecy of the temple’s destruction, they were eager to learn more about what the future held. Hence, they asked Him, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are going to be fulfilled?” According to the parallel passage in Matthew 24:3, their full question was, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” As Matthew’s account indicates, their question was bigger than just an inquiry into the coming ruination and carnage at the temple. They wanted to know about the end of the present age.

As noted above, the disciples (like other first-century Jews) envisioned only a single coming of the Messiah. But God intended the Messiah to come twice—once as the Suffering Servant (cf. Isa. 53:1–12) and again as the conquering King (cf. Rev. 19:11–19)—with an extended period of time elapsing between His two advents. In order to help them understand that reality, Jesus gave His disciples a detailed reply to their question. In fact, the response found in Mark 13 (and the parallel passages in Matt. 24–25 and Luke 21) constitutes the longest recorded answer given by Jesus to any question He was asked. Clearly, the Lord intended it as vitally important truth for His followers to grasp.

Verse 5 marks the actual beginning of the Olivet Discourse, in which Jesus explained what would take place throughout the world, with a particular emphasis on those events that will immediately precede His return to earth. Having already predicted the imminent demolition of the temple and its operations (v. 2), Jesus shifted His focus to the distant future in verses 5–37. Some interpreters (who deny that there will be a future earthly kingdom) insist that everything Jesus foretold in the Olivet Discourse was fulfilled in A.D. 70, around the time of the temple’s destruction. But such a concept is untenable for a number of reasons. First, the fact that Jesus used the figure of birth pangs (13:8; cf. 1 Thess. 5:3) indicates that He was speaking about the end of the church age, not the beginning. After all, labor pains do not occur throughout the entire pregnancy but only at the end. Since the destruction of the temple occurred early in church history, the figure of birth pangs could not apply to that event. Second, the Lord indicated that “the gospel must first be preached to all the nations” (v. 10), something that clearly had not occurred by A.D. 70. Third, Jesus spoke about the “Abomination of Desolation” (v. 14), the ultimate desecration of the Antichrist in the temple during a period just before the second coming (cf. Dan. 9:27; 11:31; 2 Thess. 2:4; for further details see, John MacArthur, The Second Coming [Wheaton: Crossway, 2006]). That event did not take place in A.D. 70, and in fact has not yet occurred. Fourth, the Lord also spoke of “a time of tribulation such as has not occurred since the beginning of the creation which God created until now, and never will” (v. 19). Those words cannot refer to the destruction in A.D. 70, since they speak of a time when the calamity on earth will be worse than it has ever been in all of human history, even during the time of the flood (cf. v. 20; cf. Matt. 24:38). Finally, Jesus identified heavenly signs that would accompany the end of the age, including the darkening of the sun and moon, and the falling of the stars from heaven (vv. 24–25). Obviously, such cosmic catastrophes have not yet taken place. When they do, Jesus warned that those alive at that time should recognize that He is about to return (v. 29). As He explained, the generation that experiences those end-time events will be the same generation that is alive at the second coming (v. 30), meaning that all of the final cataclysms on earth will occur within the span of a single generation. Since nothing remotely like a global and cosmic upheaval of the magnitude described in the Olivet Discourse occurred in A.D. 70 nor yet in earth’s history, the specific fulfillment of these universal judgments must still be future.

In answer to the disciples’ question, the Lord delineated some specific birth pangs, or warning signs, that would precede His return. First, as Jesus began to explain to them, the world will be subjected to relentless deception by spiritual frauds. He told them, “See to it that no one misleads you. Many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He!’ and will mislead many.” The imperative see translates a form of the Greek word blepō. In this context, it means more than merely “to see” but carries the sense of “beware” or “take heed.” In verses 22–23, Jesus repeated the same warning: “For false Christs and false prophets will arise, and will show signs and wonders, in order to lead astray, if possible, the elect. But take heed; behold, I have told you everything in advance.” Jesus’ followers were to watch out for false teachers (cf. 2 Tim. 3:13; 2 Peter 2:1–3; 1 John 4:1–3), so that they would not be misled. Though there have been many counterfeit messiahs and false prophets throughout history, both before and after the time of Christ, their numbers will vastly increase at the end of the age. Their work of deception foreshadows that of the ultimate false teacher who will be revealed during the time of the tribulation—the Antichrist (cf. Dan. 8:23; 11:36; 2 Thess. 2:3; Rev. 11:7; 13:1–10). Though he will mislead many (cf. 2 Thess. 2:3–4), even the Antichrist will be unable to deceive the elect (cf. John 10:3–5).

