The Abomination of Desolation

Transcript

GR 727
11/10/1985
The Abomination of Desolation
Matthew 24:15-22
Gil Rugh

Turn in your bibles to Matthew's Gospel and the 24th chapter. Our hope and anticipation as believers is to see Jesus Christ face to face. That is what is next in God's prophetic plan that time when believers shall be called from the earth to meet Jesus Christ in the air. Then He'll take us to glory, to present us in the presence of His Father. Following that event, God will complete His program with the nation Israel on the earth. That is known as the Seventieth W eek of Daniel or the Seven Years Tribulation. That is the subject of Matthew 24. The seven years following the Rapture of the Church where God brings to consummation and completion His program with the nation Israel. Now that 7-year period is divided into two equal segments of 3% years each. Through verses 4-14 of Matthew 24, Christ has overviewed that 7-year period, looking at the first 3% years in verses 4-8, describing some of the events that will occur there. Then with verse 9 He picks up with the middle of that 7-year period which is a time when tribulation and persecution will break out for the nation Israel; and He gives us an overview of the last 3% years in verses 9-14. Then with verse 15 of Matthew chapter 24 He goes back now to pick up a very significant event that will occur in the middle of the Tribulation. So in verse 9 we read, "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation," describes something of that period of time. Verse 15, "Therefore when you see this happen, flee, run as quick as you can." He told them in the middle of the tribulation there's going to be persecution and tribulation. Now the question would come, how will we know when that tribulation and persecution is going to break out? Is there any indicator that this time is about to begin? Jesus is going to point them to the event--When you see this happen, then you'll know that there is going to be a great tribulation on the earth like there has never, ever been before during the history of mankind.

Let's read verse 15. "Therefore when you see the Abomination of Desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place. Christ expects understanding on the part of the readers. When you see the abomination standing in the holy place, then the instructions in verses 16, 17, and 18 are to run as fast as you can. Look for a place to hide and don't take any time to pack your clothes. So the key indicator for the nation Israel in the Tribulation, that persecution is going to begin, is the Abomination of Desolation standing in the holy place. That will be the mark of the beginning of the last 3% years of the Tribulation.

So we have to understand what is the Abomination of Desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet. First the words here-- Abomination of Desolation. The word "abomination" is used in the Old Testament to describe something that is especially detestable to God, something that God hates or despises in a particular way. That's the key idea in the word something "abominable." This is something that God hates and despises, and it is an abomination, which causes desolation. This abomination will result in destruction and ruin and desolation for the temple and for the nation Israel. That's the point that is being made. So when you see this abomination, it's an abomination that is connected with coming desolation or ruin for the nation Israel.

Now Daniel the prophet speaks about this abomination of desolation. Let me just note here that Christ puts His approval
on Daniel as a prophet--what Daniel the prophet spoke about. I tell you this because it is common among critics of the Scripture to reject the authority of Daniel, to deny Daniel's authorship even of his book or to make him a later writing. But when you attack the character of Daniel as a prophet, you attack the character of Christ because He identified Himself with Daniel and his ministry and message. Let's go back and look at Daniel's use of the expression "abomination of desolation."

We begin in Daniel chapter 9. By now you recognize that Daniel chapter 9 is one of the key prophetic chapters for understanding God's program for Israel. It is in Daniel chapter 9 that the time framework is established for God's program with Israel. It's within the framework of 70 weeks, or seventy 7 -year periods. Now we want to look at this last 7-year period, the Seventieth Week of Daniel. And in Daniel 9:27 we read, "And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week . . ." The "he" here is the Antichrist, the political ruler of the western world during the first 31-1 years, the ruler of the entire world during the last 3% years. We're going to talk about him as we move through Matthew. He'll make a covenant with the many for one week. The signing of an agreement with this ruler of the western world and the nation Israel marks the beginning of the Tribulation. Note, "but in the middle of the week," after 3 !4 years, "he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering. Now there's an indicator we're going to see several times in our study, that not only is the temple going to be rebuilt but the sacrificial system will be re-instituted in the nation Israel because here he's going to put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering. So Israel is going to return to the Old Testament system. The temple will be rebuilt and the sacrificial system will be re-instituted in the nation. We see a move toward this among the conservative orthodox Jews to return to the Old Testament laws and requirements, and when the temple is rebuilt they will be able to go back to the sacrifices as well.

