Do not be Alarmed!

Mark 13:7-9 (ESV)
And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. [8] For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains. [9] "But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them.

“Do not be alarmed.” It is strange, almost as if no one ever pays attention to a word Christ says. Today, Jesus would be dismissed more or less as a pessimist. Wars must take place. They are an inevitable part of this world. And because of this Jesus is adamant that they are not signs of the end. Name a day when there weren’t wars. Try it. Earthquakes and famines are inevitable too. Our world is corrupt. It must come to an end. And these things remind us that it will, that this world will pass away. But Jesus is quite serious and tells us not to be alarmed.
So why is everyone alarmed? Why is it that so many who claim to take scripture seriously, get alarmed every time a Palestinian knocks a Jew in the head with a rock? I tell you, this pre millennial junk is a satanic lie, as Jesus tells us, all lies are satanic. They pervert and distort God’s word turning it into a instrument of torment. The devil uses such lies to torment Christians here, whom he will not be able to torment in heaven. But Christians should know better than to let him torment them here with such lies. Furthermore, these lies divert attention from the gospel, and doing so create a stumbling block, a scandalon to faith.
Jesus does go on though, he warns the disciples themselves that they will be delivered over to councils, beaten in synagogues, and made to stand trial before kings and governors. I think it is important to note who he is talking too. It is the disciples, and these things happened to them. They just as well could happen to you. Being a disciple of Jesus does not spare us tribulation. No if we are disciples than we can be expected to be treated just as our teacher was treated. For the student is not above the teacher. But then we bear our tribulation with joy knowing that it is this world that gives us tribulation, but Jesus has overcome this world. In him we have victory, in him we have salvation. This world will pass away. But the word of God remains forever.