THE DEVASTATION OF THE WORLD

When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be frightened; those things must take place; but that is not yet the end. For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will also be famines. These things are merely the beginning of birth pangs. (13:7–8)

As Jesus continued to articulate the birth pangs that will precede His return, He described global devastation resulting from both human conflicts and natural disasters. Wars and rumors of wars between nations and kingdoms have been a reality through every generation, including the present. But, in keeping with Christ’s analogy of increased pains, these catastrophes will increase in magnitude and intensity near the end of this age. As bad as those painful realities are, believers do not need to be frightened, because those things must take place according to God’s sovereign plan for the world, and even that is not the end. There is more yet to come. As Jesus explained, nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. Yet, those conflagrations, no matter how frequent or intense, only foreshadow the final, climactic conflict when the nations of the world will converge on Israel, and Christ will return to deliver His people and establish His kingdom (cf. Dan. 7:24; 9:27; 11:40–45; Zech. 14:2–3). That final battle, called Armageddon (so named because much of the fighting will take place on the plain of Megiddo, about sixty miles north of Jerusalem), is described in Revelation 16 and 19. When the Lord Jesus returns in victory, He will destroy His enemies (cf. 2 Thess. 1:7–10; Rev. 19:17–21) and cast the Antichrist into the lake of fire (Rev. 19:20).

In addition to the pains of war, there will be earthquakes in various places. In his parallel account, Luke records that these will be “great earthquakes” (Luke 21:11). Throughout human history, many powerful tremors have been recorded. But they will be dwarfed by the massive earthquakes that occur during the tribulation. The book of Revelation records one such quake:

A later earthquake, recorded in Revelation 11:13, will destroy one-tenth of Jerusalem, killing seven thousand people. But the most devastating earthquake in all of world history is foretold a few chapters later:

That global upheaval will dramatically alter both earth’s topography and its geopolitical organization. But it is a necessary part of God’s judgment on the world at the end of the age.

In addition to wars and earthquakes, there will also be famines throughout history, a reality that again prefigures the ultimate devastation of the very end. During the tribulation, famine will contribute to billions of deaths as one-fourth of the world’s population perishes (cf. Rev. 6:5–6, 8). The various natural disasters that are part of God’s judgment during that tumultuous time, including the poisoning of a third of the world’s freshwater supply (Rev. 8:11), will severely affect the vegetation and ecosystems of the earth. The result will be a massive loss of human life.

As the Lord delineated the reality of future wars, earthquakes, and famines, which foreshadow the disasters of the final tribulation, He added that these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs. The metaphor of birth pangs, a reference to the contractions experienced by a woman in childbirth, was often employed by ancient Jewish writers to refer to the end times (cf. 1 Thess. 5:1–3). Initially, an expectant mother’s contractions are separated and somewhat mild. But as the moment of childbirth grows closer, they intensify both in frequency and severity. The disasters that currently mark human history are merely previews of far more horrible things to come. They are mild compared to the utter devastation that will result from God’s judgment at the end of the age.

THE DISTRESS OF PERSECUTION

But be on your guard; for they will deliver you to the courts, and you will be flogged in the synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them. The gospel must first be preached to all the nations. When they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but it is the Holy Spirit. Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by all because of My name. (13:9–12)

Jesus had already warned His disciples about the distress they would face for being faithful to Him. In Matthew 10:16–17, He told them, “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves. But beware of men, for they will hand you over to the courts and scourge you in their synagogues.” The next evening (on Thursday of Passover Week), when they would gather in the upper room, the Lord would reiterate that same warning. Speaking of those who would persecute them, He told His disciples, “They will make you outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God. These things they will do because they have not known the Father or Me” (John 16:2–3).

