We now come to one of the more difficult passages in scripture.
I want to say straight off that if you’re hoping to get all the answers for what all this means, I don’t have them.
There are other people much more qualified to espouse their views on the matter of whether pre-trib, mid-trib, post-trib, are correct and all that goes with it.
More than anything, as I have through my blogs, I want to stay with what’s clear and what things mean practically for us.
(Although I’m sure all the pundits for the different positions will argue that the scriptures are clear about their positions).
Today, though, I want to look at what started this whole discourse.
After this final day of arguing with the Pharisees and teachers of the law, Jesus’ disciples said concerning the temple,
Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings! (Mark 13:1)
And indeed from the outside, the temple was beautiful indeed. But Jesus quickly doused their enthusiasm by saying,
Do you see all these great buildings? Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down. (Mark 13:2)
That was exactly what happened. When the temple was attacked in A.D. 70, a fire started, and the gold from the roof melted into the cracks of the walls of the temple.
As a result, the commander of the attack ordered that the temple be dismantled stone by stone so as to retrieve all of the gold.
Why did this happen? We saw the answer earlier.
While the temple looked beautiful on the outside, and though there were certainly some good things that happened on the inside, nevertheless, the corruption was so great that it could not stand.
There was greed (as seen in the cleansing of the temple), and even worse, a rejection of the very God they claimed to serve.
They couldn’t even recognize him when he stood right there among them. Rather, they were determined to kill him.
All of us as Christians are God’s temples. But how often have we seen high-profile Christians, particularly in ministry, fall because of corruption. And not just fall, but fall utterly, with “not one stone left on another.”
But before we start judging others, we need to look at our own temples. What is there? Is there any hint of corruption? Greed? Hypocrisy? Jealousy? Pride?
These things in particular were in the temple of Jerusalem. Are they in your temple?
What about other things that can corrupt a temple? Lust? Bitterness? Unforgiveness?
And are there things that should be in your temple, but aren’t? Things like love and mercy?
Our temples might look good to those who see us from the outside. We might seem to be shining examples of what a Christian should be.
But if our temples are corrupt, eventually, they will utterly collapse and be exposed for what they really are.
What’s in your temple?
Moment to Moment (Bible blog) 