Bob Josey: The Great Tribulation Part2 (Lesson 2) 19 Jan 2020

Post date: Jan 19, 2020 11:48:41 PM

The Great Tribulation – The Second Half of the Tribulation Period (Matthew 24:16-26)

The Warnings by Jesus (Matthew 24:16-26)

In verses 15-26 Jesus is speaking to the future Tribulation generation of Jews in Jerusalem and the surrounding areas He told them that when they see or hear about the Abomination of Desolation, that they should take very seriously the warnings He was about to give them. Staying alive during the second half of the Tribulation period might very well depend on obeying the following instructions which are commands:

24:16 – Flee into the Galilean hill country.

The word “then” in this verse means “at that time.” At the time that they hear about or see the Abomination of Desolation take place, they should make haste and flee Judea as soon as possible. In the next few verses Jesus give a few illustrations that are warnings that they should not waste any time fleeing Judea.

Those in Judea should immediately flee to the Galilean hill country north of Jerusalem to try to escape antichrists followers. He probably told them to flee north of Jerusalem to the Galilean hill country because it is much more conducive to living than the desert area south of Jerusalem.

24:17 – Forget about your belongings in the house.

Many houses had a clay flat roof where family’s members would go from to time for solitude or maybe to escape the heat of the house on a summer evening. If one is on the roof, basically what Jesus is saying is “Don’t go down into the house to pack a suitcase and/or to retrieve supplies for the journey.” The urgency of the hour to flee will be great. It’s just like warning the fire department gives when there is a fire in a house – Do not linger to collect valuables or go into the house if one is outside. One’s life may depend on following these instructions.

24:18 – Don’t go out your way to retrieve a jacket.

On a cool morning people will tend to wear a jacket. When it begins to warm up, some will shed the jacket. As one works to the other side of the field, the jacket will be on the opposite side. Jesus warned them not to go back for the jacket because the urgency flee from the grasp of the antichrist and his followers will be great.

24:19 – It may be difficult for those who are pregnant or nursing babies to flee.

Up until this point, Jesus has been talking about the time factor in relation to fleeing the enemy. In this verse He interjects two other problems that may exist when fleeing the enemy. The word “woe” denotes pain or displeasure. Not only will time be a factor in fleeing safely, but if a woman is pregnant or nursing a child, the flight will be much more difficult. We are really not sure what public or private transportation will be like at that time, but today Jerusalem is very congested all the time except for the Sabbath. Walking may be the best mode of transportation, but it will be very difficult for a pregnant women and one who is nursing.

24:20 – Pray that the trip will not be in the winter or on the Sabbath.

Today we pray for traveling mercies when traveling. Jesus highly recommends that before the Abomination of Desolation occurs that will make fleeing necessary, the believes should pray that fleeing will not be in winter or on the Sabbath. Why? Fleeing the enemy in the dead of winter would make the journey even more difficult if one had to walk. Today most commercial establishments such as grocery stores, drug stores, restaurants are closed on the Sabbath. Public transportation does not operate on the Sabbath. If one could not buy needed food or supplies before fleeing, that would make the journey even more difficult because there will be hordes of people fleeing who need a basic supply of food and water to survive.

24:21 –In this verse concerning the Great tribulation Period is one of the most profound statements that Jesus made while on earth. In verses 16-20 Jesus gave the Jews living in Jerusalem and the surrounding area instructions on fleeing the area after the Abomination of Desolation occurs. Now He adds fuel to the fire by saying that the last 3 ½ years will be the most difficult and horrific time that the earth and the people on the earth will ever experience. Remember the last 3 ½ years of the Tribulation Period is called the Great Tribulation and the Time of Jacobs Trouble. The reason is twofold. One is the reign and terror of the antichrist and his followers. Anti-Semitism will be displayed worldwide. As difficult and horrific as the Crusades and the Holocaust were, the second half of the Tribulation Period will be unparalleled to any other time in history. The second reason that the last half of the Tribulation will be the most difficult time man has ever or will ever experience on the earth is because God’s is going to pour His wrath upon the earth. Verse 22 Jesus gives another clue concerning how difficult the second half of the Tribulation will be.