On this occasion, the Lord explained that His followers would be mistreated and attacked by both Jewish and Gentile antagonists. Referring to Jewish persecution, He warned, “But be on your guard; for they will deliver you to the courts, and you will be flogged in the synagogues.” The courts of Israel met in synagogues, where cases were tried by local judges and punishments often took the form of scourging (cf. Acts 5:40; 2 Cor. 11:24) and imprisonment (Acts 5:18; 8:3). The verb will deliver translates a form of the Greek word paradidōmi, used here in a technical sense meaning “to be arrested” and taken into custody. The book of Acts records many instances in which believers in the early church faced persecution from Jewish opponents (cf. 3:12–26; 4:1–3; 5:18; 6:8–11; 7:57–60; 8:1–3; 9:23–24, 29; 12:1–3; 13:6–8, 45; 14:2, 19; 17:5, 13; 18:6, 12–16; 19:8–9; 20:3, 19; 21:27–32; 23:12–22; 25:2–3; 28:23–28; cf. 2 Cor. 11:24, 26). But Jesus’ followers would not only endure opposition from unbelieving Jews. The Lord expanded His explanation to include Gentile authorities: And you will stand before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them. No New Testament figure illustrates that reality more dramatically than the apostle Paul, who was imprisoned by the Romans on multiple occasions (cf. Acts 16:23–24; 22:24–29; 23:10, 18, 35; 24:27; 28:16–31; 2 Tim. 1:8; cf. 2 Cor. 11:25; 1 Thess. 2:2) and repeatedly put on trial before Gentile rulers (Acts 16:19–22; 18:12–16; 21:31–33; 22:24–29; 24:1–22; 25:1–12, 21; 26:1–32; 2 Tim. 4:16–17).

Throughout church history, even until the present hour, countless believers follow in the footsteps of Paul and the other apostles by faithfully enduring suffering and mistreatment for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ. As Paul told Timothy, “All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Tim. 3:12). The book of Revelation reveals that the worst persecution in history will occur just before the Lord returns, as animosity toward God and the gospel intensifies under the leadership of the final and most influential Antichrist. In those days, many will die for the sake of Christ. The apostle John recounted a vision of those martyred believers in Revelation 6:9–11:

In spite of the satanic opposition and persecution believers have endured in the past and will face into the future, the Lord promised that the message of salvation by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ would continue to spread throughout the whole world. As He explained, The gospel must first be preached to all the nations before the end comes (cf. Matt. 24:14). Two thousand years into church history, in spite of severe assaults, the gospel has spread to the ends of the earth; and it continues, on a scale never before imagined, to reach into the most remote regions of the globe. Even in the tribulation period, when the church has been raptured and the Antichrist is wreaking havoc, the Lord will raise up His witnesses in the world, including 144,000 believing Jews (Rev. 7:4–8; 14:1–5), the two resurrected witnesses (Rev. 11:1–13), an angel from heaven who continually proclaims the good news of salvation (Rev. 14:6–7), as well as the regenerated believers from every nation (Rev. 7:9–10).

In light of the coming persecution, Jesus gave His followers a personal promise: When they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but it is the Holy Spirit. The halls of church history are filled with examples of people for whom that promise has been fulfilled, as the Spirit of God enabled believers to face their adversaries with extraordinary poise, constancy, and fidelity. Such faithfulness started with Peter and John who, after being arrested for preaching in the temple, addressed the Sanhedrin with supernatural courage and confidence (Acts 4:13). Stephen similarly stood fearlessly before the Jewish council, on the very edge of certain death by a violent mob (Acts 7:1–53). And Paul delivered many eloquent defenses for the gospel as he appeared before governors and kings. Their ability to stand boldly for Christ and the gospel in those moments was made possible by divine power. As Paul explained to Timothy, after appearing on trial before Roman emperor Nero, “The Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was rescued out of the lion’s mouth” (2 Tim. 4:17).

