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Advent Lessons

Lesson 21 · November 21, 1891

The Second Coming of Christ.—Mark 13

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Parallels: ; ; side help, "Exposition of ."

  1. 1.As Jesus went out from the temple, what did his disciples come to show him? .
  2. 2.What reply did Jesus make? .
  3. 3.What questions did his disciples ask him when alone with him? ; . See note 1.
  4. 4.What did he say would be the sign of Jerusalem's destruction? ; .
  5. 5.What did Jesus say would be the signs of the end of the age, and of his second coming? .
  6. 6.Of what did he especially warn them? ; .
  7. 7.How might they know that such were false prophets? .
  8. 8.What did Christ say would appear in the physical and political worlds before he came? ; .
  9. 9.What did he say would be a special sign of the end of the age? ; .
  10. 10.From the destruction of Jerusalem forward, what was to be the lot of the people of God? ; .
  11. 11.What is meant by the expression "those days"? See note 2.
  12. 12.What sign was to occur in those days? .
  13. 13.What signs were to follow? , first clause.
  14. 14.When did these signs take place? See note 3.
  15. 15.In connection with what event will the powers of heaven be shaken? ; ; .
  16. 16.What do these signs portend? .
  17. 17.How positively may we know, when we see these signs, that Christ is near? .
  18. 18.What does he say of that generation which sees those signs? ; ; .
  19. 19.With what assurance may we rely on his words? .
  20. 20.Will we know the very time of Christ's coming? .
  21. 21.What duties has he left his people? .
  22. 22.Were these words spoken for a certain class alone? .
  23. 23.What will be the surroundings of the people of God while waiting for their Lord? ; , first clause.
  24. 24.What blessed assurance is given? ; .

Notes

Notes on the Lesson.

1. Question 3.—The disciples asked these questions, the answers to which can be fully comprehended only by comparing and combining the three accounts of this remarkable prophetic discourse. The first question related to the destruction of the temple, the second to the second coming of Christ, and the third to the end of the world, or age, when probation closed. Matthew, and Mark also, proceeds to answer the last question first. ; . Then he takes up the destruction of Jerusalem (), and from that destruction of the Jews he proceeds to the greater affliction of the people of God during the Dark Ages, and thence to Christ's second coming.

2. Question 11.—"Those days," of verses 19 and 20, refer to the time of the greatest persecution the people of God ever suffered or ever will suffer. This persecution began during the reign of Pagan Rome, but culminated in the great Papal tribulation of 1260 years, between 538 and 1798 A. D.

3. Question 14.—Matthew says the darkening of the sun was to take place "immediately after the tribulation of those days." Mark says, "In those days, after that tribulation." The ending of the tribulation of the days is well marked: (1) By the decree of toleration promulgated by Maria Theresa, empress of Austria, in 1776; and (2) by opening to the oppressed of the world free and independent America. The first sign—the darkening of the sun—must, therefore, occur between 1776 and 1798; and it did occur four years after the tribulation ceased, May 19, 1780. The obscuration of the sun came at the very time indicated by the prophecy, and was regarded by scientific men as beyond their power to explain, and by religious men as a sure precursor of Christ's second coming. The darkening of the moon occurred the next night. The falling of the stars took place in 1833, November 13.

Bible texts in this lesson

Matthew 24 · Luke 21 · Mark 13:1 · Mark 13:2 · Mark 13:3 · Mark 13:4 · Matthew 24:3 · Mark 13:14 · Luke 21:20 · Luke 21:25-27 · Mark 13:5 · Mark 13:6 · Mark 13:21-23 · Matthew 24:23-26 · Matthew 24:27 · Luke 21:25 · Mark 13:7 · Mark 13:8 · Matthew 24:14 · Mark 13:10 · Mark 13:9 · Mark 13:11-13 · Mark 13:19 · Mark 13:20 · Matthew 24:21 · Matthew 24:22 · Mark 13:24 · Mark 13:25 · Revelation 16:17 · Revelation 16:18 · Revelation 16:20 · Revelation 16:21 · Hebrews 12:26 · Joel 3:16 · Mark 13:26 · Mark 13:27 · Mark 13:28 · Mark 13:29 · Mark 13:30 · Luke 21:28 · Luke 21:31 · Matthew 24:33 · Matthew 24:34 · Mark 13:31 · Mark 13:32 · Mark 13:33 · Mark 13:33-36 · Mark 13:37 · Matthew 24:11 · Matthew 24:12 · Mark 13:13 · Matthew 24:13 · Matthew 24:1-14 · Mark 13:1-13 · Mark 13:14-18

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This lesson PDF Whole quarter PDF · 13 lessons