24:22 – In eternity past God decided to shorten the Tribulation period to seven years. Notice the verb “had shortened” is in the past tense. If He had not done this out of compassion for the elect, no one would survive this time of horror. In the last half of the Tribulation period two-thirds of the population of the Jews will die in Jerusalem and the surrounding areas as predicted in Zechariah 13:8. So only one-third of the Jewish population on the earth will survive. This why Jesus is urging them to flee so they might be able to escape death.

24:23-25 – The word “then” means “at that time.” “At that time” refers to the last half of the Tribulation period. “That time” will be so dire that the Messianic Jews will be looking for and praying for the Messiah to return to the earth. There will also be an element of the non-Messianic Jews who will do the same thing. “At that time” there will be many false messiahs and false prophets to arise. The main false messiah will be the antichrist and the main false prophet will be the antichrists right hand man, the False Prophet himself. Since the Jews will be intently looking for the Messiah to return, many will fall in the trap and be deceived because of the profound signs and wonders they will be allowed to do. Jesus is warning the Jews living at that time not to be deceived in believing what the false messiahs and prophets say. The deception will be so great, that if it were possible, but it will not be possible because of God’s divine spiritual protection of the elect, even those who had already trusted in Jesus as the Messiah would be deceived.

Jesus’ Answer to the First Question (Luke 21:20-24)

If you remember, Matthew and Mark did not record the answer to the first question that the disciple asked Him on the Mount of Olives. The first question was "Teacher, when therefore will these things happen? (Luke 21:7) Jesus told them earlier that the Temple would be destroyed and Jerusalem would be surrounded by encamped solders at a future time in Luke 19:41-44. It’s clear from the last part of verse 44 that this is God’s judgement that would come upon the nation because they did not comprehend that the Messiah was among them which Jesus called “the time of their visitation.” The disciples wanted to know when that would happen. Even though Matthew and Mark did not record the answer to the disciple’s first question, Luke did in 21:20-24.

21:20 – Here Jesus repeats part of what He said in Luke19 about Jerusalem being surrounded by encamped solders at a future time. When they see this happening, they should become acuity aware that the devastation and destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple was very close. Please keep in mind that we are not now reading about the Tribulation Period, but judgement that would befall Israel in AD 70 when the Roman army under the leadership of General Titus leveled the Temple buildings and all but one wall. Today this wall as the Wailing Wall. During this siege much of the city of Jerusalem was destroyed. The Jewish historian Josephus wrote that 1.1 million people were killed during this siege, of which a majority were Jewish, and 97,000 were led into captivity in what we called the diaspora. During the siege, children were cooked and eaten. Unfaithfulness to the Lord led to His national judgement which is reflected in both the Old and New Testaments. God will always be faithful to His righteousness.

21:21-24 – Some of the verses in Luke 21:21-24 are very similar to the ones in Matthew 24. Even though some of the verses are similar, Matthew used these verses in the context of the Tribulation period, whereas Luke, used these verses in the context of the future siege of Jerusalem in AD 70. Matthew are Luke are using the same verses for different contexts and for different purposes. In both cases, after the abomination of desolation occurs and the siege of Jerusalem, Jesus is warning the people of Jerusalem and the surrounding areas to flee.

In Luke 21:22 Jesus gives the reason for the siege of Jerusalem in which the Temple and the city will be destroyed. All of this resulted from God’s righteous vengeance and wrath upon a sinful nation that was predicted by many prophets including John the Baptist. God will always be faithful to His righteousness and keep His promises.

The last part of verse 24 is very important. In this part of the verse Jesus is referring to the Gentile domination over the city of Jerusalem. The Gentile domination over the city of Jerusalem is called the Times of the Gentiles. The Times of the Gentiles actually began when the Babylonians took the city and the nation into Captivity in 586 b.c. Jerusalem first fell under the domination of Babylonia with Syria to follow from 174 to 164 BC under the leadership of Antiochus Epiphanes. Israel came under the domination of Rome in 64 BC. Rome destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple in AD 70. From the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70 until June 1967, Israel was dominated by many Gentile nations. Jerusalem will again fall under Gentile domination during the Tribulation under the antichrist. The Times of the Gentiles began with Babylonians but will end at the second coming of the Messiah when He returns to restore Jerusalem. The second coming of the Messiah will be our next subject of study which is found in Matthew 24:29-31.