"But in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, . . .” The abomination of desolation, "on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate." So here comes one who is abominable to God, who is detestable before God, and he is going to bring desolation to the nation Israel. That's the message of Daniel 9:27. We are identifying now, When will that occur?--the abomination of desolation.

"In the middle of the week . . . comes one on the wing of abomination who makes desolate." So to identify, when will the abomination of desolation stand in the holy place? Daniel 9:27, "in the middle of the week," In connection with putting an end to sacrifices, he will establish abomination of desolation. We'll talk more about it, but look over in Daniel chapter 11 for the second reference Daniel makes. Daniel 11:31. Now I want you to note something here and don't get confused. In Daniel 9:27 we have a prophetic reference to the coming Antichrist--the end of Israel’s history and the 70th Week of Daniel. In Daniel chapter 11 we're going to talk about an abomination of desolation that has been fulfilled in history. It was prophecy as Daniel wrote it, but it has already received its fulfillment. In Daniel chapter 11 down through verse 35 we're talking about Israel's past history. And in Daniel 11:31 we read, "And forces from him will arise, desecrate the sanctuary fortress, and do away with the regular sacrifice. And they will set up the abomination of desolation." Same expression but here it has its fulfillment in a man known as Antiochus IV Epiphanes. Now Antiochus IV Epiphanes is significant in Israel's history because he is a type of the coming Antichrist--in how he behaves, in what he does to Israel--he prefigures what the coming Antichrist is going to do at the end of Israel's history. Now Antiochus Epiphanes ruled Syria from 175 BC to 163 BC, in that period we know as the Intertestamental Period, between the close of the Old Testament and the beginning of the New Testament. From 175 to 163 BC Antiochus Epiphanes ruled Syria. Now he is a type of the Antichrist in several ways. Let me tell you something about Antiochus Epiphanes.

First, he severely persecuted the Jews. It was interesting to me in studying this that Antiochus Epiphanes is marked out as the first individual to carry out a religious persecution. Arnold Toinbee, the great historian, notes that this is the first appearance of a religious persecution. Happens under Antiochus Epiphanes. Isn't it interesting that religious persecution, therefore, begins with Israel and will conclude with Israel, because the last great persecution on this earth is going to be of the nation Israel and the Jews as well.

Second area where he parallels the Antichrist--he took to himself, Antiochus IV did, the name Theos Epiphanes. He was Antiochus the IV and as his reign moved along, he added to his name Theos Epiphanes. You know what that means? "God manifest." We call him Antiochus Epiphanes, Antiochus the Manifest. The Manifest what? The Manifestation of God. And he declared himself to be God manifest, same thing that the Antichrist at the end of history is going to do. What is significant for our interest here is the abomination of desolation.

Antiochus Epiphanes was an abominable character, and he desecrated the temple, brought destruction to the Jews. He took the temple at Jerusalem, after a humiliating defeat in Egypt, and turned it into a pagan temple in honor of the god Zeus, the pagan Greek god Zeus, and he identified himself as the manifestation of Zeus. And in the temple at Jerusalem, he sacrificed pigs on the altar to the god Zeus that was a sacrifice to himself since he was Zeus Manifest. The abomination of desolation involves him establishing himself in the temple at Jerusalem as God, which prefigures what the latter day Antichrist is going to do with the nation Israel.

