Temporary vs. Eternal

Mark 13: 1-2 Then as He went out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, "Teacher, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!" And Jesus answered and said to him, "Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone shall be left upon another, that shall not be thrown down." (NKJV)

The fact that I went to college and studied Civil Engineering for 4 years has given me an ability to appreciate great building designs. I often watch some of the huge homes show cased on HGTV. It amazes me the time, effort, and money people will put into something that they will have only a limited time to enjoy. We even see this in some of the huge Cathedrals of worship built in various places around the world, some have been around for many years and some just recently constructed.

The disciples wanted our Lord to share their fascination and awe of the great engineering designs they (the Jews) had constructed over the years. They even placed an emphasis on the manner or type of stones used in their designs. The buildings must have been absolute engineering marvels. Of course our Lord Jesus was able to see 70 years into the future and tell them of the destruction of those great buildings at the hands of an enemy army. It was not that He knew these buildings would be destroyed in 70 years, but He knows His plans to destroy this entire earth and everything in it upon His second coming.

2 Peter 3:10-13 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. (NKJV)

When we look at the great things on this earth and even the many things we deemed to be so wonderful and great through the eyes of our Lord we will gain a true and proper perspective on them. Later on in Mark 13 our Lord said, “Take heed, watch, and pray for you do not know when the time is, in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning, lest coming suddenly He find you sleeping.” It is so easy to get caught up in the here and now (I am often guilty) and forget there is an eternity to spend. Let us be equally fervent in putting our time, effort, and money into seeing that those lost will hear the true gospel of Christ Jesus and that many headed for an eternity spent in hell will find the detour to heaven in our Lord Jesus Christ. I pray that I am not found sleeping by my Lord. How about you?

Sincerely in Christ, Clifford D. Tate, Sr.