B-Side - Mark 13:24-31

v24-25...

There's good reason to believe the things Jesus speaks of after the tribulation are future events, but he's also using Old Testament apocalyptic language which Peter quotes as starting at Pentecost.

The balance... we can God will indeed begin to de-create the universe in the end times. And he's also speaking of church leaders being brought down in Jerusalem (in the way Revelation's "stars" refer to church leaders, human messengers, pastors). All the imagery applies to both scenarios; the universe must be destroyed, and the temple must be brought down.

Daniel 8:9-10... a horn is a mighty person... the stars are also people, rulers, authorities. These things will happen in the end times, but they are also fulfilled in the fall of Jerusalem.

v26... the Son of Man coming in clouds is from Daniel... he'll return the way he left, in the clouds, in great power and glory; no one will be able to stand before Him. We who can stand in His presence on that day are covered by the blood of the Lamb; everyone else is crushed.

v27... the preterist view: it's all fulfilled at 70 AD, but this seems to be referring to the final gathering of the elect, not just the Great Commission. People will be gathered from everywhere! 

v28-29... the fig tree. Mark 11's fig tree parable applies here. Here he points at what the tree does before summer... the leaves start to sprout. The leaves are the signs, the false Christs, the rumors of wars... signs that summer is coming; get out of Jerusalem! Amos 8:1-2 predicts this as well.

v30... all these things have been fulfilled already, in the generation in which they were written. And there's a greater fulfillment coming. 

v31... His word will not pass away! The center of the Mark 13 chiasm: preach the Gospel to all nations! All the surrounding verses talk about things that happened around the destruction of Israel. "The stones will fall" <--> "The heavens and earth will pass away" - Jesus and His words will never pass away!

All earthly kingdoms must fall (as the temple), but His Word, His people will never pass away! We are now the temple of God.