Pray for No Winter Flight - Mark 13:18

Mark wrote how Jesus toward the end of the age, “you shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. But when you shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that reads understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains. And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house. And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment. But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!”, and in chapter thirteen and verse eighteen of his book, Mark shared how Jesus said, “pray that your flight be not in the winter” where we read:

And pray you that your flight be not in the winter.

The verse reads, “And pray you that your flight be not in the winter ...” Mark began with the words, “and pray you” or “and you disciples of Jesus and people in Judaea supplicate, worship and make prayers” “that your flight” which means “so that Jesus' disciples and people's fleeing and running to the mountains” will not be as follows. Mark shared how Jesus said His disciples and those within the area of Judaea should “pray” to God that their “fleeing” to the surrounding mountains would not be during the time He will mention.

The verse goes on to say, “... be not in the winter.” Mark continued with the words, “be not in” which means “not exist and come to pass within” “the winter” or “the foul weather, stormy and rainy season or when a tempest happens”. Mark shared how Jesus charged people to “pray” to God that they not have to “flee” in the “stormy and rainy” “winter” time.

When we meditate upon Mark's words in this verse, we see how Jesus not only had concern for “pregnant and nursing women” but also for the timing of these events. Jesus told those listening to Him to “pray” that they would not have to “flee” to the “mountainous areas” during the “winter time”. Jesus knew leaving Judaea would be more difficult during inclement weather, so He told people to “pray” they would not have to leave then. God loves people, and He desires to have a personal loving relationship with them through His Son Jesus. Those who are wise will not only “pray” their “flight will not be in winter”, but also that Jesus will be the “Savior and Lord” of their lives.

Next time Mark shares how Jesus says, “in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".