After Jesus foretold that the temple in Jerusalem would be destroyed, the disciples asked when it would happen.

For the next six paragraphs of Mark 13, Jesus gives the disciples signs of the end of the age. There would be an increase of:

• False Christs
• Natural disasters (earthquakes, famines, etc.).
• Wars and rumors of wars
• Persecution of His followers
• Family division
• Celestial phenomena

But Jesus never answers the question about when these things will happen. He doesn’t give them a date. He says in verse 32 that He doesn’t know when; only the Father knows. (Jesus was fully God and fully man, yet while He was on earth He did not always fully exercise His divine attributes.)

He did tell the disciples how to wait.

Don’t be led astray by false Christs (verses 5, 21, 22).

Don’t be alarmed by the bad news and upheaval (verse 7). Jesus compared these things to birth pains.

Be on your guard due to coming persecution and falsehoods taught (verses 9, 23, 33).

Proclaim the gospel (verse 10). This isn’t stated as a command here, though it is after Jesus’ resurrection.

Do not be anxious about what to say when persecuted: the Holy Spirit will give you what you need to say when it is needed (verse 11).

Stay awake (verses 32-37). He doesn’t mean for us to avoid physical sleep, but to be alert and watchful.

Learn from the fig tree (verses 28-31). Verse 28 says that when the fig tree puts out its leaves, we know summer is near. In the same way, Jesus said, watch for the signs of His coming and know it is near.

It’s natural that we’d like to know what’s going to happen when. But we need to follow Jesus’ admonitions. The ESV Study Bible notes says that “Jesus’ discourse about the end times focuses the attention of the disciples on preparedness, on readiness to suffer, and on trust” (p. 1922).

Similarly, Warren Wiersbe wrote, “The purpose of prophetic truth is not speculation but motivation” (Be Alert (2 Peter, 2 & 3 John, Jude): Beware of the Religious Impostors, p. 107).

Our Sunday School teacher quoted pastor and teacher Bob Deffinbaugh as saying, “The purpose of prophecy is to generate hope by focusing on perseverance and encouragement.”

Most of the preaching I have heard about end times focused on the timeline and order of events. But not as much has been said about how we’re to wait. We need to let these truths motivate us to service, faithfulness, watchfulness, trust, and encouragement as we wait for our Savior’s sure return.

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