Mark 13 : 14-27 (Daily Bread of 20/3/2018)

WE'LL SEE THE SON OF MAN COME TO THE NUDE
Verse Key 13 : 26
Here are described the two crises to come. Jesus speaks first of the signs of the last time and of His second coming to judge heaven and earth, in His perfect glory in heaven.       
1.     The abomination of desolation (14-20)
First, there will be the desecration of the temple. This refers to the phenomenon of the 2nd century BC when the Greek emperor Antichos Ephiphanes had the pig offered as a holocaust in the temple at the same time as he abolished the Torah, which provoked the revolt of the Machabee. But this applies to all acts of idolatry in history, which inspired a sense of disgust and horror in the Jews. This verse 14 refers first of all to the desecration of the Temple by the Romans in the year 70 AD. J.-C. But the meaning goes beyond that, that is, Jesus, for the instruction of the Church to come, probably alludes to this phenomenon that will take place at the same time as the antichrist appears. At this time of crisis, the people will have to flee, renouncing material attachment. God's people must always adopt this way of life in expectation of the coming kingdom of God.
2.     Beware (21-27) 

First, after the appearance of the Antichrist, there will be the upheaval of nature. The stars will fall and there will be no more sunlight, and deep darkness will reign. It is a phenomenon announcing the coming of the true great event which is the second, and which is as it is written in verse 26, nothing but the return in glory of the Son of Man on the cloud. This is the direct reference of Daniel 7:13, the Son of Man being the title of this prophet. This event, which stands out most clearly in this chapter, is the final triumph of Jesus. The suffering Messiah will ultimately enter into his glory. While Jesus gives us the impression that his present disciples will not attend during their lifetime, it is certain that, Jesus did not lose sight of his future Church that she be firmly established with this vision of last time where he will triumph perfectly by destroying all the enemies of God and his people. The gathering of the elect by the angels in v.27 presupposes that the divine plan of verse 10 will have been realized in the meantime. For the elect will bring the good news of Jesus to the ends of the earth, as Jesus Christ commanded them.