When you see these things begin to happen, stand up straight and raise your hands, for your redemption will be near at hand. To the ears of those who were listening to Jesus describe the end times, it must have appeared as if what Jesus was describing was getting from bad to worse. If Jesus meant his descriptions of the end times to scare his listeners, he was doing a good job at it. But if his intention was to encourage them, he was certainly doing the opposite. It was one thing to be dragged before governors and kings (yesterday’s reading), but it was something else altogether to witness the destruction of the world. From Jesus’ descriptions, it looked as if the end times would be one sight to behold. According to apocalyptic literature, frightening calamities such as Jesus was describing form a prelude to the second coming of Christ. For the end time will be characterized by insurrections, wars, and persecution of believers. Naturally, it would be a time for doing everything one can to save one’s life such as running away from the hotbed of the battles (those in Judea must flee to the mountains). Even the disciples had to do this. They needed not to wait. But even as the disciples were to seek cover and flee from the hotbed of the chaos, they were to do so with one thing in mind: their salvation was near at hand. 
Jesus encourages his disciples not to see in such frightening events the end of everything. It is true such events will occur, but the disciples will have to remain strong and stand tall and radiate joy for their salvation will be at hand. The culmination of all the events of the end time will be the coming of the Son of Man, the promised one. The Son of Man will come to take with him those who shall have persevered the persecutions and remained steadfast in their faith. The disciples needed not to let the persecutions and frightening events obscure their focus.