Now let me tell you something just as little aside, but you ought to be aware of a holiday that goes on today. Several years later the Jews recaptured Jerusalem and cleansed the temple again and dedicated it to the worship of God. In connection with the cleansing of that temple and the dedication of that temple to God, they instituted a feast, which was to continue on perpetually for year after year. That feast continues to be observed by the Jews today. It is called The Feast of Hanukkah. "Hanukkah" is from the Greek word meaning "dedication." The temple is being dedicated again to God so the Feast of Hanukkah, or the Feast of Dedication, commemorates the rededicating of the temple in Jerusalem to the worship of God after it had been desecrated by the abomination of desolation by Antiochus the IV. Sometimes this feast is called the Feast of Lights, because of the practice of the Jews of burning a candle in the window during this feast. The feast was held in December, and that is because there's a tradition that when the Jews rededicated the temple, they could only find enough oil to burn the temple lamps for one day. But then they put the oil in the temple lamps; it burned supernaturally and miraculously for 8 days. So in commemorating this feast to remember that miracle of God, the Jews developed the pattern of lighting a candle or a lamp and that continues down until today in many
Jewish homes. So keep in mind when you hear in December the Jews are celebrating Hanukkah, what they are doing is commemorating the dedication of the temple--its re-cleansing and dedication to God after the abomination. If they only knew that the real, terrible abomination of desolation was yet in the future.

Look over in Daniel chapter 12, verse 11. Again now we look to the ultimate end-time abomination of desolation. Verse 11, "And from the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days." Again, identifies for us the middle of the tribulation. 1290 days--1260 days is 3 and a half years in prophecy. The extra 30 days, perhaps, are for the judgments that are described in Matthew chapter 25. The point here is that we are in the middle of the Tribulation. When the sacrifice is ended, the abomination of desolation is set up, we have 1290 days to the end. So you have the last half of the Tribulation period.

All right, come back to Matthew 24. Christ says the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of by Daniel the prophet "will stand in the holy place." This indicates the temple will be rebuilt in Jerusalem. And by the time you get to the middle of the 7-year Tribulation, the temple will have been rebuilt in Jerusalem, because this abomination of desolation will be set up in the holy place, which is in the temple. Now that was alluded to by the fact that Daniel talked about the cessation of sacrifices. We don't have sacrifices in Israel today; do you know why? There is no temple, and the sacrificial system centers in the temple. But the temple will be rebuilt and the sacrificial system will be re-instituted. That's why the talk about the rebuilding of the temple we've referred to on other occasions is so significant. I've referred to you concerning articles written by Jewish leaders and archaeologists who have determined that the temple can be rebuilt in Jerusalem without disturbing the Dome of the Rock, because the true site of the temple was not where the Dome of the Rock is but was an area alongside the Dome of the Rock. So they've actually drawn out how they can rebuild the temple on its appropriate site and not disturb the Dome of the Rock at all. Now maybe God will destroy the Dome of the Rock, I don't know. The point that is of interest to me is that Israel is talking about rebuilding the temple, and the fact it's been determined they can rebuild the temple on a site where there's absolutely nothing but an open courtyard area with some grass growing up between the rocks, that there will be a re-instituting of the sacrificial system. I've shared with you in other studies of an article I clipped out of a secular news magazine this past year where some Jewish leaders indicated among the orthodox that they are training 200 men in the priesthood in Jerusalem so that when the temple is rebuilt, there will be priests prepared to institute the sacrifice. Interesting that centuries ago, millenniums ago God said the temple would be rebuilt, the sacrifices will be re-instituted, and here we find unbelieving Jews talking about rebuilding the temple and getting the sacrificial system going. The temple will be rebuilt; the abomination of desolation will be set up in the holy place.

Now we go to some other prophetic Scriptures to find out exactly what this entails. Come over to 2 Thessalonians chapter 2. Paul writes 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 to clear up a misunderstanding. The Thessalonians were under such severe persecution they thought maybe they were in the Tribulation, maybe the "day of the Lord", an Old Testament expression that encompasses the 7-year Tribulation, had begun. Paul writes to tell them that can't be. So he tells them in verse 2, Don't "be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed" whether a spirit brings you a prophecy or someone says 'I got a letter from home that the day of the Lord has come.' Can't be. Verse 3, "Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come" (referring to the day of the Lord at the end of verse 2 which includes the Tribulation we're talking about) "unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, . . .” Two things must happen at the beginning of the Tribulation. The apostasy must occur, and the man of sin, the Antichrist, must be revealed. The apostasy--some identify this as the great departure from the faith that will exist in the last days. Paul wrote to Timothy and said that in the latter times many shall "depart from the faith." So that is a true Biblical truth. In the context here, however, the word "apostasy" just means departure. As Paul writes to Timothy, he says "a departure from the faith." All he says here is where "the departure comes first." The only departure he has talked about in the context is the one in verse 1-- "Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to Him...” So it may be he is saying, the day of the Lord can't begin until the departure of the saints to meet the Lord has occurred. I prefer that, although I don't think that's proves pre-tribulation rapture since it can also mean the apostasy from the faith.

