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| Luke 21:5-6 | Further Study |
| Matthew 24:15-18 | Further Study |
| Daniel 9:27 | Further Study |
| 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 | Further Study |
for Treasury of Scripture,Matthew 24
9 'Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.
10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other,
11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.
12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,
13 but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.
14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. (NIV)
According to Daniel 9:24-27, there were seventy weeks of Israel's history to be fulfilled. The word "week" literally means "seven," so 70 "weeks" could be 490 years. But there is a break after the 69th week (7 + 62 "sevens"), it was prophesied that Messiah would be cut off. Then there would be one last "week" of seven years at a later time.
Sir Robert Anderson, the illustrious head of Scotland Yard, wrote The Coming Prince in 1895 to show that the first 69 "weeks" (69 times 7 = 483 years) were fulfilled exactly, to the very day, on the date that Jesus offered Himself as King - the day of "The Triumphal Entry" into Jerusalem. (Grant R. Jeffrey, Armageddon: Appointment With Destiny, pp. 27-30. See also Josh McDowell, Evidence That Demands a Verdict, p. 174, for a similar treatment.)
The events that last week of Israel's history have never transpired yet, but they must be fulfilled before the end of this age. This is why we believe this "week" is the same as the seven years of the Tribulation. Daniel 9:27 indicates that Antichrist will make a covenant with Israel for seven years, and in the middle of it he will break the covenant and set up the Abomination of Desolation (Matthew 24:15 - See Great Tribulation), and then will have forty-two months to reign. (Revelation 13:5, 14 - See also Rev. 11:3 and 12:6 where this period of time is specified as 1,260 days, which equals 3 1/2 years using the lunar calendar of 30 days per month --the normal Biblical month.)
The characteristics of this period of time include persecution, apostasy, false Christs, and lawlessness.
The expression "Times of the Gentiles" is used in Luke 21:24 to refer to the period of time that Jerusalem will be under Gentile domination. It has been under Gentile control from that time until now. Even today, it is, in a sense, under Gentile domination, because its holiest spot, the Temple is held by Moslems. And even during the seven years of Antichrist's treaty, the city will be subject to the power of the Gentile world system. Antichrist will allow them to build their city and Temple, and then he will defile it.
One bright spot during this time is the fact that the Gospel will be preached "in the whole world," and "to all nations." This could be accomplished by the work of the 144000 sealed ones, by satellite technology from underground Christians, or, most probably, by the angels of Revelation 14:6-9 which preach the Gospel and warn people not to receive the mark of the beast.
Matthew 24
15 "So when you see standing in the holy place 'the abomination that causes desolation,' spoken of through the prophet Daniel-- let the reader understand--
16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
17 Let no one on the roof of his house go down to take anything out of the house.
18 Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak.
19 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers!
20 Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath.
21 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now-- and never to be equaled again.
22 If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.
23 At that time if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'There he is!' do not believe it.
24 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect-- if that were possible.
25 See, I have told you ahead of time.
26 "So if anyone tells you, 'There he is, out in the desert,' do not go out; or, 'Here he is, in the inner rooms,' do not believe it.
27 For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
28 Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather. (NIV)
This intensified period of trouble is called The Great Tribulation by prophecy scholars, following Christ's own description of the time as one of "great distress.".
The "abomination that causes desolation" is a clear reference to Daniel 9:27 where Antichrist defiles the Temple by setting up an image of himself (Revelation 13:15) and demanding the worship of all. He will control an economic dictatorship so that only those who worship him and receive the mark of the beast will be allowed to buy or sell.
At that point, the believing residents of Israel will flee from this tyrant and will flee to the mountains. This may be a reference to the place of God's protection for 42 months (Revelation 12:6), which many people believe will be the rose red city of Petra, the ancient capitol of the Edomites just east of the Dead Sea (in modern Jordan).
Verse 21 tells of a "great distress", worse than any other that has ever been or ever will be. The prophet Jeremiah described this time in the same way. He used the metaphor of birth pains in his prediction of a terrible future time of "Jacob's trouble" just before the time of ultimate blessing. (Jeremiah 30:5-8) The onset of labor pains before the Tribulation becomes hard labor during that time of "trouble," but something wonderful is about to be "born" when Jesus Christ returns as "King of Kings."
