As much as it concerns and hurts us to see our brothers and sisters in Christ suffering such distressing persecution around the world, as well as the increasing militant opposition we are experiencing today, sometimes even from close family and friends, Jesus, our Lord and Saviour was in no doubt that this would definitely happen.

Mark 13:12-13  “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child.  Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death.  Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.”

Jesus had just predicted the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem and the disciples wanted to know more about this and, in fact, “what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?”  It seems that, to them at least, the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple would really mark ‘the End of the Age’ in the light of Jesus’ other predictions about the ‘Coming of the Son of Man’ in glory. Matthew 24:3 reports their question more fully (“What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”)

Read More