GREAT THINGS ENTERPRISE
CLAUDE BLACK
Mark 13:18
Pray Before Trouble Comes
The suffering of people shut up in Jerusalem under the Roman siege of 70 A.D., according to the Jewish historian Josephus, writing ca. 75-90 A.D., was horrible. Josephus initially led the Jews at the beginning of the revolt in 66 A.D., but surrendered to the Romans, fully defected to their side, and served as an advisor and translator to General Titus during the siege, for which he received Roman citizenship. He says that people in the city searched through the garbage for scraps of food and were driven to eating animal dung.
Jesus warned about this approaching apocalypse; he said, “But woe to those who are pregnant and those nursing in those days! But pray that it might not be during winter.” (Mark 13:17-18)
Nothing the female body experiences compares with pregnancy. The fetus takes what it needs from the body. Added to that strain for those in Jerusalem was dwindling food supplies; Jesus said to pray that it would not happen in winter. The Roman campaign in Judea extended over several years, but the siege of Jerusalem lasted approximately five months, beginning in April and ending in early September, not during the winter.
Sometimes it seems like trouble piles on trouble on top of more trouble. Looking forward to that terrible time, Jesus said to pray. Good instruction then; it is good instruction now.
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