Secondly, the man of lawlessness or the son of destruction will be revealed. Now you note, that happens in the context of the Tribulation. I take it is futile and worse than empty, it is worthless speculation, to try to guess who the Antichrist might be. Daniel indicates he is a little horn in the western world federation of nations. Perhaps some insignificant, minor politician that Satan is grooming for the right moment. So I take it there is no possibility for us to recognize and identify him. If the Rapture is going to occur this week and you listed every man living, you would have him on the list. But other than that I don't know how you would know who it is going to be. Evidently he is going to rise from within the confines of the old Roman Empire, so that narrows it down somewhat, but he won't be revealed until after the Rapture of the Church. So I have a collection of little booklets that tell you who the Antichrist is in my file and I classify those under "Junk" because they are just worthless guesses of people!

All right, verse 4. "Who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, . . ." Note what he does here. He stands against every other form of worship, everything else that's called god, and note here, "so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God." Now could that be called abomination before God? Would that be detestable before God? That a man would take his place in the holy place in the temple that is dedicated to the worship of the true and living God, and declares there that he is God manifest, and the only object of worship allowed on the face of the earth? I take it that's the abomination of desolation, when he sets himself up in the temple as God, "displaying himself as being God."

Down at verse 8, "And then that lawless one will be revealed whom, the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; . . ." We know it's yet future because the end of the Antichrist will be destruction by Christ when He returns to earth, and that obviously hasn't occurred. So this man must yet be a future person.

Verse 9. "That is, the one whose coming is” (and this is important) "in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved." This person is going to have supernatural power. His coming is with the activity of Satan. Satan is a supernatural being, has supernatural power. Now here is a man who is empowered by Satan. The result of that is, power and signs and false wonders geared to deceive people, to delude people into believing he is really God in the flesh. He's going to do some spectacular things, and these will be offered as proof that this one now in the temple, standing in the holy place, is none other than God on earth.