In verse 12, Jesus added that the persecution His followers would face, both throughout church history and in the final tribulation, would frequently originate from members of their own families. He told His disciples, Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. Those who follow Christ must be willing to endure persecution from even their most intimate friends and family members. As the Lord noted, that persecution may be so intense that it results in death. But not even death can stop the spread of the gospel. Throughout history, the Lord has used the wrongful execution of Christians as a powerful testimony to the watching world. He will do so again in the tribulation (cf. Rev. 11:7–13). Appropriately, the English word “martyr” comes from the Greek word marturion, meaning “witness” or “testimony.” All who have sacrificed their lives for the sake of Christ, through the Spirit’s enabling power, have died as witnesses to the preciousness of the glorious truth of the gospel to those who have come under its power.

THE DELIVERANCE OF BELIEVERS

You will be hated by all because of My name, but the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. (13:13b)

The reason the world hates believers is because it hates the Lord Jesus. As He Himself explained, You will be hated by all because of My name. In John 7:7, Jesus said of the world, “It hates Me because I testify of it, that its deeds are evil.” Motivated by their enmity toward His message of condemnation on their sins, unbelievers attack those who belong to Him. Jesus expanded on this reality in the upper room,

The Lord’s warning was tethered to a promise: but the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. Some have improperly interpreted this phrase as teaching that salvation can be earned through perseverance. But that would make salvation contingent on good works, a point the New Testament repeatedly denies (cf. Acts 15:1–11; Rom. 3:19–28; 11:6; Gal. 2:16; Eph. 2:8–9; Phil. 3:7–11; Titus 3:5). Others argue that this verse implies that true believers can lose their salvation, but that notion is also clearly negated in Scripture (cf. John 6:37, 40; 10:27–29; 17:11; 1 Cor. 1:8; 1 Thess. 5:23–24; Rom. 8:30–39). In reality, Jesus was simply reiterating the fact that those who endure suffering for His sake demonstrate by that very endurance that they are genuine believers (cf. John 8:31; 1 Cor. 15:1–2; Col. 1:21–23; Heb. 2:1–3; 3:14; 4:14; 6:11–12; 10:39; 12:14; James 1:2–4), and as such they will be saved. Conversely, those who fall away when persecution comes reveal that they never truly possessed saving faith in the first place (cf. Mark 4:16–17; 1 John 2:19).

Motivated by their love for Christ, true disciples willingly suffer for His sake, considering it a joy to do so (cf. Acts 5:41), knowing that their suffering will one day be rewarded in heaven by the One who first loved them (cf. 2 Cor. 4:16–18). As noted earlier, believers’ ability to endure comes not from their own resolve but from the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, who enables them to stand firm in the midst of adversity. Thus, they can face hardship with unwavering resolve armed with a divinely granted faith (Eph. 2:8–9) that holds firmly to the promise that God will preserve and protect those who are His (cf. Rom. 5:8–10; Phil. 1:6; 2 Tim. 1:12; Heb. 7:25; 1 Peter 1:3–8; Jude 24).

Only those who possess such genuine saving faith, which by its nature endures to the end, will be saved to enjoy the eternal glories of heaven. Salvation, in this context, stretches beyond the moment of conversion to the completion of God’s saving work in the life of believers—as He delivers them from the present evil system and ushers them into His eternal kingdom. The hope-filled perspective of every Christian is reflected in the words of the apostle Paul, who exclaimed near the end of his life, “The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen” (2 Tim. 4:18).

Even during the tribulation period, when deadly persecution against believers reaches its apex, those who truly belong to Christ will persevere, even though many will become martyrs. In a glorious picture of their faithfulness and subsequent reward, the book of Revelation describes those tribulation saints with these words:

In spite of the coming deception, disasters, and distress, the Lord’s words assured His disciples that not everyone would defect. The gospel would prevail. Throughout the remainder of history, and even in the final period of tribulation, God would be at work in the hearts of His elect: saving them from sin, empowering them for service, and preserving them for glory (cf. Mark 13:20). No matter how tumultuous the world becomes, the redemptive chain of Romans 8 can never be broken: