Will Never Pass Away
READ
If you've ever watched a disaster movie, you know that scene where everything goes dark and nature itself seems to unravel. That's the kind of imagery Jesus uses in today’s passage—cosmic disruption on an epic scale.
Let’s take a moment to read Mark 13:24-31:
“But in those days, following that distress, “‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’
“At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.
“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it[b] is near, right at the door. Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”
REFLECT
When Jesus talks about darkened suns and falling stars, He's using language his Jewish audience would immediately recognize. This apocalyptic style was their way of expressing that something world-changing was happening. It's like when we say "my world collapsed" after a devastating loss—we're communicating impact, not literal geology.
The heart of this passage comes in Jesus' final declaration: "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away." It's an extraordinary claim when you think about it. In a world where even the most solid things eventually crumble, Jesus claims His teachings have an eternal quality that outlasts everything else.
Look around at what we consider permanent. Mountains erode. Oceans slowly change their boundaries. Even the stars—which appear fixed and unchanging to us—are actually burning out and being born. The ancient temple that so impressed the disciples? Destroyed, just as Jesus predicted. The Roman Empire that seemed invincible? Gone. Modern skyscrapers, monuments, and institutions? All temporary.
Digital information gets corrupted. Languages evolve or die out. Philosophies rise and fall. Scientific theories are refined or replaced. Even our DNA gradually deteriorates. Impermanence is the rule of our physical universe.
Yet Jesus makes this breathtaking claim that His words possess a durability that the created universe itself doesn't share. The teachings that we read in our Bibles—about God's love, forgiveness, justice, and coming kingdom—will retain their truth and power when everything else has faded away.
This isn't just poetic hyperbole. It's a challenge to reconsider what we build our lives upon. If Jesus is right, then His teachings aren't just helpful life advice or optional spiritual perspectives—they're the most enduring reality we can possibly anchor ourselves to.
When He follows this with the fig tree illustration, He's reminding us that seasons change, renewal comes, and His faithfulness remains constant through it all.
RESPOND
Take a moment to process what God might be leading you to do in light of what you read.
When have you experienced a time when your world felt like it was "falling apart"? Looking back, can you identify any "fig tree moments"—signs of hope or new life emerging?
What words of Jesus have proven most enduring and reliable in your own experience? Which of his teachings do you find yourself returning to during difficult times?
REST
Take a moment to rest in God’s presence and consider one thing you can take away from your time reading, then close your devotional experience by praying:
Jesus, when my world feels shaken and uncertain, help me remember that You remain unshakable. Thank you for the promise that You're coming, not just at the end of time but in my moments of distress right now. Give me eyes to see the "fig leaves" of hope sprouting even in difficult seasons, and anchor my heart in Your words that outlast everything else. Amen.