Look over to Revelation 13 for further details of the abomination of desolation. Revelation 13, we have two key figures-- the first is a beast, in verse 1, coming up out of the sea. This is the one being identified as the Antichrist, the political world ruler called the man of lawlessness and the son of destruction in 2 Thessalonians 2. He has 10 horns, 7 heads--descriptive phrases here. I take it the 10 horns refer to the 10 nations that are federated together in the revived Roman Empire. The 7 heads are the 7 world empires that will exist down to this time, further described in Revelation 17. Verse 3, "I saw one of his heads as if it had been slain, and his fatal wound was healed. And the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast; and they worshiped the dragon, because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, 'Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?'" You note that Satan gives authority to the beast, and so the world is overwhelmed with the greatness. Here Satan is allowed to manifest himself through this person in such a spectacular way that the world of the unbelieving are amazed. What happened when God manifested Himself? He manifested Himself in the person of His Son Jesus Christ, and the world was unwilling to have Him. But when Satan offers a counterfeit god, who is a manifestation of his own corruptness to the world with the display of his supernatural power, then the world will be ready to follow and worship him. Signs, miracles and wonders--I take it that the great emphasis and interest we have in the world today on the supernatural, on miracles-- you turn on the television and watch how many programs are geared around the miraculous and doing miracles and supernatural powers, etc. All conditioning the world for the acceptance of this one who will come with the greatest display of power of anyone since Jesus Christ Himself walked the earth. So we see a conditioning going on in that area. People gravitate and want to see people who can do miracles. They want to see supposed displays of power. Satan will give them something to wow them! He'll knock your eyes out! Watch this! And he gives us an example in chapter 13. What happens at the beginning of verse 11 is that there is another beast that comes on the scene. You have a Satanic trinity in chapter 13--you have Satan paralleled to God the Father in this imitation. He manifests himself through the Antichrist who is the false Christ, who is paralleled to Christ in the analogy. And now you have one whose ministry parallels that ministry of the Holy Spirit because the ministry of the beast in verse 11 is to direct all attention to the Antichrist and cause the world to worship him. What is the ministry of the Holy Spirit? To direct worship and honor to Jesus Christ. This is a false Holy Spirit, if you will, a false prophet as he is usually identified. Verse 12, "He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. And he makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed. And he performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men." So here is this one who stands and says the entire world should worship the beast, the Antichrist; he is God Manifest, the only fit object of worship. Lest there be any doubters out there, watch this! Pow, here comes fire down from heaven racing across the earth! You think that won't be convincing? Who could call down fire from heaven? Read your Bibles! Who called down fire from heaven? Elijah! "If I be a man of God make fire come down from heaven and destroy you." Who else but God sends down fire from heaven? Show me any examples even in the Bible where anyone but God calls, down fire from heaven. Do you have any question this is God in the flesh? Got even greater proof for you! What is one of the great attributes of God? He is the Creator; God creates and gives life. Watch this! Verse 14, "And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast..." You note that. The miracles he does are used to deceive. Now this ought to be a word of warning to us as believers in a day that is caught up with interest in the miraculous supposedly and the supernatural. Everything must be minutely and carefully analyzed in light of Scripture lest we be deceived by this pre -deception, if you will, preparing the way for the Antichrist. The middle of verse 14, "Telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life." So now they're going to make an image in honor of the Antichrist. Carve it ought of stone, out of metal, out of wood, I don't know. But note here. "And there was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast might even speak and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be killed." how I ask you, who else but God can give life? Create life? They're going to create an image of this beast, set it in the temple I take it, in the holy place, and now going to call it to life. That image is going to start to speak and manifest the characteristics of life. Is it any wonder the world is going to be deceived? Who else but God could give life to stone? I mean, wouldn't you be impressed if someone here carved a great stone figure, and then stood here and snapped their fingers, and that piece of stone started to move and talk and manifest intelligence? And that person says 'Does that not prove to you I am God?' Any wonder that Christ said that if possible it would even deceive the very elect? This is going to be spectacular stuff. We may get some insight on how it's done here--verse 15 says, "There was given to him to give breath to the image." The word "breath" there is the word "spirit,"--to give "spirit" to the image. Doesn't say "life." It may be what happens here is demonic deception, through the activity of a demon functioning in this image; the image takes on the appearance of being alive. But it's really a demon that in effect has possessed this image and gives the manifestation of life, but life hasn't entered it at all, simply a demon has taken over this image and with the supernatural power of Satan gives the appearance of life being created. But the life being created by God, pre-existent life, life that already existed manifested through the image. The point here, I take it the abomination of desolation will probably focus on this image as it is set up in the temple, representing the Antichrist, and now he causes all the world to worship the beast. And to indicate you are a worshiper of the beast, down through verse 18, you get a mark on your forehead or on the back of your hand--666--that identifies you as one who has committed himself to worshiping the Antichrist, worshiping the beast.

Look over in Revelation 17. We see something of how this is all going to be brought together. Revelation 17, the first part of the chapter talks about the harlot, the great whore, and that depicts the religious system that will exist after the Rapture of the Church. When the Rapture of the Church occurs, all true believers will be removed from the earth, but there will be a lot of religious people left. So churches will go on functioning. They are described as the harlot or the whore in Revelation 17. Then note down in verse 16, "And the ten horns which you saw" (the ten horns represent the ten nations federated together in the western world in the revived Roman Empire) "and the beast" (the leader of these nations) "these will hate the harlot and will make her desolate and naked, and will eat her flesh and will burn her up with fire. For God has put it in their hearts to execute His purpose by having a common purpose, and by giving their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God should be fulfilled." You know what's going to happen? In the middle of the 7 -year Tribulation, the nations that have been supporting the Antichrist will now agree that he is the only fit object of worship in the universe. They will destroy even the apostate, false church. In other words, the only worship allowed now is the worship of god manifest, the abomination of desolation, the Antichrist himself. And the nations of the world are agreed to that. They are agreed that we bow and submit our kingdoms to him who is God in the flesh. Christ came--remember Satan offered to Him the kingdoms of the world if He would bow down and worship him--here you see Satan carrying that out. Here is a man who has bowed down to worship Satan, and now the kingdoms of the world are federated under him to worship him over this last 3 and a half year period.

Turn back to Matthew 24. So the Abomination of Desolation standing in the holy place? The Antichrist and the image constructed in honor of him and given life set up in the holy place of the temple mark the beginning of the great Tribulation of the last 3 and a half years. When Israel sees that happen, they better take off on the run! You know it's going to be an immediate beginning, sort of like, have you ever seen a special or read about lightning if you're out in a lightning storm, you can sometimes tell you're going to get struck by lightning because you begin to feel a tingling in your skin, etc.? But you know there's not time for you to run out and buy a lightning rod! There's not time to run jump in your car and drive away. They tell you to lie down quickly or get into a depression of earth or something. Well, it's going to be that way in the Tribulation. There's going to be this sign here, but it's not going to give you two months now to get packed and go hide. And so you have in verses 16, 17 and 18, "Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains; . . ." In the surrounding area of Judea, the region of Jerusalem, run to the mountains, and those mountains, a rugged area of that terrain there are thousands of caves. Flee to that rugged terrain to hide. "Let him who is on the housetop not go down to get the things out that are in his house . . ." Those flat roofs, they might be up there enjoying evening tea. All of a sudden they hear what has happened in the temple at Jerusalem Don't even go down to throw some clothes in a suitcase or a bag. Jump off the roof and start running. Verse 18, "And let him who is in the field not turn back to get his cloak." You're out farming, you hear word, somebody comes running and says, 'This is what they've done in the temple.' Don't go back home to get a cloak, you just take off and run. That shows how quickly this is going to occur. It will be such an instant change that Israel is going to be totally caught off guard. But here is a sign. I take it by this passage we're studying there will be Jews who will become believers during the Tribulation who will be reading this and will recognize it when it comes. It will be their indicator to take off and hide.

But tragedy is pronounced in verse 19. "But woe to those who are with child and to those who nurse babes in those days!" Those who are pregnant, those who have small nursing children, it will be very difficult to escape. It brings the added physical problem--how can you make a quick escape when you're pregnant, when you have a small baby to care for? That just impedes the ability to just take off and run! "Woe to them" who are caught in that position.

"Pray that your flight may not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath; Israel can pray that God is gracious and has this happen on a Tuesday in the summer, because you don't want anything to be there that will slow you up, even a little bit. Travel would be more difficult in the winter, and in the cold weather you can't even go back and get some clothes. You have to slosh through the rain or perhaps damp snow, it's going to be very difficult to flee, so pray it doesn't happen in winter. Or on the Sabbath-remember, we've reverted to Old Testament system. There won't be any travel on the Sabbath. Jews start running to the mountains, they're going to be prime targets because it's going to be obvious there's travel going on. So pray it doesn't happen on a Sabbath that will make travel a lot more difficult. Everything will be shut down in the nation.

The reason? "For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever shall be." The Great Tribulation. That 7-year period is called the Tribulation, but the Great Tribulation technically refers only to the last 3 and a half years. For the first 3 and a half years there is tribulation on earth but Israel is enjoying peace. The last and a half years is the Great Tribulation. The description of it by Christ? Nothing like it has ever occurred ever in the history of mankind. Daniel 12:1 says the same thing. That at the time Daniel the prince of Israel will stand up on behalf of the nation Israel and there will be a time of distress such as has not occurred since the beginning of mankind, or ever shall be. You think of the worst possible atrocity, times of suffering, that have occurred in the world--they don't compare to what is going to happen in the last 3 and a half years of the Tribulation.

You may think you know of some awful things that happened. That's right. And Christ not only knows history but He knows future, and He says there's nothing to compare with it that has ever occurred on the face of the earth. Since tribulation is coming you better run and hide. It's going to be the worst possible series of events. Turn over to Revelation 12 to give you some further information on this period of time Christ is talking about. In Revelation 12 we have war in heaven in the middle of the Tribulation, and remember Michael wars with Satan and Satan loses his access to heaven. He's cast down to earth with his demons. So as the end of verse 12 says, he knows he has only a short period of time. Verse 13, "And when the dragon saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child." The woman is Israel, Israel gave birth to Christ. "And the two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, in order that she might fly into the Wilderness to her place, where she was nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent." See what's going to happen? Israel's going to flee to the wilderness regions, the rugged terrain, down to Jordan, down toward the Dead Sea, the TransJordan area across the Jordan in that rugged terrain where they have thousands of caves in the rugged cliffs of that region. They become hiding places for Israel during this 3%-year period. Verse 15, "And the serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, so that he might cause her to be swept away with the flood. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and drank up the river which the dragon poured out of his mouth." This could be a literal flood, but probably in light of the picture here and David uses a flood in the same way to picture tribulation and trial in the Psalms sweeping over, here a picture of Satan trying to overwhelm the nation Israel, and God protecting them, the very terrain of that rugged region will keep the Antichrist from finding every Jew. It is just suited for that kind of hiding.

Verse 17, "The dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus." It will be the Jews and everyone else who will not worship the Antichrist who will be subject to persecution. And we read other places in Revelation that the number of martyrs during this period is like the sand of the sea, you can't even count them there are so many. People from every tongue, tribe, people and nation; people will be saved and saved in great numbers in the Great Tribulation, but they will pay for it by dying terrible, horrible deaths as martyrs because the Antichrist is set on annihilating everyone who won't worship him. Why? This is Satan's great attempt to have the entire world worship him. They do that through the person of his representative, the Antichrist. But the Jews particularly, why? God has chosen Israel for Himself. Satan must frustrate the plan of God by annihilating the Jews and thus short-circuiting the program of God. Does he really think he could do that? No, but he keeps on persisting. I don't believe he really could do that. Well, do people keep on after they hear the Gospel and not believe in Jesus Christ? Do they think they can escape hell when the Eternal God says they will go to hell if they do not believe in Christ? Why do they keep persisting? God says no charge, free salvation; believe in My Son Jesus, eternal glory. NO! They still think they can do battle with God. Well, Satan is a fallen corrupt, being. When all is said and done he still thinks he has a chance. You say its stupidity. That's right, but it's no more stupid than people today that are on their way to hell and won't accept the free gift of eternal life. Same kind of character being manifest. Sinful rebellion against the holy God.

Zechariah 13:8, just jot it down, we don't have time to turn there. Two-thirds of the Jews living in Palestine are going to die in this persecution. Two-thirds of the Jews in Palestine. That doesn't count the Jews in the other parts of the world. It says two- thirds of the Jews in the land will die. What about the millions of Jews in this country and other parts of the world? There is going to be tremendous suffering. Keep in mind; over half of the earth's population is going to die either under natural catastrophes or under the persecution going on in this period of time. And what you're going to have is a mushrooming of events, so that by the time you get to the end there's danger of no life being saved. Come back to Matthew 24.

Verse 22. Jesus said, "And unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days shall be cut short." What is happening is the persecution going on and the natural catastrophes that are happening, everything from the drinking water turning to blood to hail stones that weight 100 pounds each plummeting down on cities, people are going to be dying so fast, you know what happens in the middle of a catastrophe like that? We've seen in areas how it seems to build and it keeps mushrooming and getting worse and worse? That's what happens through the 7-year Tribulation. So that by the time you get to the 7th year, there are so calamities, earthquakes going on here and there, disasters here and there, persecution to annihilate everyone who won't worship the Antichrist, people dying so quickly, that if Christ did not intervene at the end of seven years, it doesn't mean it will be cut shorter than seven years, but it means if He had allowed it to go on over 9 or 10 years, there wouldn't be a person left alive on the face of the earth. So He graciously intervenes. "But for the sake of the elect those days shall be cut short." God has chosen to save some. God has determined that some shall believe in Him and survive the trials of the Great Tribulation to go into the earthly kingdom in physical bodies and populate that earth. God's grace manifested even in the judgment, for the sake of the elect. He doesn't say He'll do it because the wicked have suffered enough. He does it for the sake of His elect, those He has chosen for Himself to carry out His purposes. So there's mercy in the midst of judgment. God hasn't forgotten His elect. There will be a number of those preserved in this tribulation period.

You say, 'I don't know if I can believe in such an awful time, that God would bring such judgment and trials. You talk about pregnant women, nursing children and they're going to be suffering? I can hardly believe it.' You keep in mind everybody going in to the Tribulation is going in because they didn't want anything to do with Jesus Christ and the free gift of life. If Jesus Christ would come today to take all believers to be with Himself, those that are left would be those who have not believed in Jesus Christ. The Tribulation will begin perhaps tomorrow, perhaps at the end of the week or the end of the month, we don't know how long before that agreement will be signed. Evidently a short period of time and the Tribulation would be underway. Now the people going into the Tribulation are going in because they have said No' to the free gift of God's salvation. God says, "Judgment is coming. Wrath beyond description; but here, let Me offer deliverance. I don't want you to pay anything. I don't want you to do anything. I had My Son die for you. Simply believe that He paid the penalty for your sin, trust Him alone as the One who loved you and died for you and was raised from the dead, and I'll forgive you, cleanse you and remove you to be with Myself before this judgment comes." People say No, I don't believe it; I'll have nothing to do with it.' So they go into judgment and say 'God couldn't do such a terrible thing.' You know, there is love; there is mercy, and grace. That's manifested in the fact God offers a free salvation now; but you ought not to lose sight of the fact that God is just as much a God of justice, righteousness and holiness. Shall not the Judge of all the earth be right? Does He not have to punish the wicked? So keep in mind, we talk about the Tribulation, but the people going in there are the people who would not have Jesus Christ as their Savior. There is deliverance provided for all who will believe.

It leaves one question. Where are you today? Have you come to trust Jesus Christ as Savior? If the Rapture were to occur today, would you be caught up to meet Jesus Christ in the air? When did you come to believe that Jesus Christ died for you personally? If you haven't, that would mean if the Rapture were to occur now, some people would be left sitting in this auditorium. Having heard this message, awaiting the beginning of such an awful tribulation.

For those of us who have believed, you say ‘what do I care? I'm going to be caught up to meet the Lord. What's the difference?' The difference reminds me of the severity of God. It reminds me that if the Rapture would occur today there are people I won't be able to share the Gospel with tomorrow. It gives me a sense of urgency, of importance, of significance. I tend to get caught up in the things of this life. I love my home, I love my car, I love my clothes, I love these things--you know if Jesus Christ were to come today they'd all be left behind, and they wouldn't matter a bit. But it would matter how faithfully I've served Him. It would matter who has heard the Good News of Jesus Christ. There ought to be a sense of urgency about us. We as believers mire down a little bit into complacency. Do I really believe what Jesus Christ has described here? Do I believe it's as awful as He describes it? Do I believe the only hope is for a person to believe in Jesus Christ as Savior? Then why are there people who haven't believed that I haven't told? People that I'm embarrassed to share Christ with? Family, friends, and people I work with? In light of what Jesus says, can I allow a little embarrassment or fear of rejection keep me from telling them that this is the only hope? I need to be reminded of that. I can't go out in a panic, it's in God's hands; but there ought to be a sense of urgency about my life. My life ought to be lived on the edge that Christ is coming. This may be the contact. I may not be able to keep an appointment on Thursday to tell them about Christ. Someday Christ will come and those appointments at the end of the week to share the gospel won't be kept. Now maybe God wants me to make the appointments for the end of the week, fine. But I also want to be careful I'm not putting off until tomorrow what can't be put off 'til tomorrow.